This blog post is about the the things to know before buying that wig.
Are you interested in buying a wig but don’t know what exactly to look out for?
There are alot of wigs on the market. Some are really high quality and some are not.
In this blog post I will be sharing my top tips to help you spot the quality good looking wigs from the bad ones.
Here are a few things you need to know before buying that nice wig you saw on someone’s Instagram store.
Do you have an old wig that needs revamping? Check out this tutorial on wig revamping.
Wig buyers complete guide
1. Hair fiber type
Before you ask anything of your vendor you need to know what type of hair fibers were used to construct the wig.
This greatly determine the cost of the wig. The best quality of hair you’re going to get is human hair although it can be very pricy.
A more affordable option would be getting a synthetic wig or human hair blend wig either way the goal is to make sure the wig looks good.
Pros and cons of synthetic wigs
Synthetic wigs are a very affordable option and technology has been able to develop synthetic wigs of very high quality.
Nowadays, synthetic wigs can be heat styled in different ways and then look amazing.
The lower quality Synthetic wigs are usually shinier and stiff. They don’t last very long and you’ll need to replace them fairly often.
You also need to be mindful of the heat resistance of the hair to know if the hair can be styled with heat or not.
Pros and cons of Human hair blend
This is hair that is a mixture of both synthetic and human hair.
This is a good budget friendly option as it lasts longer than synthetic hair.
Although, it isn’t the best especially when it comes to colouring the wig.
This is because human hair and synthetic hair need different kinds of dye and they don’t stain in the same way.
So definitely consider this before buying a human hair blend wig.
Pros and cons of Human hair
Now this is the og of hairs and if it is in your budget I’d highly recommend you go for this option.
Ultimately it’s a really good investment. It looks great, it’s easy to style and and it lasts for a long time if taken care of properly.
It can be dyed and bleached easily as well as heat styled. This is something you must know before buying that wig.
The human hair looks and feels just like your hair so it is expected that the it would require a lot of care and maintenance because it is easily prone to damage.
2. The lace
The lace is a part of the wig cap that is usually placed at the front or the entire cap can be made of lace.
The hair fibers are then tied around the tiny holes of the lace so that it looks as if the hair is growing from the cap as opposed to just sewing hair tracks to the cap.
There are different materials used to make the lace of wigs especially frontal and closure wigs.
If you’re looking for something that is easy to maintain and will last long then you can go for a swiss lace but if you’re looking for lace that is practically invisible and will match your skin tone then I’d recommend HD lace.
3. Style of the lace
Your wigs lace could either be styled as a frontal, closure or full lace wig in most cases.
The frontal lace runs across the forehead and glue is used to secure the wig to your head although, there are glue less frontal options.
The closure wig usually just sits at the top of the wig. A closure wig is more efficient for glue less wig styles and your everyday wig wearing. It’s also less expensive and easier to maintain.
A full lace wig runs around the perimeter of the head and is secured with glue. it can be styled into a ponytail.
4. length of the hair
Especially for human hair, The longer the hair the more expensive the hair is going to be and it makes sense because human hair is very expensive.
The length of hair is measured in inches usually between 10-30 inches.
So ensure that you voice your desired hair length to your vendor.
5. Grade of hair
Human hair fibers are usually organized into grades in order to determine their quality. The grades range from 3A to 10A with 3A being the lower grade and 10A being the higher grade.
Lower grade hairs are made up of fibers of different lengths and weaker hair shafts. They While the higher grade hair fibers are all the same length with stronger hair shafts and therefore more expensive.
Single drawn hair are usually referred to as the lower grade hair and double drawn are referred to as the higher grade hair.
6. cap size
Before you buy any wig you need to know if the wig is going to fit your head or slide off.
Most people tend to forget this when considering wigs and they end up getting wigs that are too tight and can potentially cut off blood supply.
Although if the cap is too big it can always be adjusted to fit you better.
To get your cap size, use a measuring tape to measure the perimeter of your head.
Wig cap size chart.
7. wig style
There are different styles of wigs out there to choose from and each style has it’s advantages.
You can decide to opt for a bone straight wig, kinky straight, body wave wig, or a curly wig.
The bone straight wig as the name implies is a straight fine textured hair naturally.
It is low maintenance although it is not designed to hold curls very well.
The kinky straight and body wave hair fibers are very versatile hairs that responds well to heat styling and can be straighted or curled.
There are various wigs with different curl patterns like normal hair making them the more high maintenance option.
8. Hair colour
Wigs like we already know come in various shapes and colours. It is extremely important to know the exact colour of the wig you want.
Another great tip to consider is if the wig can be dyed to a different colour. This factor largely depends on the type of hair fibers the wig is made of.
Human hair can be dyed and bleached to lighter colours using normal hair dye. Although, synthetic hair can’t be bleached although it can be dyed using cloth dye.
Usually the results of dying synthetic hair can be unpredictable.
9. Styling
Vendors sometimes advertise the styled version of a wig and the wig might not come like that straight out of the box.
It is important to know if the wig will come pre-styled or not. You can always decide to request for styling if it doesn’t.
What to do before buying a wig from an IG vendor
Let’s be honest, alot of these Instagram hair vendors are scams. They post pictures of products they don’t have and you end up buying something entirely different.
In order to prevent a “what I order vs what I got” situation, here are some basic things you must know before buying that wig from an online vendor.
Verify the follower to like ratio
If an online vendor has about 30k followers but only gets like a 100 likes per post then something seems fishy.
Run if you see NO REFUND in their bio
A vendor who will not give you a refund after purchasing something you don’t like is not someone you want to be buying from.
Avoid accounts that post generic pictures
People tend to post other people’s content on Instagram. If you see an Instagram vendor repost another vendors product it might not be a true representation of what they’re selling.
Check out the reviews
Most hair vendors have a review highlight on their page so always check it out. A great way to check the authentic of a hair vendor is by checking their comments section. It is also safer to order from hair vendors who have physical stores that can easily be verified on Google.
Enquire about the hair
If information about the hair is not already stated, always ask about the hair fibers, grade of hair, type of lace, if the hair can be heat styled and dyed.
Request a video of the hair before paying
Place an order once the vendor has confirmed your enquires and ask the vendor to record a video packaging the exact wig you ordered before you make payments. Any serious vendor willing to make a sale will readily comply to your wishes.
FAQ
Que: Should I buy a wig from Instagram?
Ans: There are alot of legit Instagram stores out there that sell quality affordable wigs and there are also scammer but if you follow my simple guide you’ll be able to buy a wig from Instagram safely.
Que: How can you tell if a wig is high quality?
Ans: The most obvious way to tell if a wig is high quality for bone straight is by the number of flyaways you see through the hair. The more the fly aways the less the quality.
Que: What kind of wig is best for beginners?
Ans: As a first time wig owner or just someone who doesn’t really know how to care for wigs, it’s best to start with a low maintenance wig. Either a straight wig or a body wave wig is a great beginner friendly wig.
Conclusion
Here are some tips you must know before buying that wig.
I hate it when what I order ends up turning into a what I ordered vs what I got situation, so these tips will help you buy your next wig safely on Instagram.
Have you bought a wig from an Instagram vendor before?
If so, how did it go?
Let me know in the comments below!
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