Cosplay Wig Styling Tips

Wig styling is an essential cosplaying skill. It takes a few tricks and some creativity.


Be sure to have the right wig and styling supplies ready before starting. There are a variety of wigs to choose from and some lend better to certain styles than others.

Cutting


Be sure to pin the wig down before styling to keep it in place. Keep in mind the wig head may be smaller than a human head therefore the style doesn't look the same when worn.


For big cuts use a simple horizontal cut. To make spikes or to avoid blunt edges, leave an inch or two of buffer because it may take a few rounds of cutting before getting the right shape. Cut vertically making the edges uneven and pointy.


Spikes


Spikes can be formed by styling the wig with freezing spray or hair glue. When using the spray, shape the spike and work the spray from root to tip and pinch the edges. Hold them in place until the product dries.


The glue is handy for hanging spikes, in other words ones that do not stand up. Work the gel into the tips of the hair.


Bald Spots or Holes


When styling a wig, watch out for holes or bald spots. This happens when you move the hair around on an open-cap wig, a wig that has rows of hair stitched in circles but with gaps in between. To cover them up, sew on matching extensions onto the wig underneath an existing row then feed it through the gap where the bald spot is. Use wefted extensions – hair that has been stitched at the top – because it is less trouble than managing loose hair.


Hairlines


Some styles have the hair pulled back and the hairline is showing. To avoid the hard edge of a wig, get matching extensions to create a new hairline. The edges cannot be wefted because they will be showing, so cut it off if it is. Cut a strip of fabric, ribbon or foam to lie against the wig hairline. Be sure the colour blends in.


Glue down the extensions to the material by leaving an inch or two off one edge, making the new hairline and the rest off the other edge. Make sure the hairline edge is cut somewhat uneven or pointed like a real hairline.


Then attach the material to the wig by sewing it down. Afterwards style the rest of the loose hair into the wig with freezing spray.


Ponytails


If the hair style has a ponytail, seriously consider getting a short wig with a clip-on ponytail. Many wig stores online offer them in colours that match their hairpieces. Wig ponytails are made the same as regular ones. Be sure to get rid of all the bumps by working the hair back. The hairline at the back of the neck may need some work. Refer to the hairline section above.


A ponytail offsets the weight of the wig. Hairpins may be needed to keep the it steady.


Strange Shapes


If the style is strangely shaped, it can be constructed using foam as a base. They are light and easy to modify. Foam can be bought in many shapes - spheres, cones, cubes - in a craft store. Similar to making a hairline, glue the hair extensions to the foam then attach that to the wig. Add more hair on top to blend it in if necessary.


Tangles and Brushing


Long wigs can easily tangle. If worn at a convention, be sure to detangle it periodically throughout the day by passing fingers through it. Comb it before storing to prevent more knots. Use a brush made specifically for wigs and be gentle.


Care and Transport


Read the instructions on the label. They usually include the washing temperature and shampooing directions.


To store or transport plain unstlyed wigs, keep them in the hairnet and the plastic case provided. For big styled wigs, put it on a foam wig head then place it in a box with some buffer around it, be it empty space or packaging foam.


Source: suite101

How to Correctly Put a Wig

Putting on the Wig Cap


1. Wet your hair thoroughly. If it's long enough, twist it into a ponytail at the nape of your neck and then flip that ponytail so that it lies up against your head, the tail pointing toward or across your forehead.


2. Pull a wig cap on; start from the back of your head if you have a lot of hair in a ponytail. This is where having the ponytail flipped up toward the top of your head helps keep it out of the way while you apply the wig cap. If you have short hair or are bald, just pull the wig cap on.


3. Stuff as much of your hair as possible down toward the back of your neck, making sure it's still contained by the wig cap.

Putting on the Wig


4. Hold the wig with both hands, backs of your hands facing together, fingers inside the wig and thumbs outside the wig.


5. Place the wig's scalp line against your forehead, just above your eyebrows.


6. Tilt your head forward as you slowly stretch the back and sides of the wig down over your wig cap, sliding your fingers out from underneath the edges as you pull them down.


7. Pull the back of the wig down until it covers the back of your wig cap. The wig will stretch to accommodate any extra hair that you've stuffed into the back of your wig cap.

