Why Your Wig Doesn't Look Like the Photo (and the 3 Steps That Fix It)

If you have ever opened a wig parcel, put the wig on, looked in the mirror and thought that is not what I ordered, you are in good company. It's the most common complaint in the whole wig category, and it is behind more one-star reviews than poor quality or slow shipping.

Usually, though, the wig you received is the wig in the photo. What the photo leaves out is the half hour of work that happened between the bag and the camera. This guide covers what that work is and how to do it yourself.

Why the photo and the parcel look different

• It has been squashed flat for weeks. A wig ships folded inside a hairnet and a small bag. Curls get crushed, waves go limp, and the crown flattens. None of that is permanent, but it is what you see first.
• The model's wig was styled. Before a wig is photographed, somebody separates the curls by hand, trims the fringe to the model's face, and sets the part.
• The hairline was finished. On a lace front, the lace is usually tinted with a little foundation or concealer to match the model's skin, and the edges are pressed down. Straight from the bag, lace can look lighter than your scalp.
• It was fitted to her head. The wig was placed on a wig cap, set at the right height on the forehead, and the straps were adjusted. A wig sitting too far back or too far forward looks wrong even when nothing is wrong with it.
• Lighting and editing. Studio light flatters every fibre. Phone light in a bathroom does not.

Satisfied wig buyers and disappointed ones often describe exactly the same product. The difference is that the satisfied ones did these steps, usually because somebody told them to.

We'll be straight with you too: most product photos in our shop come from our suppliers, so they are styled photos as well. That's why we wrote this.

Step 1: Shake it out and let it breathe (10 minutes, then overnight)

1. Take the wig out of the hairnet and hold it upside down by the nape. Shake it gently for about 30 seconds.
2. Turn it right side up and run your fingers through it. On curly styles, use your fingers, not a brush. A brush turns synthetic curls into frizz.
3. If it still looks flat, mist it lightly with cool water and let it dry on a wig stand, a mannequin head, or even a tall jar. Most of the shape comes back overnight.
4. Only use heat if the product page says the fibre is heat-friendly. Standard synthetic fibre can melt or frizz under a hair dryer, straightener or steamer. Human hair can be heat-styled like your own.

Step 2: Fit it properly (5 minutes)

1. Wear a wig cap. It flattens your own hair (or protects a bare scalp), stops the wig sliding, and gives it an even base. A mesh cap is the most breathable option.
2. Find the right height. The front edge of the wig should sit about where your natural hairline is, roughly four finger-widths above your eyebrows. Most beginners wear a wig too far back.
3. Adjust the straps inside the nape so it feels snug but not tight. If you get a headache within the hour, it's too tight.
4. Check the ear tabs sit in front of your ears and the wig is centred. Look in a mirror straight on, then from the side.

Not sure about sizing? Our Fit Guide walks through measuring your head.

Step 3: Finish it to your face (10 to 15 minutes)

• Separate the curls. Take each curl and gently split it into two or three with your fingers. This is the single biggest difference between a wig that looks like a helmet and a wig that looks like hair.
• Trim the fringe a little at a time. Bangs on a new wig are cut long on purpose so they can be fitted to your face. Cut a few millimetres, check, and cut again. You can always take more off; you can't put it back.
• Tint the lace (lace fronts only). Dab a little foundation or concealer that matches your scalp onto the inside of the lace with a sponge. Lace that matches your skin is what makes a hairline look natural.
• Set the part. Run a pintail or fine-tooth comb along where you want it to fall and press it flat with your fingers.
• Thin out shine if it bothers you. Brand-new synthetic fibre can look glossy. A light dusting of dry shampoo or translucent powder takes the shine down.

What's normal, and what's actually wrong

Normal for a new wig: flat or crushed curls, a fringe that's too long, lace lighter than your skin, a slight factory smell, a few loose fibres the first time you comb it.

Not normal, so contact us: a different colour or length from the one you ordered, a torn cap or lace, bald patches in the wefts, or fibres coming out in clumps after you've shaken it out.

If you're not sure which one you're looking at, take a photo and send it to us through Ask Us Anything. We'll tell you honestly.

If this is your first wig

Start with something forgiving. A wig with no lace and no glue takes far less finishing work, so the gap between the bag and the mirror is smaller. Our Start Here collection is five styles picked for exactly that, including the Curly Headband Wig (No Lace, No Glue) and the Short Curly Bob.

Still choosing between fibres? Read Synthetic vs Human Hair for Hair Loss. Wondering what lace front actually means? See Cap Construction Explained.

The short version

1. Shake it out and let it rest overnight.
2. Fit it on a wig cap, at your natural hairline.
3. Finish it: separate curls, trim the fringe slowly, tint the lace.

The wig in the photo went through those three steps. Do them yourself and yours will look like the photo too.