How to keep your wig on

After Sherri Shepherd recounted how Sarah Jakes Roberts lost her wig, we gathered advice from Black experts about how to keep your wig in place. 

Wigs are flying lately.  

Sherri Shepherd sent the live audience of her daytime talk show, “Sherri,” into a tailspin on Tuesday when she “mock-lost” her wig mid-show. 

The moment happened while the talk show host was explaining that something similar happened to one of her favorite ministers, the daughter of T.D. Jakes, Sarah Jakes Roberts. Shepherd played a clip of Jakes Roberts preaching as her wig slid down the back of her head. As Jakes Roberts’ wig fell, she pressed forward with her sermon, delivering it in just her wig cap. 

Shepherd, with wig still in place, said, “The thing about wigs is when it starts sliding, you can feel it slide. Because you will start out with it down here, and all of a sudden, it starts making its way up. Especially if the wig weighs a lot, and all you can do is what Sarah Jakes did, which is pull it forward.”

As Shepherd concluded with, “The show must go on,” she shot up out of her armchair and her wig slid to the floor, revealing cornrows underneath. The audience dissolved into laughter and shock. It was a playful, scripted show of solidarity with Jakes Roberts.

It was also a familiar sight for some.

For protective styles to merely wanting to change things up, we wear wigs for many reasons. Yet, wigs, as convenient and style-alerting as they are, can betray you. They get snatched. They shift. They slide up and back, and even lift. However, you can have a secured wig. 

The process of ensuring that your wig does not move begins before the install. Brittany Johnson, a licensed hairstylist and senior content manager for Mayvenn, shared some pointers with Glamour magazine. “Before installing your wig, make sure that your natural hair is properly cleansed and protected.” 

She added, “Use a heat protectant or moisturizing leave-in conditioner, and make sure that your hair is completely dry before placing a wig on top, whether you’re wearing a braid-down or slicking your hair back.” 

When it comes time to install and secure the wig, Johnson recommends three tools in particular. 

“It’s always handy to have a rattail comb, Got2B Glued Blasting Freeze Spray or similar adhesive — if you’re wearing a wig with lace — and light styling products to make sure your wig is styled the way you’d like.”

Also, using a wig cap and a wig band helps protect your natural hair further while keeping the wig in place, she noted. 

The experts over at the hair supply brand, The Renatural, who make a wig band of their own, said in a blog post there are four main reasons why wigs slip off: size, faults in the attachment method, bulky hair, and the wig needs a wash. 

“The excess oil builds up over time and can lead to a slippery wig,” reads the blog post. “To combat and prevent this, make sure you’re washing your wig regularly and also washing your natural hair regularly.”

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