8. Tug the back of the wig down until the front of it sits just below your natural hairline. If the wig you're wearing has bangs, you can let it sit a little higher, right at your natural hairline.


9. Start piercing hairpins through the wig, the wig cap, and into your hair below. Be careful not to poke yourself in the scalp; instead, work your hair pins into the wig all along its edges, at every single angle possible. The more pins you put in, the more stable your wig should be.


10. Test how well you've applied the wig by jumping up and down, shaking your head vigorously from side to side, flinging the wig hair around (if it's long) and touching your toes. If you've added enough pins, the wig should stay firmly in place through all of this and not wiggle at all. If it wiggles, add more hair pins.


Source: eHow style

Wigs: Yellow vs Blonde

This is an interesting topic and something I see come up a lot in wig advice threads. Yellow or Blonde, what color should a wig be? It’s a challenge that can make or break a cosplay! Some people argue that yellow never is good, however I don’t believe that it’s true and I am going to go over some ways to determine if you should choose a blonde or yellow wig!

Obvious Blondes
These characters tend to have a lighter color of hair that is more blonde than yellow anyway. These generally should be a blonde wig.

Yellow Hair, Normal World
In some situations the character will have a very yellow hair color, but is still supposed to be human or appear human. There are few situations where a bright yellow actually works, but in these situations it doesnt. I would reccomend a golden blonde wig which will have more color to it, but still look fairly natural.

Yellow Hair, Other World
Most of the time yellow wigs look bad, they look fake because it is so unnatural. However there are situations where yellow hair is possibly the better choice because the character is not from this world, or isn’t human. With yellow, sometimes it is better to opt for a pale yellow, or a blonde/yellow mix rather than something bright and solid.

Yellow, or Maybe Blonde?
There are characters where it’s tough to decide. The hair can work as both yellow or blonde. An example would be naruto, cosplays of the character look good with both blonde or a pale yellow, and sometimes it looks okay with a brighter yellow. In this case, the best thing to do is look through existing cosplays of the character and decide what you think looks the best, and if you want to do a realistic version of the character or a very cartoony version.

Choosing a Yellow Wig

The biggest problem with yellow wigs are that they are this unnatural, obnoxious, bright color that just looks bad. It doesn’t look natural or realistic, it just burns the eyes! So here is a quick guide to choosing a yellow that looks good.



Say no to neon!

If it is a bright bight neon yellow it is going to look bad. Most of the time these are also party wigs which means they end up being low quality as well.

Bright Yellows are a Sometimes Wig
These are fairly bright but a little toned down from a neon wig. These generally should be used for characters that you want to have very yellow hair and not look natural. Most of the time it would be good to avoid these wigs.

Golden Yellow Brick Road to Success
If you want a character’s hair to be yellow but don’t want it to be vibrant and in your face, go with a golden yellow. Golden yellows usually are a darker blonde and yellow mix which gives you a good strong color but without the eye burning.

Mellow-Yellow Blonde
Yellow blonde wigs are good for characters who have a light blonde / light yellow hair color. It also looks natural but doesn’t have a the bright boom that the golden yellow has.

Source: cosplaytutorial.com

Some Things You Need to Know About Wigs

We found this great article on HeadCovers Unlimited which we think all cosplayers should read. The following information where taken from headcovers.com. We do not claim ownership of the article and related images.

Question: How do I put my wig on?

Answer:

1) Give the wig a gentle shake.

2) Identify the front and the back of the wig. The label always goes in the back. Note the Velcro tabs for sizing. Leave the tabs as is at first. You can adjust them later if necessary.

3) Place the wig on a flat surface so you are looking inside the wig. Make sure the label is at the top (the label is at the back of the wig). Grasp the wig at the top (back), with your hands placed on each side of the label.

4) Slip the wig over the head starting at the hairline and then towards the neck. The front of the wig should lie on the front hairline.

5) The wig should feel secure, but not too tight. If needed, you can adjust the size with the Velcro tabs inside the wig.

Question: How often should I wash my wig?

Answer: The frequency of washing depends on factors such as air quality and humidity. Generally, a wig should be washed after it has been worn 8 – 12 times, but this can vary.

Question: How do I wash my wig?

Answer:

Washing instructions will vary, depending on if your wig is human hair or synthetic. Most wigs are made of synthetic hair, allowing for the easiest washing and styling. Determine if your wig is synthetic or human hair and follow the appropriate care instructions below.

