Heat-friendly synthetic fiber (also called heat resistant wigs) is lightweight but sturdy, meaning the fibers can withstand heat tool treatment up to 275° Fahrenheit. This fiber also retains its color vibrancy and is much more cost-effective than human hair wig options. You may be wondering if this sounds too good to be true… What's the catch? The only thing to keep in mind with heat-friendly synthetic wigs is that changing up the styling with heat tools has to be done in a certain way to protect the fibers and maintain the styling. And, we’re here to show & tell you how to change up your styling on heat-friendly synthetic fibers.
Tools for Success:
- - Block Head Kit, which includes a wig clamp and T-pins
- - Wide Tooth Comb
- - Water in a Spray Bottle
- - Smooth Detangler by BeautiMark
- - Leave-In Conditioner by BeautiMark
- - Heat Tool of choice with an adjustable heat setting (i.e., curling wand, straightener)
Optional:
- - Blow Dryer with an air concentrator attachment
- - Styling clips
- - Shaping Crème by BeautiMark
- - Flex-Hold Hairspray by BeautiMark
Prep Stage
Whether you’ll be curling or straightening your wig, you’ll need to set up your styling station and prep your wig! Using T-pins, pin your style to the canvas block head, so you have a 360° view of your styling. Make sure that you are applying the pins in 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.
Now that your wig is secure, gently detangle hair with a wide tooth comb starting from ends and working your way up to the roots. For tough tangles, we recommend sparingly spraying BeautiMark’s Smooth Detangler on the tangles to help ease combing. Once all tangles have been removed, make sure your part is in your preferred location. If you have a monofilament top wig, wet the roots with your spray bottle filled with water. Use your wide tooth comb to help alter the location of your part. To speed up the drying process, you can use a blow dryer with an air concentrator attachment on low heat to dry the roots. Angle your dryer so that the airflow goes with the direction of the fibers towards the ends. Remember: any heat higher than low may burn the synthetic fiber.
Once your part is set and dry, we recommend spraying BeautiMark’s Leave-In Conditioner over the fibers. This spray will act as a conditioning and heat-protecting barrier that will help protect your hair from the heat. Note: It is very important to avoid applying any conditioners or heat to the roots of your wigs. Both of these elements can loosen the delicate hand-knotting and cause a loss of fibers.
Before we start styling, it’s important to note that heat styling this type of synthetic hair takes some time as you need to hold the curl or heated fiber in place until it cools. Meaning it may take a little longer than you initially thought. However, once you’re done, the styling will hold through a couple of washes. What a time saver!
How To Curl Heat-Friendly Synthetic Wigs
If curly hair is for you, follow these steps to add some waves or curls.
- Set the heat to no higher than 275° F on your curling wand or curling iron.
- Separate the hair into sections. Then, choose a small section - no wider than the styling tool being used - to focus your attention.
- Take the small section and wrap the hair around the barrel and hold for 8-12 seconds.
- Release the curl into your hand. For a tighter curl, wait to release the hair until it cools completely. Or, for extra hold, clip the curl with a metal styling clip and allow the hair to cool in the position before removing the clip. For a looser curl, release the hair when the curl is still slightly warm.
- Repeat the curling method in an alternating pattern all over your wig for a more natural look.
- Allow the new curls to cool completely. Once cooled, the new pattern will be baked into the fibers.
Optional Finishing Touches:
- - To blend and break up the curls, use your fingers like a comb to gently release the tight curl.
- - To add soft texture, shape, or tame flyaways, apply the Shaping Creme by BeautiMark. This medium hold cream is best used by warming the product in hands first and then applying onto style.
- - For long-lasting hold, spritz an even layer of BeautiMark’s Flex-Hold Hairspray to set your styling.
How To Straighten Heat-Friendly Synthetic Wigs
If you’d like your wig straight, follow these steps to achieve a sleek look.
- Set the heat to 275° F on your straightener.
- Separate the hair into sections. Then, take a small section that is no wider than the flat irons’ plates.
- Starting about an inch from the root, run your straightener down the hair to the ends. Be sure not to hold the heat on any parts for too long as it can burn the hair. Note: Starting below the roots helps to protect the hand-knotting.
- Repeat this process until all sections of the wig are completely straight.
- Let the fibers completely cool so that you do not alter the shape that you just created.
Optional Finishing Touches:
- - Use the BeautiMark Shaping Creme to tame flyaways or to keep the bangs off of the face. This medium-hold cream is best used by warming the product in hands first and then applying on to style.
- - Spritz an even layer of BeautiMark’s Flex-Hold Hairspray for long-lasting style hold.
Now that you’ve styled your piece to perfection, your new style should last between 2-3 washes before reverting to its original styling. This method takes a bit longer to ensure that the style stays, but once it’s done, your styling will hold much longer than on regular human hair.
Styling a wig made of heat-friendly synthetic fibers can be tricky. But, if you use our quick tips and keep practicing, you’ll be switching up your style in no time!
Are you looking for more heat-friendly wigs? Shop our collection of human hair and heat-friendly synthetic blend wigs!
Want to learn even more about heat-friendly synthetic fibers? Check out our Tips for Heat-Friendly Synthetic Wigs here!