As Black women and drag queens know, wigs have been around our entire lives. Now that they’ve become more openly accepted, a lot of people are interested in them. For a beginner, learning the basics of wigs can feel daunting. There’s so many different styles, constructions, and types of hair. One of the most convincing types of wigs comes lace around the forehead, thus resulting in the appropriate name “lacefront wig”. These types of wigs require a lot of customisation and that is why they look so real. It can be tricky but don’t worry, we’ve got easy steps to make a lacefront wig look real.
This step only applies to wigs that aren’t synthetic. Synthetic wigs are made from plastic fibres so they can’t handle bleaching or very high temperatures. For those of you with wigs made from real hair, you’ll want to bleach the knots on the underside of your lace so that you won’t be able to see little black dots where the ‘scalp’ is supposed to be. There are tons of videos on YouTube that can show you how to bleach the knots on your lacefront wig. This step can be a little tedious but this step makes a big difference in the final result.
This step is for all kinds of lacefront wigs, whether it’s synthetic or not. One of the things that makes a wig look fake is how thick the hairline looks. One way of fixing this problem is by going through the hairline and plucking out some hair. A good tip is to pluck a little at anime. You can always pluck out more later but you can’t put back the hairs that you’ve already taken out! It’s better to be safe than sorry. Thinning the hairline will definitely make your wig look more realistic because real hair gradually gets thicker. In the example below, you can see how the hairline on the left looks like hair from a doll but the one on the right mimics the hairline of a real person.
This step doesn’t have to do with your wig at all! We all know that to build something great, the foundation needs to be sturdy. This step is all about the hair underneath your wig. You’ll want to get your hair as flat as possible. If your hair is flat and short you may be able to get away with leaving your hair as is. But for the rest of us, we recommend cornrowing your hair from front to back. If you don’t know how to cornrow you cant braid it and attach it to your scalp with bobby pins.
With any method you choose, try to keep the majority of your hair at the nape of your neck. Once you’re done securing your hair, place a wig cap on your hair so that your hair can stay protected. If you want extra security, secure the cap with a strong gel or hairspray like Got 2 B. Get a cap that comes close to your skin color.
Go over the areas where the lace will show or where you plan on parting your hair with a powder foundation that matches your skin color. The result should look like the photo below.
Now you’re ready to put your wig on! Start from the back of the wig and work your way to the front. If you need extra hold you can apply more of the gel or hairspray to area right in front of the wig cap. Then check the wig for any places that look unnatural and bumpy. You’ll want to go over those with a flat iron.
Not you’re free to style it however you like! Treat it just as if it was your hair but keep in mind that if you don’t have lace at the back of your lacefront wig you may want to have the nape of your neck covered.
This step is completely optional! If you’re satisfied with how it looks you can leave your lacefront the way it is. If you want a little extra something, feel free to add some baby hairs to your wig. Pull out a few strands of hair near your temples and sideburns. Cut them to about an inch and a half in length. Use hairspray or gel to curve them into your hair. We suggest watching a video on this as it’s a little hard to describe in words! Again, Youtube has plenty of tutorials on this.
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