How to Install a Lace Front Wig

What you need before you start

• A lace front wig (HD or transparent lace)
• Wig cap, edge control and a rat-tail comb
• Wig adhesive or glueless band, plus mousse and a melting spray
• Small scissors, tweezers and a blow dryer on cool
• Rubbing alcohol and a scalp protector

Step 1 — Prep your natural hair

Wash, condition and fully dry your hair first. A damp scalp under a wig traps moisture and breaks down adhesive. Braid your hair flat in cornrows or do two low twists wrapped and pinned around the head, then smooth a wig cap over the top. Flat is everything: any bump under the cap shows through the crown.

Step 2 — Prep the unit

Try the wig on before any glue and adjust the elastic straps so it sits snug but never tight. Mark where your hairline falls. If the knots have not been bleached, bleach them lightly so the roots read like real hair, then pluck the front inch with tweezers in a soft, uneven pattern — a perfect straight hairline is the fastest giveaway.

Step 3 — Cut the lace

Place the wig on your head, hold the lace taut and cut it following the shape of the hairline, leaving about a sixteenth of an inch of lace beyond the baby hairs. Cut in a zigzag rather than a straight line so the edge disappears against your skin.

Step 4 — Apply the adhesive

Clean your hairline with rubbing alcohol and apply a scalp protector. Brush on a thin layer of adhesive, let it turn tacky (about 30 seconds), then press the lace down with the flat side of your comb. Build two to three thin layers rather than one thick one — thin layers dry flat and last longer.

Step 5 — Melt and lay

Tie an elastic band around the perimeter, spritz your melting spray generously and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the band, part your baby hairs out with a rat-tail comb, swoop them with edge control and a toothbrush, then hit the front with cool air to set.

Step 6 — Style

Part the unit where you want it, tuck the ear tabs, and style with heat protectant on medium heat. Lay the crown down with mousse if you see any lift.

Aftercare

Sleep in a silk bonnet, refresh your edges with a light spritz rather than more glue, and remove the unit with a proper adhesive remover after one to two weeks — never pull. Give your hairline a rest day between installs.