How to choose the right wig for your face
Choosing the right wig for your face shape is very important to any crossdresser as it will help you look more natural. You can choose any wig you want to reflect your style, but there are also ways to choose a wig which is more suited to you personally and may help to provide a more natural look. Our wig experts at Glamour Boutique have put together a helpful list of wig styles, colors and features that are most flattering for different face shapes and skin tones. Let’s take a look.
Identify your face shape
To start, it would be best to identify your face shape. Certain styles of wigs or hairstyles work better with certain face shapes. Below is a cheat sheet for you to match up your facial shape.
Characteristics of an oval face include your face tapering off near the chin, a wider forehead and prominent cheekbones. This is considered an ideal face shape.
Characteristics of a long face include your face tapering off near the chin, elongated feature from forehead to chin, with some having a prominent chin.
Characteristics of a round face include your face length and width being almost the same with the widest part being at your cheeks.
Characteristics of a square face include your forehead, cheekbones and jawline all have close to the same width. A prominent feature is a square and boney jawline.
Characteristics of a heart shaped face include your face strongly tapering toward your chin which is narrow and V-shaped. With a heart shaped face, your forehead may be a prominent feature.
Characteristics of a diamond shaped face include a somewhat boney and highly angular face with it being widest at the temples. A diamond face isn’t as common as other face shapes, making it a diamond in the rough if you will…
Choosing the Right Wig For Your Face Shape
Now that we have determined your facial shape, let’s find a wig for you that works best.
Oval
If you have an oval face shape, you are one of the lucky ones as just about any wig style will go with your face. If you want to narrow it down, some of the most flattering styles for your face shape are ones that sit a bit off of your face to accentuate your facial shape. Try a long bob that sits away from your face or a mid length style with layers which will add volume.
Here is an example:
Long
For a long face, you want to add more width than height. Try a chin length wig or one that sits between your chin and shoulders. A wig with relaxed curls or a wavy style is a good way to add width or volume which is good for balancing out the long face shape. A shorter hair length can work too, but be sure to get a wig with short layers to add some volume. Stick to soft, curved edges rather than straight ones. Here’s an example:
Round
The right wig for a round face is one that creates fullness and height at the crown. A wig that is flat around the cheekbones will help elongate the length of your face. Longer hair wigs work great here too as they help compliment the rounder parts of your cheeks and jawline. Stay away from cuts that round at the jawline. It will make your face look heavier and rounder. Here is an example:
Square
Find a wig that will add height on the top to elongate your symmetrical shape and narrows at the sides. This will create an illusion of length. Go with a layered or wavy style of wig to break up those strong angles on your face. Try and stay away from straight, angular hairstyles that will go against the strong jawline and hairline that a square face has. Here is an example:
Heart
To soften your forehead width, try a wig that will allow you to bring hair across it. Keep the hair close to your head when it reaches the eyes like a style with longer layers. Face framed wigs with layers or a bob will create a balance in the face and create symmetry. Stay away from styles that have fullness and height at the crown as it will make your narrow chin stand out and make your face look out of proportion. Here’s an example:
Diamond
A wig style that tucks behind the ears is a nice way to go here as it’ll show off your cheekbone structure. A bob or shoulder length cut that has layers can give the illusion of a more oval face shape. Here is an example
How to choose a natural hair color for your skin tone
Once you have your face shape figured out, the last step is to match up hair colors with your skin tone. An obvious choice is to match your natural hair color, but where’s the fun in that. Let’s take a look at some colors that match up with the two most common skin tones.
Warm Skin Tone
For those of you with dark, olive or golden skin, you’re going to want to go with some darker colors. Try a golden brown, rich auburn, dark brown or chestnut colored wig. Change it up with some red or gold highlights to give yourself some more options. Stay away from a jet black wig as it will wash out your complexion.
Cool Skin Tone
If you have fair skin (pink, blue or red overtones), you want a wig that will minimize the red in your skin. Honey, ash or wheat blonde are great options. If you are looking for a wig that is not in the blonde family, go for a black or natural brown color. A bronze, auburn or golden wig will make your complexion washed out and should be avoided.
Most of you will fall into these two categories and will have success matching your tone with the previously mentioned colors. If you have a wig store to stop in and look at or try on wigs, that will better help and be a fun day out as well. If you are local to the New Jersey area or are visiting from out of town, you can make an appointment with us and come in to shop our huge wig selection.
Choose Sleek and Straight or Fun and Curly?
As with everything else we’ve discussed, it will come down to preference. Most people will think that straight hair will be easier to maintain, especially if you are a beginner. That is not necessarily the case. Straight hair that is not cared for properly can easily become a real mess. Since curly hair already has some pre-styled waviness or heavy curls, they will need a little less maintenance. Regardless, any style wig should be cared for correctly and if you don’t do so, you will be buying new wigs quite often. At the very least keep your wig in a hairnet or on a wig head if possible remembering to brush before and after use. When deciding on straight or curly, be sure to match a style that works with your facial features, as it will be key to perfecting your look.
Make a Statement
Most girls have a few wigs on hand depending on the occasion. You can stay with a subdued hairstyle for an afternoon out shopping or a more glamorous looking wig for a dinner party or night out with the girls. You can also go in a totally different direction and go for a Drag Queen Wig that will shout to the world “Hey, look at me!” Drag Queen Wigs are a whole other animal as their look is always over the top. If you plan on doing a drag show or just personally like that style for yourself, a good rule of thumb for a drag wig is “The bigger the better.”
For our full selection of wigs, check out our wig store. If you need further assistance with selecting your wig, we are always here to help. Email us at [email protected] or call us at 973-226-5588. We always love to see our customers in their wigs. Send pics to [email protected] and you may see yourself on our social media pages like our Facebook page.