How to transform into Santa!

Santa Mark visited our studio to pick up his newly finished Santa beard, wig and mustache. Watch how he transforms into Santa, right in our studio! 

Handmade Santa beards and wigs

It means we start with a literal blank head, apply a tracing of your head or face to the head and then drape a foundation to fit you. Then we put every hair into that foundation by hand, whether by tying the hairs or creating strips of weft. 

That process takes one of our skill wig artisans hours but it ensures each piece fits perfectly and looks natural and realistic.  

When we say our wigs and beards are full custom pieces, we really mean it.

They don’t come out of a box, they don’t come from a machine. Every single piece is made to order by our team of artisans.

And yes, that means they aren’t the cheapest option. But for those who want a wig or beard that fits well and looks exactly the way they want – including covering their own hair or beard  or blending with their natural whiskers – the investment is worth it. 

We offer flexible Payment Plans so you always have the option to spread the cost out. The default option is four installments, but if you need to use a different plan, just let us know. 

And if you order a custom Santa or Mrs. Claus item while the annual Early Santa Discount is available, you’ll save 10% off the total cost. For details on the discount, please refer to the Order page as the discount period and spaces are limited each year and dates and details will vary. 

Custom Santa wig for a real bearded Santa

“I’m a real bearded Santa but I’d like a wig, can you make a wig that will go with my beard?”

You bet we can! Every year, we work with many real bearded Santas who wish to have a wig made that will look natural and ‘at home’ with their own whiskers. 

In the first image you can see Santa Jon having his head traced. A head tracing is the first step for anyone having a custom wig made.

• The plastic tracing ensures we have the shape of his head, which means his wig will fit perfectly.
• But for a real bearded Santa, the tracing also means we are able to capture the line of his whiskers around the sideburns and ear. That’s essential to ensuring our wig will line up with his beard and that the transition will be seamless. 

The second image is Jon’s Santa wig on a foam head.

The third image is Jon trying on his custom Santa wig at our studio.

• You can see how the wig’s sideburns line up with Jon’s beard and how we adjusted the density of the wig at the temples for a natural transition. We also made sure the hair textures were consistent. 

If you’re a real bearded Santa who needs a professional Santa wig, you’ve come to the right place. Your wig will be handmade to fit your head and we’ll make sure the transition at the sideburns is seamless. 

Our custom Santa wigs come in three lengths, short, long and extra long.

You can choose a wig style from our Style Guide or you can supply us with a photo or other image that shows how you’d like your wig to be styled. 

If you’ve got questions about the wig making process or want to know more about how we’ll ensure your wig and your whiskers are perfectly coordinated, use the button below to contact us. 

This video shows Mark putting on a wig, beard and mustache using an elastic strap and basic spirit gum. 

When a beard has an elastic strap, the elastic does 90% of the work keeping the beard and makes application easier.

In most cases, liquid adhesive and/or double stick tape are only used to keep the beard in position around the mouth, rather than as the sole means of attaching the beard.

If a beard does not have an elastic strap, then the piece must be glued or tape to the face. Mustaches must be glued or taped on. Santa wigs typically only need a little tape or glue at the temples to hold the lace down. For tips on applying and securing other types of wigs, including historical styles, please click here. 

There are many products and methods for applying lace wigs, beards and mustache. Everyone’s skin and circumstances are unique, so it’s important to leave plenty of time to practice applying your pieces so you can find the best method for you! 

Styling wigs and beards can seem daunting. Many people find it intimidating to take an unstyled wig or beard and turn it into a mass of curls or a towering updo. This is especially true for those who don’t have a lot of experience styling wigs and beards or working with rollers.

So what’s the secret to confidently styling wigs and beards? Find out from Heather in this video! (hint, it involves tackling the wig or beard style by working in smaller sections!)

Styling gets easier the more you do it, so watch this video (and maybe check out some of our other guides!) and then get to practicing!

