washing wigs

Washing Your Wig: Does the Shampoo You Use Matter? 

Washing Your Wig: Does the Shampoo You Use Matter?

 

Does it matter what kind of shampoo I use to wash my wig? Should I be buying the pricier shampoos? Is a drug store shampoo okay for my wig?

 

There are over 100s of types of shampoos available and probably just as many opinions about the type of shampoo one should use when washing their wig. Are the pricy shampoos better for the wigs, what makes one better than the other?

 

Pricy shampoos and store shampoos are similar. They are both created with similar ingredients and both are meant to wash the hair. Just like wine comes in 10$ bottles and $400 dollar bottles there are many factors that cause the markup in price.The  the type of shampoo you prefer will largely have to do with your taste. This guide will help you decide what shampoo is best for your wig.

 

Salon Shampoo Vs. Store-brought Shampoo

Store brought shampoo is usually more diluted with water while a salon brand will be more concentrated. Store brought shampoo contains sulfates (the ingredient that causes the fun bubbles) and other fillers, while a salon brand will have more vitamins, minerals, and oils and less fillers and water.

 

Other factors, like the bottle and packaging will defer, but have no bearing on the products.

 

The bottom line is that choosing the right shampoo requires some experimenting with which formula is best for your wig. There are lots of affordable options that don’t compromise the quality of the shampoo. Which means you can purchase a cost effective shampoo and still get a good product.

 

 

Dos and Don’ts While Wearing your Freeda Wig

Dos and Don’ts While Wearing your Freeda Wig

 

 

All the time customers ask us how long their wig will last. At the same time we have customers who come in with wigs that are 10 years old or older for routine maintenance.  The care of your wig will determine its shelf life; here are some dos and don’ts to assist a long lasting wig that you’ll be happy to wear.

 

 

 

DO

  • Have a professional maintain your wig if possible; washing the wig incorrectly lends itself to lots of wear and tear on the wig
  • Protect  your wig from the sun
  • Use a wig stand for storage to keep the wig’s shape
  • Brush the knots out daily, but be careful not to damage or pull out the hair
  • Experiment with different methods of securing your wig , don’t wear a wigs that is uncomfortable
  • Use sprays and serums that will condition the hair but don’t let the conditioner get on the material of the wig, as the oils will loosen the knots

 

 

 

Don’t

  • Use tools that are too hot on your wig, but do feel comfortable to style your wig with a curling iron or blow drier just as you would style hair
  • Wear an ill-fitting wig, speak to your stylist if the cap feels too small or too big, a minor adjustment is an easy fix
  • Don’t wear your wig with wet hair underneath, it will loosen the knots and cause the hair to shed sooner
  • Don’t be scared to have the bangs and face framing layers, an unfinished cut will look very wiggy
  • Don’t wash your wig too often, think of it like a hat- you can wash it as little as once every 8 weeks or so

 

 

 

 

Follow this advice and you will enjoy your 100% Virgin European Wig for many years to come.
Questions about maintaining your wig? Please email us at info@freeda.com

 

 

 

 

Humidity and your Freeda Wig

Humidity and your Freeda Wig

 

 

 

We’ve discussed swimming in your Freeda wig  and how to stay cool in the summer, but what about dealing with the effect the humidity and heat that your human hair wig might react to.  Over and over you’ll hear about Virgin European wigs being the best quality hair – and it is, but just like hair it will react to the humidity.

 

 

 

 

Prepare Your Wig

Before going outside, you can prepare the hair in anticipation for the weather. Have your stylist use a stronger conditioner and shine sprays meant to fight frizz. You may find no issue with the weather and your wig.

 

 

 

 

Dealing with Humidity after the Fact

If your wig has lots of texture (which is great for a style with lots of body), you may find the hair gets flyaway hairs or some frizz when you’re spending time outdoors. Using a serum with silicon or Moroccan oil will help tame the hair.

Tip: If you get stuck in the middle of the day with no products take a little moisturizer and rub it into your hands. Glide your hands over the wig for an instant solution.

 

 

 

 

Pull it into a Braid

Braiding the hair will help the wig avoid the effects of the humidity. You can pull out the braid when you get indoors.

 

 

 

A Relaxer

Silky hair reacts less to the humidity than hair with body. Often we will have customers that will ask for a deep conditioning treatment or a Keratin treatment right before the summer.

 

 

 

 

Chlorine and Salt

Summer and swimming go hand in hand. Chlorine and salt aren’t great for the hair and can add dryness , but a little exposure isn’t a problem. You can swim in the wig as long as you’re careful to rinse the wig out well as soon as you are done.

 

 

 

 

A Second Wig

It’s always a good idea to have two wigs and it can be especially helpful in the summer.  If your wig’s style has drooped and needs a pick me up you’ll have your second wig to fall back on.

 

 

 

What are your tips for dealing with humidity?  You’re welcome to contact us with any questions or assistance by emailing info@freeda.com

 

 

 

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Interesting Facts about Hair

Interesting Facts about Hair

 

Every Freeda wig is made from 100% Virgin European Hair. Here are some fun facts you may have not known about hair. We certainly learned a lot.

