How To Make Human Hair Wig Silky Again

If you own a human hair wig, you might be wondering how to make your human hair wig silky again? Hi, I'm Allison and I have Alopecia Universalis, which means that I have no hair. I wear wigs everyday, I operated a wig consulting business and then I started manufacturing my own patent-pending wig line called Encelia® Hair. In short, I know a lot about wigs and nothing is worse than when your human hair wig becomes dry, which causes the hair is tangle, split ends or worse breakage.  In this guide, I will share with you, my secrets to keeping your human hair wig silky, and tangle-free. By the end, you will have the knowledge you need to keep your human hair wig soft, silky, tangle-free and prolong it's lifespan.

1) WHY DO HUMAN HAIR WIGS BECOME DRY AND TANGLE?

a) HAIR QUALITY

Depending on the quality of the hair, Remy vs Non-Remy, used in you human hair wig some wigs will become dry and tangle sooner than others. 

Premium, Remy Human Hair is considered the highest quality hair because of the meticulous care taken to preserve its cuticles and keep the cuticle aligned. When the cuticle is preserved and kept aligned meaning the hair falls naturally from root to tip, it retains the same natural movement, fluidity, and silky texture as healthy, normal hair making particularly desirable. This hair also tangles less and requires less maintenance meaning the hair should air-dry smooth. 

Non-Remy human hair, on the other hand, is also known as cuticle-free hairor fallen hair. It is not collected or organized in a way that keeps the cuticle aligned. As a result, the cuticle most be removed to prevent the hair from tangling. This quality of hair will not last as long as Remy hair and requires heat tools like a flat iron to make the hairsoft and smooth again. The best way to think about Non-Remy hair is that it is processed or damaged hair. Non-RemyIt is often coated with silicone to give it the desired silky, smooth texture but when the silicone wears off the hair will show its true character.

At Encelia® Hair, we only sell Premium, Remy human hair - learn more about it here.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY WIG IS REMY HAIR OR NON-REMY?

The easiest way to know if your human hair wig has Remy hair or Non-Remy hair is to simply feel the hair for resistance by touching the hair with your fingers.  If you feel resistance when sliding your fingertips from bottom to top, it's likely that the hair is Remy and the cuticles are intact. 

b) HUMAN HAIR WIGS CAN NOT ABSORB OILS THAT OUR SCALPS PRODUCE

It's important to know that although the human hair used in wigs is real, it lacks the ability to absorb the natural oils that our "biological" hair absorbs from our scalp. This leads to a lack of moisture, causing the hair to dry out faster, which causes the hair to tangle and the ends to break, therefore, we need to consistently add moisture back into the hair to keep the hair soft and supple. 

2) HOW TO ADD MOISTURE BACK TO YOUR HUMAN HAIR WIG

a) WIGS ROUTINES

The easiest way to make your wig life a total breeze is to create new wig routines into your daily life. For me personally, I have more time in the evening to care for my wigs then in the morning. Below is a weekly snapshot of wig life and routines:

• PM FRIDAY: WEEKLY WASH DAY
• AM SATURDAY: WEEKLY STYLE
• PM WEDNESDAY: APPLY OIL TO ENDS OR CONDITIONER WASH
• AM THURSDAY: IF NEEDED, APPLY OIL TO ENDS

b) MOISTURE BASED PRODUCTS

In general, focus on products the add moisture back to the hair without weighing the hair down. Normal shampoos can often strip the hair, making it drier and more prone to tangling or matting. With this in mind, below is a list of curated products and some helpful tips to keep your wig looking and feeling great.

• 1)BEST WIG SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS

  • Sulfate-free, color-safe, silicone-free hydrating shampoo and conditioner are best because they will restore the moisture your human hair wig making it feel soft, move naturally, and prevent breakage.

  • Brands I love: Goldwell Rich Repair, Redken All Soft, Milbon moisture line

  • Pro Tips: Be gentle with your wig, avoid over-shampooing the hair, and rinse thoroughly to prevent product buildup. Details here, How to wash your human hair wig

• 2) ARGAN OIL

  • Argan oil has been an essential product that I use to moisturize and soften my human hair wigs without worrying about the oil weighing the hair down or causing product build up.

  • After washing your wig, apply 1-2 drops of argan oil to the ends of your wig and the nape of the wig, then brush the wig to distribute the oil evenly throughout the wig.

  • Pro Tips: Keep oil and conditioner away from the wig cap or base to prevent loosening the knots, causing hair shedding. If the nape of the wig continues to tangle, it may be the clothes you are wearing, so consider wearing clothes with slip, such as silk.

    • I love Goldwell Kerasilk Brillance oil - it's lightweight and smells great

• 3) LESS HEAT THE BETTER

  • According to Phys.org, researchers have found that flat irons and curling irons can damage 85% of your hair's keratin proteins, causing it to become brittle and dry. Damaged hair happens when the hair cuticle breaks down. 

  • Can you use heat tool on human hair wigs? Yes, it's one of the best parts about a human hair wig but it's important to know that because the cuticle on human hair used in wigs has already been disturbed, additional damage (aka heat) to the hair causes the hair to become dry even faster. 

  • Please know that if you curl or flat iron your human hair wig, the hair will stay styled all week so your not going have to style your wig everyday.  
    • Pro Tips: Whenever you use heat tools, apply a lightweight heat protector spray on the hair. The heat protector will repel water and prevent the hair from drying out, which will protect the hair, prevent breakage, and prolong the lifespan of your wig.
      • I love Kenra Blow-Dry spray, it smell amazing and the hair styles well
      • For curls, in the evening, wrap your wig a hair net that will keep the curls longer.

• 4) MONTHLY DEEP CONDITIONING MASK

  • A monthly deep conditioning is also essential to restoring your human hair wigs the easiest way to do this is to set your calendar, otherwise, you will forget to do it. If your wig is higher quality and new than you probably don't need to start this until six months into wearing the wig.

  • Pro Tips: After shampooing the hair, apply the mask, then place the wig in a plastic ziplock bag, and close it so the wig is airtight. Then using a hairdryer, adjust it to the warm setting, and blow the hot air on top of the bag. Be careful not to stay in one spot for too long. Basically, you are sweating the hair, which opens the cuticle. Do this for two to three minutes. Then let the hair to cool in the bag overnight; this will allow the cuticle to close slowly. In the morning, rewash the hair as you would normally do.

  • I love Olaplex 4-IN-1, or Milbon Restorative Treatment

• 5) PRODUCTS FOR COLORED HUMAN HAIR WIGS

  • For human hair wigs that have been colored, K18 repair, a leave-in treatment mask that clinically reverses damage in four minutes, is the way to go. The patented peptide technology works to repair damage from bleach, color, chemical services, and heat, restoring strength, softness, smoothness, and bounce to hair.

• 6) USE CAUTION WHEN USING KERATIN BASED PRODUCTS

  • When too much keratin is applied to the hair it can cause the hair to become dry, brittle, and lead to breakage. Although, keratin is responsible for keeping your hair cuticle layers and follicles healthy and strong, but, too much can cause the protein to buildup on the outer layer, which makes the hair dry and brittle.

As you can see, keeping your human hair wig properly moisturized will keep it soft, silky, and tangle-free throughout it's lifespan. I hope you found my secrets to, How To Make Human Hair Wig Silky Again, helpful. If you own a human hair wig from Encelia® Hair and you're having trouble, or if you have products at home that you aren't sure about, we would be happy to help advise you. Chat with us or email us at help@enceliahair.com