UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS OF WIG MAKING

Wigs have been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as the days of Ancient Egypt. The reasons for wearing wigs are just as numerous as the types and styles of wigs available. Some people have chosen to wear wigs for prosthetic reasons, to replace hair that may have been lost through the natural aging process or even through an adverse medical condition. Others have chosen to wear wigs for purely cosmetic reasons, to accessorize an outfit or to achieve a certain hair length or color that will complement their overall look. Still others choose to wear wigs strictly for the sake of convenience; they simply don’t want to bother with making regular visits to the salon or spending hours each day styling their own hair. Whatever the reason may be, wigs have proven to be a perennial favorite due to their extensive versatility and overall usefulness.

MAKING YOUR OWN WIG
Although most of us are very familiar with wigs, relatively few of us have given any thought as to how they are made. The image that may come to most of our minds when we hear the word “wig” is that of a generic, one-size-fits-all model that basically comes ready-made. For women who would prefer to have more flexibility, learning the process of wig making can carry more appeal than simply buying a ready-made (and possibly ill-fitting) wig. The most obvious reason for wanting to learn how to make your own wig is that it is very cost-effective; the expense of regularly purchasing wigs can definitely add up over an extended period of time. The wig making process described here can be done with synthetic hair or human hair, but note that Human Hair will be more expensive to use.

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

Before you even set out to purchase your wig making supplies, it is highly recommended that you already have a good idea of what type of hairstyle you’re looking to achieve with your wig. This will make the hair selection and materials-purchasing process that much simpler. Once you have decided on a style, the next thing you’ll need to do is to purchase the “raw materials” needed to create your wig. First on the list of items to purchase is a styrofoam styling head. Many cosmetology school students utilize these styling heads for various training exercises, and they can be purchased for anywhere between 5 and 10 dollars. Choose a styrofoam styling head with a wide base in order to ensure the best stability while you work.

NEXT STEP: CHOOSE A WIG CAP

Wig caps are another essential yet inexpensive item to purchase when making your own wig. Since wig caps come in quite a few color varieties, it’s important that you choose a wig cap that will match the overall color of the hair you plan to use. Wig caps can range anywhere from $3 to $7, and they are generally easier to work with than the mesh hair nets you usually see built into store-bought wigs. Wig caps also have the additional advantage of affording greater reliability than mesh hair nets.

THE MOST VITAL STEP: CHOOSING THE RIGHT HAIR

It goes without saying that hair is the most essential element of wig making. Sometimes it can be tempting to choose sub-par hair for the sake of trying to cut costs, but this may come back to bite you later. Choose your hair wisely and carefully! The type of hair you choose is the primary factor that determines how long your wig will last. The cost for a pack of hair at the average beauty supply store can range anywhere from $30 up to $100 depending on the material used. Again, it is important to choose real human hair versus synthetic hair, even though it will cost you slightly more to do so. Be willing to “bite the bullet” on this expense, as it will save you lots of headache down the road. Purchase your hair based on the texture, length and color that you want your wig to be, and make sure to choose the kind that has tracks attached to the tips of the hair. On average, two and a half packs of hair is usually enough for most styles.

DON’T FORGET THE GLUE!

The next step is to purchase hair bonding glue. Most hair bonding glue comes in a pack that includes remover lotion, and it is usually dark in color, but can be purchased in white to match the shade of lighter-colored wigs (i.e. blonde or light brown). You will use the glue to apply the tracks of hair to the wig cap. You will also need a hair comb in order to keep the hair from getting tangled up once the hair has been attached.

NEXT STEP: STYLE YOUR WIG

This is probably the most fun part of the process. Again, if you already have a desired style in mind before you begin, it will make the process that much easier when you get to this step. Some women use rollers and scissors to cut and curl their wig hair, adding an extra element of versatility to the styling process. Others use curling irons or flat irons to style their wigs, but this is not recommended if you are working with synthetic hair.

SUMMARIZING THE WIG MAKING PROCESS

The process of making your wig is fairly straightforward: Apply the wig cap to the styrofoam styling head, attach the tracks of hair to the wig cap according to your predetermined style, and then refine by cutting and styling the hair based on the look you are trying to achieve. There are several magazines that are solely devoted to featuring various kinds of hairstyles, and many of them offer step-by-step tutorials to help you achieve different looks. You can also find a wealth of hairstyle tutorials using online portals such as YouTube. Simply search for the term “wig making tutorial” or similar keywords, and you will instantly have access to a plethora of wig making and hair styling how-to videos.

Making a wig can definitely be a fun and rewarding process, not to mention very cost-effective in the long run. The good thing about it is that you will get better and better with every wig that you make. So get out there and start experimenting with the creative process of wig making today!