Before Buying Human Hair Wigs: 6 Things to Guide You

Hi there! You’re probably on a quest to purchase a quality human hair wig.

However, before you spend a considerable amount of money to buy human hair wigs online, you need this ultimate guide.

Are you wondering why? I’ll tell you.

There is a lot of fake hair out there, and it’s easier to sell them to someone who knows nothing or just little about human hair wigs.

Experience does not have to be your teacher on human hair wigs; this post can be an excellent, no-loss-related teacher.

This post will guide you through six important aspects of buying human hair wigs namely:

• Types of virgin human hair wigs

• Terms related to human hair wigs

• Where to buy human hair wig online in Nigeria
• Tips on buying human hair wigs online
• Frequently asked questions about human hair wigs
• Human hair wigs maintenance tips

Let’s start by answering an often overlooked, important question.

What are Human Hair Wigs?

Generally, wigs are hair accessories worn as a covering on the head. They can be made from different types of hair – artificial or natural.

For human hair wigs: The hair wigged for wearing is raw and unprocessed. It is gotten from hair donors with long and healthy hair.

Hence, wearing a human hair wig is like putting on real, natural hair. The only difference is that it did not grow from your scalp.

There are several good reasons for wearing wigs, and they are mentioned in this post as pros of wearing wigs.

Human hair wigs are preferred to synthetic wigs by many individuals because they are long-lasting.

Some human hair wigs come with as long as an 8-years guarantee. A very worthy investment if you ask me.

Many also prefer human hair because they are versatile and can be styled in various ways.

If you ever get bored of how they look, you can always switch up their look by dyeing them to a different color, curling/ straightening them, or bleaching them.

If these or any similar reasons have moved you to decide to buy a human hair wig, you’ve made a great decision.

Read on to explore the different types of human hair to help you make a more informed decision.

Types of Virgin Human Hair Wig

Human hair wigs sold in the hair industry today are mainly from China, India, Indonesia, Europe, Brazil, and Peru.

Hair from each source has its distinct characteristics.

1. Chinese Hair

Hair from China is mostly straight. Unprocessed, the hair is very thick and coarse.

Only after processing does it become usable for hair extensions or wigs.

Hence, Chinese hair does not come as Virgin hair.

2. European Hair

European hair has high quality and can be used without any chemical processing.

It looks shiny and has a texture that blends easily with other hair textures.

Real hair from Europe is generally expensive because there are fewer hair donors from Europe.

3. Indian Hair

Human hair wigs from India have a nice texture that can blend easily with other hair types.

Because there are many hair donors from India, Indian hair is more available and less expensive than European hair.

It can be styled easily and responds favorably to chemical processes like dyeing and bleaching.

4. Indonesian Hair

Raw Indonesian hair comes very thick and full. Despite this, it is soft when touched and blends easily.

Because of its full, natural appearance, few bundles would be sufficient to give a full, natural look when fixed.

It has a medium luster. It does not look too shiny, nor does it have a dull look.

Like hair from many other sources, it may be straight or wavy.

5. Brazilian Hair

Brazilian hair is a must-have for a lot of people.

It is highly desired because it has combined characteristics of an ideal human hair. It is durable, soft, and voluminous.

Because of its thick volume, fewer bundles are needed to create a full look. Its average amount of shine also gives it a very natural look.

Compared to other hair sources, hair from Brazil is less prone to frizz despite its thick nature.

It also holds curls more readily and can be styled in various ways.

6. Peruvian Hair

Peruvian hair is perfect for those who love light-weight hair.

It is so light in weight that you can fix about six bundles, and your head would not feel heavy at all.

Peruvian hair does not have the amount of shine that makes it look synthetic.

instead, its low to medium luster gives it a very natural vibe. It blends excellently with relaxed hair.

7. Malaysian Hair

Malaysian hair is another excellent virgin hair type.

It is easy to maintain even without plenty of hair products. It holds curls excellently and has a sleek nature.

Malaysian hair has a typical dark-brown color which may be dyed to other colors as desired.

Terms Related to Human Hair Wigs

When buying human hair wigs, there are terms that you cannot but come across. You should get familiar with them first, so you do not appear a novice. The following are terms related to human hair wigs:

1. Lace Closure

Lace closures are used for wigs these days. Almost no one opts for the usual sew-in method to close wigs anymore.

Closures are ready-made hairpieces that are fixed to create a natural parting of the hair. Closures create the illusion that the hair is growing out of your natural scalp.

Closures are either lace or silk-based. Lace closures create the most natural look.

Closures can also be categorized based on styling. There’s the free part closure, middle part closure, and three-part closure.

2. Frontals

A frontal is like a wider closure. It’s a readymade hairpiece fixed from ear to ear such that there’s a natural parting wherever you part it in front.

