Four steps to years of wear.
Detangle
Section the hair and start at the ends with a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush, working upward toward the root in small strokes. Never rip through knots from the top down — that's what stretches and snaps wefts.
Wash
Wash with a sulfate-free shampoo in lukewarm water, working in downward strokes with the cuticle rather than scrubbing in circles. Lay the unit flat or hang it on a wig stand while washing closures and wigs to keep the lace from stretching.
Condition
Deep condition at least once a week, focusing conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends rather than the wefts or lace. Rinse thoroughly, then pat — never twist or wring — the hair dry with a microfiber towel or old cotton T-shirt.
Store
Wrap straight and wavy units around a silk scarf or store on a mannequin head; keep curlier textures loosely bagged in their natural shape rather than stretched flat. Always let hair air-dry fully before storing to avoid mildew odor.
Wash-day details, texture by texture
How often to wash
As a general rule, wash every 7–10 wears for straight and body wave textures, and every 10–14 wears for curlier textures like burmese curly and kinky curly, which dry out faster with frequent washing. Bundles sewn into your own hair can typically stretch a little longer between washes than a standalone wig.
Water temperature
Always use lukewarm to cool water. Hot water opens the cuticle, strips natural oils faster, and is one of the quickest ways to turn a smooth wave pattern into a frizzy one.
Sulfate-free products
Sulfates strip the light coating of oils that keeps a cuticle smooth and shiny. A sulfate-free, moisture-focused shampoo and conditioner line will keep both the pattern and the shine intact far longer than drugstore basics.
Heat limits
Virgin hair can take heat styling, but treat it like your own: use a heat protectant every time, and keep flat irons and curling wands at or below 350°F. Repeated high-heat styling is one of the fastest ways to dry out and eventually break a unit down.
Sleeping in a bonnet or on satin
Cotton pillowcases pull moisture out of hair and create friction that leads to tangling and frizz overnight. A satin or silk bonnet, or a satin pillowcase, protects both the pattern and the wefts while you sleep.
Swimming and chlorine
Chlorine and salt water are hard on color-treated and curly units especially. If you're swimming, wet the hair with fresh water first so it absorbs less pool or ocean water, and rinse thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo afterward.
Reviving a curl pattern
When curls start to fall, a leave-in conditioner or curl reactivator spray on damp hair, followed by finger-coiling or a loose twist-and-air-dry, will usually bring the pattern back without needing to re-set it with heat.
What shortens a unit's life
- Washing with hot water or scrubbing the wefts and lace directly.
- Sleeping on cotton without a bonnet or satin pillowcase.
- Skipping heat protectant, or styling above 350°F regularly.
- Brushing from root to tip instead of detangling from the ends up.
- Storing a damp unit sealed in a bag, which invites odor and mildew.
- Swimming in chlorinated or salt water without a rinse before and after.
- Using sulfate-heavy, drying shampoo on a daily basis.