 

 

Fun Fact:

Dear Redheads, you have the rarest color tresses of them all. Less than 1% of the world’s population is born with naturally red hair. The most common: People with black colored hair will have the most company- most people sport black hair. About 2% of the world is born with blond colored hair.

As red hair is such a hard thing to come by many companies don’t make red wigs at all. Freeda carries gorgeous red wigs in varying shades.

 

 

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Fun Fact:

Melanin will determine the color of your hair. Eumelanin is dominant in dark colored hair. Pheomelanin is what makes hair colored red.  Lack of pigmentation is what makes hair blond. Gray hair happens when the melanin production slows down or stops.

At Freeda we have a small amount of gray (is it gray or grey? Actually, both are acceptable but gray is more commonly used) hair and wigs. Because our hair is unprocessed it is hard to find gray hair healthy enough that meets our high standards of quality. We can add small amounts of gray hair to customize your look.

 

 

 

 

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Fun Fact:

Hair is predominantly constructed of proteins, specifically keratin. Each strand of hair is made up of three layers, from the outside in, the medulla, cortex, and cuticle. The fibers on the hair will determine whether your hair is straight, curly or wavy.

 

Freeda wigs are made of 100% virgin European hair, which means all three layers of the hair are intact, not stripped or coated. The benefits of virgin European hair; hair with an incredibly long lifespan, hair that can be colored, washed, blow-dried and will act just like hair is suppose to.

 

 

 

Fun Fact:

Hair can stretch (and also break) almost 1/3rd of its length when wet. Brushing gently is important!

Damaged hair comes from brushing, washing and the way you treat the hair. The lifespan of virgin European hair can last more than 30 years! Treat your wigs right.

 

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Fun Fact:

The diameter of hair can vary from 0.00067 to 0.00709 of an inch.

At Freeda’s we don’t quite measure hair in that way: we call it thin hair or hair with body. Imagine how hard figuring out that measure would be!

 

 

 

 

Fun Fact :

Hair can grow just about anywhere on the body. You won’t find hair growing on the palms of the hands or the soles or the lips but almost everywhere else is fair game.

 

A Freeda wig could be made from the hair of up to 6 different people!

 

 

 

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Do you know an interesting hair fact that we didn’t cover? We welcome everyone to get in touch with questions, comments or just to say hi. We look forward to hearing from you.

How to Wash A Wig

HOW TO WASH A WIG

 

 

At Freeda we always recommended that a professional should maintain your wig.  A professional will make sure that the way the wig is washed or set won’t compromise on the longevity or quality of the wig.

 

 In a pinch it is okay to wash your own wig while being very careful. Here are the steps to follow.

 

Step 1: Gently comb out the wig, being gentle with any knots. Always brush the hair from the bottom, removing any knots, than working your way higher up towards the top.

 

Step 2:  Rinse the wig by holding it under a stream of lukewarm water. Rinse from roots to ends.

Step 3:  Using a quality shampoo distribute evenly over the hair, roots to ends. Gently massage the shampoo through the strands.  Turn the wig inside out and gently wash the inside of the cab. Step 4: Rinse the shampoo in lukewarm water.

 

Step 5: Comb conditioner into the hair avoiding the root. (The oils in the conditioner loosen the knots and glue, so you always want to avoid putting conditioners, serums and treatments on the root.) You may leave in the conditioner for a few minutes if desired.

 

          

Step 6: Rinse the conditioner in a downwards motion, making sure no trace of conditioner remains.

 

 

 

  Step 7: Squeeze out excess
 water, then towel blot the hair to dry.

 

 

 

Step 8: While wig is damp comb through the hair, making sure the part it in its proper place.

 

 Step 9:Place the wig on a wig head, or a dome shaped surface to dry.

 

 

 

Wig pictured is an Extra Long Atara, color 16/8, wavy texture. All photos display a damp wig, last photo is the wig air-dried, with no use of products or tools.                                       

Washing and Drying for Our Sheitels

real human hair wigsPreviously, we detailed the selection of quality hair for our world renowned real human hair wigs. Once our expert buyers have made their decisions, our hair technicians take over and begin the crafting process.

 

The various hair tresses are thoroughly washed and cleaned with a series of shampoos, conditioners, and other cleansers. The cleaning is designed to remove dirt, oil, and other particles that cling to the hairs. The process is laborious, as considerable care must be taken to ensure all the hair cuticles remain intact and face in the same direction.

 

Some wig makers process the hair to remove the cuticles, thus making the cleaning process simpler. However, stripping the cuticles increases the possibility of tangling and matting, so the quality is considerable lowered.

 

After the tresses have been thoroughly cleaned, we dry them carefully. Drying is a complex process as well. Poor ventilation can cause the hair to dry improperly and develop a peculiar smell. Using heaters for drying can have a similar effect. Therefore, our experts prefer to air dry the hair, allowing it to settle into a natural state.

 

The process of washing and drying the the hair is painstaking and rigorous, but it allows us to be confident that the cleaned hair will be suitable for use in creating our famous sheitels.