As a drag queen with 6 years of wig styling experience I don’t use fabric softener unless im trying to add a lot of teasing. The reason is the softener leaves a film on the hair fiber that gives it a texture which makes it much easier to tease, hence why it tangles easier. the fresh wig is slippery and fresh, that’s why it doesn’t tangle as easy, and I would use a wig like that for flat wigs or sculptural wigs. Hopes this helped!
It works perfectly on the plastic hair fiber barbies and my little ponies have. Wigs have evolved to better fiber types, so you really should test this on carnival/halloween wigs that can be seen from mile away they are wigs.
absolutely! low price doesn't mean low quality anymore and cheap in this instance is the quality not the price. I feel like the fabric softener wig looked shinier to me after tangling which is the opposite of what's supposed to happen.
@@lauren-gx1lg Well, and even last week I saw an awesome drag mother post a wig tutorial -- with a higher quality wig even -- and her first step is still always doing the fabric softener. It's a pretty common part of the process these days, maybe just out of habit.
Agree! Works like miracle on barbie/monster high dolls that you think are impossible to rescue 🤣 Their hair looks like dreadlocks.... I brush their hair while they are still wet and covered in fabric softener, and when they're detangled, I wash the softener off. It makes detangling possible.. otherwise, I would give up. I've never tried this on wigs, but I also never saw a wig in this pitiful state 😅
@@kanintutu I think the difference there is the tutorials, at least the ones she's talking about, advertise the hack as more preventative maintenance; something you soak the hair in, wash out, let dry, and *then* brush and it's supposed to keep the fibers softer and less shiny so you don't need to detangle them. It does work as a detangler; although I've found, at least for cosplay wigs, that oil works just as well.
A tip from BobbiePinz - if you are thinking about getting a steamer for your wigs, please be sure to find one with a plastic head rather than a metal head. The metal will heat up more so than the plastic and you run the risk of melting your wig if you touch it. Metal steamers are really only meant for natural fiber clothing.
I've done this on my Arda wig styled into Sailor Moon. The pigtails tangle like mad and are super difficult to untagle. I let it soak in one cap of fabric softener mixed with water overnight. I then combed it while wet and the comb would glide through for the most part and any tangles I found were easily picked apart. The difference between detangling without fabric softener and with fabric softener was night and day. But you have to soak over night and comb while wet.
But you've two variable here, in addition to the fabric softener you did it wet. I get where you're coming from but I challenge you to just pick thru a wet wig (sans softener) to see if it's the same experience (for science of course)
@@araisilwenn elmoFlames.gif im excited to hear the results!!! But also did you see the suggestion about the tulle tubes??? I think that's so cool for long usagi tails!!!
What stops people from using conditioner then? I know it has more oil, so it can make something shiny. But if you coat it in conditioner, brush it while wet, then let the water back over the wig to wash out remaining conditioner, it shouldn't tangle back up.
I will 1000% recommend unscented fabric softer for those whose want to use this trick that are sensitive to smell. It really helped me not give myself a headache at con’s from the wig’s smell. Also I recommend 6-8 hrs personally. Any more and it’s just overkill😋 Edit: Also yes I’ve only found the tricks works better on cheaper wigs. And it’s still depends on the the draw. Worked amazing on my black wig from party city but didn’t work well on a green one from the same place. But, it won’t damage the wig if you try it so it always safe to give it a go.
I did the trick with scented one (years ago when, surprisingly, the scented kind was cheaper) and It gave me a long-term avoidance for that smell. God it was awful!! Especially when you leave it for days. God I could not get rid of the smell for months and had to throw out the bowl I used 😂
@@MyFictionalChaos yeah laundry scents are very potent so any small amount is still super super strong smelling, bc it's meant for layers and layers of string and fabric with thick coloration, so yeah using it on something that goes near your body without it being diluted it's super effective at giving you avoidance and a migraine, I used a ton of dryer sheets on a dress once and I almost threw up twice that day from the dress being so strongly scented and it left a film so the dress stayed that way for so long
i think the softener wig was simply more tangled because it already got tangled in the water while the control wig wasn't washed....also most tutorials i have seen and what i have done before myself was to brush them wet on the flat service with a towel under...and than again when dry while on the wig head...the shininess doesn't change yeah...and i haven't really played with styling much so no idea there
i spray my wigs with silicone spray and mane & tail detangler. the silicone helps prevent it to get tangled and the mane & tail helps brushing out if needed. it does make the wig a little bit oily if you spray too much. i think its great for long wigs :)
I’ve had success using it on synthetic wigs. Though they have been arda ones so it might depend on the fiber type. Tbh for long wigs I swear by the stuff. It takes like at least a half hour off my de tangling time.
as someone who can only afford super cheap amazon wigs, fabric softener is a godsend. not only does it just make the wig feel cleaner, but i also really does help with de-shining and un-tangling. i had a semi-curly wig i bought for catra and it took me over 8 hours to fully detangle it- after a 30 soak the next time only took 1.5 hours also, tbh i just love the smell and it makes your hands super soft 😊
I think it really depends on the wig fibers. I always do this to anything that isn't Arda for shine and I have had amazing successes and also it do absolutely nothing like what happened to you. I go in with the expectation that it will do nothing and am pleasantly surprised when it does. I think it works better on older wigs or Halloween wigs, I definitely had more successes in ye olden days of cosplay struggle so maybe there's something to that. Even wigs that cost under $10 now are so much better than the $50+ halloween wigs we had to use 20 years ago.
For me, it definitely makes the fibers less stiff and itchy. Especially wigs with lots of teasing around the hairline for volume. (EpicCosplay does this a lot) and the fabric softener makes the fibers less coarse. I have also noticed that it does help cut the shine on darker wigs. I haven't noticed a lot of difference on my blonde wigs, but my black wigs looks much better after.
man i would love to see this topic expanded upon for other wig hacks spread around. the quality of budget-friendly wigs you can buy now has drastically improved since the 2000s/2010s. how effective/helpful are the wig hacks of yesteryear?
Amazon has a lot of nice ones you just gotta get ones with bangs and a good part line if it's cheap bc you WILL see the bad lace if you buy a random lace front wig, you gotta make sure it can be fixed if it is a lace front bc it will come so ugly depending on the brand ect
you have such a beaming personality! I'm not even into cosplay or anything, mainly sewing content, but your personality is such that i just enjoy hanging out with you when i watch your videos lmao
As a pro cosplay wig commission artist. I prefer natural heat crimping it makes your wig softer, less shiny, not as tangle prone, thicker and just more professional I can make any wig look top notch with this technique I love it 😍
I have a Spirit Halloween wig and some Amazon wigs that I've had to do the fabric softener/water spray stuff to in order to detangle them. It worked well enough but as you said, the smell was overpowering. Then a blog tutorial for a cosplayer mentioned using food safe spray silicone on badly, badly tangled wigs. It worked surprisingly well without a smell but...boy you should do that outside. It makes any surface that gets sprayed with it slicker than a 70's disco hall floor.
This video is so validating to my baby cosplayer who tried the fabric softener so many times with so many failures and was so frustrated when that was the MAJOR tip for detangling, and then I had to learn to just use a nice comb and brush 😭😭😭
I have used the fabric softener for a wig that was tangled. And it worked perfectly fine. I reused the same batch for all of my ponyfalls and had no issues. Like 2 gallon of water and a tablespoon of softener for an hour then hang up and detangle let dry. I didn't rinse them. But a carding board for fiber craft is the best way to detangle in my experience. That is lay the wig down on the board and then brush it over the board. The wig was a cheap party city style wig, 😂
I had a hideous tangled extremely long wig from a 2019 danmei cosplay that I just could NOT detangle (and also had some old hairspray bits in the front), so I did a long soak in hot-from-the-tap water (about 55C), a little laundry detergent, and a little fabric softener (I didn't measure, but maybe 1/2 a cap full). I don't remember how long it was in there, but it was long enough for the water to cool, then i rinsed it out well & hung it up to dry. That thing brushed out like a DREAM, and it didn't feel oily at all. I also had some tangled wefts in the same cleaning batch, and they also all combed out super easily. These were all from Arda.
I've bought some of those cheap Amazon wigs before, and the fibers are much nicer than the ones on my old American Girl dolls. The fabric softener really helped with detangling the really matted doll hair! I think it probably works better with even cheaper wig fibers than what you can get on Amazon these days.
im currently taking apart shorts to try and make a pattern for my future hu tao cosplay, im gonna try and get over my needle fear and actually start my cosplaying journey, but i’m glad i have sarah to watch and help me through the tremendous amount of learning i have to do lol
I also have a needle phobia, but mine is specifically medical needles. I hope you find that sewing needles are fine, because this is an amazing hobby to be involved in!
@@emilyrln thank you for the other channels! I unluckily don’t own a sewing machine but I’m currently saving for one, which will save me a lot of time since a seam by hand take about 30 minutes and is kinda sloppy, but hopefully I can get the machine I want cause it would be a life saver
@@famished_b0nny You're welcome and good luck! Sometimes you can find sewing machines in used/resale shops (e.g. Goodwill). Depending on the store, they may have checked whether it is fully functional. HOWEVER if you're new to sewing machines, you may prefer to buy new with the security of a return or warranty. If you have a friend who knows sewing machines, they might be able to help you look at used options. ♥
I personally have a fear of failure when it comes to seeing machines just bc fabric is so expensive. It is a very useful skill to learn but it is terrifying when you first start
I was also pretty sceptical about the fabric softener hack but I had never tried it myself. Your experimental method was wonderful to watch and I absolutely loved how you decided to tangle the wigs!
Hello Sarah, Thank you so much for all your wonderful Videos.... My name is Thom, and I have been doing wigs for Broadway/TV/and film for 30 years now. On my shows we use Downey on our synthetic hair wigs, and I usually put some Downey in a tub of water and then just dip the wigs a few times into the mixture. In a way of saving money for a show, paying $25 or more for a nice conditioner for synthetic wigs is a waste. Yes, on our human hair wigs the best conditioner for those wigs I feel is "Mane and Tail". I think of it as if your washing your clothes, you don't leave the clothes in the wash for 24 hours to make them softer...synthetic wigs have no follicles for the conditioner to get trapped in so just dipping the hair in is good. And on the lace front wigs you would never let it soak in the water, that only loosens the knot on the lace... Also instead of the T pins, which I hate also....I use "Bank Pins" from Manhattan Wardrobe supply...they are T pins without the T part....they are more like a small nail head... Love them... Thank again for your wonderful videos...
