Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):-

Wig Care 1. Can I use a blow-dryer on my wig?

A blow dryer on HIGH setting may be used on HUMAN HAIR wigs, but using a blow dryer on SYNTHETIC fiber wigs tends to remove the curl and body. Remember, synthetic hair wigs are just very fine, plastic fibers and, depending on the quality of the fiber, they may be damaged by heat. If you wish to remove some of the curl from synthetics, a blow dryer will do the trick, but the fiber must be set again to achieve some body.

Although it is the most natural and durable of all fibers from which wigs are made, human hair is more difficult to take care of, because each time it gets wet, it will lose the style, just as your own hair does. The only styles that would be fairly easy to take care of would be if the wig has a good perm in it, and is worn just moussed and scrunched without using anything else to style it. Also if you wear your hair in a straight, smooth style, a human hair wig would be ok. Otherwise, some kind of heat would have to be used to style it.

The same is true to a certain extent with human-synthetic blends. The synthetic hair holds it shape fairly well after washing, but the style may have to be touched up a little with a curling iron to refresh the style--lots less hassle than styling it again from scratch like 100% human hair.

The HairLife blend by Jacquelyn is made of about 50% human hair and 50% Advanced Elura synthetic fiber. This is a good combination because it gives you the best of both worlds--the longevity of human hair, along with the synthetic's ability to hold its shape after washing.

A curling iron set on LOW or WARM may be used on most synthetic fibers. Even though the blend contains human hair, one must defer to the synthetic when using heat methods for styling. Hot rollers or steam setters are OK too, but I recommend using end papers in order to keep the ends of the hair smooth.

Although the hair used in making human hair wigs is grown on a human head, most of it isn't like the hair growing out of your own head. After harvesting, it can be chemically processed to remove the cuticle in order to minimize tangling. (This does not include Virgin hair, which has never been chemically processed in any way. Most manufacturers use the processed hair because it doesn't have to be harvested as carefully as Virgin hair, and is, therefore, less expensive to produce.)

In addition, hair from India or Asian sources starts out as dark brown or black, and is bleached out and dyed back for uniformity of color, then the hair is mixed and blended into whatever colors the company requires. So the hair has already gone through a triple chemical processing before it becomes a wig. For this reason, only shampoos, conditioners, sprays, and other styling products formulated especially for processed hair should be used. Oil-based products, like the ones we use on our hair, can coat processed hair and make it appear dull and lifeless.

We carry a full line of products made especially for human hair wig care.

Instructions for washing Human Hair Wig:
Draw enough lukewarm water in a large pan or bowl to cover the wig or hairpiece well.

Dissolve a capful of prescribed wig shampoo, along with 1 tablespoon of baking soda.

Squeeze shampoo solution through hair gently, keeping hair going in one direction or it may tangle. If front of cap has makeup on it, it may be scrubbed gently with an old toothbrush.

Rinse wig well with plenty of lukewarm water.

Dissolve a capful or so of wig conditioner in plastic tub or pan of water to cover well. Work mixture through wig hair (remember: same direction). Rinse with fresh water. Lay wig out on towel and pat out excess water.

Pin on wig form and pick or comb out gently. At this point, a detangler such as Brandywine, Instacure, or Fiberguard with Lusterizer may be used. If working on a long wig, start combing out the hair at the ends and work up the strand to the roots. Wig may be set in rollers if desired and placed under hood dryer, or left to dry overnight. A hot curling iron may be used on 100% human hair wigs, but on human-synthetic blend wigs, don't let the iron get too hot or it will damage the synthetic wig fiber.

A good indication of when the iron is too hot for the synthetics is that, instead of curling the fiber, it appears straight and limp when you remove the iron. In the worst case, the fiber melts and frizzes or disintegrates. Too much heat can also make the fiber appear frizzy because it damages the fiber. The bottom line here is to be careful when using a curling iron on any synthetic or blend wig. If the iron gets too hot when working with a human-synthetic blend, mist the barrel of the iron with water to cool it down.

The amount of time between cleanings of your wig depends largely on your lifestyle and environment. For normal wear, a good rule of thumb to use is to wash and condition your wig every 15 to 20 wearings or so. If you work in an environment with more pollution, such as in a restaurant where you are exposed to kitchen grease, or a place where there is a lot of cigarette smoke, you may want to wash your wig more often. Remember, the nose knows, and if your wig doesn't smell fresh to you, it won't smell good to others around you either. In any case, I wouldn't wash the wig any more than about once a week as washing a wig too often can cause it to wear out more quickly.