SYNTHETIC WIGS:

1. Gently brush the wig thoroughly with a wig brush.

2. Add one tablespoon of wig shampoo to a sink filled with cold water.

3. Immerse wig for one minute and agitate gently. Do not rub.

4. Rinse the wig gently in cold clear water twice or until thoroughly rinsed.

5. Blot the wig gently with a towel. Do not squeeze or wring.

6. Apply conditioning spray very lightly over wig, spraying 10-12 inches from the wig.

7. Allow the wig to air dry on a slender object like a can of hairspray or a shampoo bottle covered with a hand towel. Styrofoam heads may stretch the cap.

8. Do not use a hair dryer. Air dry only. You may gently style the wig with your fingertips.

9. Brush wig only when completely dry. Do not allow the wig to dry in direct sunlight.

HUMAN HAIR WIGS: To achieve a natural appearance and unique color variations, all human hair wigs are chemically processed. To give your wig the longest life, it is very important to use sulfate-free hair care products that are specifically made for chemically processed hair. To wash your human hair wig, follow these steps:

1. Detangle the wig using a wig brush or comb. Start at the ends and work upwards to the base of the cap.

2. Rinse the wig in cold water, with the water flowing in the same direction of the hair to avoid tangling. Do not soak your human hair wig in a basin. This will cause the hair to tangle and mat together.

3. Using your fingertips and phosphate free shampoo specifically for human hair wigs, distribute the shampoo evenly throughout the hair.

4. Rinse with cold water to remove shampoo. Rinse so that the water is flowing in the same direction as the hair.

5. Remove excess water by gently patting with a towel. Do not wring or squeeze.

6. Condition the wig with wig conditioner, using your fingertips to distribute the conditioner evenly throughout the hair.

7. Remove the conditioner by rinsing with cold water. To remove excess water, pat gently with a soft towel. Do not squeeze or wring. Allow the wig to air dry on a folding wig stand or a tall can of hairspray.

Question: How do I style my wig?

Answer: Your wig can be styled by using a wig brush, a wig comb, or your fingertips. Avoid using a brush designed for human hair. These brushes can create excessive tension, over-stretching the hair with abrasive strokes that may damage the hair.

The wigs we carry are shake & wear and can be styled by simply using a wide tooth comb or your fingertips. The best styling tool is the most inexpensive; a spray bottle of clean, cool water. Lightly spritz your wig with water to remove static electricity and return your wig to its original look.

To achieve style variations, liquid wig mousse is an essential styling tool. For curly or wavy styles, just mousse, hand scrunch, and pick the style into curls. On straight styles, mousse and brush lightly.

Your wig was designed with a basic style but the variations you can achieve through styling are limitless. Added height can be achieved by gently lifting with the wig comb. If you want added fullness as well, tease or back-comb and then smooth the surface hair over the teasing. Your wig can be returned to its basic style by washing it and allowing it to air dry.

To completely restyle, we recommend taking your wig to a professional stylist.

Question: Can I cut my wig?

Answer: Yes! Your wig comes pre-styled with a basic style, but we encourage our clients to have their wigs customized by a professional hair stylist. This is a great way to make the wig uniquely your own. Often, a little trim on the bangs and a little thinning here or there can make all the difference in the world. The wig should be cut while you are wearing it. Everyone has a different face shape, a different forehead length, and different style preferences. Seek out the assistance of experienced professional, and only allow the wig to be cut while it is on your head.

Question: What should I avoid?

Answer:

1) Do not expose your wig to heat in excess of 160°. (Like opening an oven door, standing near a barbecue grill, etc.) This will damage the wig fibers. Any type of heat will cause wig fibers to frizz (lamps, ovens/stoves, heat from body).

2) Do not brush your wig when wet.

3) Do not use any form of curling irons, hot rollers or blow dryers. Again, heat will ruin the wig.

4) Do not use products designed for regular human hair. Only use wig shampoo, wig conditioner, wig hair spray, wig mousse, and brushes or combs made especially for wigs. We sell these wig care products at a discounted price or they can also be purchased from any wig store.

5) Do not use bleaches, colors, or rinses on your wig.

6) We do not recommend wearing your wig in a swimming pool.

