If you love hair experiments you might think about getting a hair wig or extensions. Synthetic extensions may give you a nice opportunity to change your appearance fast. If you are an owner of synthetic hair extensions it is better to know how to care about your fake hair because it may be easily damaged.
Whatever is the reason you want to change the color of your wig our advice is to avoid the experiments because the results of dyeing the wig made of any fabric by yourself may be unpredictable. You should always follow the golden ration start from the roots, use alcohol-based ink, sometimes sharpie, and always follow the instructions.
You risk destroying your wig completely.
Before deciding whether or not change the color of your wig, you should know that not all the techniques that work on real hair work on synthetic hair.
Wigs are not supposed to be dyed. Fake hair is sold in many different colors. So if you are tired of your hair extension color the best decision is to buy a new one of the color you like.
What to expect if you decide to dye your hair with a real hair dye
Permanent hair dye
You can’t dye your wig with a real hair permanent dye! Simply because the ammonia and other harsh ingredients in the dye will destroy the fibers. So the only answer to the question “can synthetic hair be dyed with a box dye?” is no. Your hair extensions will be completely ruined.
Semi-permanent hair dye
You may suggest whether can you dye synthetic hair with semi permanent dye. Yes, it is less aggressive for your hair but semi-permanent hair dye won’t work for synthetic hair. First of all, it is still to rough for the synthetic fibers. It may not destroy it, but you can’t be sure your wig will look good after dyeing. It may lose brilliance or shape.
Another reason why it is not a good idea is that real hair dye works only on real hair because it needs the cuticles to cling to. The ammonia-free hair dye changes the hair color by filling the pores between the cuticles of the hair. Polyester fiber has a different structure, so the dye just won’t stay on it.
Anyway, if you decide to try to refresh the color of the extensions with the semi-permanent dye, try it first on a small strand to get the idea of the possible result.
Related: What Happens If You Put Too Much Developer In Hair Dye?
How to dye your fake hair
For some reason, you may need to change the color of your wig completely or add some strands of another color to it. Maybe you are tired of its color or need to adjust it for your cosplay look. Before starting the process, consider all the pros and cons. If you have an expensive wig, maybe the best decision is to leave it as is and to buy another one of the color you need. Also, it may be pointless to spend a lot of time coloring some extensions that are not too expensive to buy new ones.
Please consider that regardless of the fact that it is not a good idea to experiment with the color the wig, it may be possible to add to it some extensions of the needed color. If you need some strands of another color, maybe you should try to add some extra fake hair of the needed to your wig.
If you decided to take a risk, here is the list of the ingredients you may use:
- Acrylic ink color
- Alcohol-based ink
- Fabric paint
What to consider before the experiment
- The wig should be white or some light color. Dark-colored wigs won’t reveal the color. To color some light-colored fake hair keep in mind the rules of the color wheel.
- Use gloves not to paint your skin
- Keep in mind that color may leave stains on the surfaces around the house. Cover the surfaces with some plastic sheeting.
- Get a comb to spread the paint on your wig before starting.
How to dye synthetic hair with acrylic ink color
You can use acrylic ink mixed with rubbing alcohol. Take the color you need and add some rubbing alcohol to it. The less alcohol you use the brighter will be the color
You can use the spray bottle to apply the color or to soak the wig in it.
Make sure the color is spread all over the wig. Comb it with a wide-toothed comb to let the dye get through the fibers.
Leave the wig for 40 minutes.
How to dye a synthetic wig with fabric dye
Probably the best solution for dying fake hair. Follow the instructions added to the paint for coloring the synthetic fabric. It may bring you really good results. It is not promised that it will work perfectly, but at least this paint is made specially for coloring the fibers.
Alcohol-based ink
Mix an alcohol-based ink with water and apply it onto the wig. 1:1 ratio is good for the task if you want to get a vivid color. For a lighter, pastel color, add more water. Cover the fibers properly and leave it to dry.
After coloring the wig, comb its fibers to give it the shape and leave it to air dry.
Getting coloring finished
Be patient and let your wig to dry a couple of hours. It depends on the length of the fibers and on how much of it is painted.
After it gets dry and the paint doesn’t stick anymore you should rinse it under the stream of water. Rinse until the stream is clear. Use only cold water! Please keep in mind that the paint may leave the stains on your bathtub and other surfaces. Clean the stains right after you are done with the wig!
Place the wig vertically and let it air dry. Don’t use the hairdryer as it may ruin the synthetic wig!
After that gentry brush the wig and it is ready to be used!
We hope your effort will bring you the result you want!
Frequently Asked Questions Hair-Dye Interesting Facts Every Lady Needs to Know
Changing the color of your hair is a cool way to refresh your look and make it more stylish. However, ladies are often worried about the durability of the dye they use for the hair. Will it last long? How to keep it properly so that it won’t get spoiled? And many other questions like that.
To make it all clear, read our FAQ list to find out more about hair coloring specifics!
How long does hair dye last before it expires?
Everything depends on whether you opened it or not. An opened box can last for one or two years if being stored according to the recommendations written on the bottle whilst the unopened bottle will remain usable for three years.
How long does hair dye last after you open it?
After being opened, the hair-dye will remain usable for one or two years. Everything depends on whether you will follow the storage instructions or not.
How long does hair color last from a salon?
If you change the color of your hair in a good salon with the permanent product, be sure to expect that your new looks will be preserved for about six weeks at most. Afterward, the hair roots will start to be visible and the shade will start fading.
However, some hair can grow faster or, on the contrary, slower – take into account your personal hair specifics.
How long does permanent hair dye last for?
A permanent hair-dye of good quality, when being applied in a professional salon, will stay without changes from four to six weeks. Everything depends on how fast your hair is growing so the time may vary.
If we are talking about the storage duration, the unopened permanent product will remain usable for three years whilst the opened bottle will expire after a year or so.
How long does temporary hair dye last for?
Temporary hair coloring product includes semi-permanent dye and temporary hair make-up. The first one will be able to keep the hair color changed from four to six weeks approximately whilst hair make-up can be washed away after the first hair wash.
How long is hair dye good for after mixed?
If for some reason the already mixed hair dye product needs to be used later than the day you prepared it, you have about two days for doing it but only if you used a well-known and high-quality label.
How long does permanent hair dye last before it fades?
After you renovated the hair with the permanent product, its shade will remain unchangeable for approximately six weeks. After that time, the roots will start being visible and the color will begin to fade slowly.
Read Next: How to Dye Synthetic hair? Practical Guide
