Originally Posted on Sept 1, 2016 as How to Store a Wig
Wigs are becoming more popular to wear, just like in ancient times. So the question becomes how does a person store their wigs in such a way as to keep them in great shape? Although caring for a wig depends on if it is made of natural hair or artificial fibers, storing them is the same for either type.
Displaying a Wig
Once you remove your wig, if you plan to wear it regularly or keep it on display, put it on a wig stand. This helps keep the hair in place and is best done with shorter styled wigs.
If you are going to put a long haired wig on display ensure to not let it bunch up at the bottom of the stand.Take the excess hair and gently twist and wind it around the base of the stand.
Keep the wigs in an open and clean area, free from direct sunlight, heat, and dust. It’s also smart to keep your wig away from pets and curious children!
Long Term Storage
Image from uniqsoblog.blogspot.com
If displaying your wig isn’t ideal for you, the first thing you’ll want to do is wipe it down with a dryer sheet to remove static cling. Next you’ll want to brush your wig out with a wide toothed comb and a wig lusterizer spray to reduce tangles.
If your wig contains clip pigtails, remove them from the main wig and loosely braid each of them to keep them from tangling.
The wig should then be folded in half (ear to ear), parted in the center and placed in its original plastic packaging. If your wig does not have a center part, you should place a piece of crumpled gift/tissue paper at the crown of the wig to help it keep its shape and allow it to aerate during storage.
Having crumpled paper in the crown of the wig is a good idea even when it has a center part to ensure bacteria doesn’t grow from the wig being in contact with itself. Storing a wig that is damp or full of product can cause long term damage.
A longer haired wig should be held up by one hand with the length of the wig in the other hand. Take the ends of the wig and put them up into the cap. This makes it easier to put inside a net wig cap. Putting a wig inside of a wig cap helps keep fly-away hairs better managed and makes it easier to put into the plastic storage bag.
Image from Alexa Poletti
If you have a growing number of wigs it is a great idea to label the bags. I personally label my wig bags with the colour, material type and length descriptor. If you are concerned about the wig flattening inside the storage bag use a piece of cardboard to surround the wig. These can be easily made from cut up shoe boxes.
Traveling
If you plan to travel with your wig, be sure to store it in a sturdy container where it cannot be crushed as this might cause it to lose it’s shape or style. If you are a frequent traveler, investing in a custom wig box may be the best option for you.Lay tissue paper in the bottom of the bin. If there are clip in pigtails coil one like a snake. Place a couple of sheets of tissue paper on top of this then coil down the second pigtail. Lay two more sheets of tissue paper and then lay the wig on top.
Crumple some paper inside the crown of the wig (or put up the extra length of the wig inside the crown), and the fold ear to ear. Place inside of a wig cap and then on top of the covered coils. Place another sheet of tissue paper on top.