Absolute Best Way To Wash A System When It Is Off

[cottonReville]

I know there are a lot of videos on YouTube on the topic, but I just got a fantastic new piece & want to take greater precaution in my treatment of it as I feel I've been overly rough w my 2 previous ones.

I'm going to use ProGen shampoo, with no conditioner.

What have you guys learned during the washing process?

-Do you let the water flow in one direction or any?
-Do you brush the hair while it has shampoo in it?
-Do you lightly scrub the base?
-Do you wash hair-side up, or base-side up?
-Do you brush after towel drying?

Anything else?

Appreciate in advance.

 

[Noah]

Is this lace or skin?

 

[cottonReville]

Lace

 

[Noah]

Hi CR

No scrubbing the lace base - it is too delicate for that. The lace has to be cleaned gently. There are various methods. I use tape and glue, and I soak mine in alcohol and then scrape off any residue with my fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Some people cover spent glue with cotton wool and then rub the glue/lint combo off as boogers. That works quite well too if you only use glue.

Once the lace is cleaned, then you can apply shampoo to the base and the hair, and clean them both by squidging the suds through them. Again, be gentle. When the knots are wet they are lubricated and more vulnerable to being tugged out. Treat the piece like you would treat your favourite cashmere sweater.

When you rinse the shampoo out, make sure the water is always running from the underside of the base through to the upper side, so that hairs are not being washed through to the underside.

You say you are not planning to use conditioner, but I think you really have to use a good quality rich conditioner any time you shampoo the piece. However, conditioner has to be kept off the base and the knots. I scrunch the lace base up in my fist and hold the skein of hair tight just above the base. Then I put the conditioner on and comb it through the hair, using it as a detangler as well as a conditioner. So, in answer to your question, yes you can brush/comb the hair when it is wet, so long as there is no tension on the knots. Once the conditioner has done its stuff, I hold the skein of hair under the running tap and let the water wash the conditioner out, and again you can be brushing the hair during that process to keep tangles out.

Finally, I lay the hairpiece on a towel still in a skein of hair, then roll the towel up into a sausage. Then I press the sausage to squeeze out any water into the towel. Then take it out of the towel, straighten out the base, put it on a polystyrene wighead to finish drying naturally, and comb the hair into rough shape.

I'm sure there are other methods, but this works well for me.

Noah

 

[cottonReville]

Thanks, as always, Noah, for your highly detailed and informative response !

Hi CR

No scrubbing the lace base - it is too delicate for that. The lace has to be cleaned gently. There are various methods. I use tape and glue, and I soak mine in alcohol and then scrape off any residue with my fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Some people cover spent glue with cotton wool and then rub the glue/lint combo off as boogers. That works quite well too if you only use glue.

Once the lace is cleaned, then you can apply shampoo to the base and the hair, and clean them both by squidging the suds through them. Again, be gentle. When the knots are wet they are lubricated and more vulnerable to being tugged out. Treat the piece like you would treat your favourite cashmere sweater.

When you rinse the shampoo out, make sure the water is always running from the underside of the base through to the upper side, so that hairs are not being washed through to the underside.

You say you are not planning to use conditioner, but I think you really have to use a good quality rich conditioner any time you shampoo the piece. However, conditioner has to be kept off the base and the knots. I scrunch the lace base up in my fist and hold the skein of hair tight just above the base. Then I put the conditioner on and comb it through the hair, using it as a detangler as well as a conditioner. So, in answer to your question, yes you can brush/comb the hair when it is wet, so long as there is no tension on the knots. Once the conditioner has done its stuff, I hold the skein of hair under the running tap and let the water wash the conditioner out, and again you can be brushing the hair during that process to keep tangles out.

Finally, I lay the hairpiece on a towel still in a skein of hair, then roll the towel up into a sausage. Then I press the sausage to squeeze out any water into the towel. Then take it out of the towel, straighten out the base, put it on a polystyrene wighead to finish drying naturally, and comb the hair into rough shape.

I'm sure there are other methods, but this works well for me.

Noah

 

[cottonReville]

Wait, I'm confused. When rinsing, do you allow the water to hit the piece hair side up, or base side up?

 

[Noah]

Base side up.