Honestly I think this whole hack does have roots in the doll restoration community, where we've been putting fabric softener on doll hair back since it was made out of mohair. For the cheap fibers typically used on dolls (saran, kanekelon, and straight up nylon), fabric softener can be used to help restore badly damaged fibers like those found on thrift store finds that a child has beat the crap out of. Generally you soak the hair in it, in hot water, and then rinse it out with water just off the boil, and for that it DOES help to restore the original softness to fibers that aren't just tangled, but genuinely damaged by brushing with cheap plastic doll brushes, dunked in bathwater, etc.
Before fabric softener was popular, another wig hack from back in the day to help detangle/reduce shininess was using apple cider vinegar/white vinegar! Similar method of soaking wigs in mix of water/vinegar solution for hours/days. Fabric softener trend probably caught on much more since it did leave your wig smelling better 😂… but it was an alternative for people who had a sensitivity/reaction to fabric softener. Another odd wig styling tip if you wish to continue testing these myths!
I tried the trick to use a spray bottle with a mix of half water and half fabric softener to detangle a wig and I almost scrapped it after using it. I put the wig aside for like 5 years without touching it and just restored it recently with castor oil, that thing is so much better!! I've got rid of almost all the tangle and the wig look so much better now!
Brand of the fabric softener changes the results. I use downy, soaked overnight, lightly rinsed the wig (not thoroughly, leave some residue) wide tooth comb detangle wet then brush when dry. Then I lightly powder the wig to mattify and use a little hair oil on the ends to prevent tangling. It sound high maintenance but it's a good routine for a long-term wear wig or if you need to wear the wig repeatedly.
I stand by the fabric softener hack but ONLY for specifically Party city or generic brand cheap wigs. I don't think it helps with detangling but I do stand by the softening and less shiny affect it gives
This works really well on Barbies and some older dolls when restoring their hair. I hadn't considered it on wigs, but I could see why someone might think it'd work, so I feel like this video is educational. It saved us all some finding out the hard way.
I’ve never bought into the fabric softener trick… but I’ve used silicone spray (from the hardware store) on long synthetic wigs and it works like a charm. Set angles and reduces number of tangles formed during a full day at a con.
I honestly I'm also grumpy abou it. BUT i noticed that if i use fabric softener on the wig they get kinda "gummy" gross, but all this grossness turn into slippery bless once i use an flat iron on it. So everytime i mess up a wig i soak it in fabric softener and then flat iron it once it's dry. Has been helped me a lot.
14:05 HARD AGREE. My hairdresser used them on me when I was a kid (like 6) and my mom bought me one. I hated getting my hair brushed as a kid so it make the task so much easier! Im 19 now and refuse to use anything besides a wet brush.
I've been cosplaying for 10+ years & I've never used this method because my skin is so sensitive to fragrance, so i can only imagine the havoc it would wreak being on my head all day!
I used scented softener YEARS ago for my first wig cosplay. My god, it was. The worst. Exactly what u were thinking, that happened to me. I could not get rid of the smell for months
I haven't ever done this to detangle, since silicone spray is pretty much the only confirmed hack I know for that, but to take the shine out of plasticky looking wigs. soaking them for a long time like overnight has definitely made a difference, using like gain or downy or whatever.
Honestly I cannot thank you enough for this video - specifically for turning me on to Wet brushes! I was always told not to use brushes that have nubs on the end when brushing wigs, but my life has CHANGED from this freakin brush! It's so much easier than it was with my old wig brushes, it's such a relief to make such a difference so quickly. Now I sort of get why you can buy them at every store ever. I liked it so much that I bought one to travel with, and ended up get THEM to buy one too.
I'd be interested to see this test with you washing the control without softener. Because it seems like the washing aspect would effect the fabric softener wig more than the fabric softener itself does.
The best advice I can give as someone who has cosplayed since when Amphigory was relevant: buy the brand that suits the purpose. I like Epic for long and loose as those don't tangle as easily although they are a slight bit shinier. Also their lace fronts are boxier so they suit my face better. For short wigs I like Arda since they are matte and have color mixing so they photograph beautifully and almost indentical to natural hair and have a ton of fiber for giant anime styles. They also have a very round shape to their lacefront if that suits you. Assist is where I go for ultra long (Medusa, Fate series) or very specific wig colors. They have less fiber, are shinier and tangle easily but they have their use! I actually like the sparse fiber for more natural styles as it more closely mimics real people's hair in that regard.
It is ofc always up to personal preference bc some people say Epic has *too* shiny wigs that may not be as nice depending on the color. Not everyone likes the shine. Ofc it takes years of being a cosplayer to find which ones u like the most and for what purposes / characters
@@MyFictionalChaos they are shinier than Arda but not as shiny as random Amazon or Assist wigs. It's all about experimentation. I find the shininess is worth it if it's gonna be long and loose.
just want to drop some tips i have for keeping the wig on the stand (as someone who is currently styling a 40 inch long wig...): 1. if you're a drummer, take your crash/ride cymbal off the stand and put the wig head on that!!!! insanely niche tip but literally the best way to do this it never comes off. ALSO if you have a music stand you can use that by taking off the part that holds the sheet music! 2. BOBBY PINS you can pull apart the bobby pins, stick one end through one hole of the mesh wig cap and the other through another, piercing into the styrofoam head...this is so secure its insane, i could brush it all the way through with no wobbling at all 3. adding "ears" to your wig head actually helps it stay on so much! what I did was model some ears with aluminum foil wrapped in masking tape then hot-glue them on, tighten your wig as tight as it goes and it stays in place so well 4. grip tightly onto the hair while you brush or style each part, this makes sure the force of brushing doesn't reach the wig cap and it won't wobble!
Never tried fabric softener, but I HAVE tried just my usual shampoo and conditioner when I was trying to revive my old dolls, this one costume wig that smelt of smoke I turned into a tail fringe for a friend's costume, or even my ponytail clip extension I wear at ren faires. It was shocking how effective that was, not to mention, I'd already be used to the smell of my favorite conditioner so the wiff occasionally was just as quickly smiled at and dismissed, Curiously, shampoo can be proufoundly effective at getting out wierd smells from things. I have used it to remove tomato-mango smell from old tropical salsa and powdered offee creamer containers (perfect spool dispensers for ribbons and wire) and even soda/soup cans that I cut up into other things, and (ironically) fabrics/other things that have the greasy, oily texture or pungent smell.... from fabric softeners! Depends on what I am cleaning what I use.... I prefer plain old Suave (I like the smell of the strawberry, is great for plastics and metals, but I use an apple 2-in-1 apple head and shoulders for natural-fibers like cotten, wool, or if I'm not sure. I used to clean out some grease from stuff that got stained helping my dad with this too quite effectively as a kid, and my dad worked as a small-engine mechanic, so some of that oil-grease smell was very pungent. I only ever really wore old stuff, didn't necessarily get the stain out but it fixed the smell. The plastic container/metal can was an unexpected discovery as a 'why-not?' try after using dawn to try and get the smell out.... but 3 washes and soak STILL the odor remained... but one appilcation of shampoo, bam. no smell. Even going forward... I was trying to save these jars a certain salsa came in that had glass hourglass shape... I think Pace? I just wanted them to sort then store pretty pebbles that I I found. I was a weird kid. The glass didn't stink much, but the lids SURE did. Man I haven't thought about this in YEARS.
Im not sure if it's because im a newer cosplayer so i missed out on being in the trenches of sharpie wig dyeing and such, or just the circles ive been in, but ive only really seen it suggested for bringing down the shine on particularly shiny cheap wigs. It really is a mixed bag how well it works, ive seen it matte down some really cheap party wigs but ive also seen it do nothing on wigs, so it was interesting to see what it did with your wigs, thank you for putting it to the test!
The wigs are too light for the shine test it's meant for darker colors or fantasy wigs. Love Sarah but the video has a lot of issues like the tangling being done after the soaking it's meant to be used after it
I think the nuance of "You can still do this thing. But just don't tell other people they can ONLY do that thing instead of also choosing their own different things" is great. Especially with cosplay, there's almost always more than one path to a high-quality solution. And a willingness to experiment is good. Breaking out of whatever is trending (or in the case of how long this has gone on with wigs) is standard practice often brings us new techniques and methods! Such as the pigtail protector. I remember when worbla first surged in popularity, too, for example (even though it's been around as a product for a long time).
This hack is meant for the cheapest of wigs like party city and other cheap synthetic wigs. It removes the excessive shine on party city in my experience but it has to be mixed with warm water like 2-3 cups and only a tablespoon give or for 20-60 mins with multiple rounds potentially. It doesn't prevent tangling it helps detangling huge difference.
Sarah really out here doing god’s work and bringing scientific rigor to our cosplay methods which has been sorely needed! Thank you for taking the time to put together this experiment and being a wonderful cosplay educator.
I use the fabric softener for a rose scent. I put it in the bath after I wear it so the scent can fade a bit before next time. Also the real cheap fabric softener smells terrible no matter what you do so Blerg to that.
I've been a wig stylist for about 10 years now, and I FAR prefer taking a dryer sheet and running it over the wig to smooth and reduce frizz on the outer layers only. It's a total game changer for bob styles on dancers, anything that has to move and fall back into place. No film, no frizz
I guess the cheap wigs available really have come a long way in ten year, even 10 $ ones, i never did cosplay but i would Watch so many UA-cam videos and follow DeviantArt pages in like 2010 -2013 and i remember people take horrible quality wigs and not only soak them in softener but also powder the shit out of them With baby powder or cornstarch . And yes sometimes It would work and sometimes not but i believe Is an useless tip now ,it's too outdated for the wigs we have now, even the worst ones.
No it's not it depends on the wig, color, and a lot more. There's major flaws in the video like the tangling being done post soaking but the control wasn't even soaked in water the hack is for detangling
Oh man, and I just rinsed out a new secondhand wig this morning after soaking it in a tub overnight with just a teaspoonful of Downy fabric softener after a soak and wash with even less detergent. It’s drying now on a towel. This would’ve made such an excellent watch beforehand, what timing! 😆🖤 Oh well, better late than never to learn!
honestly, fabric softener works for party city wigs and extremely crap quality wigs and hair like doll hairs. but the cheap wigs we have nowadays vs "back in the day" are much different. because now you can buy a decent quality wig for cheap
THANK YOU for tackling this, i really appreciate it! If i have some rough tangles i end up relying on horse and mane and it does the tick without adding any smells or triggering my sensitive skin when wearing wigs.
