Wash every 7 to 10 wears in cool water with a sulfate-free shampoo, air dry on a stand, and store out of sunlight. Done consistently, that keeps a human hair wig looking new for roughly 8 to 12 months of regular wear.
How often to wash
Every 7 to 10 wears, or sooner if the hair looks dull, feels heavy at the roots, or has picked up cooking or smoke odour.
A wig has no scalp feeding it oil, so it does not get greasy the way growing hair does. Washing more often than this strips the hair faster than it needs - washing is the main thing that uses up a wig's life. Washing less often lets product and oil build up at the cap, which is what makes a wig look flat at the roots.
How to wash
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Cool water only. Warm water opens the cuticle and loosens the knots the hair is tied with, which is what causes shedding at the parting.
- Fill a basin with cool water and add a small amount of sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates strip the hair fast, and on gray blends they also strip the tone that keeps the silver cool rather than yellow.
- Submerge and swirl gently. Soak 5 to 10 minutes. Do not scrub.
- Rinse thoroughly in cool water.
- Condition the lengths only. Keep conditioner off the cap and away from the knots.
- Rinse again until the water runs clear. Residue is one of the main causes of yellowing on gray hair.
- Blot with a towel, never rub. Air dry on a wig stand.
Air drying takes several hours. Wash on a day you are not wearing it, not the night before you need it.
Deep conditioning
Every 4 to 6 weeks, or when the ends start to feel dry. Wash first, apply a mask to the lengths and ends only, leave 20 to 30 minutes without heat, then rinse in cool water.
Use a light leave-in cream rather than heavy oils. Coconut and olive oil build up on the hair, and buildup is one of the main causes of yellowing on gray and silver blends. Skip hairspray and gel entirely.
Detangling
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Straight and wavy: a wig brush or wide-tooth comb, working from the ends upward. Hold the hair above the section you are working on so you are not pulling at the knots.
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Curly and kinky: finger-detangle or use a wide-tooth comb while damp and slippery with conditioner - never dry. Brushing dry curls breaks the pattern permanently.
Heat and styling
All our wigs are 100% human hair, so they take heat - but treat them as hair that cannot grow back. Keep irons under 300°F and always use a heat protectant.
Do not dye or bleach a gray wig. Gray and white strands have little or no pigment, so there is nothing for bleach to lift and dye grabs unevenly. Our salt and pepper is naturally gray hair blended with naturally dark hair - colouring it removes the very thing that makes it look real.
Storage
- On a wig stand or mannequin head, so the cap keeps its shape
- Cool, dry, out of direct sunlight - sunlight on a shelf fades a wig as surely as sunlight outdoors
- For travel, a wig box or breathable bag. Not sealed plastic - trapped moisture causes odour
Protecting it day to day
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Sun: a hat or scarf for long periods outdoors. UV fades and yellows gray fastest.
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Pools and sea: chlorine and salt water both damage the hair and drive yellowing.
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Sleep: take it off. If you must sleep in it, braid it loosely and use a satin pillowcase.
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Cooking: steam and cooking oil carry into the hair - the most underestimated cause of a wig smelling stale.
How long it should last
Roughly 8 to 12 months with regular wear, following the routine above. Worn occasionally, considerably longer - lifespan is counted in wears and washes rather than calendar months.
Questions about your specific wig? Email service@soulladywigs.com.
More detail, including how to stop a gray wig turning yellow: our full care article.
