Due to their versatile and practical nature, more and more people are leaning towards using wigs. Wigs are artificial arrangements of synthetic or real hair strands designed to mimic real hair when worn. People have been using wigs to cover baldness, to perfect their costumes, and as accessories for years.
There are different types of wigs that a person can choose from. For, instance, human hair wigs are made from real human hair, which can be donated or purchased. Similarly, synthetic wigs are made of strands of plastic or acrylic to look like real hair. There are other types of wigs as well, like silk top wigs and lace top wigs.
Why People Color Their Wigs?
There are many reasons why people might want to color their wigs. A few examples are:
- To compliment their natural skin tone. Different skin complexions look better with different colored hair.
- To add details to their costume for a play or cosplay. Especially, anime and comic cosplayers need to have hair wigs of many different colors.
- To decorate mannequins that are placed in exhibitions.
How to Color Human Hair Wigs?
Coloring wigs do not have to be a daunting task! It can be easily done one step at a time. A step-by-step guide to coloring human hair wigs is as follows:
Step 1: Choose the Perfect Color
If you are planning to color your human hair wig, you must already have a color in mind. A wig that is going to be used every day should compliment the skin complexion of the wearer. If the wig is to be used for costumes, you might be able to experiment with different colors.
Make sure to not use hair dye that is designed for synthetic wigs as it can damage them. You can use the same hair dye that is used by people for natural hair.
It is important to note that dyes work perfectly only if a color darker than hair color has been applied to the wig. Therefore, it is preferred to dye blonde or white wigs.
Step 2: Mix the Dye with a Hair Developer
Now that you have a hair dye of your liking, it is time to mix it with a hair developer. A hair developer is a substance that opens cuticles that are present in the hair. This allows the dye to penetrate the hair, which leads to a change in color. Mixing should be done in a plastic bowl.
It is recommended to use a 20-volume hair developer. The ‘volume’ determines how dark the color of the wig is going to be. 10-volume might be too light and 30-volume might be too dark for most people.
Step 3: Untangle and Wash the Wig
Before applying the dye, the wig should be untangled, shampooed, and conditioned with products that are made specifically for human hair wigs. After washing the wig should be dried gently with a towel.
Step 4: Place the Wig on a Stable Base
Mount the wig on a stand or a mannequin head. In this way, you will have a stable base and you will be able to concentrate better.
Step 5: Make Sections
Divide the wig into small sections and make buns with the help of clips. You will undo these sections one at a time and evenly apply hair dye.
Step 6: Apply the dye to the hair
Finally, you get to color your wig! But before committing to the color, first, apply a little bit of dye on a small section of the wig to test if you like the shade and its thickness.
Once you are sure you like the color, open one of the buns and apply the dye to it with a brush. Let the hair dangle after the color has been applied to it. When you are done with one of the sections, open the next bun and continue for the rest.
You can also submerge the wig in a bowl of dye. Buns should be undone before proceeding with this step.
Step 7: Comb the hair
After applying color to all the sections, comb or brush the hair. This is done to spread the dye evenly throughout the hair.
Step 8: Allow the Color to Set in.
The dye needs some time to work its magic. So, let the color sit on the wig for about 30 to 40 minutes. The time required for the color to set in will also be mentioned in the packaging of the dye.
Step 9: Shampoo and Condition the Wig
Now that the dye has dried, it is time to wash the wig. Rinse the wig with warm water. Place the wig directly below the tap. Once the excess dye has been washed off, you can shampoo the wig.
After shampooing, you should apply conditioner to the wig. Be sure to use a shampoo and a conditioner that is designed specifically for human hair wigs.
Step 10: Dry the Wig
Gently squeeze the wig and blot it with a clean and dry towel. Dry it as much as possible. Use a blow dryer to get rid of any excess moisture.
Conclusion
Coloring a wig gives it a new appearance and keeps things interesting. Although there are many steps involved, the coloring is an easy task.
Following the 10 steps given in this blog can help anyone easily dye or color their wig. We hope you found this blog informative and interesting.