How to Make a Wig Look Natural for Beginners

Whether you’re wearing a wig to hide your hair loss like me, or just because you like experimenting with your looks – I think we can all agree that we want our wigs to look as real as possible. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than having someone move their eyes up towards your hairline when you’re having a conversation, am I right?

I know that feeling of staring in the mirror, wondering “How do I make my wig look natural?” I’ve been there! And on bad wig days (my version of a bad hair day) I still struggle. But I have found my ways of fixing those worries!

That’s why I’d like to show you how to make a human hair wig look natural. I have plenty of years of experience, so let me walk you through my personal wig tips and tricks. Seriously, this is a life-changer!

The Main Rule To Make Wigs Look Natural

​​So we know that your confidence and body language play a huge part in wearing a wig without other people noticing. But obviously you want the wig itself to look like it’s growing out of your scalp as well! Here’s my tips and tricks to style and wear realistic human hair wigs.

1. Know your size

This might sound obvious, but it does make a world of a difference. And I had to find out the hard way!

I would strongly recommend writing down your measurements, like your circumference, front to nape and ear to ear. Every wig retailer has different sizings, so better be safe and know how many inches you need instead of blindly relying on S, M or L sizings.

Also keep in mind that having bio hair makes a wig more snug, so always take that into account!

2. Go for a lace front (or full lace)

Always go for lace front (or full lace)! This makes the hair along the hairline look like it’s growing out of your scalp. I think it’s worth mentioning that not every lace front looks equally realistic. The cheaper ones have very full hairlines, which looks a little fake. You want the hairline to be thinner than the rest of the wig for the most realistic look!

There’s also silk caps. Personally they are not for me, but some people prefer silk over lace. Silk looks more like skin when looking at the parting, because the silk acts as your scalp, but the hairline tends to look a little less realistic than lace. The hair falls forward more, and the transition between the silk and your forehead looks less seamless.

Some silk wigs have a strip of lace in the front, to make the hairline look more realistic. But the transition from silk to lace isn’t seamless either.

3. Wig density

You will find that human hair wigs usually have a % of density. Don’t disregard this number! Depending on the thickness and fullness of your bio hair (or what looks natural on you) you might want to keep this number on the lower end.

I know it feels irresistible to get yourself a 200% density wig. Who doesn’t want dreamy mermaid hair? But in reality, it’s very difficult to make that much hair look natural. Personally I have extremely thin bio hair, so I feel comfortable in a density of 135% or lower. I’ve had 150% before and that was just too much. But it’s very personal!

4. Length of the hair

Again, I am definitely one to drool over mermaid hair that flows down your lower back. But I’ve learned that super long wigs make it way harder to pull off a natural look. So I definitely suggest going for a more realistic length!

Remember – you want to feel confident in your wig. So keep it realistic!

5. Learn about your skin tone

Yep, your skin tone is important when you’re looking for the perfect wig! You either have a cool-toned, neutral-toned or warm-toned skin. Some hair colors might look STUNNING on someone else, but they might wash you out or just look wrong.

Picking the right match for your skin tone is so important! That’s why you shouldn’t just look at the pictures listed on a website. Certain types of lighting can make the hair look warmer or cooler. Plus the wig heads have different skin tones that are carefully selected to match the wig they’re displaying. No matter how cute the wig looks in the picture, it might look completely different on you!

Always read the product information carefully to look for color descriptions!

6. Dimensional colors

What makes a wig look super ‘wiggy’ instantly? When it’s just one color, top to bottom! Our natural hair has different shades of highlights and lowlights, because of the sun and the products we use.

So always pick a wig that has dimensional colors. Look for subtle lowlights and highlights that looks natural all together. I personally love balayage wigs!

7. Shaded or colored roots

You might want to opt for a subtle shaded root to add to the dimensional colors. That way it looks like your own roots are showing a tiny bit. Those are the imperfections that real hair show! So we want them in our wigs too. Just make sure the color of the root also goes with your skin tone and your eyebrows.

Tips To Make Your Wig Look More Natural

Tip 1: Get a Human Hair Wig

No matter what material a synthetic wig is made of, it will never look as natural as a human hair wig. So, if you’re hoping to end up with a 100% natural look, you need to start with the best possible foundation: a human hair wig.

You can find human hair wigs literally everywhere, but they are not all created equal. Some are much better suited to a natural end result than others. The best Choice are Virgin and Remy Human Hair.

Tip 2: Choose Wig Lace that Melt Down

Some lace types are bulky and impossible to melt, so you’ll need to make sure that you choose specialized lace that will make the melting process easy. You have a few options to choose from:

HD lace – HD lace is one of the best lace types available for human hair wigs. It is a type of Swiss lace that’s ultra-thin and undetectable. With an HD lace wig, you’ll have no problem making your wig look like it’s growing from your scalp.

