How to curl a synthetic wig?

How to curl a synthetic wig?

This is my first tutorial and I hope everything is understandable and comprehensible. English is not my mother language and I know that I do a lot of mistakes. I'm sorry for that.

I've tried my best. ^ - ^

I think it is easier to straighten a wig. To curl synthetic hair is much more complicated. I've tried out many things and techniques and found a few ways which work well for me.

This tutorial should also work for synthetic hair pieces or extensions. I show here, how I curled my wig from Gothic Lolita Wigs (Blended Strawberries & Cream 1G – without ponytails). These wigs can be heated up to 180 ° F/82 ° C. The method I use should also work with non heat resistant wigs.

Every time after I bought a wig, I cut and style it myself. The prestyling of GLW wigs is not bad at all, but since every face is different, it is better to adjust the wig.

Befor you start

It is not absolutely necessary, but at first I washed the wig. I then let it dry overnight. Of course it is also possible to roll the curlers in the wet hair, but I prefer to let it dry. It is also possible to straighten the wig before the beginning. Normally this works well with a hair straightener or flat iron. Straightening and washing the wig is only optional and not necessary. Definitely you should comb the hair and it should be untangled.

Materials you will need:

1. Wig (suuure ^ - ^)
2. Comb or wig brush
3. Bowl or cooking pot (heat-resistant!)
4. Hair rollers (heat-resistant!!! there are different types and also some that can melt in the heat - worst case!)
5. Kettle (preferably with a thermometer)
6. Towel  (to protect the work area) 
7.  wig stand/head

And here we go!

First, you have to roll the hair on the hair rollers as tight as possible. It must be very tight. Otherwise you will have ugly buckles in your final results. Either I put the wig on a wig head or I put it on my own head to roll the curlers. Both options have pros and cons. On a wig head you have a good overview of the whole head and furthermore you can easier roll the hair on the back of the head. On your own head you can adapt the hair on your face and in my experience, in this way it is easier to roll the hair pretty tight. If everything is - as it should be - rolled, then put the wig in a pot / bowl and pour hot water over it. If only the tips are rolled, then should be only the rolled parts of the wig covered with water. How long the wig has to stay in the water depends on the synthetic fiber, the desired curls and the water temperature. My wig (in this example where I made ​​the pictures :D) was in hot water (85°C) for about 15min. To let the wig dry overnight you should put it on a wig stand. I let them dry overnight, ^-^ but those who own a hood drier can use this as well. If it is dry you are able to take out the hair rollers. It is done!

Now you can style your wig. I like to backcomb a little to make the hair fuller and to hide the hairline. 

It's purely a matter of taste.

And here are some pictures:

Previous condition...

...and after curling

It´s not styled yet. ^-^ Sorry for the low picture quality. It is a bit blurry. >//<

close-up 

 And just for fun:

:D

If there are any questions – just ask! XD

Thanks for reading!

bonus: wig worn ^-^



Edit (21.03.2012): Have a look at this tutorial by Viivi: how-to-curl-your-wig
It´s another good method. ^-^