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Wig Care Instructions

Whether you have purchased a human hair or synthetic wig or hairpiece, we have outlined basic care below to help you keep your piece in great shape.  It is important to note the differences between taking care of a human hair piece as opposed to a synthetic one, please be sure to follow the proper instructions for your particular piece. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call us at the shop for guidance!

Follea Perfect Care Mannequin

FOLLEA and other human hair
To ensure your Follea hair stays beautiful, we recommend entrusting its care to your Follea hair professional. 

Your new Follea is made to the highest quality human hair and will benefit from tender loving care. While normal wear-and-tear, as well as damage caused by improper washing are not covered by warranty, you can ensure your Follea hair will look its best for the longest possible time with proper maintenance. A frequent issue caused by improper washing of a hand-knotted hairpiece is inversion of the hair through the cap netting. This instruction guide is designed to help you prevent this. If you do see this happening in any meaningful way (don’t worry about a few hairs) or if you want your hairpiece to be repaired or refurbished, please contact your Follea hair professional.

If you take off your hairpiece daily, you can wash it as needed after securing it to a mannequin head to prevent slipping during washes. Proper blocking (pinning to a mannequin head) before washing is the most important step to avoid inversion of hair through the cap.

Follea recommends using a rubberized plastic block head rather than a Styrofoam head. Follea Perfect Care mannequins are ideal for this purpose. They have a small head circumference so the cap won’t be stretched, as well as being light and very durable.  These mannequins can be attached to a counter or table top with a pivoting C-clamp for styling and maintenance ease.

Step One: Attaching to head
Attach the hairpiece to the head with several small sewing pins.  It is best to pin at the forehead, temples, and nape of the neck.  Generally 3-5 pins are all that are necessary for a secure attachment to the head.  Be aware that pinning through the lace front can tear the lace if you pull too hard while brushing.  Take care to place pins through fabric around the perimeter of the cap. Gently brush out any tangles in the hair, working from the ends up with a wide tooth comb, or wire brush.

Step Two: Wetting
Once the hairpiece is secured to the mannequin head and detangled, wet the hair by letting the water run in the natural direction of the hair, from the crown down to the ends.  Do NOT use circular motions.  Be sure to run the water close to the head.

Step Three: Shampooing
Work the shampoo into the hair from top to bottom of the wig. Squeeze gently with fingertips to lather the shampoo. Remember: NO circular motions, work the shampoo from top to bottom, vertically.  Thoroughly rinse shampoo from top to bottom, gently squeezing out extra water before moving on to conditioning. If you feel your piece needs a second washing, now is the time.

For optimal care of your Follea or human hair hairpiece, please use paraben-free, sulfate-free products specifically formulated for color protection. We recommend Pureology Hydrating (purple bottle) for long lasting results. Never use a clarifying shampoo or a volumizing shampoo.  These types of shampoos will over dry the hair and cause breakage.

Step Four: Conditioning
Apply a generous amount of conditioner, starting at the nape of the neck and working towards the ends of the hair.  Stroke your fingers gently through the hair to distribute the conditioner evenly.

DO NOT apply conditioner close to the roots!  Follea hair, and any hand tied human hair piece, is knotted by hand to the cap. Conditioner applied on the knots may result in the knots coming loose from the cap.  Don’t get closer than ½ inch from the cap with conditioner.

Step Five: Rinsing
Rinse the hair with an abundant amount of water, starting at the crown and working towards the ends.

Step Six: Drying
Dry off excess moisture by patting the piece dry with a towel, or wrapping carefully in a towel and squeezing from root to tip.

Step Seven:  Leave-In Conditioner
If you are going to be heat styling your human hair piece, it is a good idea to use a leave-in conditioner.  Mist product onto towel dried hair and style as desired.

Step Eight: Styling
When styling your Follea or other human hair piece it is important to use a thermal spray to protect the hair from heat.  When using the blow dryer, take the hair in small sections, and using a round brush, gently lift the hair and brush through from root to tip. This step smooths the hair cuticle, ensuring it will fall nicely and not tangle. Once the piece is dry, style with a curling iron or flat iron.  Note: don't get to close to the cap with heated tools, as this can damage the cap.

