Why Do My Wigs Always Matte So Quickly?!

A matted wig is every wig-wearers worst nightmare. Probably the most frustrating thing that can happen to a wig-wearer, they’re not only difficult to fix, but also to prevent. Here are a few reasons why our wigs matte and some tips and tricks for restoring them.

1. Product Build-Up

More often than not, our wigs get hard and matted due to increased product build-up. It’s a pretty toxic and cynical cycle as when we find our wigs are matted, we then add more product to the wig to try and revive it… but in reality, we’re only adding fuel to the fire! Regular wig-washing is important to remove and cleanse this product build-up and start afresh. For example, imagine going 6 months without washing your wig, but applying different oils and serums to it daily - that’s a whole lot of product build-up that needs to be removed!

2. Your Shampoo

Ok, I know what you’re thinking. We just told you to regularly wash your wigs, and now we’re saying shampoo is a possible cause of matted hair?! Let us explain. Shampoo, generally is a drying agent. A lot of the ingredients in it such as sulfate work to actually dry hair. Instead, you should use mild shampoos that are sulfate-free with low PH balances, such as.

3. Hair Quality

Unforuntaely, sometimes you can do everything right. Regular maintenance, sulfate-free shampoos and still end up with tangled, knotted hair. A lot of the time, this is due to poor quality hair you were sold. If you have received poor quality hair, we’d suggest even more regular maintenance and co-washing (using conditioner only) your wig at least once a week. We’d also suggest air drying the hair and avoiding regular use of the wig.

4. Hair Patterns

Depending on the hair pattern, you may find that your wig has a tendency to matte more than others. For example, tight curl patterns such as deep wave hair would be more susceptible to matting when compared to the likes of straight hair. It’s important to take this into consideration when purchasing wigs and what activity you’re looking to wear the wig for. There are however, curl-pattern-specific products that can prevent the often sudden onset of wig matting. Disclaimer: if you plan to find yourself in the middle of a hot desert, we’d suggest leaving the deep wave wig at home…

 

Image | Deep Wave Wig 

5. Night-Time Neglect

Another popular reason as to why wigs matte so quickly is due to our night-time neglect! It’s important to wrap our hair into silk bonnets/scarves and use silk pillowcases just in case your hair falls out of your bonnet. Silk and satin materials will allow your hair to retain moisture and prevent hair strands from tangling by the morning!

We’re confident that if you stick to some of the tips and tricks advised here, you’ll be on your way to having luscious, moisturised and no-longer-matted wigs! Are there any secret tips you have that we haven’t mentioned? If so, pop them below - let’s help each other out!