Dye a Synthetic Wig
Have you ever had problems with not being able to find the perfect shade of hair color for a character you're dressing up as? If you have encountered problems with the color of a synthetic wig, this article can help you solve the problem with a bit of D.I.Y.
Steps
- Gather the Things You'll Need, listed below. Where you can get the materials: Most Art or Craft shops would carry the COPIC line as these are quite popular with artists. They come in a REALLY wide range of colors, so you do not have to worry about not being able to get a shade you want. A bottle of these would only cost about 6USD. Surgical Latex Gloves can be found at most pharmacies.
- Change into your old clothing, in case of staining.
- Find a well-ventilated but not excessively windy workspace.
- Lay newspapers on the working surfaces of your furniture and floor. (E.g. Tables, chairs, sinks, etc)
- Set up your Wig Stand on a dry, newspaper-covered, flat and stable place.
- Place your Wig on the Stand.
- Put on your Gloves and Mask.
- Squeeze about 5ml of Blue Marker Ink onto a dish.
- Lightly dip one flat EDGE of the sponge into the ink, making sure that it has soaked up a moderate amount. The entire edge should have absorbed the ink BUT it should NOT drip.
- Lift an approximate 2"(5cm) width of hair starting directly from the root of the parting with the forefinger and middle finger of your less dominant hand.
- You should only be holding a thin top layer of the hair. Work in small portions.
- Picture this: Pretend your fingers are scissors and you have to cut the hair. You will quite naturally position your 2 fingers parallel to your lips.
- Place the inked sponge edge at the roots, above where you are holding and slowly slide both the sponge and your fingers TOWARDS yourself.
- As you reach the end of the hair length, gently curl your wrist AWAY from you with your thumb gradually facing the floor while maintaining the position of your fingers.
- The back of your hand is now facing you, and that works like a support for the sponge to color all the way to the tips.
- Repeat throughout the entire wig.
- Clip up the completed portions, so that they do not obstruct wherever you are working with at the moment.
- It is best to revolve the wig stand, so that the portions you are working on face you, rather than you climbing all over the place to reach an uncolored spot.
- Squeeze more ink as you need along the way. Do not leave the ink lying on the dish as it dries out very quickly.
- Take the other clean sponge and a new dish.
- Use the Darker Blue ink to give the hair 'low lights'. Go over the Blue with the Darker Blue in some underlying layers of the hair or streak the fringe and sides.
- This is to create some depth, so that your wig will not look like a pile of flat colored plastic.
- Use the Darker Blue sparingly.
- Follow the same technique so as not to overdo it.
- The ink should dry quite quickly. Brush out any clumps or tangles in the wig gently after it is dry.
- Leave the wig out to air for 2 to 3 days. This removes the smell of the marker ink.
- Dispose of used materials according to your area rules.
Tips
- Always work in thin layers each time to achieve even coloring.
- The wig will become slightly tougher to the touch due to the ink. This is natural, do not panic.
- Color rules apply. If you have a bright yellow wig and you want it blue, you would either have to turn it a Dark Navy Blue or your wig will end up Sea Green.
- To prevent cross contamination of colors, use as many sponges as the number of colors you are applying to your wig.
- Hand-wash the wig after use, using shampoo to gently 'massage' any wax or styling spray from the wig. Swish your wig in a large pail of water to remove the shampoo suds and pat it dry with a towel.
- The wig will also smell of the ink, but this is not a long-term issue. The smell wears off in 2-3 days if left out to air.
- It works best when coloring a wig from scratch. E.g. Starting with a White, Pearl, Silver or Platinum Blonde Wig. This hardly contaminates the new color and you will get a more ideal colored wig that is more true to the color of the Ink you bought.
- Bring your wig along and test the color directly on your wig before buying the right ink. Do so in the back of the wig near the roots so as not to ruin your wig. you can also cut a small strip of hair from the back/somewhere discreet and bring it along to test color.
- When working with an already colored wig, read up on creating depth with either a dark grey or a darker shade of the same color.
Warnings
- Make sure the wig is free of grease or any other hair products. This might hinder even coloring.
- If you have yet to CUT a wig, do so BEFORE you color it.
- This is an Irreversible process. Do every step slowly and with care.
- If you have yet to STYLE a wig, do so AFTER you color it.
- This 'How-To' targets wigs that are NOT originally Solid Black or too dark of a Brown as the method involves color manipulating via adding-on of color. You CANNOT turn a wig into a Lighter color than its Original color.
- Dyed Wigs may leave stains when dry. This depends on the plastic the wig is made of - some stays, some stains. So be careful.
- COPIC inks are alcohol based and hence prolonged exposure to its smell is not encouraged. Always work in a well-ventilated area.
- If you Feel Nauseous, stop use for the time being and consult a medical professional.
- If you accidentally stain any skin with the marker ink, immediately remove with the stain with nail polish remover and rinse with water.
Things You'll Need
- 1 Light colored wig for dying
- 1 COPIC Marker Refill Ink in desired color
- 1 COPIC Marker Refill Ink in desired highlighting color
- 2 Squared / Rectangular Sponges, (any will do, as long as it has a flat edge)
- A pair of surgical (latex or rubber) gloves
- A surgical mask
- Hair clips
- Wig Stand
- Old Newspapers
- Old unwanted clothes
- A Small Flat Dish/Tray for the dye
- Nail Polish Remover
- A flat plastic comb
