5 STEPS TO UNTANGLE A SYNTHETIC WIG

1. Untangle using the right brush/comb.
2. The correct wig care products are needed.
3. Steaming not straightening.
4. Wash your wig properly and with care.
5. Trim ends carefully and as a last resort.

For a more detailed description of each of these steps and some handy hints and tips, please read on…

Best ways to untangle synthetic wigs:

1. Use the right tools

Not all brushes and combs that are suitable for natural/bio hair are suitable for wigs. We recommend a wig brush and/or comb that are designed specifically for synthetic hair. The anti-static metal bristles are perfect care for your hair!

A wig brush will help you keep your wig neat and in the proper style. The best wig brush will be designed specifically for wigs, with bristles or teeth that can move easily through the strands of hair. A brush that is too soft can make it difficult to style your wig, especially after it has been washed. Using the correct products will help extend the lifespan of both wigs and hair extensions.

2. Use the right products

It’s not ideal to use normal shampoo and conditioner on your synthetic wigs. And certainly, don’t use washing up liquid, washing machine liquid, fabric conditioner etc. other than in dire need! There are shampoos and conditioners that are specifically formulated for synthetic wig fibres. This is because synthetic hair is very different from bio hair in terms of things like porosity, and therefore the mechanisms by which it can be weakened or strengthened need to be taken into account with the products you use. We recommend the NAK Hair ORI Lab Restore Cleanse and Nak Hair ORI Lab Restore Conditioner. You may also want to use a conditioning treatment like the NAK Hair ORI Lab Restore Treatment. This will give your wig a new lease of life and soften it once again. We recommend that you replace the conditioner with the treatment every second wash.

The same applies to styling products – normal hairspray is a no-no. The NAK Hair Fixation Finishing Spray is much better for the fibre as it doesn't contain damaging chemicals.

There are also some products specifically designed to protect and enhance synthetic fibre, and to help the fibres glide across one another rather than start to frizz. The NAK Hydrate Detangle Mist is a favourite among lots of us, spray a light mist onto the dry fibres before you start detangling. It really does help without doing any damage, and it conditions the fibres too. Never brush your wig when it’s just been washed and is still wet as this will stretch the fibres and pulls the knots at the base, leading to fibre shedding, so only brush when your wig is dry.

3. Steaming

So, you’ve used the right brushes and products, and your wig has stayed in good condition for a few months, but eventually, all wigs do frizz. You’ll be able to manage it for a while but eventually, it’ll get too bad to carry on wearing your wig. What to do? Well, you can try steaming it. This involves heat, which as we know, can damage wigs, but used in a carefully controlled way it can straighten out the kinks in the fibres that cause frizz.

4. Wash your wig properly

On order to achieve tangle-free wigs, sometimes all that is needed is a good wash of your wig! Overall, your wig should ideally be washed once a fortnight, with products specifically designed for wig washing as explained above. Be sure to use cool water when washing too, to avoid any damage. For a step-by-step guide on how to wash a synthetic wig, check out our other blog.

5. Trimming

I know, I know, it feels risky to take the scissors to your favourite wig! And it is a bit of a last resort. But if you want to keep it going a bit longer and you can bear to lose a couple of inches of length, why not give it a trim yourself or you can book a wig trim or wig wash and let us do the hard work for you.

You can usually get an extra month or two out of wigs by trimming off the worst of the frizz at the tips. With a longer wig, the potential gains are even greater, and you could go an inch shorter every month for a while to increase your wig’s longevity.

*Frizzing – For those who are new to wigs, frizz is different from tangling. It happens when the ends of the wig fibres get kinked and damaged (a bit like split ends, except more like bent ends if you can picture that?!), and then they start to clump together. It’s kind of like Velcro – one fibre grabs on to the next and so on. All wigs do frizz eventually, but it’s worth trying to stave it off as long as possible.