If you’re brand new to using rollers to style wigs or beards, check out our three part guide to using rollers to style wigs. 

• Part One – Styling Wigs with Rollers – Why, What size, how many and which way?
• Part Two – Styling Wigs with Rollers – The Goofus and Gallant Edition (good and bad roller technique)
• Part Three – Styling Wigs with Rollers – How to Put It All Together

The most important thing to remember about styling wigs and beards is that practice makes perfect!

Keep working on the style even if you feel like it’s a lost cause because the only way to learn what works is to get in there and keep trying. At the same time, it’s ok to stop, reassess the desired style and what you’ve done so far and then go back to the beginning. Don’t be afraid to re-roll your wig or beard until you feel like you’ve gotten the techniques down.

Be patient with yourself, take your time and remember you can ‘erase’ any mistake by spritzing the hair with water and starting over!

Styling wigs and beards requires practice and patience.

How to put a lace front wig on

How to put a lace front wig on: Whether you’ve just ordered your custom wig or you’ve had it for awhile, you might have questions about how to put a lace front wig on or how to pin it in place.

These videos will show you how to put your wig on and ensure it’s in the correct spot, no matter what type or style of wig it is.

The first video is useful for any of our clients who want to learn more about putting their wig on and assuring it’s in the correct position. The pinning technique shown in the video may not be necessary for clients with Santa wigs or wigs that are very short or very lightweight.

The second video will be very helpful for clients with wigs styled in updos or clients who have wigs that are very long or very heavy. The techniques shown in the videos will show you how to pin the nape of your wig so your own hair is hidden and the edge doesn’t pull away from your head.

If your hair is longer than an inch or two, check out How to Prep Your Hair to Wear a Wig.

How to pin a lace front wig to a head block

It’s important to protect and stabilize the delicate lace front on your wig when you put your wig on a block. Just sticking a pin through the lace will lead to holes and could even tear the lace. Not pinning the lace front at all will make it challenging to style your wig. And storing your wig on a head without pinning the lace down may cause the lace to lose shape or start to curl up. 

For all of the above reasons, it’s very important to pin your custom lace front wig to the head in a way that will protect the lace and keep it in perfect shape. Fortunately, it’s very easy to block your lace front wig. This video shows you how:

Tips for blocking your lace front wig:

You need a canvas head that’s close in size to your own head. You’ll also need fine straight pins and a piece of 1/4″ blocking tape.

• Use very fine straight pins. Silk sewing pins are ideal because they’re thin but sturdy. 
• Twill tape is the best material for blocking but bias tape and grosgrain ribbon will also work. Blocking tape needs to be tightly woven and non-stretchy.

Our wig care kits include both pins and tape that are suitable for blocking wigs but you can also purchase these items at a sewing or craft store.

Ideally, any time you’re not wearing your wig, it will be blocked and stored on a canvas head. This protects the lace and helps it hold its shape. It will also help your wig style stay intact. It’s very important you block your wig onto the canvas head any time you are going to comb it or work on the style. Blocking stabilizes the lace and ensures it won’t stretch or tear while you’re combing and moving the hair.

Block wet or dry?

You can block a wig when it’s wet or dry. If the wig is wet, be sure you don’t stretch the lace as you work. The hair will be heavier when wet, so use a large hairnet to support the weight to avoid stretching the wig foundation or straining the knots.

The lace is blocked to protect and stabilize it during styling. Blocking ensures the hair can be moved and even pulled taunt (gently!) without putting pressure or stress on the lace.

Can I cut the extra lace off my wig?

The lace edge of your custom wig or beard might look conspicuous and you might wonder if you’re supposed to cut the extra lace off. While you can trim some of the lace to ensure your ears, eyebrows or mouth are free and exposed, it’s important to leave a good sized margin of lace intact. 

Here’s Heather to explain why:

It’s important to leave at least 3/8″ of lace on all the margins of your wig or beard unless doing so means there’s lace covering your mouth or ears. If you can leave more, try to do so. Even though it might feel like the lace on your forehead or cheeks is really obvious, the lace we use is very thin and fine and mostly disappears against your skin.