They are more expensive than closures but are more versatile. They also look more natural – as long as they are properly installed.

A human hair wig made with frontal is called a Lace front wig.

3. 360 Lace Wig

This is a type of closure that, as the name implies, runs through the entire hairline (like 360 degrees).

The wig cap covers only a small part in the middle of the wig; everything else is made of lace closure.

It’s the most versatile type of wig, offering the user the opportunity to part the hair anywhere at all and style it in various ways.

It is very nice for ponytails, leaving beautiful edges everywhere, even for the back hair.

4. Body Wave Hair

Body wave hair is a type of hair pattern that is neither curly nor straight. It looks like very loose curls, forming a consistent ‘S’ pattern.

A close pattern is the loose wavy hair type that has tighter waves.

Both are beautiful hair patterns for human hair wigs combining the benefits of both straight wigs and curly wigs.

5. Full Lace Wig

A full lace wig is made entirely of lace with individual hair strands looped in. No wig cap, it’s the lace material all through.

Usually, this lace material matches your scalp, so you can insert a part anywhere on your wig.

Full lace wigs are so versatile that they can be styled into braids or cornrows.

6. Single Drawn Hair

Single drawn, double drawn, and super double drawn are terms used to describe human hair based on its density. So what’s single-drawn hair?

Single. Drawn. Drawn just once.

A human hair wig is called single drawn when all of the hair has been gotten from a single donor and then sewn in a weft – without any styling process. Hence, the hair ends are thinner and unequal, like our natural hair.

Single-drawn hair is less expensive than double drawn due to the absence of processing cost.

7. Double Drawn Hair

Double. Drawn. First drawn, then drawn again.

A hair is double drawn when it has been first drawn from donors and then drawn again to remove the shorter hair strands before sewing it to a weft. Hence, double-drawn hair has equal hair ends.

Unlike single drawn, where the top is full, and the hair ends are thinner, double drawn hair is full from root to end.

Equal and full hair ends are characteristics of double-drawn hair.

As you can expect, it is more expensive than single drawn hair.

8. Super Double Drawn Hair

There’s also super double-drawn hair where the hair ends have been properly processed such that they are even fuller than the roots.

It’s the most expensive when categorizing human hair based on density.

Where to Buy Human Hair Wig Online in Nigeria

1. Hairporium.com

Hairporium was formerly known as Humanhairnigeria. It is a nice store for purchasing quality human hair in Nigeria.

Their website is easy to navigate as you get pictures of available human hair and prices right on their landing page.

They also have nice online reviews from past customers, giving a reason to be trusted. Fast delivery is a pro for this store as they claim 24-hour delivery speed.

Their products are classified, so you can choose to buy either virgin human hair, Remy hair, or non-Remy hair depending on your budget.

2. Hair.com.ng

This online store sells nice human hair wigs in both retail and wholesale. You’ll find pleasing online reviews for them.

One great thing is that they offer free shipping and a 5% discount when you order for items totaling $200 and above.

Their site is also easy to navigate, and you’ll find a variety of human hair bundles and wigs clearly labeled.

3. Bibohair.com

Bibohair is a Vietnam-based company that sells 100% unprocessed virgin human hair in Nigeria.

You can order your human hair wigs and get them delivered to you anywhere in Nigeria.

They have shipping partners that ease the delivery, or you could use the service of shipping agents.

Bibohair sells closures and frontals, and other hair extensions at reasonable prices.

4. Jumia.ng

Jumia is an online shopping store that sells a variety of items — including human hair wigs.

You’ll find different types of wigs under their human hair wig category.

Ensure to check the description clearly and price comparison before ordering human hair wigs on Jumia.

5. Hairlo Collection

Hairlo collection is a brand that sells 100% human hair at one of the affordable prices you’ll get around.

Hairlo has a reputation for selling only human hair, not blend or synthetic. Hence, it’s a nice stop for shopping human hair wigs in Nigeria!

Tips on Buying Human Hair Wigs Online

Buying human hair wigs online can be risky because you cannot see or touch the wig to know if it is real human hair.

These tips will help you get the best out of shopping for human hair wigs online:

1. Compare Prices

It is a fact that human hair is expensive.

Human hair should be expensive. Human hair is not cheap. If you see a price too good to be genuinely attached to a human hair piece, that’s some reason to have second thoughts.

But how do you know when a price is too good to be true, especially if you are not familiar with hair prices?

Apply this first tip – compare prices. After confirming the price of a particular type of human hair wig at a certain store, check for the price on other hair stores. If you find a price difference that is too high, there’s a high chance you’re about to get synthetic hair instead of human hair.

Also, think twice before jumping at very high sale discounts. For example, it might be a chance for hair vendors to sell human hair blends in the guise of human hair.