Detangling a Wig

Detangling a Wig - Light

This tutorial is for a wig that is lightly tangled. It could be the wind got at it, it was kept in a bag after a convention, it would be it fell down the stairs and sat on the floor for a week. It isn't too bad but you are worried about not being able to fix it, or that you will pull out all the hair while trying to fix it up. Whatever the reason you are checking out this tutorial, I am hoping it will help you. 

** please make sure to wash out any hairspray, glue, gel or any other styling product if it was used in the wig. Let it fully dry before following these instructions.

You will need:

• A wide toothed comb
• A hair clip
• Stuff to re-style afterwards (if wanted)

	This is Victoria sporting the blonde bob wig we will be working with. The wig was shaken around and messed up a bit but the damage isn't too bad.
	This is a plastic afro pick, I use it as my wide toothed comb because the teeth are far apart and large so they won't pull too much on the wig's fibers. Any wide toothed comb will work though.
	Clip up the top layer of hair so that you can work on the underside first, there will be less hair to deal with and it is easier to focus on knots.
	First, use your fingers to untangle tight knots. Be as gentle as possible, whenever you comb a wig you are likely to pull out fibers so try to pull out as few as possible. Start gently combing the wig. Always start from the bottom of the wig and then work your way higher. You don't want to push all the tangles to the bottom and have to work out one giant knot later. The picture is a partially finished side shot.
	I chose to do the front bangs first and then do both the sides. I find it is easier to work toward the back and then do the back in one shot. I sugguest you do whatever way you feel will work best for your wig.
	The image is the back's bottom layer completed. After this take out the clip and work your way around the wig again. Once the top layer has been worked through fully, run the comb through the wig making sure it goes through smoothly without and tangles.

The Completed Wig:

Detangling a Wig - Heavy

Sometimes wigs get completely messed up. Teasing for a style, heavy winds, the dog decided wigs are a new chew toy, or the wig has been shuffled around the house with no care for it's safety. Stuff happens and wigs can be expensive, so you don't want to throw it away when it becomes a horrible mess. But what can you do when the wig becomes this hair lump tangled to oblivion?

For this tutorial you will need:

• A wide toothed comb
• A bathtub, sink or large bowl
• Some Shampoo (wig shampoo works best)
• **Styling products if you want your wig re-styled

	Scary sight, isn't it? No it isn't a live animal, this is my test wig. This $10 halloween wig has has chunks cut out for extensions and random wires or masses of glue forced into it for crazy test styles. It isn't in the best of shape as it doesn't normally sit on a wig head but I went the extra mile. This wig was tossed around, messed up with my hands, teased and rolled and whatever else I could think of to make it a mess. It is a clump of knots and tangles and a perfect test subject for this tutorial.
	You will need: a bathtub or a large bowl filled with lukewarm water. Make sure it isn't too hot or you might melt or deform the wig. You will also need shampoo, it cleans the wig and makes detangling the wig in the water a lot easier. There are special wig shampoos but a baby shampoo, or anything not overly abrasive or scented will be fine. The idea is to help make the fibers easier to untangle. Submerse the wig in the water until it is fully covered. Use come shampoo on your fingers to gently comb through the wig with your fingers. Don't tug too hard, if you find knots work them out before moving on. Try to avoid pulling out fibers.
	Rub in more shampoo as needed, use the shampoo to work out knots and be careful not to create new ones. A wig shampoo is your best choice, but if not using a basic shampoo (such as a baby shampoo) would be good.
	Keep combing the wig out with your fingers, as you loosen knots it will be easier to run through entire lengths. You will start to see a noticable difference in the wig.
	When the wig is looking pretty decent, pull it out of the water and shake it out a bit letting the water drain. It might look messy again but that is because the water isn't spreading it out and gravity has taken it's toll. Let the wig hang over the side of the tub and wait until it is fully dry to move on. This may take a couple hours. You can pat the wig dry with a towel to speed up the drying process but don't rub the wig or you will cause it to become messy again.
	When the wig is fully dry you can begin combing it out. I always start by combing out the bangs, they are small and help figure out where the part is. Always start combing from the bottom of the hair and then slowly take on more as the tangles are worked out. You may have to work larger tangles out with your fingers. Once again, try to keep from pulling out too many fibers.
	Clip up the top layer of hair and start with the lower layer. You get to deal with less hair so you can focus on tangles, and you don't have to turn the wig inside out to get the tangles closer to your body.
	Once you have done the lower part of the wig, let the hair out of the clip and do the top layer of the wig.
	My finished wig. Definately a lot different from the before picture. When it is finished you can then style it back to it's original look if desired. If you plan to store the wig, let it sit where it won't get damaged. Putting it in a loose low ponytail is a good storage method for longer wigs. Remember, if you care for your wig you won't have to work these tangles out later!