Additionally, a larger margin of lace more easily follows the contours of your face or head. That helps your wig or beard stay on more easily and can also make it easier to minimize the appearance of the lace. Cutting lace too short can lead to a ragged edge that stick out and draws more notice. 

When in doubt, it’s always best to reach out and ask us if you’re not sure about trimming the lace on your piece. 

HOW TO CLEAN WIG OR BEARD LACE

BEST PRACTICES FOR TRIMMING WIG OR BEARD LACE

What kind of styling products can you use on a wig?

Great question and one we get a lot! People want to know if they need special styling products for their wig or if certain products will be safe or effective. Here’s Heather with the lowdown on using styling products on wigs.

Styling products for wigs

The short answer to which styling products you can use on wigs is….it depends. That’s because any individual wig will have its own specific needs and quirks. The best course of action is to check with the person who made or styled your wig or the wig manufacturer before using any product on your wig. 

In general, it is safe to use any hair styling product that is intended for use on human hair on a human hair wig. Products like gel, hair spray, pomade, wax and others are made for use on human hair and when used as directed won’t generally damage human hair wigs.

If you’re not sure about a product, it’s best to test it on a small section of your wig and see how the fibers behave. 

There are a few things to keep in mind:

Every application of product on the wig will stay on the wig until you shampoo it. That means you should apply sparingly and be careful that reapplications don’t lead to a build up of product.

Some products can be drying to hair. Wigs lack the scalp oil that human heads have, so using a lot of hairspray or gel on a wig can, over time, cause the hair to dry out. This can usually be remedied with a deep conditioning treatment. 

Most hair styling products are water soluble. That means any moisture, including sweat, will reactivate them to some degree. This can be advantageous with gel, since it will become workable when the hair becomes wet and you can simply add a few curlers or comb hair back into shape without adding additional gel.

Hairspray will also become somewhat liquid in the presence of moisture. Unlike gel, it can’t be ‘re-worked’. Instead, hair that has been sprayed and then becomes damp will likely droop or fall. If it’s not address immediately and dries in it’s new ‘shape’, the hairspray will harden back up, cementing it into it’s new form. For this reason, be sparing with hairspray and be prepared to shampoo the hair to remove it before attempting to restyle. 

The best way to avoid product build up and also achieve a good outcome is to choose high quality, effective products and use them correctly. For example, choose a strong hold hairspray to keep your mustache curled. That way you only need to apply it once. 

Styling products for synthetic wigs

Most styling products designed for human hair won’t be very effective on synthetic hair. Here’s a few tips for styling synthetic wigs:

• Instead of using hair gel for roller setting, roll the wig and then steam it.
• Hairspray can help hold a synthetic wig in place but it won’t be as effective as on human hair.
• Waxes and pomades work most similarly between the two fibers. 
• In some cases, products like water soluble glue or glue sticks are a great way to create things like spikes or gravity-defying updos on synthetic wigs. 

The bottom line is synthetic wigs are generally some kind of plastic, so products meant to work with human hair are less effective. Look for non-traditional solutions, like steam or glue, to help set synthetic styles. 

Over the past few years, Sarah (@Sewlateadoe on instagram) has commissioned several historical wigs from us. We thought it would be fun to talk with Sarah about her costuming, her travels and – of course, her wigs!

You costume from a lot of eras, would you tell our readers which ones? 

I have made costumes from the late 15th century to the early 19th. I also make fantasy costumes for combat larp. My specialty is the late 18th century.

What are some of the features or elements that really speak to you from those eras?

I really adore the silhouettes of the 18th century. I love how you can shape your form with the correct undergarments to create such visually appealing shapes that are perfect for showing off fabric, trim, and dress features. Crisp knife pleats and swarms of frilly ruffles just bring me so much joy!

