If you wear a wig often, you need to give it maintenance and care to ensure it lasts as long as it should. One of the best ways to maintain a human hair wig is to moisturize it. Like our natural hair, wigs can become dry and damaged because of several different factors.
But there are tons of options for keeping your wig from becoming dry, which can be vital during the winter. Check out these tips and tricks for when to use oil on your wigs, including the best oils to use.
Why Do Wigs Become Dry?
Unlike our natural hair, wigs don’t have natural oils to keep the hair moisturized. However, that’s not the only reason they become dry, causing tangles or even breakage. Reasons for dry strands vary, but they’re typically environmental. Some reasons can include:
- The quality of the wig isn’t what it should be. You’ll want to find premium high-quality human hair wigs that are available at Instant Arewa Hair.
- Dry air during the winter will make it more difficult for your wig to hold onto moisture.
- Constant sun exposure can dry out strands.
- If you live in a home with hard water, the mineral deposits can make your wig more brittle and prone to damage.
- Chlorine and saltwater exposure can also weaken the hair.
Any of these factors can play a role in producing dry hair, and by moisturizing your wig with oil, you can help your human hair wig stay healthy. But what do you use for keeping your locks soft? There are a few oils that work better than others.
What Do Human Hair Wigs Need To Stay Healthy?
Like our natural hair, human hair wigs need three things to stay healthy: proteins, lubrication, and moisture. Protein keeps the hair strong, lubrication gives strands suppleness, and moisture provides elasticity.
Best Hair Oils for Human Hair Wigs
When you’re looking for an oil for your wig, you’ll want to look for a plant-based oil. Also, hair follicles absorb oils differently. Coconut oil is usually the most absorbent and readily available, but other oils offer different benefits.
Coconut Oil
One of the most effective hair treatments to use on your human hair wigs is coconut oil, thanks to its high moisture-retaining properties—if you apply the oil before washing. If you use coconut oil after washing, you’ll want to use it sparingly so that your wig doesn’t look oily.
Argan Oil
Argan oil comes from trees indigenous to Morocco, and like other oils on this list, people can use it for either culinary or cosmetic reasons. It’s an excellent moisturizer to smooth hair strands in a human hair wig to prevent frizz and reduce brittleness that can cause breakage. Only a few drops of argan oil can make hair soft and manageable.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is similar to the oil naturally produced by our scalps called sebum. Like coconut and argan oil, jojoba oil adds moisture to give your hair strands softness and shine. You can use jojoba oil as an overnight mask for your wig if you want to revitalize it.
Macadamia Oil
Macadamia oil is especially good for dry and brittle hair, like if you use hot styling tools on your wig often. Macadamias are a great source of antioxidants, which can help your wig recover from environmental damage.
Rosehip Oil
If you’re looking for a new oil to try, consider rosehip oil. It’s full of fatty acids—making it double as a conditioner—and nutrients that can help strengthen the strands. Rosehip oil is also a good selection for moisturizing the ends of your wig’s strands because it’s a dry oil, meaning it dries quickly and won’t leave a residue.
Shea Oil
Shea oil is versatile, and a little goes a long way. Since it’s derived from nuts, it’s full of vitamin E, fatty acids, and minerals. This nutrient content will help soften your wig and is an excellent choice for a hot oil treatment. You can use shea oil on damp or dry strands or massage a few drops into the wig before styling.
Avocado Oil
Thanks to its fat and nutritional content, avocado oil is also great for human hair wigs. Specifically, the oil provides biotin, vitamin A, and E to give your wig suppleness and shine.
Tips on Moisturizing a Human Hair Wig
After you’ve decided which oil you’d like to use to keep your wig soft, there are some helpful ways to ensure that you receive the most benefits from your moisturizing oil.
Add Water
Create a mixture of oil and water to spray onto the wig with a spray bottle. Why? While the oil will trap moisture, you’ll need water to make it easier to apply. This also helps hydrate the strands more.
Detangle Any Knots
Does your wig have knots? Moisturizing can help you loosen any tangles or knots. Spraying the strands before detangling can help you loosen them with your fingers. For more stubborn knots, you’ll need a wide-toothed comb and a bowl of the oil and water mixture to dip the strands into.
Use Lukewarm Water
Using lukewarm water or even cool water is ideal when washing a wig. Hot water can make your hair less hydrated and cause it to become brittle. For the best results from any hair oil, staying away from hot water can help the strands stay soft.
Apply a Deep Conditioner
Even though oiling your wig is helpful, regularly applying a deep conditioner will help with its movement and shine. Apply a deep conditioner and give it time, anywhere from a few to 15 minutes, to allow the conditioner to penetrate the strands.
Start From the Ends
Whether you’re applying deep conditioner or an oil, you’ll want to apply it to the ends first. Rub it gently, not vigorously, into the strands to avoid creating any friction that can damage the wig strands.
Learn More About Wig Care
These tips and tricks for when to use oil on your wigs will help you keep your wig looking healthy and soft. But there are lots of ways you can maintain loc wigs and other human hair wigs, too. Check out the blogs at Instant Arewa Hair to learn more about wig maintenance and how to select the right piece for you.
