The Wig Buyer's Guide
New to Wigs? If you're unclear about how to narrow down styles and pick ones that will work best for you, our Wig Buyer's Guide is here to help! Like selecting a diamond, choosing a wig requires some understanding and appreciation for details. This guide will walk you through the ins and outs of the 4 Cs of Wigs: Cut, Cap Size, Composition and Color.
1. Start with Style
Our site lets you easily narrow your search by length, texture and hairstyle. At the beginning, you may want to stick close to a style you're familiar with. A more drastic change can always be made later as you get used to wearing a wig. That's when the fun begins. Just think: endless style flexibility! Many of our clients ultimately have a lot of fun experimenting with a variety of looks. Certain face shapes are flattered by certain styles. Consult our guide for some tips!
2. Find Your Capsize
While average size wigs tend to fit about 95% of customers, you will find that quite a few wigs also come in petite and large sizes. Consider that many also have adjustable straps that give up to 1/2" so that you can achieve a comfortable and secure fit.
To determine the right size wig for you, measure the circumference of your head from the front hairline, behind your ear, to the nape of your neck, to your other ear and then back to the front hairline. Jot down your measurement, then consult the table below. Please note that sizes may vary slightly by brand and that not all wigs are available in all cap sizes.
3. What Type of Hair is Right for You?
When considering composition, or how a wig is structured, think about the hair type as well as the cap construction.
While you may have preconceived notions about human hair and synthetic hair, the truth is that they both have advantages and limitations, which make them the right choice in different situations.
| Human Hair | Premium & Remy Human Hair | Synthetic Hair | Heat Friendly Synthetic Hair |
|---|---|---|---|
| offers the most natural look & feel | the highest quality human hair available | higher quality synthetic hair offer a look and feel quite similar to human hair | offers more styling versatility (hot tools may be used - max temp. set at 280° F) |
| presents the most styling versatility | hair cuticles kept running in uniform direction resulting in less tangling | offers limited styling versatility (hot tools cannot be used) | can be more challenging to style than human hair |
| requires more styling - especially after washing | more careful collecting and processing techniques result in higher quality product and contribute to higher price | requires little maintenance & can usually be worn right out of the box |
special care must be taken to avoid tangling |
| very durable - can last over a year with proper care* | less durable than human hair — 4-6 months with proper care* | less durable than regular synthetic hair — 2-3 months with proper care* |
4. Choose Your Cap Feature
Different cap constructions each have a different method of attaching hair to the cap, and each has its own set of advantages.
100% hand tied
- Creates the most natural movement as each hair moves freely
- Each hair on the entire cap is hand-tied onto the base
- The softest and most comfortable cap, it's ideal for a sensitive scalp & hair loss
- Allows for styling versatility as you can comb the hair in any direction
- Also known as 100% hand-knotted
Monofilament
- Creates the illusion of natural hair growth from the scalp where the hair is parted
- Each hair is individually hand-tied to a sheer base (but not entire cap)
- Can be found just at the crown, along a pre-defined part or across the full top
- A full mono top allows for parting & styling versatility
- A double mono has an extra layer of soft material for added comfort
Lace Front
- Creates the illusion of a natural-looking front hairline
- Each hair is individually hand-tied to a section of sheer lace (but not entire cap)
- Allows for styling hair away from the face
- Most are ready-to-wear & temple-to-temple
- Made with a delicate material that should be handled with care
Basic Cap
- Includes both capless and traditional constructions
- Most durable & affordable
- Most or all of the cap has open wefting for better air ventilation
- Often gives the hair a natural lift with built-in volume at the crown
- Hair is pre-teased at the root to help mask the cap beneath
5. Choosing Color
As most styles offer a range of color choices, this is a good final step. As you zero in on styles you like, you can begin to review the colors available. If you're new to wearing wigs, consider staying close to your natural shade to ease the transition.
Only at Wigs.com will you find the TruColor™ approach to displaying color options. TruColor images are captured in our extremely controlled studio environment, which enables us to produce the most consistently accurate color swatches. And over time we have worked diligently to offer our customers yet another improvement on our TruColor program - images of full wig styles in every color available. With a full image of a wig, you can see color distribution throughout the style and get a much better sense of what your wig will look like when you take it out of the box. Our goal for our TruColor program is to make shopping for the right color online just as easy as in a store (or easier)!