The beauty of human hair wigs is that you can change the hairstyle to your liking, unlike synthetic hair wigs that can only be worn one way. Depending on your preferences, human hair wigs can be styled as a blowout, straightened, waved, curled, and many more ways! The Wig Experts are here to share our tips for success on how to style human hair wigs.
Remember: human hair wigs have a lifespan of about 1 year. So, it is essential to protect your human hair investment when styling.
Prep Tools
- - Canvas blockhead
- - T-pins
- - Water in a spray bottle
- - Wide-tooth comb
- - 3-in-1 Miracle Protect by BeautiMark
- - Luster Serum by BeautiMark
Prepping Your Human Hair Wig for Heat Styling
You will already be prepped to start styling your human hair wig if you came from our How To Care for Human Hair Wigs page. But, if you came here to learn how to style your hair or just do some touch-ups, there's a little prep work that needs to be done to start at the right place!
Before styling your wig, you'll need to set up your styling station that will give you a 360° view of your hairstyle. Apply your wig onto your canvas blockhead. Then, secure your wig on your styling head using T-pins; apply the pins in the durable materials of the cap, such as velvet ear tabs and a velvet nape. Make sure that you DO NOT puncture any monofilament or lace features, as you can damage the materials by doing so.
We recommend using a canvas block head compared to a collapsible wig stand because you will have a secure surface area to work on and will not have to worry about your wig falling over or all the hair not being accessible.
If your wig is dry and you want the hair to be off your face, try redirecting the knots of the hair at the front hairline to give the hairline a lifted look. Place your fingertips on the hairline and gently but intentionally rub the fibers back and forth in short motions. Then, use the same back and forth motion moving your fingers towards the crown of the wig. 
If you have a monofilament top human hair wig, use your water spray bottle to wet the roots. Next, use your wide tooth comb to change the location of your hair part. If you want to speed up the drying process, use a blow dryer with an air concentrator attachment. Set your dryer to low heat. Angle your dryer so that the airflow goes with the direction of the hair towards the ends. When using heat tools on your human hair wig, remember to use low heat to protect the fibers.
Once your hair part is defined and dry, spray your whole wig with BeautiMark's 3-in-1 Miracle Protect spray. This multi-tasking spray works to detangle, moisturize, and heat-protect your hair! Heat and dryness cause human hair wigs to not stay pristine throughout their lifespan, so this is an important step! Note: When it comes to the roots of your wigs, do not spray any conditioners or heat protectant spray on them since the hydrating ingredients can loosen the delicate hand-knotting on certain cap construction materials and cause a loss of fiber.
Optional: Apply a small amount of Luster Serum by BeautiMark to the ends of the hair before heat styling. This portion of the hair tends to show dryness the most, and this serum will restore its smooth look.
Now that your wig is prepped, it is time to choose how you'd like to style your hair for the day! Below are instructions on how to blow out, straighten, curl, and create natural waves on human hair wigs.
How To Blow Out a Human Hair Wig
The Experts at Wigs.com always recommend blow-drying your human hair wigs to get the smoothest look and lock in moisture after washing. Blow drying is the step we often see foregone by our human hair wig clients - especially new wig wearers. For this process, you’ll need:
Styling Tools
- - Round Brush
- - Hair clips for sectioning hair
- - Hairdryer (if you have an air concentrator attachment, use it!)
- - Hairspray
Once your human hair wig is about 50% air dry, now is the perfect time to start the blow dryer. You'll need a round brush and hair clips to section the hair for this process. We strongly recommend using the Boar Bristle Brush from Jon Renau. Not only is this brush's fiber perfect for smoothing and protecting the hair from extra damage, but this brush also does not have epoxy-ball tips. These epoxy tips can cause significant damage to your delicate cap construction.
It is easier to blow dry your human hair wig in sections, so section off the nape of the wig to start. If you have an air concentrator attachment, add it to your hairdryer now. Set your dryer to medium heat. Using high heat will quickly dry out your fibers.
- Take a ½ inch piece from the section. Make sure the hair is detangled, then place your round brush at the base of the hair strand.
- Roll the hair around the brush and back to the base.
- Slowly pull the brush through the strand towards the ends, following with the hairdryer.
- Once you reach the ends of the strand, circle your brush a few times to ensure the ends are dry. Note: if you dry the hair from ends to roots, you will create flyaways.
- When the hair is dry, wrap the brush around the base of the hair again. Then, use your hair dryer's "Cool Shot" feature.
- This burst of cooler air closes the hair cuticle, sets the style, and adds shine.
- Once that hair strand is dry and set, slowly and carefully untwist your round brush to release the hair. Now, you’re done with that section!
- Continue this process on all other hair sections from the bottom until you reach the top/crown.
Once you have completed all the sections, you now have a beautiful blowout! If this is your final styling goal, finish off your blowout with some hairspray to ensure your styling holds.
A blowout is a great styling foundation if you want to continue transforming your human hair wig’s style. Continue reading to learn how to straighten, curl, or add texture to your wig.
How To Straighten Human Hair Wigs
If you adore the sleek and straight look, follow these steps to straighten your human hair wig. For this process, you’ll need:
- - Canvas blockhead
- - T-pins
- - Wide-tooth comb
- - Hair clips for sectioning hair
- - Straightener or flat iron
- - Shaping Creme by BeautiMark
- - Hairspray - you can use a hairspray made for biological hair OR BeautiMark’s synthetic hair hairspray!
If you are just now coming to this article, make sure that you read the “prep” section above to ensure your wig is properly secured to your styling head and the hair is properly prepped to be heat styled.
- Set the heat on your straightener to 275° F.
- Just like blow-drying, this process is easier to do in sections. Separate the hair into sections and leave the very bottom (nape) section out.