I have used fabric softener on many of my wigs mainly when they have a very chemically smell or just get dirty from alot of use and I have found that the strong smell of fabroc softener goes away after like 1 or 2 wears. Sometimes the fabric softener will take out some shine but if you really dont like the shine using baby powder works suprisenly really well you just have to shake it out a ton.
I feel like the wig they use often comes from china (taobao etc). The ones manufactured in china often have the fresh wig more tangled, quite literally after combing it straight out of plastic (mostly long wig). Reason for this is the fiber are more sensitive to heat and gets damaged fast. Often SEA based cosplayers and wig stylist wash their wigs half soften conditioner + laundry soap and steam it once it dry. It does proven to be effective. So it really depends where you get your wigs from
I think the fabric softener did help reduce shine but I also have noticed it does nothing to help prevent tangles. I only use it for wigs that are soooo shiny (Assist) otherwise I do not find it worth the effort.
Also length of time shouldn't do anything much really. The whole reason why it would help is applying a coating on the not porous wig fiber to make it slippy. Hence why brushing it out with the softener still in helps. Also if you do use fabric softener to help detangle, after detangling lay it in the bath tub and use a bucket to pour cool water over it to rinse out the fabric softener. If you leave it in and don't wash it out it will attract dirt and actually gum up your wig to make it tangle more over time.
Thank you for this video. I work in a second hand shop and I am actually using the fabric softener trick for doll hair. It is really helpfull for me to give dolls that have a literal rat's nest as hair a decent hair job again.
I wonder if the approach began with nylon wigs, or with doll restoration on Barbies and dolls with nylon hair. I HAVE used both fabric softener and hair conditioner (as alternative, not combined) on extremely tangled and friction ratted up Barbie hair and it’s done wonders. That process is submerging the Barbie hair (and head coz she won’t mind) in a strong mix of fabric softener and very warm water. The warmth in the water relaxes the kinks, but the fabric softener smooths things so it can be detangled. From there you can redo it or just use very warm water on its own to comb it, then wrap it or style it to dry overnight. This might mean that verrrry cheap wigs could be helped by it too. In my experience the best way to take that plastic shine off a cheap wig, though, is to spray it with dry shampoo.
I mostly use it to get rid of the smell of wigs. Whether they're fresh out the bag, old & smelly from sweat, restyling them or bc they're second hand and people dyed them etc. and they have a heavy chemical smell. I'm sensitive to scent, so I only use one specific softener that I jnow I can stand and follow the amounts on the back of the bottle xd For "preventing" tangling I mostly just crimp the wig and brush it throughout the day when I feel like it needs it and braid it when I'm on the way/leaving the con has been a lifesaver, especially when there's wind!
I've been fixing wigs and doing wig commissions for a year and this is a very accurate representation of me experimenting with wigs while doing other people's wigs 😂😂 Honestly, I use fabric conditioner just so I like the smell of the wig I'm working on. The only real difference I've felt with fabric conditioner is when I'm untangling wigs. So it was great to get validation from this video.
I haven't dunked my wigs in liquid fabric softener, but I do bring some unscented dryer sheets with me to cons to help with static! the less static in the hair, the less they tangle. If you have long pig tails you could run the dryer sheet down the length and it helps keep the fibers from flying away and sticking to you or other people I do restore dolls though, and if a doll has really oily or frizzy hair I would wet it, drizzle on some dish soap, then rub it in with a dryer sheet. I would brush it out the best I could while it was wet then dry with a towel and air dry the rest of the way to finish with a final brushing. It does seem to get rid of all or most of the frizziness that happens with such short synthetic fibers being brushed but doll hair probably isn't nearly as nice quality as a wig for a human For the most part, on wigs for my head, I just brush them out nicely before putting it on, just after putting it on, then really thoroughly and gently before I put it back in the mesh net and bag for storage until next time (Most of my cosplays have foam heads rather than wigs, so styling wigs really nicely is not my forte, they can just be tucked into bags without smushing hours of hard work lol)
i’ve spent hours brushing out tangled wigs, and fabric softener DEFINITELY improves the tangle time by a substantial amount. you NEED to wash the fabric softener out, it is flammable and if you leave it on a wig it’s a fire risk. fabric softener works to correct synthetic wig fibres because synthetic wigs are essentially strands of synthetic fabric - which fabric softener is designed to target it. it’s why hair products don’t really work, because wig fibres aren’t like real hair that can absorb product. i think the wig you were working with here didn’t have enough shine to have corrected, honestly, however in every comparison you showed, the fabric softened wigs are visibly less shiny and look to have more volume, at least from where i’m watching. i’ve found fabric softener irreplaceably helpful for making regular arda wigs more manageable (i find the texture of them quite itchy on my skin without it) and for making arda silkies tangle less. i have an arda venus silky and the only reason it’s able to be worn to a con without becoming completely tatted up is because of fabric softener treatment haha. fabric softener is an unbeatable resource in wig styling, in my books. nothing compares.
Thank you so much for making this video! I deal with American Girl doll wigs, and we've really had to fight against people who used to do "downy dunks" on their dolls, which would leave good results at first but would then morph overtime into a greasy film that is very difficult to remove. For some other doll collectors it might be a thing, but AG dolls cannot be repaired with fabric softener at all. Also, thank you so much for including more information about Kanekalon fibers!
8 years of cosplay experience, I found your video really interesting. I used to use this technique which worked really well for me, few days ago I pulled out a 7 year old curly wig that I treated with the fabric softener technique, it still looked good and easier to brush out than a untreated wig. My technique is a bit more intense: I soak the wig in hair conditioner w a bit water that covers the wig overnight. No rinsing, brush it gently then hang it to air dry. Once it’s dried, soak it in fabric conditioner w water for another night, no rising, then brush out while wet, for straight wig, I iron straightener it while semi dried up so your iron won’t be sizzling 😂. It always worked for me this way. I use this technique for tangle proof (especially long straight wigs) or for a easier detangle post use. I have never used it to “improve the look of the wig”. It’s a painful long process but the outcome is worth it, especially for stage preforming cosplayers. Now I just use silicone spray, it’s fast, convenient, and it works great hahahahaha.
Leaving the wig overnight seems silly. Plastic doesn't absorb anything, which is why we use plastic for packaging. I'm early in your video, so I have no idea what the results will be. Fabric softener seems more logical than hair conditioner, at least it's not made for hair.
@Homun System Yep. Agreed. Putting fabric softener on a wig could make combing easier if it's wet... once it's dry, I don't know if it would do much at all.
Maybe its just cause i use to use fabric softener to soften and detangle wigs but the softener wig looks not shiny and when its curled the curls looked super soft and fluffy. Could 100000% be my bias but i just loved the way the softened one looks lol
This is one of the first times I have ever jumped into a video where the clickbait thumbnail is not actually clickbait and is actually something the person does in the video. INSTANT subscribe.
I still use mapofbeauty; theyre not Halloween-store quality but also not the best. I'm not financially well off so I'd rather buy two of their wigs and spend a day struggling with wefts than buy an arda wig 😅 from what I've heard they've definently improved over the years! I've always wanted to fabric soften a wig but, ahah. I'm not brushing that out EVER. Leaving them over night helps with de-shining but oh my lord it DOES NOT help with detangling at all
the safiya shoutout yesssss!! i've only used fabric softener to try and take the shine out of cheap wigs, and even then i think it was more about just trying to do some diy on a bad wig to say that i tried. any effect would have probably also come from just washing and re-brushing it with no softener added, but obviously it's such a widely-heard cosplay tip i thought it might do something. plus my housemates always had fabric softener around before they realized it doesn't really do much in general so i didn't have to buy any for that.
I have committed my whole cosplay career to debunking the "fabric softener makes your wig less shiny" myth because I was told this in like, 2005, tried it, and was like ".....that didn't do shit!" XD
I worked for an ice show for a certain rodent themed company for several years. Here's my wig tips. Wig clips/toupee clips sewn into the cap of the wig is a quick way to put on and secure your wigs. Oil sheen spray for synthetic hair helps to keep them detangled. Baking soda to remove hairspray buildup. Steaming and brushing them out will help defrizz and return the shine. Listerine watered down 3:1 parts water spritzed into a sweaty wig kills bacteria and freshens your wig. Edit: We did not use fabric softener on wigs. 😂
I've found that the fabric softener method works the best with super cheap REALLY Shiney wigs. Like I bought a $5 wig that basically glowed in the dark with how shiny it was. I've bought a few super cheap wigs for last minute costumes and it worked great for making it less Shiney. BUT I also don't rinse much out and keep it a little oily. It's the oily layer that dulls it.
There are fabric softeners without perfume. I would probably recommend using that so you don't get a headache or respiratory issues from the amount of perfume. Edited to add that you could always rinse out the wig after it's been de-tangled.
Love the vids Sarah! Personally dont use the fabric softener tip but do love to wash and detangle old wigs with plain old baby shampoo and water (1:1) mix, soak for a couple hours and hang to dry! Not perfect but cheap, efficient, and always smells so nice!
i usually wash my older wigs in fabric softener(mine doesnt have a strong smell and is cheap) it feels cleaner after i wore them outside, in rain or whatever and gets the hairgluespray out of the wigs well for a fresh styling with better skills i have about 25 wigs and wash them all together in the bathtub
I’ve only ever done this method on a cheap wig once to remove the shine & didn’t really feel like it did a whole lot if I’m being honest apart from making it smell nice & being slightly softer. I’ve become a bit of a wig detangling pro at this point & majority of the time I just section the wig into small sections, use a wide tooth comb & my holy grail product: mane n tail detangling spray! I then use a hair straightener to remove any frizz & then I’ll sometimes also use motions oil Sheen spray to help prevent it tangling too much in future. I do sometimes pre-wash my wigs before this stage (I just use baby shampoo, let it sit for 30mins, rinse then let it dry overnight) and this does sometimes help with the detangling but I mostly just do this to remove sweat, hairspray etc rather than it being a necessity! Thanks for the Bobby pin tip! I usually use one of those t-pins 😂
Ok while you were interviewing Vickie I was just mesmerized by how your headphones' lights sync to the audio coming through them. Imma need to know where you got them bc my adhd brain wants them very badly owo
So a lot of wigs come pre treated with anti-Tangle solution when theyre straight out of the bag! Thats why its a good idea for stylists to wash before use. So your control group isnt 100% a control group bc its also been treated. Dunking a wig in water also loosens us the fibers so it will be more prone to shedding. The best advice i got for detangling was to use a silicone based wig spray meant for synthetic weaves and extensions
There’s two mistakes that I saw right off: when using a cheap fabric softener, it is only ever about 1/3 to 1/2 as affective as a good one so you would have to use three times as much as you did used to get the effect of a better fabric softener. Also if it had been a good fabric softener, you still didn’t use enough, so you still need to use more fabric softener.
