Which wigs can handle heat?

By Lumissne. 20/02/10, 01:00 am

Heya Guys

I was wondering if anyone knew what type of wigs - type being what they're made out of - can handle hair straighteners, curling, etc?

Am going to buy a wig soon but don't want to melt it accidentally.

Cheers! Very Happy

By Li-Bai. 20/02/10, 01:16 am

Warning no no no don't do it!!

I wouldn't suggest you use straighteners/curlers on any sort of wig at all. Hair straighteners and curlers use heat in combination with the natural oils on your head which is how it can stay straight, but since wigs are in effect plastic it would just kill it by applying heat directly onto it like that (and even if it was a natural-hair wig it would just frizz).

If you're doing a curly-haired cosplay I strongly suggest getting a curly-haired wig. It's easier to straighten a wig than curl it - if you want a straight wig but have a curly one, just use hot water and pour it over the wig. (How this works is that the hot water melts the plastic down to make it straight.)

But yeah. Don't directly apply heat onto any sort of wig, ever. ;;;!!!

By Squishy blob. 20/02/10, 01:44 am

Here's tutorials for straightening wigs:
Katie Bair's hot water method:
http://www.pettingzoowigs.com/wigtutorial_straightening.html
and one with spray bottles and a hair dryer:
http://www.godsavethequeenfashions.com/How_to_Straighten_a_Wig.html

I have some wigs with heat-resistant fibres, but I've never had to heat style them before...

By Lumissne. 20/02/10, 02:23 am

Thank you guys! Shall definitely remember this for future wigs ^^

**Guest** Guest

You can curl and straighten any type of wig with hot water - just play around until you get the right temperature. Here's a great tutorial for curling - http://www.godsavethequeenfashions.com/How_to_Curl_a_Wig.html If you want the occasional ringlet as opposed to falls of curls you can also apply a blob of hot glue and pinch the fibres together, this is a technique I used for my Rydia wig.

Certain types of wigs these days are now being produced so that you can use ordinary straighteners and curling irons on them - the ones that I know of can be purchased from Cosplay DNA on Ebay - http://stores.ebay.com/CosplayDNA-Wigs-for-Cosplay

As Li-Bai said though, generally wigs don't take too strongly to direct heat but it is possible to work around that or to get creative. (For example, holding a straightener on kankelon fibres for too long will melt the fibre together, but this can then be used as a technique to make wefts.) The main thing to remember that the best way to learn is try things out for yourself. :)

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