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Tips:
If you are going to be using hair spray, opt for a low-lacquer spray.  Over spraying and repeated spraying will result in lacquer build up which will dull and dry out the hair. 

Storage: We recommend for daily wear hair pieces to be placed on a wig stand when not wearing for short periods of time, such as overnight, to allow for air circulation through the piece.  For longer periods of time, a mannequin head, or box storage is recommended, always in a cool, dry place.  For traveling purposes, it is best to wrap the hairpiece in white tissue paper or use a satin pouch.

Washing Technique Tips: Wash and condition with natural hair-care products. Stay away from sulphates, parabens and other harmful chemicals. Always block the hair on a “Petite” mannequin head (do NOT use a medium or large one, or you will stretch & damage the wig or hair-piece). Stroke the shampoo & conditioner onto the hair downwards, away from the roots. Do not put conditioner on the roots.

Washing your Follea:

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call us!

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Care for Synthetic
​We are often asked about which type of shampoo or cleaning products work best for synthetic wigs.  One important aspect of a synthetic wig to consider, is the material it is made from and the proper care of that material.  Human hair shampoos and conditioners are designed to remove oily residue from our scalp and bind to proteins in our hair, adding softness and shine.  Neither of those apply to a synthetic wig.  Optimal care includes using a shampoo and conditioner that are made to clean and condition the synthetic fibers.  We offer a synthetic shampoo and conditioner, that will not only help clean your synthetic wig or hairpiece, but will also with proper care, add to its longevity. 

Step One: Preparing for washing
Gently brush the wig or hair piece to remove any teasing or tangles, and to break down any product used on the wig. When brushing, start at the ends and work your way to the roots. If you have purchased a monofilament or hand-tied piece, you may pin the piece to a rubber mannequin head to help prevent inversion of the fibers through the cap.

Step Two: Washing
Soak the piece in cool water, using a shampoo specially formulated for synthetic hair fibers, for 3-5 minutes. Swish gently in the water, squeezing the water through the cap.  Treat the wig like your fine washables, ensuring not to rub or twist.  Thoroughly rinse the piece in cool water to remove all the shampoo.  If there is an excessive amount of product build-up, the washing process may need to be repeated.  

Step Three: Conditioning
After completely rinsing the shampoo, fill sink with cool water and stir in 2-3 droplets of a wig conditioner, specifically formulated for synthetic fibers. (More is not better in this case; over conditioning can relax the fibers and make them look flat and lifeless.) Completely submerge wig for 3-5 minutes.  Rinse thoroughly with cool water. Gently squeeze the hair, making sure not to rub or twist.  Remember that conditioning is one of the most important steps to ensure the hair fibers remain soft and pliable, like real hair.  

Step Four: Drying
Gently towel blot the hair. Hang the piece by the nape of the neck or place on a wire wig stand and allow to dry at room temperature.  Do not comb or brush the piece while it is still wet.  When the piece has dried, use a wire brush or comb pick to style.  If desired, spray with hairspray to help hold the style.

Step Five: Styling

• For tight curls or ringlet styles, try the "Shake and Go" method, or gently lift and separate the curls using your fingers or a pick comb.
• For wavy styles with loose curls, brush lightly with a wig styling brush or a pick comb, using short, lifting strokes.
• For long curly styles, use your fingers or a pick to comb, gently lifting and separating the curls.
• For straight styles, brush using long, even, gentle strokes. Starting at the bottom, gently brush the hair using a downward motion. Gradually move up until you have brushed all the hair.
• You may use cold rollers to add lift or waves where you want them.

Helpful Tips for synthetic hair wigs:

• Remember to never begin combing at the top or the middle of the hair; it will damage and tangle the hair.
• We do not recommend sleeping in any wig.
• Never expose your wig to heated styling tools such as hair dryers, curling irons or any other heated styling devices.
• When cooking in the kitchen, be aware of hot blasts of air or steam from ovens or stoves. 
• If you are going to be using hair spray, opt for a low-lacquer spray.  Over spraying and repeated spraying will result in lacquer build up and dull the hair fibers.