Super Stubborn Knots

Sometimes knots seem impossible to get out. This is annoying and may drive you to want to cut them out, this is usually a bad idea and you should spend as much time trying to work the knots out as possible. If you are struggling then you may want to use a detangler, or try to detangle with Silicone Spray Lubricant

If they simply are impossible of working out and there is no other option then you may have to cut them out. Cutting out random chunks of hair can really harm a wig, it can make it very choppy in that area, or very thin, it can ruin the style of the wig, look bad or show the netting underneath.

If you must cut parts out of the wig try to cut as little out as possible. If it is only a few strands then it is usually hideable and if it is near the bottom of the wig you can trim it off and tidy up the area to hide the fact hair was cut. If it is alot of hair that you will be cutting out plan how to tackle the wig and cut it into a new style,don't have random short pieces and the rest long. You might have to get a new wig to fit your cosplay, but you will probably be able to use this one in the future!

Pulled Out Fibers

You might loose some of your wig's fibers while washing or combing your hair. This is bound to happen especially while working out knots, but be extra careful so that you don't pull out too much. A little bit is okay but large clumps are not! If it starts to leave bald or thin patches on your wig you may need to buy or make wefts to add to the wig so that it isn't showing your scalp or the netting.

Source: cosplaytutorial.com

How to Cut and Style Bangs for Wigs

Lots of characters in anime have bangs of hair sticking out up front. Like everything else in anime, they defy gravity and stay perfect no matter how much action is going on! Here's a tutorial that would teach you how to make that perfect bangs without damaging your wig!

How to Spike a Wig

This video will show you how to get started with spiking and styling a wig. Most cosplay anime characters has spiked-wigs and this video aims to show you the basic techniques in achieving such style.

Wig Tutorial - Teasing the Bangs

Start off by pinning your wig securely to the wig head.


Step 1. Part your bangs into sections. Keep the side sections away from the main section of hair you are working on. You don't want them to get tangled in the area you are going to be teasing. Clip back the top layes of your bangs so you can smooth the unteased hair over the teased portion. This makes your bangs look smooth and less ratty.


Step 2. Hold up the bottom portion of your bangs straight up in the air. This will give you more volume when you begin to tease.


Step 3. Start teasing! Back comb your section of hair using your fine toothed teasing comb. Don't tease too much! You don't want a lot of nasty tangles! Lightly tease the fibers to the base of your bangs.


Step 4. Hairspray the base of your bangs, and lightly spritz the top of your section. You can use your hair dryer on a low setting to dry the hairspray faster. (I don't do this much with the bangs, just with the rest of the hair)


Step 5. Grab another section of hair leaving enough hair cliped back to comb and smooth over teased sections. Repeat steps 2 through 4 on your second section of hair.


Step 6. Lightly brush your top section over the teased sections of hair. It's alright if your teased sections get brushed out a little. Just don't brush the base of the teased section out too much, or you will lose your volume. Hairspray and mold how you want your bangs to look.


Repeat all these steps for whatever sections of bangs you have remaining. This will give your bangs a nice full and fluffy look; just like in anime!


Source: HezaChan.com

Wig Tutorial - How to Make a Bun

This is for cinnamon style buns, not the more "traditional' round odagos normally seen in cosplay.

Here is how I made my buns for my Primera wig. I didn't think to start taking pictures at first, so I'm missing pictures of the very first steps. But I have the pictures numbered in the order I took them.

Materials needed: wig hair, fleece, matching thread, rubber bands, clear thread, curved needle, clear caulk, pomade, hairspray, scissors, blowdryer.

-Make a "reverse stub" for lack of a better word. Tie off your hair fibers with a cut rubber band, cut the ends, and apply clear caulk. Don't be afraid to mush it into the fibers. Wet caulk will also wash off your fingers pretty easily. Walk away and let the caulk dry.

