[AznAndy94]

Yesterday, I took time untangle a wig I had bought a little under a year ago. I came to notice that the hairs seem very brittle now. I understand that you NEED to have products for your wigs if you want them to stay healthy and last longer, but I have no idea what products do what and which ones are essential compared to ones that are for added looks.

What are some products that help stop the wind from screwing up and tangling long wigs, help keep the healthy, silky look, and what is generally good to have for wigs in general, be it short, long, or ridiculously long? Also, are there any guidelines I should follow to maintain wigs before, during, and after a con?

[Level-5]

http://www.cosplay.c...ad.php?t=185958
http://postimage.org/image/w5tb0g6t3/
http://www.wigsalon....igwashalta.html
http://www.reneereye...3cwigs-care.htm
http://taeliac.devia...set=24#/d17ookb

There isn't anything that can really prevent the wind from messing up a wig during use that I know of; you can use spray for 'hold.'

Maintain wigs pre con: Keep them on a wig stand if they are pre styled (such as Cloud,) and try to ride with someone so they don't get out of style. If you can't put them on a wig stand and try to put them in a wig box carefully. All other wigs you can keep in the same bag you ordered them from via hair net or a type of zip lock baggie. Style them at the hotel with a wig stand.

During Con: Keep them on a wig stand or something similar to a wig stand and 'out for some air,' as in not in a dresser, on the floor, suitcase, etc. when not in use. Also don't sleep with your wig; keep it on a stand or otherwise. Make sure you wash your own hair before use and have a wig net on under you hair. You can use wig pins to keep a wig in place.

After con: Make sure to wash it with baby shampoo or wig shampoo when you get home and use a wig designed wig pick/really light wig brush or use the tips of your fingers and work your way up from the edges. Work slowly and carefully; do not pull tangles. Pre designed wigs you can wash as well but you have to re style them so its recommended to wash them if you use them a lot. Put them on wig stands on your bookcase or otherwise away from wet, damp, areas or areas with a lot of heat (or animals/little kids.) You can also put them in a wig baggie along with the hair net (that you didn't use.)

[ranefea]

Level-5 posted some really good pages for styling and maintaining. Here is my experience, although I usually don't use wings that have a lot of heavy styling:

Lots of places that sell wigs or extensions will also sell wig care products, and while many of them are great they can get expensive, even for items that would normally be common place. Let me describe a few things I use and do:

For brushes, you can pick up a wide tooth hair brush for really cheap at someplace like Walmart of a dollar store. Something like this has worked best for me: http://www.temptalia...y_brush001.jpg. In fact, I picked up one that is about half that size with wider teeth for about $.50 after Christmas - it's an amazing brush for wigs and is easy to pack and carry. If you want a comb, a wide tooth comb is what you want, too. Avoid bristle brushes that look like this: https://www.babynatu...860_general.jpg - they might be great for making a silky shine on human hair, but they will make the tangles in wigs a lot worse (or even give them tangles!).

When detangling the wig, first put it on a wig head and use a pin or two at the top to keep it in place. You might want to secure the wig head down so it doesn't topple over if you have to use two hands and can't support it. Now, run your fingers through the wig first to get rid of the larger tangles. Then take your comb or brush (sometimes I use both, comb first, then brush) and start VERY gently combing the tangles out, bottom first. Start with a few inches on the bottom, then work up, adding a few inches at a time. Once the tangles are out, you can start brushing from the top all the way to the bottom. If you feel a snag, DON'T PULL! If you pull, you can break the strands and pull hair out, and obviously wig hair doesn't grow back. Also, try not to brush the wig too much, for the same reasons.

Now as I mentioned earlier, there are tons of products that are made for synthetic wigs, but they can get expensive. I've been in a bind a few times where I needed something and didn't have the time and/or money to get something like that, so I had to improvise. Now, many people will tell you not to use real hair products on wigs since these products are made to work with human hair and the oils in it, and while they're right for the most part, that seems to be more the rule for styling wigs, and not just managing them. While needing a quick way to keep my long Zelda wig from tangling so bad on me I tried my Herbal Essences Anti-Frizz as well as some sports gel. What I did was I rubbed some on my hands and then ran my hands through and over the wig. Then I ran a brush through it to help distribute the product and left it for a few minutes to dry before I brushed it once more. Then I topped it off with a -little- more of the anti-frizz but I smoothed it over and under and didn't really distribute it like I did before (just a couple light brush strokes), especially in the trouble areas like the ends and while wearing the wig was MUCH more manageable. The wig looked great and didn't clump. While it did still tangle a bit during use, the tangles were not severe and brushed out relatively easily.

Also, while you're wearing the wig, be conscious of how it might be tangling and take measures to undo the tangles before they get worse. If you wear the wig while running around all day and don't care for it during that time, you're going to have a hell of a time fixing it at the end. Make sure to care for it after taking it off, too, before packing it away.

All of this might seem like a lot, but in reality it will be just a few minutes here and there and you'll thank yourself in the end for not having to spend two hours trying to repair the damage.