When you first lose your hair, and start wearing alternative hair like wigs, there are some key things you need to have and know.
A special Wig Grip headband worn under your wig will help it stay in place whether you have some hair or none underneath. The velvet band is comfortable, adjustable and doesn’t slip around.
You’ll want a head for your wig to rest on when you’re not wearing it. It should be a formed head. You can get a travel version that snaps together and slips into the bottom of your suitcase or backpack so you can take it with you on the road.
You might want clips and a strap for styling your wig, particularly when you’re brushing or blow drying (if you have a human hair or heat tolerant wig). You'll definitely want some wig-safe brushes with round nubs on the tips of the soft bristles.
The practical tips on how to wear a wig don't quite cover how to love a wig.
Before you lost your hair (or at any point in your life) what would have described hair you would have wished for? Your dream hair? With wigs, you can have your dream hair! Always wanted long, wavy tresses, beachy and fun? You can have that! Always wanted sleek long hair? You can have that too! Too freaked out to ever cut your hair in a pixie but want to try it? Wigs offer a chance to try on a different look and lifestyle easily.
Loving your wig is hard sometimes. It can be hot and itchy. It can drive you batty after a long day of wearing it (you might want to yank it off as soon as you get in your car - if you do this, it's most dramatic if you do it at a stoplight with others watching from their cars ;D) But loving your wig takes a third eye. Have a friend, spouse or sibling take photos of you in your wigs. Hire a professional photographer. You will notice how great you look with your wigs. Check out YouTube and Instagram for wig-wearing women with style and grace. A favorite video is one we found on an alopecia web site (Alopecia World); a young woman took a video of herself in her 27 different wigs (most synthetic) with different outfits, and then set the clips to music. It's a fun way to celebrate the ability to have a different hair style - color, cut, length and texture - whenever you want!
Follow other wig wearers on social media and you’ll be amazed! They don’t look like they are wearing wigs and you’ll be surprised at how gorgeous you can be wearing your wig, too! You’ll also note how they style their wigs, including updos on long-hair wigs, using hair extensions added to hats and more creative ideas on wearing alternative hair.
Instagram is a great place to follow wig wearers – as experienced wig wearers, they have great tips on how to wear wigs, how to draw on eyebrows and apply false eyelashes, have creative makeup tips. They also post about good brands that you can buy right here in Lansing from your wig salon such as Jon Reneau and Follea. Of course, you can also follow A Wig and A Prayer.
Here are a few people to follow: @alopeciablondie @follea @jonrenau @fauxhairfun @tressedtwo Follea and Jon Renau are two wig brands that A Wig and a Prayer works with for wig clients. You can also search by #alopeciaareata or #hairloss and find dozens and dozens of others who post about their daily lives with wig, toppers, and extensions.
What about eyebrows and eyelashes? Jessica at A Wig and A Prayer in Okemos, MI can show you some options for faking gorgeous eyebrows, and you can get tutorials online on YouTube. Makeup tutorials abound. You'll note that wearing eyeliner is a great fake for not having eyelashes (it masks that pale and naked no-lash look very well.) Especially thicker eyeliner like cat-eye styles; embrace makeup when you have no hair. There are options such as microblading, that fill in eyebrows, eyebrow tattoing that offer a semi or permanent replacement for lost brows.
Wig and a Prayer is a wig salon Okemos(Lansing-area) Michigan