Look For Kinky* Textures
Yes, kinky curly and afro-textured synthetic hair is a thing! They have textures similar to everything from flat ironed relaxed hair to 4c textured kinks and coils so you’ll be able to find any style that matches your personal taste.
The closer it is to your real hair type and texture, the more believable it is. Synthetic hair made to match kinky* hair types tend to have more texture and less shine to them. In other words, they won’t look like plastic.
If you can’t find any wigs* or wefts with curl patterns that you like, try crochet braids! Crochet hair will undoubtedly have the more natural textures and curl types you are looking for.
Tone Down The Shine
In the event that you do purchase hair with too much shine, you should know that you won’t have to just deal with it. There are actually a few steps you can take to tone down the unrealistic luster in your hair.
Grab a powder of any kind and shake it through the hair! Dry shampoo, baby powder, or translucent face powder will all work to dull the shine–just make sure you shake it out thoroughly to prevent a white film or coating from forming on the hair.
Another option is to soak your hair in 1/2 gallon of water and two cups of white or apple cider vinegar*. Let it soak for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and allow it to completely air dry. This is my least favorite option because vinegar typically leaves the hair with a smell that is difficult to get rid of.
If all else fails, simply wear the hair to bed. I know this goes against every piece advice I just gave you, but wearing synthetic hair for a solid three days will ultimately take away all the shine you were worried about.
Two Words: Boiling. Water.
When it comes to synthetic hair, think of boiling water as a heated styling tool. Boiling hot water is the most important part of synthetic hair versatility because without it, you’d have a hard time curling your hair.
Try flexi rods*, rollers, perm rods*, and even braids outs on your synthetic wig or extensions*! Install them like you normally would, but instead of putting product in the hair and letting it set overnight, sit the prepared hair in a pot of boiling water and then let it air dry. The heat is what will help the curls form.
This method is absolutely fool proof and works like a charm on most synthetic hair. There are tons of YouTube tutorials available to show you the process, but if you still think it’s too sketchy–just purchase heated rollers.
Heated rollers won’t work as well because they tend to lose heat quickly, but they are perfect if you need curled ends or some volume.