Have you ever had a hard time finding the perfect hair color for a character you want to dress up as? If the color of a specific wig is not the right one, this article will help you solve the problem with a little DIY.
Steps
Step 1. See the section at the bottom of the page to find out what materials you will need
You can find Copic colors in most art and home improvement stores as they are quite popular with artists. The line includes a huge variety of colors, so you don't have to worry about not finding the shade you want. A bottle of each ink will cost around € 5. Latex gloves can be found in most drugstores.
Step 2. Put on some old clothes in case you get stained while working
Step 3. Find a work space that is well ventilated but without too strong drafts
Step 4. Place newspapers on your work surface and also on the floor
Step 5. Place the wig stand on a flat, stable, dry and newspaper covered surface
Step 6. Put the wig on the stand
Step 7. Put on gloves and a mask
Step 8. Squeeze the blue marker to pour about 5ml of blue color onto a plate
Step 9. Lightly dip a flat edge of the sponge into the ink, making sure it has absorbed a moderate amount
The entire edge should have absorbed the ink but shouldn't drip.
Step 10. Lift a strand of hair about 5 cm wide, grabbing it at the roots with the index and middle fingers of your non-dominant hand
Step 11. You should only keep a thin strand of hair
Start at the top of the hair, working in small strands.
Step 12. Imagine this:
pretend your fingers are scissors and you need to cut your hair. Insert the lock between the fingers that you will hold horizontally.
Step 13. Place the inked edge of the sponge at the root of the hair, above your fingers, and slowly slide both the sponge and your fingers towards you
Step 14. As you reach the ends of your hair, turn your wrist slightly inward, turning your thumb gradually towards the floor while maintaining finger position
Step 15. Now the back of your hand is facing you and acts as a support for the sponge in order to color everything down to the tips
Step 16. Repeat this process for each strand until the entire wig is dyed
Step 17. Secure the pre-colored locks with clips so they don't get in your way while you dye the rest of your hair
Step 18. It is better to turn the wig stand so that the strands you are working on are facing you, rather than having to move around to reach the non-colored spots
Step 19. Pour more ink into the pot as often as needed during work
Use it a little at a time, as it tends to dry very quickly on the plate.
Step 20. Get another clean sponge and a new plate
Step 21. Use the darker blue ink to give the hair some dark highlights
Go over the blue with a darker tint on a few lower layers of the wig, or on the bangs.
Step 22. Applying two shades of color will give the wig more depth, so it doesn't look like a flat colored pile of plastic
Step 23. Use the darker blue sparingly as needed
Step 24. Follow the same technique to not overdo it
Step 25. The ink should dry rather quickly
Brush off any lumps or knots in the wig gently after it dries.
Step 26. Leave the wig to dry outdoors for two to three days
In this way, the smell of the ink will also disappear.
Step 27. Throw away used materials according to the regulations in your area
Advice
- Always work on thin strands to get an even color.
- The wig will become slightly harder to the touch due to the ink. It is natural, there is no need to worry.
- After using the wig, wash it by hand with shampoo, massaging it gently to remove any residual wax or lacquer. Put the wig in a large bucket of water to remove the shampoo foam and dry it with a towel.
- To avoid mixing and contaminating the colors, use a sponge for each dye you apply to the wig.
- The wig will also pick up the ink smell, but that's not a long-term problem. The smell will fade in two to three days if you leave the wig to dry outdoors.
- Take the wig with you and test the color a bit before buying the right ink. Do this on the back of the wig, near the roots, so as not to damage it. You can also cut a small section of hair from the back or somewhere hidden, so that you can take it with you to try out the color.
- Beware of the colors you choose to use. If you have a bright yellow wig and you want it to go blue, you need to dye it an extremely dark navy blue or it will turn teal.
- If you want to dye a wig of a particular color, it is better to choose one of a neutral color, perhaps white, beige, silver or platinum blonde. In this way, the underlying tint will not change the new color and you will have a perfectly colored wig, resulting in a result very similar to the ink you bought.
- When working with an already colored wig, read about how to create depth with a dark gray or a darker shade of the same color.
Warnings
- Make sure the wig is clean and free of hair products. The presence of some substances could ruin the result, preventing you from obtaining a uniform color.
- If you still have to style your wig, do it after you have colored it.
- Dyed wigs can leave stains when dry. This depends on the type of plastic the wig is made of (on some the ink sticks well, on others a little less). So, be careful.
- If you accidentally stain your skin with the ink from the markers, immediately remove the stain with nail polish remover and rinse with water.
- Copic inks are alcohol based so prolonged exposure to their odor is not recommended. Always work in a well-ventilated area.
- If you still have to cut your wig to get a particular hairstyle, do it before you color it.
- If you feel nauseous, stop working with colors right away and see a doctor.
- The wig doesn't have to be jet black or too dark brown, because the method used in this guide works by adding some color to the base. You cannot make a wig a lighter color than the original one.
- It is an irreversible process. Perform each step very slowly and carefully.