Clear lace – Clear Lace is the most undetectable lace type of them all. It is 100% clear and blends into all skin colors seamlessly for a flawless lace melt. You won’t find a more invisible lace anywhere.

Normal lace in your skin tone – Another option is to choose a wig with normal lace in your skin color. You have a few shades to choose from, including light brown, medium brown, dark brown, or transparent. Be very careful when selecting your lace color because if you choose the wrong one, it will be very difficult to melt.

Tip 3: Measure Your Head, then Buy a Wig

Measuring your head is the next step. Measuring your head for a wig can take a little bit of time, but it’s well worth it. If you buy a wig that’s too large or small for your head, you’ll find that getting it to blend or lie flat against your head will be a real challenge.

Here are the steps you need to follow to measure your head for a wig:

• Measure the circumference of your head – To do this, wrap a soft measuring tape around the center of your forehead, behind the tops of your ears, and position the back of the tape at the nape of your neck. Write the measurement down on a sheet of paper in inches. This is the most common measurement used for sizing wigs in the U.S.
• Measure the distance from the front of your head to the back of your head – Start measuring at one of your temples, wrap the tape around the back of your head (not the nape of your neck) and stop at the other temple.
• Measure the distance from ear to ear while pulling the measuring tape across the top of your head. Take note of that measurement.
• Measure across your forehead from ear to ear and record that measurement.
• Measure from the front of your hairline (in the middle) to the nape of your neck and write that number down.
• Measure the nape of your neck. Start just behind one of your ears, and pull the tape along your nape until you get to the other ear.

All of these measurements come in handy when you’re choosing your wig size. All you need to do is access your wig store’s size guide and plug in your measurements to find the right wig size. They range from extra small to large in most cases.

Tip 4: Choose the Right Style

Choosing the right wig style can make all the difference in making a wig appear natural. Not every hair texture, length, or density will look natural and flattering on you.

Here are some tips you can use to choose a great wig style:

• If you have an oval or heart-shaped face, wig styles like bobs and layered styles work well.
• If you have a long or angled face, go for long wigs with curls or waves.
• If you have a diamond-shaped face, most wig styles will look great on you. The possibilities are endless.
• Choose a wig with a density that’s similar to the density of your own hair.
• Choose a wig that complies with your lifestyle.

Ultimately, the style you choose is entirely up to you. If you’ve really been wanting to try a specific style and feel confident enough to try it out, feel free to do so!

Tip 5: Bleach the Wig Knots

Bleaching wig knots is an essential step for most human hair wigs – that is, if your wig doesn’t come with pre-bleached knots. When a wig has unbleached knots, the lace (on which the wig hair is attached) will be covered in little black dots that make the unit look fake. Bleaching the knots makes them less visible. The result? Lace that better blends into your skin. 

To bleach your wig’s knots, you’ll need to apply bleach to the underside of the lace and allow it to process until the knots are no longer visible.

Tip 6: Pluck the Hairline

Plucking the hairline of a wig is another way to make it look more natural. The average wig has a hairline that goes straight across or is unnaturally thick. To reduce the thickness to a more natural level and shape the hairline to look more like your own, plucking is necessary.

To pluck the hairline of your wig, you’ll take pictures of your hairline and then use tweezers to pluck the hairline of the wig to match. Afterward, you’ll need to use a rat tail comb and tweezers to pluck the hair in layers – the process is a bit intricate.

Tip 7: Bald Cap Method: Braid Your Hair Flat

In order for a wig to look natural, it’s got to lay flat against your head. The bald cap method is a popular way to create a smooth surface for your wig to lay upon. Without a bald cap, your wig could sit up too high, giving away the fact that it’s not real. All you need is braiding skills, a nylon stocking cap (the thinner, the better), some weave thread, scissors, a blow dryer, and got2b glued gel.

• Make sure that you purchase a nylon cap that’s lightweight, breathable, and has one layer of fabric (instead of two). Also, you should purchase a cap that is as close to your skin tone as possible, as it will show wherever your wig is parted.

Tip 8: Cut the Lace Along Your Hairline

Cutting the lace along your hairline is very straightforward, but some still have trouble. To minimize the chances of lace or wig damage, follow these steps to cut the lace the right way.

Put your wig on your head and use a white eyeliner pencil to trace your natural hairline. The line should be about ¼ of an inch in front of your natural hairline.

Then grab some hair cutting shears, nail cutting scissors, or an eyebrow razor and cut the lace in the shape that you just drew. Remember to cut the ear tabs and avoid cutting the adjustable elastic band.