Of course, you can always increase the life of any synthetic wig or hairpiece by using a good leave-in conditioner, such as the FIBRE OIL CONDITIONER that I use myself and highly recommend for all synthetic hair.

CLEANING AND CONDITIONING...

1) Draw enough cool to lukewarm water in a large pan or bowl to immerse hairpiece well. Don't use hot water or it will remove body and may damage fiber.

2) Dissolve approximately one tablespoon of wig cleaner or shampoo, along with one tablespoon of baking soda. Swish hairpiece around in solution. If front of cap and/or hair area has makeup on it, make a paste of baking soda and shampoo and gently scrub with an old toothbrush until clean. Baking soda acts as a cleaning booster and will usually cut though the heaviest makeup or styling product residue in the hair or on the cap.

3) Rinse well in plenty of cool water.

4) Draw a pan or tubful of fresh water. Dissolve one or two tablespoons of conditioner in water. Swish and work mixture throughout piece. Do not rinse. Lay piece on towel and pat to remove excess moisture.

5) Pin piece on wig form and pick or comb out gently, starting from ends and working up strand to root area. At this point, I recommend using the Fibre Oil Conditioner to refresh the wig fiber and make the wig feel soft and manageable. Arrange hair to resemble desired style. Let dry overnight for maximum curl retention. If time is an issue, a blow-dryer may be used but don't get the dryer too close to the fiber. It could remove the curl. If necessary, a curling iron may be used on WARM or LOW setting.

HEAT ROLLERS:

Heat rollers or a steam setter (such as a Caruso) may be used on synthetic fiber too. Roll each strand carefully around the roller keeping the ends smooth to reduce "fish-hooking", which makes the ends look fuzzy. Using end papers is recommended. Let the curls get completely cool before brushing or combing out the wig. If using the steam setters, it's a good idea to use a "duckbill" or other similar clip to hold the curls in until they're cool and dry.

SOME TIPS:

Don’t use expensive curling irons with settings such as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Even on the lowest setting, these irons are too hot for synthetic fiber. Go to a beauty supply store and buy the most inexpensive iron they carry which has a HIGH/LOW setting. On their low setting, they do not get hot enough to damage most wigs.

PROPER USE OF CURLING IRON ON SYNTHETIC WIG FIBER...
Mist the hair with a little plain water. Take a small strand of hair between clamp of curling iron and roll around barrel of iron. Keep hair moving around barrel, rolling evenly until all of strand has passed firmly under clamp. Don't rest iron on base of wig as it will create a roller mark. A slight steaming action will not harm fiber.

After curl is formed (not necessarily dry), remove the iron carefully, leaving the curl intact and being careful not to drag the ends out of the curl as this will make the curl uneven. If a looser curl is desired, work the hair with fingers while still warm. If a firmer curl is desired, let dry before combing.

CAUTION!
A synthetic wig is made of fine plastic filaments. Excessive heat will damage it. Use caution around oven doors, fireplaces, wall heaters, barbeques, and other uncontrolled high heat sources. The heat will melt the fiber and cause it to look frizzy. Most of the time, a curling iron can smooth it out, but the fiber will lose a certain amount of body and resilience after having been heat-frizzed. If a little extra care is taken with your wig, you will extend the life of your wig and it will look nice for a long time.

FOR FIRST TIME WEARERS...

The brand-name tag goes in the back.

Grasp the wig at the back bottom with both hands, and position the front firmly at your forehead. Then pull the whole cap back and down so that it covers your head. The wig should not cover your ears. If you have ever used a latex swimming cap, the procedure is very similar.

There are two little tabs at the ears and they should be positioned so that they are equal on both sides in front of your ears. This will let you know that your wig is on straight.

Most wigs today have a small covered wire stay sewn inside the ear tabs. These should be bent a little and curved in toward your head. When the wig is positioned correctly at the sides, press gently on the stays so they lie flat against your temples. This will give you a more custom fit at the temples. The front of the wig should be positioned right at, or slightly behind, the hairline.

If you don’t have hair, place your first three fingers together just above your brow bone and where the top edge of your index finger is should approximate your natural hairline.

