Stay cool in your alternative hair this summer!

Who else is feeling the summer heat? 

For those of us who have long hair, it’s easy to pull it up into an updo. But what about us who wear alternative hair, like wigs or hair pieces? How do you make a wig feel cooler? How do you wear your wig in an updo?

Well, that’s what we’re here for at Strut! Let’s get you glammed up for summer.

First, let’s look at the difference between synthetic and human hair pieces. 

This is a pretty big factor when it comes to staying cool in the heat. Synthetic fibers are made from plastic, and while the wefts inside of the wig cap are breathable, the material itself doesn’t lend to a cool feeling. Human hair wigs and hair pieces are, just like our own hair, a 100% natural fiber. Plus, most of our human hair wigs and hair pieces are actually hand tied. This means that someone legitimately tied every single strand of hair on the cap, which makes the cap extremely breathable. 

If you choose to go with a synthetic hair piece or wig during the summer, we always recommend shorter styles, as they keep any heat off your neck. 

Also, when it comes to staying cool in synthetic wigs…don’t forget that synthetic pieces never lose their style! This means that if they get wet, they go back to their original style as soon as they dry. Do you know where we’re going with this?

That’s right–take a spray bottle and spray your head if you’d like! If that keeps you cool in scorching weather, don’t fear for your hairstyle! It’ll go right back to its original ‘do.

Note that this would work for human hair pieces too, but they’re NOT like synthetic pieces, so they won’t go back to their original style after (just like our own natural hair). You’ll need to restyle just a bit.

Lastly, let’s take a look at some ways to put our wigs and hair pieces in updos!

Here are a few tips to consider first:

1. Use WIG-friendly hair products. 

We always recommend using styling products that were specifically made for synthetic hair on your synthetic pieces, and ones made for human hair pieces on those. 

Here are some of our favorites:

• Synthetic wig shampoo and conditioning spray 
• Styling and drying wig stand 
• Synthetic wig detangler 
• Synthetic wig hairspray
• Or, a synthetic wig styling kit, which comes with shampoo, conditioning spray, a comb, hair spray, and a plastic wig stand. 

2. Don’t forget to style your wig using a styling head, a styrofoam head, or securely on your head.

• We like to use a Wig Grip.

3. Use hair tools specifically for synthetic wigs when you style synthetic pieces.

Because the hair fibers are made of an ultra-thin plastic, the styling process must be more delicate than on your own hair. 

We love using these styling tools:

• Thintail styling/teasing brush
• Wide-tooth comb

4. Style your wig LOOSELY!

Because what you’ll be styling is not attached to your scalp like your natural hair is. Make sure you don’t tug too much on your piece. Also, because there’s a wig cap underneath the hair, always make sure your styles hide the edges of the cap. 

It all comes down to what type of hair piece you’re wearing (a wig or extensions), and the length. 

If you’re wearing a short wig, you can: 

1. Pull the sides back with bobby pins or decorative clips.
2. Take a center section from the front of the wig and create some top volume.

If you’re wearing a long wig, you can: 

1. Put it into a low ponytail
2. Pull it up into a half updo
3. Secure the edges with bobby pins or decorative clips

If you’re wearing extensions: 

1. Put your hair into any updo you’d like! Just, as mentioned above, don’t forget to pull it loosely when styling to a.) protect your scalp from too much pulling and to b.) make sure the extension wefts remain hidden so they look completely natural. 

We wish you the best of luck styling your alternative hair! 

Much love,

The Strut Team