The basics of choosing a wig

If you're on the tightest budget and you have no money to spare, look for places that donate wigs, such as the Facebook group "Blessed With Hair to Share." Wigs by Tiffany donates a wig each month to a kid in need, and you can go to her website to fill out an application. You'll still need to buy the care products yourself, but this can be as easy as buying Dawn dishwashing soap and liquid fabric softener (for synthetic pieces) at your local store.

Some people rave about inexpensive Amazon wigs and you can get recommendations for these on Facebook wig groups. You can also find some new wigs in this price range at local wig shops, or used wigs sold on resale Facebook groups

There are great quality inexpensive pieces available to buy new from Heather Hershey's two wig lines at Cysterwigs.com and Hairkittykitty.com. You can also opt to buy a used wig from a resale Facebook group.

In this budget range, you can score high-quality synthetic pieces from online shops with a ton of selection. Popular brands include Jon Renau, Raquel Welch, Noriko, and Rene of Paris, just to name a few.

This price range probably has the most variety of options! If you're looking for long lock, consider a used human hair piece. If you're interested in short options, you're in luck - these pieces tend to be less expensive because they require less material, so you'll be able to find plenty of great synthetic pieces at this price or lower. Consider buying 2 so that you have multiple options or a backup to your favorite. Medium length can go either way: high-quality new synthetic pieces or used human hair pieces.

In this price range, most people opt for human hair because it typically has a longer lifespan and more versatility in styling. Make sure you also consider the cost of buying salon-grade products to maintain the color and softness.

If you are fortunate enough to have a budget like this, it will open the doors for a luxury unit or custom wig. If you opt for a custom, you should be able to talk to the person making the wig to get the specific sizing and colors you're looking for. I would not recommend spending any more that $2,500 on a single piece (but people will try to sell them for more) unless you're looking for a really hard-to-find piece. There are so many great options available at prices below this that you're better off to save the extra money and buy a second wig or spend it on something else! 

https://www.wigs.com/pages/how-to-find-your-wig-size 

The circumference will be the most important measurement, but the other are important, too. Keep in mind that the sizing will vary from brand to brand, meaning a 21" circumference may be a small or petite in one brand and a medium in another.  Each brand or seller should have a size chart to let you know how their sizes run. Synthetic wigs are sized petite, regular, and large, and while all wigs are available in regular, only a selection are made in petite or large. Human hiar wigs are usually sized small, medium, or large, but some sellers offer XS or XL or in-between sizes like S/M. 

Again, sizing varies from brand to brand. You may be between 2 sizes, be able to wear more than 1 size. You may prefer a more snug fit for the added security or you may prefer a roomier fit if you have some bio hair or if the wig gives you a headache. 

Look for a synthetic style that comes in a petite cap, or a small or XS (depending on your circumference) for a human hair wig. If you don't get the right size you wig may be too loose and slide back.

Lucky you! If you have average measurements most synthetic wigs will fit you well, you won't have to pass over  style you love because it's not made in your size, and you'll likely have the biggest selection of human hair pieces. 

Look for a synthetic or human hair wig that wig that comes in a large cap, or XL if needed. 

Do not skip this important step! If your wig doesn't fit properly, it will cause unnecessary frustration. Better to wait to find something that really fits than settle for something that almost fits. 

I recommend starting with something a color and length as close to your bio hair color as you can find. Trying to stray too far too early usually leads to frustration and feeling awkward. Once you get more comfortable wearing wigs, you can experiment to your heart's content!

Make sure the roots of the wig match your eyebrow color if you want it to look natural. And keep in mind that many lower-cost synthetic wigs have dark roots (or permatease) to help disguise the cap underneath the hair. (This may or may not work in your favor.)

Skin tones may be cool, neutral, or warm and hair colors can be described as the same. Neutral skin tones will have the most flexibility in hair tones, and as a rule of thumb cool skin tones will look best in cool hair colors and warm skin tones will look best in warm hair colors. Many color descriptions (especially in human hair) will detail the tone in the description.

• costs less
• easier to maintain, tangles less

• costs more
• more difficult to maintain; human hair will needed to be brushed more often and synthetic styles will wear out more quickly

• have typically been highly processed
• May tangle or become dry/brittle more easily compared to darker hair- use smoothing oil as needed