My Hair Journey: Hair Boredom and Learning How to Wear a Wig
Have you ever drooled over the aesthetically satisfying pictures of brilliantly dyed and styled hair that’s scattered all over social media? Saved and screenshotted pictures of sunset-colored hair in bright pinks and purples? Daydreamed of just going for it – fearlessly bleaching and dying your hair a vibrant turquoise or fiery red? You save a “hair inspiration” album to your phone, thinking to yourself, “maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to do that to my hair.”
Then, reality sets in. You realize how much damage bleaching your hair to that level will be. How much upkeep is required to make sure your color doesn’t fade to a murky, dull color. Not to mention the hours that a dye job like that will take and the hundreds of dollars it could cost. To seal the deal is the gripping fear that after all that money, time, damage, and risk, that a new color or cut won’t even suit you. So you tuck away those captivating reds and blondes onto your Pinterest board, never to come to life.
I had this same battle for years, and despite a streak of teal I put in my hair during my freshman year of college, I never was brave enough to try anything too daring on my hair. Though I dreamed of pink, purple, and blue hair often, I bounced from a dark chocolate to a golden brown my whole life. The risk and commitment of a drastic hairstyle change was just too daunting. So I accepted the fact that I would just forever be bored with my hair.
Until I started wearing wigs. And it completely changed the way I viewed my hair and my style.
Before I became more familiar with wigs, I thought they were expensive, time-consuming, and just as unattainable as dying my hair to look like a rainbow unicorn. I had a lot of misconceptions about wigs and thought they just weren’t meant for me. But the reality is, wearing a wig is for anyone! There are different types of wigs for every person, whether you’re looking for long-term or short-term wear. There’s so much customization available in wearing wigs, which makes it so exciting.
The first wig I bought was a rosy pink, extremely long, wavy hairstyle. When I tried it on at home, I immediately fell in love. My dreams of being able to change my hair in an instant, from brown to pink to blonde….from waist-length locks to banging bobs, was finally a reality. I was taken back to my favorite online game as a kid, where my favorite activity was taking my character to the salon to get a new hairstyle every day. Being able to completely change my hairstyle in just a few minutes was thrilling and empowering.
At first, it was strange. Even though I had played around with getting bangs or highlights here and there, I was so used to having pretty much the same hair my entire life. A hairstyle can become a security blanket for us, becoming tied to our self-identity. But wearing wigs has expanded my view on hair and has shown me another avenue of self-expression. Each hairstyle I try brings out a different side of my personality, and even though my hair isn’t always natural or real, I always find a way to make it feel like me.
In this video, I share some of my tips and tricks on wearing a lace front wig for beginners, with the Bobbi Boss MLF329 Daryna wig in color 613A. I’m still trying new things and learning every time I wear a wig, but I wanted to share a bit of my hair journey with anyone else who may have felt bored and boxed in with their hairstyle. My motto is that variety is the spice of life, and a new, fresh look being this easy to attain has been a source of joy and confidence for me.
If you’ve ever thought about changing your hairstyle but been too afraid of the cost, commitment, and damage to your natural hair, you should consider wearing wigs! Even when I felt that my hair must look fake to others, I’ve been surprised to find that many people have been convinced that I actually changed my real hair. If you end up trying a wig, here are some of my tips and tricks based on my experience and watching other wig tutorials.
1. Try your wig on first.
Before I do anything else, I like to try my wig on and see how it fits on my head. Every wig is one size fits all, but everyone’s head shape is slightly different and the way the cap fits on you will determine how you want to braid your hair underneath the cap. Find where there is some extra space between your head and the cap and try to get most of your natural hair in that spot. Avoid pinning your natural hair in a spot where the wig is already tight. Finally, adjust the band at the back of the wig cap if needed.
2. Cut your lace in a wavy pattern.
When cutting your lace, go slowly and carefully. Cut just a little bit at a time, because you can always cut more off but you can’t cut less! When you do cut, gently wave your scissors back and forth; avoid having straight cuts in the lace, it will look more natural that way.
3. Comb the baby hairs.
Combing the baby hairs of the wig helps give the illusion of the hair growing from your own head! Just use a tiny bit of gel and a small edge brush to brush them forward. When I’m wearing a wig with dark roots, I like to brush a few of my own natural baby hairs into the mix to make it look even more natural.
4. Conceal your part.
Using a bit of your concealer with a tiny brush in the part line will help the wig to look so much more natural!
5. Be open-minded.
When wearing a new hairstyle, it may feel out of your comfort zone, but I recommend trying your wig on at home a couple of times to get used to the look and feel of it, and then wear it out for a couple of hours while running errands or getting lunch! Remember that hair is just hair, and it’s not what defines you. Wear what makes you feel confident in yourself, without hesitation.
Good luck and happy wig wearing!