There are adjustment straps in the back of your wig. They may be used to tighten or loosen the wig for a comfortable fit.

If you purchase a JACQUELYN wig, check the nape area, because some shorter styles have two tiny vertical wire stays which may be curved in to achieve a good fit at the neckline.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLORING HUMAN HAIR AND BLENDS...

Because of the chemical processing which is used in making human hair for wigs, it is not recommended that a human hair wig be lightened by anyone other than an experienced wig professional who is familiar with working with processed hair. If a deeper shade is desired, or red or gold tones wanted, there is a relatively simple way to create a custom color yourself. I use SoColor by Matrix, which is a professional product, but any good permanent hair tint may be used on human hair and blend wigs.

PLEASE NOTE: Darkening or lightening the color more than two levels is not recommended.

DIRECTIONS: For best results, a professional tint and developer from a beauty supply store should be used. Choose a color from the swatch samples at the store, which is closest to the color you wish to achieve. Use equal parts tint and developer. 2 oz. tint to 2 oz. developer is a good formula for short and medium-length wigs. Add an extra ounce each for longer wigs.

In a plastic tub or other container large enough to accommodate your wig or hairpiece, mix tint with developer and stir with a plastic or other non-metal utensil until well-blended. Add 1 quart (32 oz.) warm water and stir until color is mixed well. There may still be some globs of color floating around in the water, but they will dissolve eventually. NOTE: Rubber or plastic gloves should be worn when working with hands in tint solution.

Immerse wig completely in solution. It is recommended that the hair be laid out smoothly in the solution to minimize tangling. Depending on how much of a change you want, most wigs will take the maximum processing time...usually about 30 to 45 minutes...to reach the desired shade. Check your color by using a towel to wipe the color mixture from a small section of hair to see if it’s ok. Remember that hair color always looks darker when wet. When desired shade is reached, rinse wig well in cool to warm water until water runs fairly clear. From there, just follow washing and conditioning instructions on care sheet. You now have a custom colored wig!

For best results on care of human hair wigs, I recommend the Healthy Essential SeCure System which may be ordered from the Wet Products section of this site.

A HOT curling iron may be used on any HUMAN HAIR wig, but some types of wig hair are more difficult to curl with an iron. After you set the curl with the iron, clip each curl and let it cool completely before brushing out and styling. You may also try wet-setting on rollers and using a hair dryer on "high" to set the curl.

SYNTHETIC wig hair is different. A curling iron set on WARM or LOW may be used, but a spray conditioner or even plain water should be misted onto the hair to protect it before heat is applied. A HOT iron will cause the fiber to go limp or even frizz (melt) it. Once a wig is frizzed, its life is over.

If your iron gets too hot for the fiber (the hair will go limp), mist the barrel with a little water to cool it down, and then proceed with the curling process.

Most human hair wigs can be chemically permed. The darker colors work best. The hair in light colored wigs has been bleached, so attempting to perm this hair can be risky. We recommend that human hair wigs be permed only by professionals who are experienced with and understand the process.

Human-synthetic blends can be chemically permed with a special process. After using a chemical perm on the wig, the synthetic fiber requires steaming. The curl pattern in most synthetic wigs has been set at the factory by roller setting and then placing in a large steaming cabinet, but a simple hand-held clothing steamer may be used successfully on wigs which have been set in rollers or perm rods.

If you are a stylist and wish to have more information on how to perm a wig, please contact Toni and she will send you instructions.

I recommend that you use only products formulated specifically for synthetic and/or human hair wigs. Because the vast majority of products designed for growing hair are oil-based, using these products may coat the wig hair and cause it to look dull and lifeless. When considering purchasing any products to be used on wigs, make sure they are water-based, or that water is the first ingredient.

We carry a full line of products for the care and styling of wigs, both human hair and synthetic.

Step 1: Cornrow the entire head and then secure the Stitch-N-Go to the perimeter of the head, using hairpins.
Step 2: Using a "C" shaped needle and thread, secure the pre-styled weave starting from the front at the suggested locations.
Step 3: Continue around the perimeter of the head, making sure the cap is aligned evenly.
Step 4: When the 8 Perimeter Stitches are complete, rethread the needle and begin sewing the 7 Inside Stitches. Use the diagram as a guide.