Sarah’s ‘hedgehog’ wig, which she restyled to wear with her amazing pirate costume. Photo by Mark Edwards Photography.

Do you have one favorite historical time and place? 

Probably the late 1770s. Hair is still tall, but not overly exaggerated. Split rumps create beautiful lines down the backs of gowns that radiate into pleats. Styles begin expanding creatively with expanding global influences into the 1780s, but court styles maintain classic exaggerated proportions. Georgiana Cavendish and Marie Antoinette are the style icons of the time, and there’s a reason we still follow in their footsteps today.

You go to Carnivale regularly, what’s that like as a costumer?

It really is like a dream. Late at night when the mists are rising off of the canal and the silence is only broken by the waters lapping at ancient stones, it is truly otherworldly. When you spend so much time studying the methods of historical dressmaking, it is incredible to be surrounded by the work of historical artisans. The architectural details, palazzos with ornately painted frescoes, and the food…oh my goodness the food. It is also really wonderful to be able to meet so many talented artists and dance the night away together. It’s a very special place that makes me feel like less of a hobbyist and more of a part of an artist collective. 

Do you attend other historical or costume-related events? 

I was invited to a Renaissance event on the east coast last year and that was really wonderful because it’s a newer era for me. I also go larping once a month. My character is an Archduchess who is always getting herself into trouble, so I love making new costumes that reflect her character development (that she can also sword fight in).

How did you get interested in historical costuming? Do you generally sew your own garments?  

Believe it or not, it was actually my pandemic hobby! I had been curious about it before, but I never thought that I could actually make the big historic gowns I so admired. The pandemic brought about big changes for everyone, and sewing became my new mental health practice. It helped me challenge a lot of my negative self views, and I found both confidence and community because of it.

Photo by Mark Edwards Photography

Over the years, you’ve commissioned three custom historical wigs from us and each is a unique color and style. How did you choose the color, style, era, etc for each of the wigs?   And what’s it like changing hair colors between the wigs? 

I am pretty adept at styling my own hair, but I find photoshoot days to be particularly stressful. I’m also usually busy sewing until the last minute, so having a perfectly styled wig makes life so much easier! My first wig was based on Keira Knightley’s hair in The Duchess. That’s probably my favorite movie, and I’ve remade a couple of the costumes from the film.

My second wig is in my natural hairstyle, and I originally had that styled as a 1780s “hedgehog” wig, but more recently restyled it for my pirate look. My most recent wig is a lovely red color, based on an Italian painting for my 16th century Venetian courtesan gown. I have had my own hair dyed blonde, brunette, and red, so I thought that it would be fun to be able to transform my historical looks as well!

Sarah’s three wigs at the studio after styling. All three wigs are handmade custom items, tailored to fit her head. Over the years, Sarah has sent two of them in for cleaning and style changes. The wigs are made from human hair and were designed to support style changes and the use of matching hairpieces. 

The first wig Sarah commissioned from us, seen after a style change. This is the wig she is wearing in the red dress photo above.

Each of Sarah’s wigs is a full custom built piece, handmade for her and tailored to fit her head. She chose a different color for each wig using our custom color swatches.

The three wigs were each styled initially based on images Sarah provided. Over time, two of the wigs have been restyled – most of our historical wigs have the flexibility to be dressed in a wide range of styles from many eras!

Sarah’s most recent wig, a 16th century style in a gorgeous light red. Seen here in the studio and on Sarah at Carnivale.

What’s next for you in terms of sewing/costuming projects? Any big events on the horizon?

I’m going to comic con at the end of July 2024, so I’ll be working on some cosplays which are a bit out of my wheelhouse. Then I have an 18th century Halloween event, Carnivale next February, and then I hope to finally make it to Versailles next June! Of course I also have larp costumes to make in between all of that, so it will be a busy summer!

You can follow Sarah on instagram @Sewlatedoe and keep up with all of her gorgeous gowns and travels!

Ready to order your custom wig or facial hair?