I mix the fabric softener and a little water and put it in a spray bottle and use it like I use my regular de-tangler in my own hair instead of fully soaking it. It works just like hair conditioner, to coat the strands to make the hair slicker. The only time I ha e seen it dull the shine is on super cheap and shiny wigs and even then it just knocked the shine down some.
I've used it on really cheap shiny wigs back in the days and kinda worked for the shinyness, detangling not so sure as it wasnt really my goal. To this day I still soak them all in fabric softner when I want to wash them. Smell nice, feel softer. For tangling prevention I use Horse Mane products 😂 I do It as soon as they come out of the plastic bag and they tangle but came undone really fast
For shine and tangle control, good (not dollar store) fabric softener works best to get a Halloween/Party wig to look a little more like a cosplay wig. As to detangling, it is not really necessary for regular wear tangling. Where fabric softener really shines is removing back-combing and perma-tease with a lot of product (especially with drag wigs). Boil the wig, remove from heat, add fabric softener, stir, and leave overnight. Pat dry a little with a soft towel and gently detangle without rinsing while mostly wet. When fully detangled, rinse very well. You can use a gentle wig shampoo if desired. Hang to dry then spray with wig detangler and style as usual.
My understanding of why fabric softener started being used on wigs from back in the day was because it's basically the same as wig shampoo... But wig shampoo was like £30-£50 for a tiny bottle minimum back in the early to mid 2000's... Whereas, you probably bought fabric softener anyway, or you could get a litre+ bottle for like £3-£5 from the supermarket... And we used washing up liquid just as often as fabric softener, which was usually even cheaper... So for a bunch of teenagers, that was more affordable. I think the "it makes it less shiny" is because it does on party city/smiffy's polyester wigs which are truly awful. But they were all most of us could afford or get hold of easily 20 years ago. It does make them a bit less crispy. But not super soft or owt. And maybe people moving from those to kanekelon wigs when they started becoming available/affordable were used to using fabric softener on their old wigs and assumed that the difference it made transferred over? I mainly still use it because of habit from not buying separate wig shampoo because I have loads of allergies and know I don't react to the (unscented, hypoallergenic, plant-based) fabric softener/washing up liquid we use anyway. Whereas wig shampoo is a chemical minefield I do not wish to tread on. And the "it tangles less" a) long soaking badly tangled wigs makes a little difference to fibre loss and b) if you wash your wig and detangle it wet, it's easier to detangle with wig shampoo, fabric softener, or washing up liquid... But I've never found much difference in dry brushing tbh. So just making the wig wet and using a tangle teaser brush/comb might work just as well without anything else added? I dunno, I've mainly just used it because I used to get a lot of facepaint/makeup in my wigs. And when I reuse a wig, getting the hairspray/gel/PVA glue out of it required something more than water (usually that's when washing up liquid was better though). It feels like some of the later claims were more exaggerated and about it being an "exciting new lifehack" for content/clout/clickbait than any massive difference though? But we used it purely because it was cheaper than wig shampoo. And tbh, I know a lot of folks just used their own shampoo on their wigs (and still do) for the same reasons, or because they prefer the smell of it. Some people use fabreeze or a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water (only if you haven't dyed the wig obvs). Sometimes you do need to wash a wig. But there's no 1 true, right way. Just what works for you.
Hello great video! I have tried fabric softener on my synthetic wigs in the past and it makes the wig bouncy for weeks, plus a nice smell. I don’t use fabric softener anymore because I find wig shampoo and conditioner does just as great a job and it’s made for wigs. Have you ever tried boiling your synthetic wig to remove ratty or frayed hair? I do! It really straightens softens the wig back to almost new looking and feel. Lots of bounce too. This method has save my wigs for years. You can Google how to boil your synthetic wigs if you’re interested. Best 😍
I’ve used this method on doll wigs (American Girl in particular), and with warm water and brushing, it definitely smoothed and helps vastly in detangling my childhood doll’s hair.
In my opinion since I would need to tease and crimp my wig, and basically the way the Fabric softener helping to "tangle the wig" is helping me have the volume I want.
The reason why it might de-shine a wig if it's made of the right material is because all fabric softener does is add a thin coat of wax over everything. I think that means any light that will hit the wig will have to go through a layer of wax that will make it appear more matte due to the nature of wax being more matte usually. It most likely depends on the brand of fabric softener too, cause I would assume different brands have differing levels of wax content.
I live with my family who do laundry constantly because my dad does a very physical job and goes through his clothes like crazy. Due to that, I always felt guilty for using our fabric softener just to wash wigs when I personally didn’t even see a difference if I just wanted to wash off some grime and make the wig smell good. I’m a bit sensitive to smells so I sometimes don’t like the smell of out of the bag wigs and I also purchase a lot of wigs from friends and the wigs obviously smell like their house. So I’m glad the fabric softener thing seems like it’s just a hit or miss kind of thing. Even more so when my family stopped using fabric softener lol. Plus let’s be real… I absolutely don’t have the energy to soak a wig and do all that 😂
I remember a few years ago when I was first starting cosplay I bought a horribly cheap (6€ or something, I couldn't afford a good one at the time and was desperate) blue pre crimped wig with short straight bangs on ebay. It looked workable on the photos and close to what I needed (was terrified of cutting a wig myself so it had to be the correct length out the box), but I was absolutely devastated at the quality and especially the halloween wig classic SHINE of it when it arrived. Taking the L and getting another one wasn't an option though since the event it was for was about 3 days away at that point. So I took to UA-cam for any type of guidance on what to do and found two things: the overnight fabric softener bath and ungodly amounts of baby powder. The bonus of having a really bad wig that you already hate is that you're not afraid to mess it up! So I did the bath overnight, let it dry laying on a towel for a day and a night and then when it was the evening before the day I had to wear it I brushed about 1/3 of the fibers out of the wig. The hairs were just falling off with the slightest tug, and with how harshly crimped it was before the bath I was going to get SOME tug on it no matter how careful I was. And afterwards it was still shiny (granted, not as bad as before, but still halloween store level), great. But after that I baby powdered the hell out of it as a last hail Mary. It was so, so messy. I still cleaned baby powder out of the corners and cabinets of the bathroom half a year later. But it worked? Kind of? The process was getting it in all the crevices of the wig, then carefully shaking it off and using what fell off to powder the shiny parts again. Did that about three times before I styled the wig to be in it's final shape (with lots of baby powder there as well in addition to the hairspray). Had to cover some annoying new bald spots during that, but I actually didn't hate the final product? It wasn't shiny anymore, the shedding got rid of a lot of the excessive bulk and the shake off + hairspray combo made sure that I didn't look like the Dandruff Guy during the whole day despite wearing a black pullover. I actually still have the wig! For the transit back home I had to take off the wig and put it in my bag because I wasn't allowed to wear a full face mask on public transportation and it was secured under the wig. Tossed it in a box once I was back home but recently decided to restyle it back into shape and it was surprisingly easy, so I guess the baby powder was still putting in work years later. So when they say these hacks are for CHEAP wigs, I dare say I tested the worst case scenario back then with both bad (fabric softener bath) and good (baby powder) results. Was it worth the mess and effort in the end? Yes, maybe. Would I recommend just getting a decent cheap wig from a more reputable source instead and skipping the wig hack altogether? Also yes, PLEASE. Great learning experience though 👍
I did this (the 24h not rinsed version) to one of my wigs that was around party city levels of cheap and it turned out way less shinny (and far softer) than before, I'm talking leagues better. So I guess that this is a hack mostly for super cheap looking wigs and not ones that already aren't as plasticy
As a drag queen with 6 years of wig styling experience I don’t use fabric softener unless im trying to add a lot of teasing. The reason is the softener leaves a film on the hair fiber that gives it a texture which makes it much easier to tease, hence why it tangles easier. the fresh wig is slippery and fresh, that’s why it doesn’t tangle as easy, and I would use a wig like that for flat wigs or sculptural wigs. Hopes this helped!
Seems counter intuitive, doesn't it? Could new wigs have been treated with a silicone spray in the factory?
@@2degucitas Not sure if it’s silicone, but a lot of wigs do have a sealant to prevent frizz. Cosplay wigs anyways
Not to mention, fabric softner is flaable
Yeah, I use it on my anime wig styles because of the teasing help.
Do you think this would help for turning a Walmart unicorn tail into a deathhawk? It’s for a fursuit
It works perfectly on the plastic hair fiber barbies and my little ponies have. Wigs have evolved to better fiber types, so you really should test this on carnival/halloween wigs that can be seen from mile away they are wigs.
Agreed! I think this was the type of wig the og hack was intended for, but details like that can definitely get lost as more people try it
absolutely! low price doesn't mean low quality anymore and cheap in this instance is the quality not the price. I feel like the fabric softener wig looked shinier to me after tangling which is the opposite of what's supposed to happen.
@@lauren-gx1lg Well, and even last week I saw an awesome drag mother post a wig tutorial -- with a higher quality wig even -- and her first step is still always doing the fabric softener. It's a pretty common part of the process these days, maybe just out of habit.
Agree! Works like miracle on barbie/monster high dolls that you think are impossible to rescue 🤣 Their hair looks like dreadlocks.... I brush their hair while they are still wet and covered in fabric softener, and when they're detangled, I wash the softener off. It makes detangling possible.. otherwise, I would give up. I've never tried this on wigs, but I also never saw a wig in this pitiful state 😅
@@kanintutu I think the difference there is the tutorials, at least the ones she's talking about, advertise the hack as more preventative maintenance; something you soak the hair in, wash out, let dry, and *then* brush and it's supposed to keep the fibers softer and less shiny so you don't need to detangle them.