-Roll up a tube of fleece in a similar color to your wig in a length that will roll up into the size of bun you want. Stitch the tube together with matching thread.

-Insert the caulked end of the hair into the fleece tube covering the rubber band. Stitch into place by running your threaded needle through the end of the tube with the hair in it. The curved needle should be strong enough that you can run it through the caulk inside as well. Now you have something that kind of resembles a tube worm.

-Start wrapping hair around the tube in a manner similar to stripes around a candy cane. I had to loop some thread around the end too to get it to stay in place as I started this. Hold tube down and stitch hair into place. You may find it helpful to find something to hold your hair down in place while you get your needle and thread ready.

-Continue wrapping and stitching. Try and stitch in an overlapping fashion in a straight line. If you can manage a straight line it will help hid the stitching later.

-After you've wrapped the whole tube snip off extra hair and smear caulk all over the end and across where you snipped the hair off. Do some minimal stitching on the bottom of the beginning of the tube so that you can removed the looped thread if you did that. If after removing the looped thread there is some exposed fleece you can hide that when you hairspray down the bun. Dab some caulk onto the bottom of the beginning of the tube too. Walk away and let the caulk dry.

-Roll up your tube into the bun and stitch it into place from the bottom of the bun. Try and have all your stitching on the bottom so it won't show even though it was done with clear thread.

-Attack with pomade, hairspray, and a blowdryer to get a smoother styled look.


Source: vampirate777.deviantart.com

Wig Tutorial - Teasing the Back and Sides of Your Wig

This is basically following the exact steps above but go about it a bit more carefully as the fibers are longer and can get tangled easier.


Step 1. Part the back of your wig into 3 sections. Keep the side sections away from the middle section of hair you are working on. (I always find it easier to start from the middle and working my way out.)


Step 2. Clip back the top layes of your section of hair. Hold up the bottom portion of your hair straight up in the air. Start teasing. Back comb your section of hair using your fine toothed teasing comb.


Step 3. Hairspray the base and lightly spritz the top of your section. I like to use my hair dryer on a low setting to dry the hairspray faster. Grab another section of hair leaving enough hair cliped back to comb and smooth over teased sections. Repeat step 8 on your second section of hair.


Step 4. Lightly brush your top section over the teased sections of hair to smooth the tangles out a bit and to give you a nice smooth look.


You will now have a portion of nicely teased hair that will give your wig volume! I didn't tease the top sections of the hair because I wasn't going for the beehive look, instead I wanted this wig to look fuller instead of limp.


Repeat these steps working your way from the center to the sides. After you have teased all of your wig, hairspray and mold the wig into a style you want. After all these steps your wig should have a nice amount of volume!


Source: HezaChan.com

Layering a wig

This is a skill that may come handy when you're dealing with costumes that requires a wig. In the world of cosplay, one may say wigs are staple part of clothing.  Layering is pretty basic when you're  doing it on a real hair but may be a bit tricky with wigs. I hope these tutorials help. If you find better video tutorials please tell us.

Tutorial # 1





Tutorial # 2

How to Trim a Wig

Wigs can be a lot of fun. You can add instant length to your hair or change your hair color temporarily all by putting on a wig. Wigs come prestyled so it's often necessary to do a little restyling to get a look that suits your face. You may even need to trim your wig to get the right look. Follow these steps to learn how to trim your wig.


Instructions


1. Brush your wig thoroughly using a wig brush or pick. Using a brush designed for regular human hair will damage your wig and make it frizzy.


2. Put on your wig before you trim it. If you don't trim your wig while wearing it you could trim it too short, wig hair won't grow back if you mess up the haircut.


3. Use thinning shears if you just want to take some off the excess bulk off the wig so the hair lays flatter. Put the thinning shears right up against the base of the wig before cutting so you won't leave stubble everywhere.


4. Trim the bangs of the wig by pulling them down straight and cutting them like you would real hair. Always cut wig hair a little longer than you want it so you can fix any mistakes you make.


5. Cut the rest of the hair if you desire, cut it just as you would real hair. Just trim a little at a time, if you rush the haircut you could end up with an unwearable wig.


6. Ensure that your new haircut is even by putting it on a wig stand and taking a close look. Trim any pieces you missed.


Credits: eHow, "How to Trim a Wig" [online] available at http://www.ehow.com.

