Tutorial: Remove Ugly Shine from Your Halloween Costume Wig

Super shiny wigs can look fake and detract from look of your costume (not to mention they don’t photograph well). But don’t worry—toning down the shine on your Halloween wig is easier than you might think. With a few household items and simple techniques, you can give your synthetic wig a more natural appearance.

How to reduce shine on a synthetic wig

It’s pretty common for synthetic wigs to have a little bit of an unnatural shine, even if they are of decent quality. This is because synthetic wigs are made up of strands of plastic fiber. Plastic reflects light differently than actual hair, so the plastic fibers have to be treated in a way that will change the way light bounces off of them.

That’s why treating a wig with fabric softener and baby powder works. These products can coat the fibers of the wig to make light reflect more realistically. For this tutorial, all you need is:

• A synthetic wig
• Fabric softener
• Wide-toothed comb
• Baby powder 
• Optional: foam rollers

1. Wash your wig with fabric softener

The first step is to wash your wig with a fabric softener. In many cases, just this step will be enough to reduce the shine on a wig and make it look more natural. 

1. Add a few inches of water to a basin with ¼ cup of fabric softener (you can also use a sink). You can use a little more for long wigs and a little less for short wigs. If you add too much softener, it can cause a sticky residue to build up on your wig and you will need to wash it again.
2. Submerge your wig in the basin. Gently move the wig around in the water to make sure all the fibers are coated in the fabric softener solution.
3. Let your wig sit for 10-15 minutes. Occasionally move the wig or flip it over to make sure all areas stay submerged in the water.
4. Rinse off the wig. Remove the wig from the basin (or drain the sink) and rinse the wig in running water, making sure to rinse off all areas of the wig.
5. Place your wig on a wig head to let it dry.

One thing to keep in mind is that fabric softener can make wigs a little bit more flammable and less heat-resistant. If you are planning on styling this wig with heat later, always test a small, indiscreet section first, so you don’t end up melting the wig or setting it on fire.

2. Comb the wig and let it dry completely

When your wig has dried a little bit (to the point where it is damp but not soaking wet), you’ll want to comb it out. The wig probably acquired some tangles during the bath, so you want to comb those out before they dry in place. Use a wide-toothed comb to gently comb out the fibers.

If your wig has waves or curls, this is also a great time to restyle those especially if it’s not heat resistant. While the wig is still damp, add foam curlers to sections of the hair. As the wig dries, the fibers will stay in place. Use larger foam rollers for wider, looser curls, and smaller foam rollers for tighter curls.

Before moving on to the next step, you need to make sure your wig has dried completely. I will usually let it dry overnight with the foam curlers in place. By morning, you should be able to touch it and feel that the wig is dry. Remove any curlers and give the wig a quick comb-through if necessary.

3. Apply baby powder to the wig

At this point, your wig might already look good enough. Using fabric softener usually makes a significant difference, so you can stop here if you’re happy with the result. However, if you want your wig to look just a little more natural, all you have to do is add some baby powder.

1. Pour some baby powder onto your hands. Rub your hands together to coat them. Start with a small amount of powder. You can always add more.
2. Scrub your fingers through the wig. Go section by section and scrub your fingers through the wig as if you were giving it scritches. You want to make sure you give a light coat of powder to the fibers all the way through the wig, not just those sitting on top. If you don’t want to use your hands, you can also use a large makeup brush to help distribute the powder.
3. Use a comb to distribute the powder through the wig. A wide-toothed comb can help get a more even look throughout the wig. 

At this point, the powder should help to diffuse the light on the surface of the wig, making it less shiny overall.