It does work as a detangler; although I've found, at least for cosplay wigs, that oil works just as well.
A tip from BobbiePinz - if you are thinking about getting a steamer for your wigs, please be sure to find one with a plastic head rather than a metal head. The metal will heat up more so than the plastic and you run the risk of melting your wig if you touch it. Metal steamers are really only meant for natural fiber clothing.
I've done this on my Arda wig styled into Sailor Moon. The pigtails tangle like mad and are super difficult to untagle. I let it soak in one cap of fabric softener mixed with water overnight. I then combed it while wet and the comb would glide through for the most part and any tangles I found were easily picked apart. The difference between detangling without fabric softener and with fabric softener was night and day. But you have to soak over night and comb while wet.
But you've two variable here, in addition to the fabric softener you did it wet. I get where you're coming from but I challenge you to just pick thru a wet wig (sans softener) to see if it's the same experience (for science of course)
That is a fair point. I need to detangle the same wig for an upcoming convention. I'll give it a try and report back. For science, 😊.
@@araisilwenn elmoFlames.gif im excited to hear the results!!! But also did you see the suggestion about the tulle tubes??? I think that's so cool for long usagi tails!!!
@@pinssnip I did! I plan on using that in the future. I am so tired of detangling those tails, lol.
What stops people from using conditioner then? I know it has more oil, so it can make something shiny. But if you coat it in conditioner, brush it while wet, then let the water back over the wig to wash out remaining conditioner, it shouldn't tangle back up.
Safiya x Sarah is the crossover episode we didn't know we needed until now.
I second this XD
In know
When?
Safiya nyagard? The person who mixes every material you possible can?
The strange thing is I just went from one of her vids
I will 1000% recommend unscented fabric softer for those whose want to use this trick that are sensitive to smell. It really helped me not give myself a headache at con’s from the wig’s smell. Also I recommend 6-8 hrs personally. Any more and it’s just overkill😋
Edit: Also yes I’ve only found the tricks works better on cheaper wigs. And it’s still depends on the the draw. Worked amazing on my black wig from party city but didn’t work well on a green one from the same place. But, it won’t damage the wig if you try it so it always safe to give it a go.
I did the trick with scented one (years ago when, surprisingly, the scented kind was cheaper) and It gave me a long-term avoidance for that smell. God it was awful!! Especially when you leave it for days. God I could not get rid of the smell for months and had to throw out the bowl I used 😂
@@MyFictionalChaos yeah laundry scents are very potent so any small amount is still super super strong smelling, bc it's meant for layers and layers of string and fabric with thick coloration, so yeah using it on something that goes near your body without it being diluted it's super effective at giving you avoidance and a migraine, I used a ton of dryer sheets on a dress once and I almost threw up twice that day from the dress being so strongly scented and it left a film so the dress stayed that way for so long
i think the softener wig was simply more tangled because it already got tangled in the water while the control wig wasn't washed....also most tutorials i have seen and what i have done before myself was to brush them wet on the flat service with a towel under...and than again when dry while on the wig head...the shininess doesn't change yeah...and i haven't really played with styling much so no idea there
i spray my wigs with silicone spray and mane & tail detangler. the silicone helps prevent it to get tangled and the mane & tail helps brushing out if needed. it does make the wig a little bit oily if you spray too much. i think its great for long wigs :)
Mane and tail doesn't work on synthetic wigs
I’ve had success using it on synthetic wigs. Though they have been arda ones so it might depend on the fiber type. Tbh for long wigs I swear by the stuff. It takes like at least a half hour off my de tangling time.
@@ayajade6683 it works on mine xD Mane and tail has helped me with many long wigs
@@ysodora8030 ive used it on both cheap and $$$ wigs when i have done cosplay dance covers. works a dream on all of them, halves the detangling time
I've had pretty good experience with Mane n tail on synthetic wigs bit not fabric softener unfortunately
“In the name of Nygaard-san, welcome to Bad Wig Science” best UA-cam intro I’ve ever seen.
The cat running up and down the stairs with you is amazing lmao
As someone who found you through cosplay and has no idea how to sew:
If I see a Sarah Spaceman video I click
As someone who came here through sewing and has no idea about cosplay: If I see a Sarah Spaceman video I click too 🥰
I neither do cosplay nor sewing. I click.
i just click
as someone who can only afford super cheap amazon wigs, fabric softener is a godsend. not only does it just make the wig feel cleaner, but i also really does help with de-shining and un-tangling. i had a semi-curly wig i bought for catra and it took me over 8 hours to fully detangle it- after a 30 soak the next time only took 1.5 hours
also, tbh i just love the smell and it makes your hands super soft 😊
I think it really depends on the wig fibers. I always do this to anything that isn't Arda for shine and I have had amazing successes and also it do absolutely nothing like what happened to you. I go in with the expectation that it will do nothing and am pleasantly surprised when it does. I think it works better on older wigs or Halloween wigs, I definitely had more successes in ye olden days of cosplay struggle so maybe there's something to that. Even wigs that cost under $10 now are so much better than the $50+ halloween wigs we had to use 20 years ago.
For me, it definitely makes the fibers less stiff and itchy. Especially wigs with lots of teasing around the hairline for volume. (EpicCosplay does this a lot) and the fabric softener makes the fibers less coarse. I have also noticed that it does help cut the shine on darker wigs. I haven't noticed a lot of difference on my blonde wigs, but my black wigs looks much better after.
man i would love to see this topic expanded upon for other wig hacks spread around. the quality of budget-friendly wigs you can buy now has drastically improved since the 2000s/2010s. how effective/helpful are the wig hacks of yesteryear?
Amazon has a lot of nice ones you just gotta get ones with bangs and a good part line if it's cheap bc you WILL see the bad lace if you buy a random lace front wig, you gotta make sure it can be fixed if it is a lace front bc it will come so ugly depending on the brand ect
you have such a beaming personality! I'm not even into cosplay or anything, mainly sewing content, but your personality is such that i just enjoy hanging out with you when i watch your videos lmao
Exactly ! Well said!
As a pro cosplay wig commission artist. I prefer natural heat crimping it makes your wig softer, less shiny, not as tangle prone, thicker and just more professional I can make any wig look top notch with this technique I love it 😍
I have a Spirit Halloween wig and some Amazon wigs that I've had to do the fabric softener/water spray stuff to in order to detangle them. It worked well enough but as you said, the smell was overpowering. Then a blog tutorial for a cosplayer mentioned using food safe spray silicone on badly, badly tangled wigs. It worked surprisingly well without a smell but...boy you should do that outside. It makes any surface that gets sprayed with it slicker than a 70's disco hall floor.
This video is so validating to my baby cosplayer who tried the fabric softener so many times with so many failures and was so frustrated when that was the MAJOR tip for detangling, and then I had to learn to just use a nice comb and brush 😭😭😭
I have used the fabric softener for a wig that was tangled. And it worked perfectly fine. I reused the same batch for all of my ponyfalls and had no issues. Like 2 gallon of water and a tablespoon of softener for an hour then hang up and detangle let dry. I didn't rinse them. But a carding board for fiber craft is the best way to detangle in my experience. That is lay the wig down on the board and then brush it over the board. The wig was a cheap party city style wig, 😂
I had a hideous tangled extremely long wig from a 2019 danmei cosplay that I just could NOT detangle (and also had some old hairspray bits in the front), so I did a long soak in hot-from-the-tap water (about 55C), a little laundry detergent, and a little fabric softener (I didn't measure, but maybe 1/2 a cap full).
I don't remember how long it was in there, but it was long enough for the water to cool, then i rinsed it out well & hung it up to dry. That thing brushed out like a DREAM, and it didn't feel oily at all. I also had some tangled wefts in the same cleaning batch, and they also all combed out super easily. These were all from Arda.
I've bought some of those cheap Amazon wigs before, and the fibers are much nicer than the ones on my old American Girl dolls. The fabric softener really helped with detangling the really matted doll hair! I think it probably works better with even cheaper wig fibers than what you can get on Amazon these days.
im currently taking apart shorts to try and make a pattern for my future hu tao cosplay, im gonna try and get over my needle fear and actually start my cosplaying journey, but i’m glad i have sarah to watch and help me through the tremendous amount of learning i have to do lol
I also have a needle phobia, but mine is specifically medical needles. I hope you find that sewing needles are fine, because this is an amazing hobby to be involved in!
Good luck! Sewing can be a ton of fun and I hope it works out for you! Some other great sewing channels are Bernadette Banner and Nicole Rudolph.
@@emilyrln thank you for the other channels! I unluckily don’t own a sewing machine but I’m currently saving for one, which will save me a lot of time since a seam by hand take about 30 minutes and is kinda sloppy, but hopefully I can get the machine I want cause it would be a life saver
@@famished_b0nny You're welcome and good luck! Sometimes you can find sewing machines in used/resale shops (e.g. Goodwill). Depending on the store, they may have checked whether it is fully functional. HOWEVER if you're new to sewing machines, you may prefer to buy new with the security of a return or warranty. If you have a friend who knows sewing machines, they might be able to help you look at used options. ♥
I personally have a fear of failure when it comes to seeing machines just bc fabric is so expensive. It is a very useful skill to learn but it is terrifying when you first start
I fell in love with wig science and now I need more of it.
I was also pretty sceptical about the fabric softener hack but I had never tried it myself. Your experimental method was wonderful to watch and I absolutely loved how you decided to tangle the wigs!
Hello Sarah,
Thank you so much for all your wonderful Videos....
My name is Thom, and I have been doing wigs for Broadway/TV/and film for 30 years now. On my shows we use Downey on our synthetic hair wigs, and I usually put some Downey in a tub of water and then just dip the wigs a few times into the mixture. In a way of saving money for a show, paying $25 or more for a nice conditioner for synthetic wigs is a waste. Yes, on our human hair wigs the best conditioner for those wigs I feel is "Mane and Tail". I think of it as if your washing your clothes, you don't leave the clothes in the wash for 24 hours to make them softer...synthetic wigs have no follicles for the conditioner to get trapped in so just dipping the hair in is good. And on the lace front wigs you would never let it soak in the water, that only loosens the knot on the lace...
Also instead of the T pins, which I hate also....I use "Bank Pins" from Manhattan Wardrobe supply...they are T pins without the T part....they are more like a small nail head... Love them...
