If you’re wearing a hair system, you will not only need to budget for the hairpiece itself, but also a number of products and supplies. In this blog, we will look at six categories of products you will more than likely need to have the best hair replacement system experience.
Adhesives
Adhesives are undoubtedly the most important hair system supply you will require. After all, they are what keeps your hair system on your head. There are two types of adhesives when it comes to hair systems and they are glues and tapes. Glues are also known as liquid adhesives or wig glues and some of the most popular ones include Ghost Bond Glue and Ultra Hold Glue. Tapes, meanwhile, are also known as wig tapes with some of the most popular ones being Ultra Hold Tape and Brown Liner Tape.
Which one is right for you? Here are some things to keep in mind:
- If you’re going with daily wear or extended wear, this will play a role in which type of adhesive you go for.
- Is your hairpiece’s base material poly skin? Lace with poly? Mono and poly? This will also play a role as some adhesives only work for certain base materials.
- If you have sensitive or oily skin or are prone to rashes or allergic reactions, this is also something to keep in mind. We recommend taking a patch test before applying any adhesive on your scalp.
Solvents
You now know that adhesives are what keeps your hair system on your head. But it’s solvents like the C22 solvent that get hair systems off your head. You can be rest assured that your hair system will stay on your scalp provided it’s been installed correctly. The only way to remove it is with solvents and they are particularly beneficial as they reduce the risk of damaging your base while doing so.
Here are some things to keep in mind with regard to solvents:
- Which type of adhesive solvent do you need? Note that some solvents help break down the adhesive bonds while other solvents also help clean the base.
- If you’re a daily wearer of hair systems (you take them off regularly), you will likely need to purchase a lot more solvent. If you wear them for the long term, you will likely not need as much.
- Just like with adhesives, you need to make sure your skin isn’t sensitive to the solvent, otherwise you will risk irritation or rashes.
Scalp Prep
Equally important in the hair system installation process is making sure your scalp is adequately prepared so that you have the best possible bond. After all, even the best adhesives, tapes or glues will not be effective if you have an oily, sweaty or residue-filled scalp.
Here are some things to consider when it comes to scalp prep:
- If you usually experience a lot of leftover adhesive residue on your scalp or your hair system, use adhesive removers to help get rid of it.
- If your bond is not lasting as long as you expect, make sure your scalp is extra clean with a scalp scrub and/or exfoliating products.
- Worried about your hair smelling? This is natural. For added protection, you can get a scalp protector which not only deodorizes, but also improves adhesion and provides a barrier against oily skin.
Shampoos
Shampoos are a necessity with your hair in general, and it’s also the case with hair systems. But you can’t just use regular hair shampoo. Instead, you will need shampoos specifically designed for hair systems as they lack the chemicals and abrasives that could damage your hairpieces. Additionally, regular shampoos can dry your hair, affect the color and lead to tangles.
When you choose a toupee or wig shampoo, here’s what you need to know:
- We recommend getting shampoos designed to hydrate the hair if you have dry or straw-like hair systems.
- To get rid of dirt, oils, and buildup, consider a deep cleansing shampoo. But make sure to use these types once a week or so as opposed to daily.
- If you want a clean hair system everyday, consider getting a daily cleaning shampoo designed to be used every day.
- If you have a darker hair color, you’re at risk of it fading due to the sun. A color maintaining shampoo is useful in this case.
Conditioners
Similar to shampoos, you will need a hair conditioner designed for hair systems. Conditioners will not only keep your hair looking healthy and shiny, but keep it soft and combat brittleness.
Here are some things you should ask yourself before you make your first wig conditioner purchase:
- Mostly in the sun? Look to get the best conditioners that are color maintaining and have UV protection.
- Which conditioner do you prefer? There’s the regular rinse out conditioners which you apply after you rinse off your shampoo. There’s also the leave-in conditioners which keep your hair soft.
- Prone to tangles? Consider getting a protective serum to prevent moisture from escaping and your hair follicles tangling with each other.
Styling
The final product category is styling. After all, you need your hair system to not only look good, but natural as well. You can’t just put on a hair system and leave it like that. It needs to blend with your natural hair as well as be a good hairstyle that suits your head.
Here are some things to keep in mind with styling products for your hair system:
- The products you get will depend on your preferred hairstyle. So for whatever you want to achieve, you will need products like hair sprays, mousse, creams, gels and sprays.
- When it comes to brushes and combs, you may require ones with wider teeth and bristles. Anti-static brushes are also useful to combat frizz.
- Are you wearing a synthetic or human hair system? Not all styling products can be used on synthetic wigs so this is something to keep in mind.