Wigs, regardless of whether they’re synthetic or human hair, are a great way to try out new looks and keep them looking perfect without causing any damage to your natural hair. Nevertheless, there is one important thing about wigs – just like natural hair, they can lose their luster over time because of wear, product build-up, and environmental conditions. But this doesn’t mean that you should throw away a worn-out wig. In this guide, we will show you how to revive a wig by including steps for both synthetic or human hair wigs so as to restore its life back into it.

How To Refresh a Wig: A General Overview

The method of refreshing a wig mostly depends on whether it consists of synthetic fibers or human hair. Each type from both categories has different maintenance techniques, but some universal procedures apply to all types of wigs:

  • Cleaning: Over the years, build-up of products plus dirt accumulates, making the strands limp.
  • Detangling: Both natural and synthetic hairs experience knots and tangles, particularly in longer styles.
  • Restyling: Giving an old wig its original form or creating something completely new with it could just enable it to look like a brand new one again.
  • Moisturizing: Finding ways to keep the tresses hydrated, particularly for human wigs, will aid in making them soft as well as manageable.

How To Revive a Synthetic Wig

Wigs made from synthetic materials can resemble real hair, but with these materials, it normally gets frizzy, matted, and lost by routine use. Here’s how to make a synthetic wig look new.

1. Clean the Wig

First of all, wash the synthetic wig gently in a wig shampoo that is designed for it only. Do not use regular shampoos because they have chemicals that affect most synthetic fibers adversely. Get yourself a bowl of cold water, after taking a small amount of synthetic hair shampoo, and submerge the wig in there, swirling it around without rubbing or scrubbing at all. Allow the wig to soak for about 5 – 10 minutes.

2. Condition the Wig

The next step is to condition the wig with some synthetic hair conditioner before applying moisture and shine. In order to evenly distribute through strands, ensure you are delicate in applying this product. Rinse off well with cool running water until there’s nothing left behind.

3. Detangle the Wig

A wide-tooth comb or wig brush can be used for detangling after washing a wig. Always start from ends and go upwards to avoid breaking it further while dealing with severe tangles. Consider using a detangling spray meant for wigs.

4. Dry the Wig

Do not wring out any kind of synthetic wigs; instead, remove excess water by gently squeezing it out using a towel alone without applying pressure at all. To maintain its form, let your wig air dry on a stand meant for wigs only. Unless specified otherwise, do not use heating tools on synthetic wigs.

5. Revamp the Style

Upon becoming dry, the wig style can be rejuvenated through very gentle brushing or using low-heat equipment for heat-resistant synthetic wigs. There are handheld steamers which can provide steam in order to reshape a synthetic wig that has lost its curl or wave.

How To Revive a Human Hair Wig

In contrast with these synthetic wigs, human hair wigs give a more natural appearance but demand greater maintenance. Such types of wigs may become dry, frizzy, and lose their bounce as time passes by. To better your knowledge about how to restore a human hair wig, we recommend following steps outlined below:

1. Wash the Wig

To start with, wash the human hair wig using sulfate-free moisturizing shampoo since warm water can withstand it unlike synthetic wigs. You should submerge the wig into lukewarm water then softly cleanse it while paying attention to the lace and cap too.

2. Deep Condition

In order for human hair wigs to regain their original shine and softness, they require nourishment. A deep conditioning treatment is applied and left on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly so that there is no residue left behind.

3. Detangle the Wig

After cleaning up, carefully detangle the strands of hair using a wig brush or wide-tooth comb. While still wet, comb gently through the hair in order to avoid any breakage from happening, as well as applying leave-in conditioner or detangler which would ease the process even more.

4. Moisturize

Without proper care, human wigs can become dry. Use a lightweight oil such as argan or coconut oil to moisten and shine them up. Do not go for heavy products that can weigh down the hair.

5. Style the Wig

Once the wig has been cleaned and moisturized, you can use heat tools to style it because, without doubt, human hair can withstand curling irons, flat irons, as well as blow dryers. Always make sure you use heat protectant to avoid any damage to the hair. Restyle according to the original cut or give a fresh look altogether.

How To Refresh Synthetic Hair Extensions

The process for refreshing synthetic hair extensions is quite similar to that of rejuvenating a synthetic wig. Start by cleaning them with synthetic-friendly products, detangle carefully, and air dry them. Steaming is another method that may bring back smoothness and revive fibers.

How To Restore a Human Hair Wig

In case your human hair wig is really badly damaged, you might have additional steps to take in order to restore it completely. Here are other suggestions for revitalizing such wigs:

  • Trim Split Ends: Human hair wigs, just like natural hair, may have split ends; therefore, they should be cut off to maintain the tidiness and healthiness of the wig.
  • Protein Treatment: In case the wig feels weak or brittle, the application of a protein treatment can help bring back its strength.
  • Professional Help: If you cannot bring the wig back yourself, then consider taking it to an expert who does repairs on wigs for thorough restoration.

How To Fix a Synthetic Wig

Rejuvenating a synthetic wig that is fuzzy, knotted, or uninteresting may seem overwhelming but with perseverance, it can be done:

  • Method of Boiling Water: If there is a lot of frizzy and fuzzy look, we may have to immerse the whole wig in hot water so that the fibers reset themselves properly. This is most effective on straight wigs made of synthetic fibers.
  • Fabric Softener Trick: There are some people who often make use of diluted fabric conditioner sprays onto synthetic wigs to do away with any roughness; this ensures they don’t remain too stiff and boyish afterward.

Conclusion: How To Bring Your Wig Back to Life

Knowing how to refresh a wig, whether synthetic or human hair, can significantly increase its lifespan and keep it looking fresh even for months or years. If one takes their time when cleaning, conditioning, and styling it, it will appear like a brand new one. For synthetic wigs, gentle care and maintenance should focus on preventing any damage to the fibers used in making them. On the other hand, moisturizing as well as heat-styling remain tools that can restore any human hair wig back to life again. It doesn’t matter which option is chosen; a little bit of attention will go farthest when trying to restore your favorite wig back from a dull-looking state into something beautiful again.