Thank again for your wonderful videos...
11:06 the cat running up the stairs with you is so sweet. Kitty is helping!
Honestly I think this whole hack does have roots in the doll restoration community, where we've been putting fabric softener on doll hair back since it was made out of mohair. For the cheap fibers typically used on dolls (saran, kanekelon, and straight up nylon), fabric softener can be used to help restore badly damaged fibers like those found on thrift store finds that a child has beat the crap out of. Generally you soak the hair in it, in hot water, and then rinse it out with water just off the boil, and for that it DOES help to restore the original softness to fibers that aren't just tangled, but genuinely damaged by brushing with cheap plastic doll brushes, dunked in bathwater, etc.
Before fabric softener was popular, another wig hack from back in the day to help detangle/reduce shininess was using apple cider vinegar/white vinegar! Similar method of soaking wigs in mix of water/vinegar solution for hours/days. Fabric softener trend probably caught on much more since it did leave your wig smelling better 😂… but it was an alternative for people who had a sensitivity/reaction to fabric softener. Another odd wig styling tip if you wish to continue testing these myths!
Thank you for this video
I tried the trick to use a spray bottle with a mix of half water and half fabric softener to detangle a wig and I almost scrapped it after using it.
I put the wig aside for like 5 years without touching it and just restored it recently with castor oil, that thing is so much better!! I've got rid of almost all the tangle and the wig look so much better now!
Brand of the fabric softener changes the results. I use downy, soaked overnight, lightly rinsed the wig (not thoroughly, leave some residue) wide tooth comb detangle wet then brush when dry. Then I lightly powder the wig to mattify and use a little hair oil on the ends to prevent tangling. It sound high maintenance but it's a good routine for a long-term wear wig or if you need to wear the wig repeatedly.
I stand by the fabric softener hack but ONLY for specifically Party city or generic brand cheap wigs. I don't think it helps with detangling but I do stand by the softening and less shiny affect it gives
This works really well on Barbies and some older dolls when restoring their hair. I hadn't considered it on wigs, but I could see why someone might think it'd work, so I feel like this video is educational. It saved us all some finding out the hard way.
i literally have a convention in 3 weeks and i have to take care of 2 wigs so i am so glad you dropped this video rn
I’ve never bought into the fabric softener trick… but I’ve used silicone spray (from the hardware store) on long synthetic wigs and it works like a charm. Set angles and reduces number of tangles formed during a full day at a con.
I honestly I'm also grumpy abou it. BUT i noticed that if i use fabric softener on the wig they get kinda "gummy" gross, but all this grossness turn into slippery bless once i use an flat iron on it. So everytime i mess up a wig i soak it in fabric softener and then flat iron it once it's dry. Has been helped me a lot.
0:12 sarah got possessed by vsauce micheal
Hey Sarah, spaceman here
14:05 HARD AGREE. My hairdresser used them on me when I was a kid (like 6) and my mom bought me one. I hated getting my hair brushed as a kid so it make the task so much easier! Im 19 now and refuse to use anything besides a wet brush.
I've been cosplaying for 10+ years & I've never used this method because my skin is so sensitive to fragrance, so i can only imagine the havoc it would wreak being on my head all day!
someone else said unscented fabric softener!
I used scented softener YEARS ago for my first wig cosplay. My god, it was. The worst. Exactly what u were thinking, that happened to me. I could not get rid of the smell for months
I have an aversion to the particular scent now too LOL
I haven't ever done this to detangle, since silicone spray is pretty much the only confirmed hack I know for that, but to take the shine out of plasticky looking wigs. soaking them for a long time like overnight has definitely made a difference, using like gain or downy or whatever.
Honestly I cannot thank you enough for this video - specifically for turning me on to Wet brushes! I was always told not to use brushes that have nubs on the end when brushing wigs, but my life has CHANGED from this freakin brush! It's so much easier than it was with my old wig brushes, it's such a relief to make such a difference so quickly. Now I sort of get why you can buy them at every store ever. I liked it so much that I bought one to travel with, and ended up get THEM to buy one too.
I'd be interested to see this test with you washing the control without softener. Because it seems like the washing aspect would effect the fabric softener wig more than the fabric softener itself does.
The best advice I can give as someone who has cosplayed since when Amphigory was relevant: buy the brand that suits the purpose. I like Epic for long and loose as those don't tangle as easily although they are a slight bit shinier. Also their lace fronts are boxier so they suit my face better. For short wigs I like Arda since they are matte and have color mixing so they photograph beautifully and almost indentical to natural hair and have a ton of fiber for giant anime styles. They also have a very round shape to their lacefront if that suits you. Assist is where I go for ultra long (Medusa, Fate series) or very specific wig colors. They have less fiber, are shinier and tangle easily but they have their use! I actually like the sparse fiber for more natural styles as it more closely mimics real people's hair in that regard.
Screenshotted this comment for future reference. Majority of my wigs are cheap (quality) that I bought at a convention and later modified.
Holy shit Amphigory. What a time.
It is ofc always up to personal preference bc some people say Epic has *too* shiny wigs that may not be as nice depending on the color. Not everyone likes the shine. Ofc it takes years of being a cosplayer to find which ones u like the most and for what purposes / characters
@@MyFictionalChaos they are shinier than Arda but not as shiny as random Amazon or Assist wigs. It's all about experimentation. I find the shininess is worth it if it's gonna be long and loose.
just want to drop some tips i have for keeping the wig on the stand (as someone who is currently styling a 40 inch long wig...):
1. if you're a drummer, take your crash/ride cymbal off the stand and put the wig head on that!!!! insanely niche tip but literally the best way to do this it never comes off. ALSO if you have a music stand you can use that by taking off the part that holds the sheet music!
2. BOBBY PINS you can pull apart the bobby pins, stick one end through one hole of the mesh wig cap and the other through another, piercing into the styrofoam head...this is so secure its insane, i could brush it all the way through with no wobbling at all
3. adding "ears" to your wig head actually helps it stay on so much! what I did was model some ears with aluminum foil wrapped in masking tape then hot-glue them on, tighten your wig as tight as it goes and it stays in place so well
4. grip tightly onto the hair while you brush or style each part, this makes sure the force of brushing doesn't reach the wig cap and it won't wobble!
Never tried fabric softener, but I HAVE tried just my usual shampoo and conditioner when I was trying to revive my old dolls, this one costume wig that smelt of smoke I turned into a tail fringe for a friend's costume, or even my ponytail clip extension I wear at ren faires. It was shocking how effective that was, not to mention, I'd already be used to the smell of my favorite conditioner so the wiff occasionally was just as quickly smiled at and dismissed,
Curiously, shampoo can be proufoundly effective at getting out wierd smells from things. I have used it to remove tomato-mango smell from old tropical salsa and powdered offee creamer containers (perfect spool dispensers for ribbons and wire) and even soda/soup cans that I cut up into other things, and (ironically) fabrics/other things that have the greasy, oily texture or pungent smell.... from fabric softeners! Depends on what I am cleaning what I use.... I prefer plain old Suave (I like the smell of the strawberry, is great for plastics and metals, but I use an apple 2-in-1 apple head and shoulders for natural-fibers like cotten, wool, or if I'm not sure. I used to clean out some grease from stuff that got stained helping my dad with this too quite effectively as a kid, and my dad worked as a small-engine mechanic, so some of that oil-grease smell was very pungent. I only ever really wore old stuff, didn't necessarily get the stain out but it fixed the smell.
The plastic container/metal can was an unexpected discovery as a 'why-not?' try after using dawn to try and get the smell out.... but 3 washes and soak STILL the odor remained... but one appilcation of shampoo, bam. no smell. Even going forward... I was trying to save these jars a certain salsa came in that had glass hourglass shape... I think Pace? I just wanted them to sort then store pretty pebbles that I I found. I was a weird kid. The glass didn't stink much, but the lids SURE did. Man I haven't thought about this in YEARS.
The pour over did make a good dramatic bit! Hope the clean up wasn't too harsh and it all stayed in the plastic!
Im not sure if it's because im a newer cosplayer so i missed out on being in the trenches of sharpie wig dyeing and such, or just the circles ive been in, but ive only really seen it suggested for bringing down the shine on particularly shiny cheap wigs. It really is a mixed bag how well it works, ive seen it matte down some really cheap party wigs but ive also seen it do nothing on wigs, so it was interesting to see what it did with your wigs, thank you for putting it to the test!
The wigs are too light for the shine test it's meant for darker colors or fantasy wigs. Love Sarah but the video has a lot of issues like the tangling being done after the soaking it's meant to be used after it
I think the nuance of "You can still do this thing. But just don't tell other people they can ONLY do that thing instead of also choosing their own different things" is great. Especially with cosplay, there's almost always more than one path to a high-quality solution. And a willingness to experiment is good. Breaking out of whatever is trending (or in the case of how long this has gone on with wigs) is standard practice often brings us new techniques and methods! Such as the pigtail protector. I remember when worbla first surged in popularity, too, for example (even though it's been around as a product for a long time).
This hack is meant for the cheapest of wigs like party city and other cheap synthetic wigs. It removes the excessive shine on party city in my experience but it has to be mixed with warm water like 2-3 cups and only a tablespoon give or for 20-60 mins with multiple rounds potentially. It doesn't prevent tangling it helps detangling huge difference.
Sarah really out here doing god’s work and bringing scientific rigor to our cosplay methods which has been sorely needed! Thank you for taking the time to put together this experiment and being a wonderful cosplay educator.
I love using the wet brush for my wigs! And the dollar tree has its own version of the wet brush that's just as good so I always stock up when I go 😊
I use the fabric softener for a rose scent. I put it in the bath after I wear it so the scent can fade a bit before next time. Also the real cheap fabric softener smells terrible no matter what you do so Blerg to that.
I've been a wig stylist for about 10 years now, and I FAR prefer taking a dryer sheet and running it over the wig to smooth and reduce frizz on the outer layers only. It's a total game changer for bob styles on dancers, anything that has to move and fall back into place. No film, no frizz
I guess the cheap wigs available really have come a long way in ten year, even 10 $ ones, i never did cosplay but i would Watch so many UA-cam videos and follow DeviantArt pages in like 2010 -2013 and i remember people take horrible quality wigs and not only soak them in softener but also powder the shit out of them With baby powder or cornstarch . And yes sometimes It would work and sometimes not but i believe Is an useless tip now ,it's too outdated for the wigs we have now, even the worst ones.