2. Get Details from Supplier

Before you make payment for any hair online, you should get as many details as you can.

As long as the supplier does not have anything to hide, providing you with all the details you need – even before you ask – should not be a problem.

Ask for things such as where the hair is being imported from and what type of human hair it is. Indian, Chinese, Malaysian, Peruvian, or Indonesian – you should know exactly what you’re getting.

Another tip is to ask the supplier how the hair can be bleached. Ideally, human hair wigs can be easily bleached while synthetic hair cannot.

You should also get live pictures of the exact hair you’re buying, not just a random online image. 

3. Use Online Reviews

Online reviews are like a list of past experiences of others who have visited where you are visiting.

Making good use of them will help you decide whether or not you can trust a particular online store to deliver real human hair wigs.

If you find bad reviews that lead you to conclude that you cannot trust a hair store, it is better not to shop from them.

Simply put, learn from the mistakes (or good experiences) of other buyers.

Asides from online reviews, you should also carry out proper brand research and not purchase from just any store that comes your way.

It may seem unnecessary, but trust me, it is worth the stress.

Frequently Asked Questions about Human Hair Wigs

1. How long can a human hair wig last?

Human hair wigs last way longer than synthetic wigs. A real human hair wig lasts up to a minimum of 2 years with proper maintenance.

As mentioned earlier in this post, some human hair wigs can last up to eight years. This makes them a very worthy investment.

2. How can you tell if a human hair wig is real?

A common way of telling if a human hair wig is made from real human hair is to carry out the burning test.

To do this, cut a hair strand from the wig and light it up using a matchstick or firelighter.

If the hair strand burns easily and gives us whitish, clear smoke, it is real human hair.

However, if it melts slowly like rubber and gives off black smoke, it is synthetic. Easy peasy.

There are other ways you can tell human hair from synthetic, and they are discussed in this post.

3. How do you store human hair wigs?

The best way to store a human hair wig is to place it on a wig stand. This will help it maintain its style and shape.

You can cover it with a satin or silk material to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating on it.

If you do not have a wig stand, you may keep your wig in a satin/silk bag or a shoebox – or get a wig stand.

4. How do I wash my human hair wig?

Prepare lukewarm water and add shampoo. Gently dip your human hair wig in it and leave for a few seconds.

Bring the wig out and dip in the water again. Do this until the wig looks clean. By the way, if the wig is very dirty, you might have to change the water while washing. Apply conditioner and rinse.

Do not squeeze out water. Place it on a wig stand and blow-dry.

5. Can you use regular products on human hair wigs?

There are conditioners specially made for human hair wigs, and it is recommended that you use these to maintain your wig.

However, you may use regular shampoos to wash your human hair wigs, as long as they do not contain sulfates. It is better to use products specially made for human hair wigs for your human hair wig.

6. What is the Best Wig Color?

Wig color choice is majorly a matter of preference.

Although, for your first few wigs, it is better that you choose a natural color like black or brown so you don’t go wrong.

You can experiment with other colors later, except if you are 100% sure that a certain bright color will look good on you.

Pictures and hair color charts can help you make the right wig color choice.

7. How can I make my wig Look More Natural?

Opt for wigs with lace front and monofilament features.

They perfectly create the illusion that the hair is growing out of your scalp.

Wearing wigs with natural colors also helps because bright colors make it obvious that you are wearing a wig.

8. Can I Swim With a Human Hair Wig?

This is not advisable.

Pool water contains chemical contaminants that can dry out your wig.

Apart from that, human hair wigs look flat when in water so you are risking your hair’s full, bouncy look if you jump in a pool with it.

Pool water is also likely to make your wig tangled and that will affect how long it should last.

9. Is it Cheaper to Buy a Human Hair Wig or Human Hair Bundle?

Human hair bundles are usually cheaper but you still have to pay to get them wigged.  

And if you are getting an expert’s help for this, as you should, the wigging fee plus the price of the bundle might end up within the range of a human hair wig price.

If you opt for a cheaper option to wig the bundles, you might end up ruining the hair and that will be terrible.

You’d have to pay to repair the hair or even get a new one.

Therefore, except if you are an expert at wigging yourself, it pays to buy human hair wigs.

10. What is the Average Cost of a Human Hair Wig?

According to allure.com, quality human hair wigs range between $400 to $2000. Prices differ between lace front wigs, full lace wigs, and custom wigs.

There are also grades to human hair and the higher the grade, the higher the price.

11. Can I Style my Human Hair Wig Without Heat?

Yes. Heat styling is not the only option to style a human hair wig.

Styling your straight human hair wig can be as easy as applying a leave-in product, braiding it, and loosening the braids after a while.

The result?

Very nice waves or curls, depending on the braids.