How to Restore a Messy Cosplay Wig?

Most people discard a cosplay wig when it has become rather messy. Hey, this is really wasteful, especially if a kanekalon wig is abandoned. So, let’s focus on methods of rescuing a messy cosplay wig made from high temperature fiber and kanekalon below.

First, let’s look at a messy cosplay wig. Just as the photo shows, it’s been rather jagged and fluffy. There are knots from about 10 centimeters away from the top.

It will be rather difficult to comb it without using any hair detailer. So, just spout a little hair detailer and grab a small fraction of the hair by your left hand. Use your right hand to comb the hair by a steel comb or an anti-static comb from the bottom to the top.

If you meet a big knot like that one in the below photo, don’t use a scissor instantly. First, drag it by hand to see whether it can become smooth or not. If it becomes smooth, just pull it and comb it by a steel comb. Just be patient, XD.

If it doesn’t become smooth, drag the hair when small fast knots form. Those knots should be as small as possible. Then, cut at the middle of each knot. Don’t pull the hair once being cut. Use steel comb to comb it once again until all cut knots stick to the steel comb.

While meeting a handful of knots, don’t use scissor because these knots will easily form while dealing with a wig. If you cut it frequently, the amount of hair will sharply decrease. At this time, just comb smooth hair and place it aside. When there are only a handful of knots on your hand, comb it from up to bottom at the place 10 centimeters above the knot. Comb several times and use some strength; it will be smooth.

Then, repeat above two steps continually. In most cases, hair is messy and has fast knots. You can deal with these after grasping above two steps. After making it smooth, you had better to wash the hair. Flush water while combing. Then, wait until it dries. Below picture shows you hair that has been combed. Yes, it is still a little fluffy, jagged and curving (you may not see this from the picture).

If possible, use an electric hair straightener, which is the only tool to help a jagged hair become smooth. Before clipping, comb it times and press the top by one hand to avoid it drops down. Pick up a small handful of hair by another hand and slowly clip it from top to bottom. Use a little force for a smoother look.

This is the finished pattern. The hair bottom has no longer been fluffy. It feels like a new hair, \(^o^)/. Then, spout some hair detailer. Pack the hair into a hermetic bag until the hair detailer dries.

Okay, a messy cosplay wig made from high temperature fiber has been restored to the original shape. Below, let’s learn how to rescue a kanekalon cosplay wig below. This picture shows you required tools: a steel comb, scissor, hair detailer, electric hair straightener and a wig frame are required.

Look from the front:

To know whether a wig is made from kanekalon, just pay attention to its sheen. Look from the back:

As this is a kanekalon cosplay wig, you must use steel comb. It will be rather difficult to deal with it by an anti-static comb and it will cause many knots. Just as below picture shows to you, just comb it lightly on the surface. And then pick up some of the hair and comb them. The outside part has become smooth till now. But inside, it’s still messy, L.

To make the inside hair smooth, you can use the same method to deal with a high temperature fiber wig. But make sure to use less force.

Actually, the hair is still jagged and fluffy even though you think it’s been smooth. Here comes the most crucial step.

Hang up the hair. If electric hair straightener is adjustable on temperature, just set to the lowest temperature. If it can’t, it does not matter either.

Pick out curvy and jagged hair and place smooth hair aside while waiting the electric hair straightener becomes hot. After about one minute, put your nose near to those two porcelain plates. If you feel hot, pull up the plug. After 15-20 seconds, pick out a small handful of hair on the bottom to make an experiment. Use the hair straightener to clip it quickly. It the hair becomes parched, move hair straightener away at once.

Wait another 20 seconds and then quickly clip the picked pair back and forth times. Don’t use too much strength. Otherwise, it will become parched. Nor do clip it too tightly. Then, the hair is no longer fluffy. Here is an ironed wig.

After clipping for a moment, you will find the temperature on the hair straightener has reduced a lot. Then, plug in once again. While waiting, mix the clipped and original hair and together and mix it. Then, divide it into several parts. Then, repeat above steps slightly and quickly. Here is the wig finished.

Most cosplay wig can be restored to the initial shape. Just be more patient and careful. You will save really a lot.

Credit: Kevin, "How to Restore a Messy Cosplay Wig?" [online] available at http://www.miccostumes.com