 

[Hair system talk]

Hi CR

No scrubbing the lace base - it is too delicate for that. The lace has to be cleaned gently. There are various methods. I use tape and glue, and I soak mine in alcohol and then scrape off any residue with my fingernail or the edge of a credit card. Some people cover spent glue with cotton wool and then rub the glue/lint combo off as boogers. That works quite well too if you only use glue.

Once the lace is cleaned, then you can apply shampoo to the base and the hair, and clean them both by squidging the suds through them. Again, be gentle. When the knots are wet they are lubricated and more vulnerable to being tugged out. Treat the piece like you would treat your favourite cashmere sweater.

When you rinse the shampoo out, make sure the water is always running from the underside of the base through to the upper side, so that hairs are not being washed through to the underside.

You say you are not planning to use conditioner, but I think you really have to use a good quality rich conditioner any time you shampoo the piece. However, conditioner has to be kept off the base and the knots. I scrunch the lace base up in my fist and hold the skein of hair tight just above the base. Then I put the conditioner on and comb it through the hair, using it as a detangler as well as a conditioner. So, in answer to your question, yes you can brush/comb the hair when it is wet, so long as there is no tension on the knots. Once the conditioner has done its stuff, I hold the skein of hair under the running tap and let the water wash the conditioner out, and again you can be brushing the hair during that process to keep tangles out.

Finally, I lay the hairpiece on a towel still in a skein of hair, then roll the towel up into a sausage. Then I press the sausage to squeeze out any water into the towel. Then take it out of the towel, straighten out the base, put it on a polystyrene wighead to finish drying naturally, and comb the hair into rough shape.

I'm sure there are other methods, but this works well for me.

Noah

how long do you soak the base in alcohol for?

Would soaking a cotton ball with alcohol and then rubbing it over the base work instead?

 

[TooBad]

I know I'm in the minority with this. I believe washing a system off of your scalp is not wise. It offers no benefit, only risk.

 

[cottonReville]

I know I'm in the minority with this. I believe washing a system off of your scalp is not wise. It offers no benefit, only risk.

Why do you say that? I agree btw.

I'm on skin bases now, but it's even more applicable to lace.

 

[Hair2019]

I wear an all Swiss lace system. When washing it under the shower, I put it on a mannequin head with the hair side up, and once it's all wet I apply shampoo and very gently rub it so it lathers up a bit, then I rinse it out still with the system on the mannequin head, hair side up. Some people say it's best to rinse a hair system with the base side up, but I find this cumbersome. It's easier to rinse it with the hair side up, especially on a mannequin head, and I haven't noticed any extra shedding as a result. The fact that the base is plush against the mannequin head will help stop hairs being pushed through anyway. However, if you do want to be on the safe side, you can rinse it base side up. I think it'd be very cumbersome to wash a system under the shower without it being on a mannequin head (or your own head), though.

 

[TooBad]

Why do you say that? I agree btw.

I'm on skin bases now, but it's even more applicable to lace.

There's no risk of stretching or tearing, pulling hair backward (through lace), cleaning when attached. Significantly less chance of tangles, since the hair is anchored and you can control its movement easier, with a wide tooth comb, when washing or conditioning.

There is nothing superior about washing off of the scalp.

 

[TooBad]

I wear an all Swiss lace system. When washing it under the shower, I put it on a mannequin head with the hair side up, and once it's all wet I apply shampoo and very gently rub it so it lathers up a bit, then I rinse it out still with the system on the mannequin head, hair side up. Some people say it's best to rinse a hair system with the base side up, but I find this cumbersome. It's easier to rinse it with the hair side up, especially on a mannequin head, and I haven't noticed any extra shedding as a result. The fact that the base is plush against the mannequin head will help stop hairs being pushed through anyway. However, if you do want to be on the safe side, you can rinse it base side up. I think it'd be very cumbersome to wash a system under the shower without it being on a mannequin head (or your own head), though.

Exactly

 

[Hair system talk]

There's no risk of stretching or tearing, pulling hair backward (through lace), cleaning when attached. Significantly less chance of tangles, since the hair is anchored and you can control its movement easier, with a wide tooth comb, when washing or conditioning.

There is nothing superior about washing off of the scalp.

How would you clean the base of the system if it's on your head though?

 

[TooBad]

How would you clean the base of the system if it's on your head though?

Quite obviously you clean the base when you're doing a re attachment. My statement was regarding washing the hair.... Which some people prefer off the scalp and in the sink....which is a bad idea, in my opinion.