- Detangle hair with a wide tooth comb if needed.
- Take a small section that is no wider than the flat irons’ plates—about 1 inch wide.
- After about an inch from the root, start to run your straightener down the hair to the ends. Note: Starting just below the roots helps protect the hand-knotting on a hand-tied cap.
- When running your flat iron down the hair shaft, make sure that you are not holding the heat on any areas for too long. Excessive heat can damage the hair.
- Once you’re satisfied with the look of this hair section, you can move on to another section.
- Continue repeating these steps until all sections of the wig are entirely straight. We recommend going from bottom to crown.
- Let the hair cool completely first before setting and finishing off your look with hairspray.
Optional Finishing Touches
If you notice the hair has flyaways that you would like to tame or if the front fringe is falling towards the front too much, we recommend using BeautiMark’s Shaping Creme. Take a small amount of the product to your palms first and warm it in your hands. Then, apply the product to the areas where this medium-hold cream can work its magic!
How To Curl Human Hair Wigs
If you love curly tendrils or beach waves, follow these steps below to add some waves or curls to your human hair wig. For curling human hair, you’ll need the following:
- - Canvas blockhead
- - T-pins
- - Wide-tooth comb
- - Hair clips for sectioning hair
- - Metal styling clip (optional)
- - Curling wand or curling iron
- - Shaping Creme by BeautiMark
- - Hairspray - you can use a hairspray made for biological hair OR BeautiMark’s synthetic hair hairspray!
If you have not already prepped your wig for heat styling, make sure that you read the “prep” section above!
- Set the heat on your curling wand or curling iron to no higher than 275° F.
- Heat styling is easier to do when done in sections. So, separate the hair into sections, leaving the bottom/nape section out.
- Focus on one section at a time by choosing a small section of hair that is no wider than the styling tool being used. For instance, if you are using a 1” curling wand, take about a 1” wide section of hair to start.
- Detangle the hair section with a wide tooth comb if needed.
- Now, take that small section of hair and wrap it around the barrel. Hold the hair on the barrel for 8-12 seconds.
- Then, release the curl into your hand.
- For a tighter curl, wait to drop the curl until the hair cools completely.
- For extra hold and long lasting curls, clip the curl with a metal styling clip. Continue curling and clipping all sections of the hair. When all the hair is cooled in the clips, remove all clips.
- For a looser curl, release the hair from your hand when the curl is still slightly warm.
- Continue curling each hair section. Remember to repeat your chosen curl release method in each section. Still working in section, work your way from the bottom to the top of the wig until the entire wig is curled.
- For a more natural look, we recommend alternating the curl's direction all over the wig. Curl one section in front of the curling wand/iron and then curl behind the wand/iron in the next section.
- For an "Instagram waves" look, curl all sections away from the face.
- Allow all the curls and waves to cool completely. Then, spritz an even layer of hairspray all over the wig to set the styling.
Optional Finishing Touches
- Use your fingers like a comb to gently release and break up the tight curls so that you achieve a more blended look.
- Apply BeautiMark’s Shaping Creme to areas where you would like to add soft texture, provide more shape, or tame flyaways. This medium-hold cream works best when warmed in hands first before applying to the hair.
How to Create Natural Waves on Human Hair Wigs
We love human hair wigs because your styling options are endless! Another way to make your wig look realistic is add some natural, wavy texture to the hair. For this styling process, you’ll need:
- - Hairdryer with an air diffuser attachment
- -- A hair diffuser attachment allows the airflow to disperse through a wider area instead of a concentrated nozzle. This tool helps dry the curls and waves without disturbing the curl pattern.
- - BeautiMark's Velvet Spray Gel
- -- This product is the perfect tool to achieve the beach wave look because you can use a minimal amount of product and still achieve a medium hold!
- - Hairspray or another finishing spray
Ensure that your wig is prepped properly before starting this process. Instructions are at the very beginning of this article!
- Start by spraying a couple of squirts of Velvet Spray Gel by BeautiMark in your palm. Warm the product between your hands before applying.
- Then, start running your hands throughout the wig where you want your waves. Apply the product all over your wig for a cohesive look.
- Focus the product one to two inches below the top of the cap or hair root.
- Loosely section the hair into manageable sections. No clips are needed for this step.
- Choose one section to focus your attention. Starting at the ends of the hair, begin scrunching the hair in your hands. Continue working your way up to the roots of the hair.
- Add more Velvet Spray Gel if you want tighter waves or need more product to accomplish your desired wave pattern.
- Move and scrunch through all sections of the hair until you achieve your perfect beach-y waves.
- Attach your hair diffuser attachment to your blow dryer. Set the speed to low and set the heat setting to warm/medium.
- Note: Hairdryer settings will vary depending on your hairdryer. We recommend starting low and slow.
- Collect a manageable section of hair in your hand. Turn on the blow dryer and direct the diffuser's airflow to flow with the direction of the hair - from roots to ends.
- If you place your blow dryer against the hair shaft, you will create flyaways.
- You can turn up your hair dryer’s speed if it has a very low airflow or once you have the diffuser technique down.
- For only a few seconds, hold the dryer in this place.
- Once this section of hair is dry, repeat the diffuser process on the other sections of the wig until you have diffused all sections of the hair.
- Finish off your look with a light mist of flexible but strong-hold hairspray to help keep your waves in place all day.
Because you've opted for a human hair wig, it's important to remember that your wig is subject to styling restrictions and the weather. Your curls may fall, or the hair may get frizzy due to humidity. To ensure you get your day's worth of styling, make sure to use excellent quality styling products and tools - like BeautiMark's Flex-Hold Hairspray - to set and hold your styling!
Need a refresher on how to wash and care for your human hair wig? Learn more on our blog here.