No it's not it depends on the wig, color, and a lot more. There's major flaws in the video like the tangling being done post soaking but the control wasn't even soaked in water the hack is for detangling
@@ayajade6683 exactly, i was really hoping people didnt take this video as gospel but some comments are too gullible
Oh man, and I just rinsed out a new secondhand wig this morning after soaking it in a tub overnight with just a teaspoonful of Downy fabric softener after a soak and wash with even less detergent. It’s drying now on a towel. This would’ve made such an excellent watch beforehand, what timing! 😆🖤 Oh well, better late than never to learn!
honestly, fabric softener works for party city wigs and extremely crap quality wigs and hair like doll hairs. but the cheap wigs we have nowadays vs "back in the day" are much different. because now you can buy a decent quality wig for cheap
FR THOUGH, I'VE BEEN USING WET BRUSHES FOR SO LONG THAT USING ANY OTHER BRUSH IS JUST SO UNCOMFORTABLE AND I HATE IT
THANK YOU for tackling this, i really appreciate it! If i have some rough tangles i end up relying on horse and mane and it does the tick without adding any smells or triggering my sensitive skin when wearing wigs.
The Wet Brush was a GAME CHANGER for me. I have four big ones and one purse-sized one. I don't buy any other type of brushes at this point.
I have used fabric softener on many of my wigs mainly when they have a very chemically smell or just get dirty from alot of use and I have found that the strong smell of fabroc softener goes away after like 1 or 2 wears. Sometimes the fabric softener will take out some shine but if you really dont like the shine using baby powder works suprisenly really well you just have to shake it out a ton.
I feel like the wig they use often comes from china (taobao etc). The ones manufactured in china often have the fresh wig more tangled, quite literally after combing it straight out of plastic (mostly long wig). Reason for this is the fiber are more sensitive to heat and gets damaged fast. Often SEA based cosplayers and wig stylist wash their wigs half soften conditioner + laundry soap and steam it once it dry. It does proven to be effective. So it really depends where you get your wigs from
I think the fabric softener did help reduce shine but I also have noticed it does nothing to help prevent tangles. I only use it for wigs that are soooo shiny (Assist) otherwise I do not find it worth the effort.
Also length of time shouldn't do anything much really. The whole reason why it would help is applying a coating on the not porous wig fiber to make it slippy. Hence why brushing it out with the softener still in helps. Also if you do use fabric softener to help detangle, after detangling lay it in the bath tub and use a bucket to pour cool water over it to rinse out the fabric softener. If you leave it in and don't wash it out it will attract dirt and actually gum up your wig to make it tangle more over time.
Thank you for this video. I work in a second hand shop and I am actually using the fabric softener trick for doll hair. It is really helpfull for me to give dolls that have a literal rat's nest as hair a decent hair job again.
I wonder if the approach began with nylon wigs, or with doll restoration on Barbies and dolls with nylon hair. I HAVE used both fabric softener and hair conditioner (as alternative, not combined) on extremely tangled and friction ratted up Barbie hair and it’s done wonders. That process is submerging the Barbie hair (and head coz she won’t mind) in a strong mix of fabric softener and very warm water. The warmth in the water relaxes the kinks, but the fabric softener smooths things so it can be detangled. From there you can redo it or just use very warm water on its own to comb it, then wrap it or style it to dry overnight. This might mean that verrrry cheap wigs could be helped by it too.
In my experience the best way to take that plastic shine off a cheap wig, though, is to spray it with dry shampoo.
I mostly use it to get rid of the smell of wigs. Whether they're fresh out the bag, old & smelly from sweat, restyling them or bc they're second hand and people dyed them etc. and they have a heavy chemical smell. I'm sensitive to scent, so I only use one specific softener that I jnow I can stand and follow the amounts on the back of the bottle xd
For "preventing" tangling I mostly just crimp the wig and brush it throughout the day when I feel like it needs it
and braid it when I'm on the way/leaving the con has been a lifesaver, especially when there's wind!
I've been fixing wigs and doing wig commissions for a year and this is a very accurate representation of me experimenting with wigs while doing other people's wigs 😂😂
Honestly, I use fabric conditioner just so I like the smell of the wig I'm working on. The only real difference I've felt with fabric conditioner is when I'm untangling wigs. So it was great to get validation from this video.
I haven't dunked my wigs in liquid fabric softener, but I do bring some unscented dryer sheets with me to cons to help with static! the less static in the hair, the less they tangle. If you have long pig tails you could run the dryer sheet down the length and it helps keep the fibers from flying away and sticking to you or other people
I do restore dolls though, and if a doll has really oily or frizzy hair I would wet it, drizzle on some dish soap, then rub it in with a dryer sheet. I would brush it out the best I could while it was wet then dry with a towel and air dry the rest of the way to finish with a final brushing. It does seem to get rid of all or most of the frizziness that happens with such short synthetic fibers being brushed but doll hair probably isn't nearly as nice quality as a wig for a human
For the most part, on wigs for my head, I just brush them out nicely before putting it on, just after putting it on, then really thoroughly and gently before I put it back in the mesh net and bag for storage until next time (Most of my cosplays have foam heads rather than wigs, so styling wigs really nicely is not my forte, they can just be tucked into bags without smushing hours of hard work lol)
i’ve spent hours brushing out tangled wigs, and fabric softener DEFINITELY improves the tangle time by a substantial amount. you NEED to wash the fabric softener out, it is flammable and if you leave it on a wig it’s a fire risk.
fabric softener works to correct synthetic wig fibres because synthetic wigs are essentially strands of synthetic fabric - which fabric softener is designed to target it. it’s why hair products don’t really work, because wig fibres aren’t like real hair that can absorb product.
i think the wig you were working with here didn’t have enough shine to have corrected, honestly, however in every comparison you showed, the fabric softened wigs are visibly less shiny and look to have more volume, at least from where i’m watching.
i’ve found fabric softener irreplaceably helpful for making regular arda wigs more manageable (i find the texture of them quite itchy on my skin without it) and for making arda silkies tangle less. i have an arda venus silky and the only reason it’s able to be worn to a con without becoming completely tatted up is because of fabric softener treatment haha.
fabric softener is an unbeatable resource in wig styling, in my books. nothing compares.
Thank you so much for making this video! I deal with American Girl doll wigs, and we've really had to fight against people who used to do "downy dunks" on their dolls, which would leave good results at first but would then morph overtime into a greasy film that is very difficult to remove. For some other doll collectors it might be a thing, but AG dolls cannot be repaired with fabric softener at all.
Also, thank you so much for including more information about Kanekalon fibers!
8 years of cosplay experience, I found your video really interesting.
I used to use this technique which worked really well for me, few days ago I pulled out a 7 year old curly wig that I treated with the fabric softener technique, it still looked good and easier to brush out than a untreated wig.
My technique is a bit more intense: I soak the wig in hair conditioner w a bit water that covers the wig overnight. No rinsing, brush it gently then hang it to air dry.
Once it’s dried, soak it in fabric conditioner w water for another night, no rising, then brush out while wet, for straight wig, I iron straightener it while semi dried up so your iron won’t be sizzling 😂. It always worked for me this way.
I use this technique for tangle proof (especially long straight wigs) or for a easier detangle post use. I have never used it to “improve the look of the wig”.
It’s a painful long process but the outcome is worth it, especially for stage preforming cosplayers.
Now I just use silicone spray, it’s fast, convenient, and it works great hahahahaha.
Leaving the wig overnight seems silly. Plastic doesn't absorb anything, which is why we use plastic for packaging. I'm early in your video, so I have no idea what the results will be.
Fabric softener seems more logical than hair conditioner, at least it's not made for hair.
unless its dye for plastic fibers but you need to boil that and it definitely doesnt take 24 dang hours
@Homun System Yep. Agreed. Putting fabric softener on a wig could make combing easier if it's wet... once it's dry, I don't know if it would do much at all.
@@LaynieFingers it's for detangling not preventing tangles. You would soak it in warm water for 20-60 mins when it's already tangled
@@ayajade6683 if you watched the video shes stated that in her research is touted for both. gj
Maybe its just cause i use to use fabric softener to soften and detangle wigs but the softener wig looks not shiny and when its curled the curls looked super soft and fluffy. Could 100000% be my bias but i just loved the way the softened one looks lol
This is one of the first times I have ever jumped into a video where the clickbait thumbnail is not actually clickbait and is actually something the person does in the video. INSTANT subscribe.
I still use mapofbeauty; theyre not Halloween-store quality but also not the best. I'm not financially well off so I'd rather buy two of their wigs and spend a day struggling with wefts than buy an arda wig 😅 from what I've heard they've definently improved over the years!
I've always wanted to fabric soften a wig but, ahah. I'm not brushing that out EVER. Leaving them over night helps with de-shining but oh my lord it DOES NOT help with detangling at all
the safiya shoutout yesssss!! i've only used fabric softener to try and take the shine out of cheap wigs, and even then i think it was more about just trying to do some diy on a bad wig to say that i tried. any effect would have probably also come from just washing and re-brushing it with no softener added, but obviously it's such a widely-heard cosplay tip i thought it might do something. plus my housemates always had fabric softener around before they realized it doesn't really do much in general so i didn't have to buy any for that.
I have committed my whole cosplay career to debunking the "fabric softener makes your wig less shiny" myth because I was told this in like, 2005, tried it, and was like ".....that didn't do shit!" XD
I worked for an ice show for a certain rodent themed company for several years.
Here's my wig tips.
Wig clips/toupee clips sewn into the cap of the wig is a quick way to put on and secure your wigs.
Oil sheen spray for synthetic hair helps to keep them detangled.
Baking soda to remove hairspray buildup.
Steaming and brushing them out will help defrizz and return the shine.
Listerine watered down 3:1 parts water spritzed into a sweaty wig kills bacteria and freshens your wig.
Edit: We did not use fabric softener on wigs. 😂
I've found that the fabric softener method works the best with super cheap REALLY Shiney wigs. Like I bought a $5 wig that basically glowed in the dark with how shiny it was. I've bought a few super cheap wigs for last minute costumes and it worked great for making it less Shiney. BUT I also don't rinse much out and keep it a little oily. It's the oily layer that dulls it.
There are fabric softeners without perfume. I would probably recommend using that so you don't get a headache or respiratory issues from the amount of perfume.
