Product after drying
A curl cream or lotion added once the hair is dry sits on top of the frizz. The product has to go in while the hair is soaking wet.
Wig Care · Curly Human Hair
How to wash a curly human hair wig so the curl comes back.
Wash it gently in lukewarm water, work a sculpting lotion through while the hair is still soaking wet, and let it dry overnight on a wig head. Skip the product or rush the dry, and natural curly hair frizzes. That is the hair behaving like hair, not a flaw in the piece.
How OftenAbout every 20 wears
ProductIn while it’s wet
DryingOvernight on a head
SetNot needed
Start Here
Why a curly wig frizzes after a wash.
“Product goes in while the hair is wet. Not after it dries.”
Design by Flora’s curly pieces are virgin human hair. Nothing has dyed, bleached, permed, or otherwise processed it, and the curl is the hair’s natural texture rather than a pattern put in at a factory. That is a large part of why it looks real.
It also means the hair behaves exactly like curly hair on anyone’s head. Washed without product worked through it, it dries big and soft instead of in defined curls. Put product on after it has dried, and the result is the same.
So frizz after a home wash is not shedding, and it is not damage. The curl is still there. It comes back the next time the piece is washed with the product worked in properly and left to dry overnight.
Step by Step
Flora’s method, start to finish.
You will need a vent brush, a foam wig head, six T-pins, a basin, a salon-quality shampoo and conditioner, and a sculpting lotion.
- 1
Brush it out gently
Before it gets wet, brush the wig gently with a vent brush, starting at the ends and working up toward the cap.
- 2
Pin it to a wig head
Pin the wig to a foam wig head with T-pins at the sides, the ear tabs, and the nape, so it keeps its shape in the water.
- 3
Shampoo
Fill a basin with lukewarm water and about two tablespoons of a salon-quality shampoo. Dip the wig five or six times, rinse well, and repeat once.
- 4
Condition
Do the same with conditioner, then rinse it out well.
- 5
Work in the product while it is wet
Move the wig to a dry wig head. While the hair is still soaking wet, brush it through gently, then work a sculpting lotion evenly through all of it. This is the step that brings the curl back.
- 6
Let it dry overnight
Leave it on the head to air dry overnight, until it is dry all the way through to the cap. A curly piece needs no cut or set. Once it is dry, it is ready to wear.
What Causes Frizz
Four habits that undo a good wash.
Most frizz traces back to one of these. None of them hurts the hair, and all of them are fixed by the next wash done properly.
Wearing it damp
A curly piece needs a full night to dry. Wear it before it is dry through to the cap and the curl loses its shape.
Washing too often
About once a month, or every 20 full days of wear, is enough. More often than that is rarely needed.
Dry indoor heat
Winter heat makes hair brittle and full of static. Keep the piece away from radiators and heating vents, on its wig head.
You Do Not Have to Learn This Alone
Bring it in, and Flora will wash it with you.
Every client who buys a wig from Design by Flora can come in for a wash lesson as part of the service. Flora washes the piece with you, works the product in, and shows you how to do it at home. Because a curly piece has to dry overnight, it goes home damp on a wig head. That is the normal process, not an unfinished job.
Book a Wash LessonHow to Wash Your Wig
Watch Flora on the videos page.
How to Restore Curl to a Wig
Watch Flora on the videos page.
How to Remove Frizz from a Wig
Watch Flora on the videos page.
Curly Wig Care Questions
Washing, drying, and frizz.
Still stuck? Call the studio at (201) 833-4060. For straight pieces and general care, see the FAQ and the studio services.
Why did my curly human hair wig frizz after I washed it?
Almost always because the product was not worked in during the wash, or the hair was not left to dry fully. Unprocessed curly hair frizzes without product, the same as curly hair on anyone's head. It is not damage and it is not shedding. Wash it again, work a sculpting lotion through while it is soaking wet, and let it dry overnight, and the curl comes back.
How often should I wash a curly human hair wig?
About once a month, or after roughly 20 full days of wear. Heavy product, heat, and activity can shorten that.
Can I wash it in the morning and wear it the same day?
No. A curly piece has to dry overnight, all the way through. That is also why a curly wig washed in the studio goes home damp on a wig head: it cannot be washed and finished while you wait.
Does a curly wig need to be set after washing?
No. A curly piece needs no cut or set after a wash. Once it has dried with the product in, it is ready to wear.
Will Design by Flora show me how to wash it?
Yes. Every client who buys a wig from Design by Flora can come in and have Flora wash it with them, work the product in, and show them how, as part of the service. Wash and set is also available in the studio.
Teaneck, New Jersey
Not sure it’s washed right? Bring it in.
Walk-ins are welcome. Appointments are highly recommended.