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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Wig Care for Irish Dance Wigs

For those of you new to Irish Dance wigs or who just want to know how to care for the one you have this is a great resource.

This taken directly from Emerald Key's Facebook page. 
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Emerald-Key/202321746476843


Hi Friends! I get a lot of questions from folks about the care of our wigs so I thought I would start a thread on here. Feel free to ask away.

Let me just state for the record that no wig was ever really meant to be Irish danced in! And NO wig after being worn will ever be out of the bag perfect again. There is no such thing as a wig that is "frizz free"! Every wig needs to have some maintenance... done on them from time to time. How much care you give them will determine how well they look and how long they will last. Generally, the bigger the curl and the bigger the wig the more care you will need to give them. There is no spray or conditioner that is a magic fix, you just have to trim the frizz, split the curls and re-curl them every time they are worn. Head bands, sequined dresses, bobby pins and friction from bouncing around on the stage all take their toll.

There are many wigs and wig vendors in the world of Irish dance and many offer a very good product for a reasonable price. A more expensive wig does not always mean the quality is better or that the wig doesn't need care. Some wigs are "treated" at the factory which does help the frizzing for awhile. Our Maeve Jr and Maeve Sr wigs have this treatment but I'll be honest, it doesn't last forever. Personally, I think it has to do more with the style of the wig. The tight ringlet style wigs need very little care, the loose curls need more, bun wigs need less than a full long wig etc. I happen to be very proud of our wigs. I think they are a very good quality, have great style and a reasonable price! :D They are also very easy to care for if you just take a little time to do it. Don't be afraid to really get into what needs doing! Show the wig who is boss!! Practice is Key!

For a split curl wig, start by cutting away some of the frizzies so that you can actually get into working the actual curls themselves. Split curls have a tendency to "sausage" together when dancing. The curls gravitate to each other so you need to split them apart. If you don't, your wig will start to look lopsided and longer because the big sausages are heavy and drag the curls down. The over all volume will look smaller as well and you will start to see the woven cap underneath and that really looks bad. If you can see inside your wig through the cap to your natural hair, you have passed the point of no return. Please buy a new wig!

Once you have split up a large clump or sausage, take hold of a curl and starting at the base of the wig pull down on it using your thumb nail to scrape the hair itself (from the base of the wig to the end of the curl). You are combing out the curl using your thumb and forefinger. Your thumb nail scrapes against the hair, breaking off all the frizzy bits and pulls and stretches the fibers back together. The curls are a little like curling ribbon but instead of using scissors you are using your nail. Do this several times until the curl is smooth and then starting at the base of the wig, wrap around your finger. This takes a little practice because if you wrap it too tightly, it will be hard to get off your finger! The curl should just bounce back into shape when you release it. Cut off the very end of the curl if it looks uneven. Then, on to the next one...

Don't be afraid to cut out a curl that is beyond repair and to trim random curls that seem to continually grow. Curls at the base of the wig that are coming into contact with sequins or rough fabric at the shoulder can be very tough to work on. Keep trying, you will be surprised if you do.

You might wonder if it is necessary to use a spray treatment of some kind on your wig? No it isn't. Wig conditioners can make the re-curling process more pleasant because they do smell nice but I personally, I prefer to work on a dry wig. It's up to you. We sell a nice product that is available on our website and many people swear by it. It's nice to spray the wig with it after you have "fixed" it, but spraying alone won't get rid of the frizz and/or matting nor will prevent it from happening in the first place. Avoid using hair spray or luster sprays as this makes the wig sticky and tacky to the touch and can actually create more matting and clumping. Use only a wig conditioner that is made for synthetic hair.

Hope this helps a bit?

Please remember if you are ever at a feis and we are there, do not hesitate to ask us for help, no question is too silly! We stand behind our wigs and we want you to be happy wearing them and to always look good! We are always happy to show you how to apply and care for your wig! Come see us!

3 comments:

  1. Can you use a curling iron on low heat setting to re-curl irish dance wigs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Even on low heat, a curling iron will probably melt a synthetic wig. Please don't!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been using wigs and extension every time I go on a parties and I never have trouble with these fashion trend. I feel really great wearing them. hair bonding glue remover shampoo

    ReplyDelete