Shampooing your toupee or hair system is important to keep it clean and fresh, however, wrongly doing the cleaning and maintenance can reduce the life of your toupee or hair system.
Here is how you need to shampoo your hair system to prolong its life.
Hair System Attached to Your Scalp
Firstly, apply a few drops of olive oil to the bristles of the brush and brush your toupee or hair system with it. Applying a few drops of oil should minimize strain on the hair system and prevent breakage from dryness.
Next, choose a moisturizing or color-protect shampoo to clean your hair and protect the strength and color of your hair system.
- Dilute the shampoo in some water and add this mixture to a spray bottle. Take small sections of hair and spray the mixture to cover the base and the hair.
- Gently rub the shampoo onto the base of the toupee is. Your scalp and keep rubbing in one direction to avoid tangles. Work with small sections of your hair at a time. Use gentle motions and avoid pulling or pushing the hair.
- Rinse the hair system with warm water that is not too hot to avoid damaging the lace. Lukewarm water is better for washing the hair system because it helps wash off the dirt and build-up better than cold water. Rinse your hair system until there is no shampoo left and finger comb gently to wring out the excess water. Similarly, apply conditioner.
- Blot with a towel to dry your hair system and pat down gently. You can use a micro-fiber towel or a T-shirt to do so if you don’t want to add in frizz.
Deep Clean the Hair System
Once in a while, it is important to deep clean your toupee to get rid of smells and excess build-up. Proper cleaning and maintenance can also elongate the life of your hair system.
To clean the hair system, you’d need the following items:
- Adhesive solvent
- Hair system shampoo
- Hair system conditioner
- Hair System brush or a wide-toothed comb
- Hair system foam stand (optional)
- Old plastic card (like debit card)
- Remove the Hair System:Using a hair remover remove the hair system from your head. If you are using tape to attach the hair system, gently peel off the tape to remove the hair system. Most human hair wigs are attached loosely to your head ad should come right off by gently pulling at the sides. You can use your nails to lift the edges of adhesive tape and remove the hair system. If you are using a strong adhesive, you should remove the hairpiece under lukewarm running water to soften up the glue.
- Soak it in Adhesive Solvent:Once you have carefully removed the hair system, place it in the adhesive solvent for a few minutes. You can use a plastic container to soak your hair system in the adhesive solvent. Fill up the plastic bowl with some water and add the prescribed amount of adhesive solvent to it. Put your hair system directly into the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. It is important to soak the hair system in a well-ventilated area so that the smell of adhesive solvent can disappear after a while. Adhesive solvents that contain oil and grease-free formulas are the best because they leave the hair system feeling clean and dry which is good for your skin.
How long you should soak the hair system in the adhesive solvent varies according to the brand of adhesive solvent you are using. Some adhesive solvents take only 5 minutes to remove adhesive however, the others can take a few hours or overnight of soaking.
- Clean Your Scalp: While the Hair system is soaked in the adhesive solvent, you should thoroughly clean your scalp to prepare it for the hair system again. You can wash your scalp, gently exfoliate to remove the dead skin, shave and dye your natural hair, or oil them while the hair system is not on. But make sure that before you wear your hair system back on, you have removed the oil and your scalp is clean.
A clean and shaved scalp is perfect for reinstalling the hair system because the adhesive sticks the hair system perfectly and comfortably to the scalp.
- Wash the Hair System:Remove the hair system from the solution and put it in the empty and clean sink. Remove the adhesive glue carefully using an old plastic debit card or your fingernails. Scrap outwards and avoid poking the hair system with your nails. To break free the adhesive, gently brush with your hands to loosen it. Once the residue is removed, wash it thoroughly and apply the shampoo to it. You can mix one part shampoo and two parts water in a bowl to dilute the shampoo and apply it to small sections of the hair system.
Rinse the shampoo with pressure lukewarm water and repeat the step until you don’t see any adhesive or build-up on the lace. If there is any residue of adhesive left on the hair system, repeat the submerging in the adhesive solvent process again.
If shampooing once is not enough, shampoo the hair system again to get rid of build-up and adhesive. Apply conditioner to moisturize and keep the hair soft and luscious.
Pro Tip: How well your hair system looks depends on the products you use to maintain it. Your hair system should not be uncomfortable, itchy, or look dry. If you are facing any of these problems, you need to check which products are you using to care for your hair system.
Use a shampoo with a pH level between 4 to 7 to avoid damaging your skin, if you have sensitive skin. And use the best quality products that you can afford to take care of the hair system.
Lastly, you should always wear a cap when going out in direct sunlight to avoid sun damage to the hair system. Never let your hair system dry in direct sunlight wither. Always air dry it on a hair system stand in a well-ventilated room.