Whether you cosplay on the weekends or wear a wig in your everyday life, you are likely to find some knots in it. Don't throw that tangled wig in the trash! With a few cheap products (and a lot of patience) you can get your tangled wig back. By taking a little time to prepare it, untangling it, and allowing time to dry, you can leave your wig looking new.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the wig and conditioner
Step 1. Get the supplies
The best thing about this method is that the materials are easy to get and cheap. All you need is a comb, a spray bottle with water, and some conditioner. Wearing a mannequin head can be helpful, but it is not essential. Get the following materials:
- a wig comb or a wide tooth comb.
- a fine-toothed comb (if the wig has bangs)
- a spray bottle 3/4 full of water
- conditioner
- a mannequin head and something to hold it up (optional)
Step 2. Prepare the wig
Put the wig on the mannequin head. If possible, place the mannequin head on a camera tripod (or other tall object) to make it easier to work on it. This is very useful if the wig you are going to style is very long.
If you don't have a mannequin head (or tripod) simply spread the wig out on a table or counter
Step 3. Prepare the conditioner
Fill the spray bottle 3/4 full with water. Then add the conditioner to fill the rest of the spray. The goal is to fill it with 3 parts water and 1 part conditioner. Shake the mixture well.
- You can also choose to use a leave-in conditioner or a product specifically designed to detangle wigs. These products do not need to be diluted in water.
- You can also try using fabric softener on synthetic wigs. Like conditioner, use 1 part fabric softener to 3 parts water.
Part 2 of 3: Detangle the wig
Step 1. Soak the wig
If the wig is very ruined, you should soak it in warm water. For this, fill a sink with warm water. Remove the wig from the mannequin head (if you are wearing one) and soak it in the water for 10-15 minutes. Gently squeeze the excess water out of the wig and place it back on the mannequin.
If the wig is very dirty you can add a little shampoo to the water. If you do this be sure to rinse the wig with clean water before starting to style it
Step 2. Soak the ends of the wig
Work the mixture of conditioner and water from the spray bottle onto the lower ends of the wig until the last 3-5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm) of wig length is thoroughly wet.
If the conditioner starts to separate from the water, shake the spray bottle
Step 3. Detangle the ends
Using the wig comb (or wide tooth comb), begin detangling the last 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm) of wig length. Hold the hair firmly with one hand (just above where you are combing) while you comb it with the other hand. If the hair is very tangled, you will have to do this in small sections until the bottom of the wig is untangled.
Step 4. Continue spraying and combing the wig upward
Once the bottom 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm) of the wig is untangled, wet the next 3 to 5 inches (7.5 to 12.5 cm) section with conditioner and water and comb it again. Continue the process until the entire wig is untangled.
- Depending on the length of the wig, this process can take a long time (up to an hour).
- Be careful not to stretch the wig, as this makes the knots worse. Instead, carefully untangle each knot.
Part 3 of 3: Grooming the wig and letting it dry
Step 1. Detangle the bangs and fix the wig
If the wig has bangs, use a fine-toothed comb to detangle it and position it the way you want. With the wig wet, position the hair as desired.
Step 2. Spray the entire wig with water one last time
If you used a little conditioner (and especially if the wig is not synthetic), you should spray the entire wig with clean water. This helps to better dilute the conditioner and reduce oiliness.
Step 3. Let the wig dry for several hours and style every 30 minutes
Leave the wig on the mannequin head and give it a little time to dry. Gently comb the wig every 30 minutes. In 2 to 3 hours the wig should be completely dry.
- If you are in a hurry you can use a hair dryer on low heat. Be careful because it is very easy to damage the wig in this way.
- For best results, allow the wig to air dry.