To style a curly human hair wig without heat, you can roll the hair on perm rods of a size different from the present curls. You’ll get new curls after unraveling the hair.

Always remember to apply a hair spray to hold your style.

Human Hair Wigs Maintenance Tips

1.    Storage

Whenever your wig is not on your head, it should be on a mannequin or a wig stand. Not wrapped in a nylon bag or crumbled somewhere in your wardrobe.

Keeping it on a wig stand or mannequin will help the wig to maintain its shape.

You can then cover it with a satin/silk material to protect it from dust.

Ensure that you do not keep your wig close to a heat source or in a wet area.

You know what they say about storing drugs? Keep in a cool, dry place.

Follow the same principle when choosing where to place your wig.

2.    Washing

Aside from knowing how to wash your wig, There are two other important things to know about wig washing.

One is how often it should be washed and the other is what it should be washed with.

Human hair wigs should be washed at most twice a month.

If you wash your wig more often than that, you are shortening its life span.

If you do not wear your wig regularly, you should wash it less often. That will increase its chances of lasting long.

Human hair wigs should be washed with shampoos and conditioners that do not contain sulfates.

Sulfates dry out the hair and sadly, wigs do not get a regular supply of moisture. Washing with just any shampoo will make your human hair wig dry and dull.

Instead, get a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner.

3.    Product Use

Only lightweight products should be used on your human hair wig.

Using heavy products will leave the wig flat and greasy.

It will also make it necessary for you to wash the wig often and remember, regular washing will reduce its lifespan.

Examples of lightweight products to use for your human hair wigs are hair serums and conditioning oils that contain argan oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, or olive oil.

When applying them to your wig, use as little as possible.

Do not overwhelm your wig with a large quantity of product.

4.    Heat Styling

One of the advantages of human hair wigs over synthetic is that they can be heat-styled.

While that is true, you should still be careful when heat-styling human hair wigs.

Do not make the mistake of using heat tools on your wig when it is wet. This is because, in a wet state, hair is weak and easy to damage. So let it dry first.

Then, only professional heat tools should be used.

It is better to choose a heat tool that allows you to control the temperature. That way, you can increase or decrease the heat as necessary.

Also, you should not overdo it. Heat styling your wig every day will reduce its lifespan. Opt for heatless styling options regularly.

And do not forget the number one rule of heat styling, always use a heat protectant. You can use any of these as heat protectants for your human hair wigs.

5.    Tool Use

To successfully style your human hair wig in a variety while still maintaining it, you must use the necessary tools.

To straighten a curly or wavy human hair wig, use a flat iron.

To curl or create waves in a straight human hair wig, use a curling iron or curling wand. But before you jump right at it, learn how to use a curling iron and a flat iron.

How to Use Curling Irons

• Part out a small hair section. You might want to start from the back for ease.
• Turn on curling iron and adjust the temperature
• Wrap hair section around the curling iron starting from root to tip
• Keep it in that position for a few seconds and then release the hair
• You may run your fingers through to flatten curls a little
• Repeat process for each hair section to curl hair all through
• Apply hair spray for extra hold.

 How to Use Flat Irons

• Part out a small hair section. You may start from the back for ease.
• Ensure that it is thoroughly detangled.
• Plug the hair straightener and leave for a few minutes to heat up. How long you have to wait will be determined by the type of straightener you use. Generally, it should be less than 5 minutes.
• Place the hair section in the middle of the straightener, close, and straighten it out.
• Part out another hair section and repeat the process until the entire hair is straight.
• Comb and apply a hair spray to add shine.

When using either tool on your wig, you should avoid the roots of the wig; the part closer to the wig cap.

6.    Wig Use

How you use your wig also matters. You should not wear your human hair wig every day. That’s overuse and overused hair will not last long.

Using your wig every day affects the wig cap, in a bad way.

Everyday use would also mean frequent washes and that will ruin your wig.

If you need to wear wigs every day, you should get more than one.

That way, you can let one rest while using the other and then switch roles again.

7.     Professional Help

Whenever you need to make serious changes to your wigs like coloring or cut-styling them, it is best to get professional help.

Your human hair wig cannot grow back or restore itself if you lose part of the hair while styling it. So do not take that risk.

Go to an expert for help; it is important if you want your wig to last long.

Final Thoughts

Human hair wigs are indeed a worthy investment. You can use them for a very long time and style them differently.

Doubtless, reading this post to an end has made you more familiar with human hair.

You are fully equipped to shop for human hair – at least better than you were before you read.

Keep in mind the types of human hair you’ve learned, the practical tips for online shopping, and the tips for storing and washing human hair wigs.

Then stop by at any of the listed human hair stores, and you can be sure to have not just an exciting shopping experience but also a wonderful experience using your human hair wig!