Edited to add that you could always rinse out the wig after it's been de-tangled.
Love the vids Sarah!
Personally dont use the fabric softener tip but do love to wash and detangle old wigs with plain old baby shampoo and water (1:1) mix, soak for a couple hours and hang to dry!
Not perfect but cheap, efficient, and always smells so nice!
If I have bad tangles in my wigs (the ones that don't really fit me anyways) I use a product called "Mane n' Tail Detangler." It works VERY well.
i usually wash my older wigs in fabric softener(mine doesnt have a strong smell and is cheap)
it feels cleaner after i wore them outside, in rain or whatever and gets the hairgluespray out of the wigs well for a fresh styling with better skills
i have about 25 wigs and wash them all together in the bathtub
I’ve only ever done this method on a cheap wig once to remove the shine & didn’t really feel like it did a whole lot if I’m being honest apart from making it smell nice & being slightly softer.
I’ve become a bit of a wig detangling pro at this point & majority of the time I just section the wig into small sections, use a wide tooth comb & my holy grail product: mane n tail detangling spray! I then use a hair straightener to remove any frizz & then I’ll sometimes also use motions oil Sheen spray to help prevent it tangling too much in future. I do sometimes pre-wash my wigs before this stage (I just use baby shampoo, let it sit for 30mins, rinse then let it dry overnight) and this does sometimes help with the detangling but I mostly just do this to remove sweat, hairspray etc rather than it being a necessity!
Thanks for the Bobby pin tip! I usually use one of those t-pins 😂
Ok while you were interviewing Vickie I was just mesmerized by how your headphones' lights sync to the audio coming through them. Imma need to know where you got them bc my adhd brain wants them very badly owo
I didnt even notice they did that lol, theyre the logitech KDA ones.
So a lot of wigs come pre treated with anti-Tangle solution when theyre straight out of the bag! Thats why its a good idea for stylists to wash before use. So your control group isnt 100% a control group bc its also been treated. Dunking a wig in water also loosens us the fibers so it will be more prone to shedding. The best advice i got for detangling was to use a silicone based wig spray meant for synthetic weaves and extensions
There’s two mistakes that I saw right off: when using a cheap fabric softener, it is only ever about 1/3 to 1/2 as affective as a good one so you would have to use three times as much as you did used to get the effect of a better fabric softener. Also if it had been a good fabric softener, you still didn’t use enough, so you still need to use more fabric softener.
I mix the fabric softener and a little water and put it in a spray bottle and use it like I use my regular de-tangler in my own hair instead of fully soaking it. It works just like hair conditioner, to coat the strands to make the hair slicker. The only time I ha e seen it dull the shine is on super cheap and shiny wigs and even then it just knocked the shine down some.
I've used it on really cheap shiny wigs back in the days and kinda worked for the shinyness, detangling not so sure as it wasnt really my goal. To this day I still soak them all in fabric softner when I want to wash them. Smell nice, feel softer. For tangling prevention I use Horse Mane products 😂 I do It as soon as they come out of the plastic bag and they tangle but came undone really fast
For shine and tangle control, good (not dollar store) fabric softener works best to get a Halloween/Party wig to look a little more like a cosplay wig. As to detangling, it is not really necessary for regular wear tangling. Where fabric softener really shines is removing back-combing and perma-tease with a lot of product (especially with drag wigs). Boil the wig, remove from heat, add fabric softener, stir, and leave overnight. Pat dry a little with a soft towel and gently detangle without rinsing while mostly wet. When fully detangled, rinse very well. You can use a gentle wig shampoo if desired. Hang to dry then spray with wig detangler and style as usual.
My understanding of why fabric softener started being used on wigs from back in the day was because it's basically the same as wig shampoo... But wig shampoo was like £30-£50 for a tiny bottle minimum back in the early to mid 2000's... Whereas, you probably bought fabric softener anyway, or you could get a litre+ bottle for like £3-£5 from the supermarket... And we used washing up liquid just as often as fabric softener, which was usually even cheaper... So for a bunch of teenagers, that was more affordable.
I think the "it makes it less shiny" is because it does on party city/smiffy's polyester wigs which are truly awful. But they were all most of us could afford or get hold of easily 20 years ago. It does make them a bit less crispy. But not super soft or owt. And maybe people moving from those to kanekelon wigs when they started becoming available/affordable were used to using fabric softener on their old wigs and assumed that the difference it made transferred over?
I mainly still use it because of habit from not buying separate wig shampoo because I have loads of allergies and know I don't react to the (unscented, hypoallergenic, plant-based) fabric softener/washing up liquid we use anyway. Whereas wig shampoo is a chemical minefield I do not wish to tread on.
And the "it tangles less" a) long soaking badly tangled wigs makes a little difference to fibre loss and b) if you wash your wig and detangle it wet, it's easier to detangle with wig shampoo, fabric softener, or washing up liquid... But I've never found much difference in dry brushing tbh. So just making the wig wet and using a tangle teaser brush/comb might work just as well without anything else added?
I dunno, I've mainly just used it because I used to get a lot of facepaint/makeup in my wigs. And when I reuse a wig, getting the hairspray/gel/PVA glue out of it required something more than water (usually that's when washing up liquid was better though). It feels like some of the later claims were more exaggerated and about it being an "exciting new lifehack" for content/clout/clickbait than any massive difference though?
But we used it purely because it was cheaper than wig shampoo. And tbh, I know a lot of folks just used their own shampoo on their wigs (and still do) for the same reasons, or because they prefer the smell of it. Some people use fabreeze or a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water (only if you haven't dyed the wig obvs). Sometimes you do need to wash a wig. But there's no 1 true, right way. Just what works for you.
Hello great video! I have tried fabric softener on my synthetic wigs in the past and it makes the wig bouncy for weeks, plus a nice smell. I don’t use fabric softener anymore because I find wig shampoo and conditioner does just as great a job and it’s made for wigs. Have you ever tried boiling your synthetic wig to remove ratty or frayed hair? I do! It really straightens softens the wig back to almost new looking and feel. Lots of bounce too. This method has save my wigs for years. You can Google how to boil your synthetic wigs if you’re interested.
Best 😍
I'm allergic to fabric softener so I've always been scared to try this. Glad to know there are other options!
I’ve used this method on doll wigs (American Girl in particular), and with warm water and brushing, it definitely smoothed and helps vastly in detangling my childhood doll’s hair.
It works wonders on barbie dolls too
In my opinion since I would need to tease and crimp my wig, and basically the way the Fabric softener helping to "tangle the wig" is helping me have the volume I want.
The reason why it might de-shine a wig if it's made of the right material is because all fabric softener does is add a thin coat of wax over everything.
I think that means any light that will hit the wig will have to go through a layer of wax that will make it appear more matte due to the nature of wax being more matte usually.
It most likely depends on the brand of fabric softener too, cause I would assume different brands have differing levels of wax content.
I live with my family who do laundry constantly because my dad does a very physical job and goes through his clothes like crazy. Due to that, I always felt guilty for using our fabric softener just to wash wigs when I personally didn’t even see a difference if I just wanted to wash off some grime and make the wig smell good. I’m a bit sensitive to smells so I sometimes don’t like the smell of out of the bag wigs and I also purchase a lot of wigs from friends and the wigs obviously smell like their house. So I’m glad the fabric softener thing seems like it’s just a hit or miss kind of thing. Even more so when my family stopped using fabric softener lol. Plus let’s be real… I absolutely don’t have the energy to soak a wig and do all that 😂
3:16 i think that the type of fiber should be considered. cosplay hair won't be the same as beauty supply quality wigs
THIS WAS THE LAST CROSSOVER I THOUGHT ID EVER EXPECT BUT IM SO HAPPY EEEK TWO OF MY FAV UA-camRS FROM DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE UNIVERSE
I remember a few years ago when I was first starting cosplay I bought a horribly cheap (6€ or something, I couldn't afford a good one at the time and was desperate) blue pre crimped wig with short straight bangs on ebay. It looked workable on the photos and close to what I needed (was terrified of cutting a wig myself so it had to be the correct length out the box), but I was absolutely devastated at the quality and especially the halloween wig classic SHINE of it when it arrived. Taking the L and getting another one wasn't an option though since the event it was for was about 3 days away at that point. So I took to UA-cam for any type of guidance on what to do and found two things: the overnight fabric softener bath and ungodly amounts of baby powder.
The bonus of having a really bad wig that you already hate is that you're not afraid to mess it up! So I did the bath overnight, let it dry laying on a towel for a day and a night and then when it was the evening before the day I had to wear it I brushed about 1/3 of the fibers out of the wig. The hairs were just falling off with the slightest tug, and with how harshly crimped it was before the bath I was going to get SOME tug on it no matter how careful I was. And afterwards it was still shiny (granted, not as bad as before, but still halloween store level), great. But after that I baby powdered the hell out of it as a last hail Mary. It was so, so messy. I still cleaned baby powder out of the corners and cabinets of the bathroom half a year later. But it worked? Kind of? The process was getting it in all the crevices of the wig, then carefully shaking it off and using what fell off to powder the shiny parts again. Did that about three times before I styled the wig to be in it's final shape (with lots of baby powder there as well in addition to the hairspray). Had to cover some annoying new bald spots during that, but I actually didn't hate the final product? It wasn't shiny anymore, the shedding got rid of a lot of the excessive bulk and the shake off + hairspray combo made sure that I didn't look like the Dandruff Guy during the whole day despite wearing a black pullover. I actually still have the wig! For the transit back home I had to take off the wig and put it in my bag because I wasn't allowed to wear a full face mask on public transportation and it was secured under the wig. Tossed it in a box once I was back home but recently decided to restyle it back into shape and it was surprisingly easy, so I guess the baby powder was still putting in work years later.
So when they say these hacks are for CHEAP wigs, I dare say I tested the worst case scenario back then with both bad (fabric softener bath) and good (baby powder) results. Was it worth the mess and effort in the end? Yes, maybe. Would I recommend just getting a decent cheap wig from a more reputable source instead and skipping the wig hack altogether? Also yes, PLEASE.
Great learning experience though 👍
I did this (the 24h not rinsed version) to one of my wigs that was around party city levels of cheap and it turned out way less shinny (and far softer) than before, I'm talking leagues better. So I guess that this is a hack mostly for super cheap looking wigs and not ones that already aren't as plasticy