Bob Wigs – A Complete Guide | How to Maintain a Bob Wig?
While hairstyles and trends have been changing over the years, bob wigs have been constantly on the scene. Bob wigs have become a go-to for women all around the world, regardless of color, face shape, and age.
Many women love bob wigs because they are mostly lightweight and don’t cause heat or discomfort to the neck and shoulders.
If you’re looking to explore the chic look that bob wigs deliver, or you’re new to the world of bob wigs, this article is a complete guide to bob wigs.
You’ll find everything from what bob wigs are to what lengths they come in, and how to maintain them.
What Is the Meaning of a Bob Wig?
The term bob wigs can first be traced to British courts where bob wigs were short wigs worn by legal personalities in court. However, over time, bob wig has evolved into the classic female wigs that we know and love.
A bob wig is a hairpiece made from human hair or synthetic material that’s made in a bob haircut. You can describe the wig as a short to medium-length blunt haircut that drapes the wearer’s head.
Most bob wigs are often made from synthetic fibers, but always with exceptions. A bob wig can be straight, frizzy, or curly, and it comes in different hairstyles.
Women choose different wigs depending on their taste, hair type, appearance etc., For example, black women prefer different types of bob wigs, while white women may choose different types, and so on.
Top 3 Best Bob Wigs
- Short Straight Bob 4×1 Lace Part Human Hair Wigs
- MISSQUEEN Short Omber Blonde Wavy Bob Synthetic Wig with Air Bangs
- Human Hair Short Bob 4×4 Lace Closure Wigs
How Many Inches Is a Bob Wig?
A bob wig doesn’t come in a single length, but there are 4 major lengths that bob wig come in. Women choose the length they want depending on personal choices and facial features.
8 Inches
The average chin-length bob wig is 8 inches. It perfectly frames the wearer’s face and flatters the chin. People with long faces like this wig length because it adds roundness to their looks.
When dealing with a straight bob wig, you can rest assured that 8 inches will get to your chin. However, when dealing with kinky or curly hair texture, it is best to go a few inches longer with the wig you buy to achieve the same chin-length hair.
10 Inches
This wig length is just in the middle, and many women love it. 10 inches bob wigs reach the wearer’s neck but are not long enough to cause discomfort.
Also, people with round faces who want to achieve an elongated touch should go for10 inches bob wig because it comes down from the chin where it could have added unnecessary roundness and elongates the entire face.
Remember, if you’re also dealing with curly or kinky wigs and you want to achieve the look of 10 inches straight bob wigs, you would need to add 2 inches ad go for a 12 inches bob wig.
12 Inches
When trying to play safe, some ladies consider it a risk to get an 8-inch or 10-inch bob wig. They wonder ‘what happens if it is too short?” and that’s a valid concern. While you cannot elongate a short wig, you can trim a longer wig to shorten it.
If you think a 10-inch long bob wig might be too short, you will be very safe with the 12 inches bob wig. The 12-inch bob wig reaches the wearer’s shoulders and creates a beautiful cascade. However, it might not be convenient for ladies who want their shoulders to be heat-free.
One advantage of the 12-inch bob wig is that you can comfortably tie it up when you’re tired of having it on your face. You can pack12 inches bob wig into ponytails when reading or working, or when you simply need your face to be free.
14 Inches
14 inches length is perfect If you want a wavy bob of the same extent. Similarly, if you want a curly hair bob that vigorously touches your shoulders, choose 16 inches bob.
Ladies who want to make bob hairstyles but don’t want to sacrifice the long hair that they love can reach a middle ground with a 14-inch bob wig.
This wig has what it takes to suit all face shapes and lengths. 14-inch bob wigs also support different styling patterns, giving you more opportunities to explore styling your hair.
As with other bob wigs, always add 2 inches when you want to get a wavy or curly texture to get the same length, which would be a 16-inch bob wig, although they are not as common as the 4 lengths discussed above.
Different Types of Bob Wigs
Bob wigs come in several types, and these types get their names either from the length of the wig or the nature of the wig material and style. Let’s look at them:
1. Short Bob Wigs
Also called chin-length wigs, short bob wigs are great for women who have thin hair because it adds volume to the face, even when you use straight wigs.
Short bob wigs that have natural waves often create a soft facial feature. When bangs are added, it creates a youthful appearance for women of all ages.
2. Lob Wigs
The term ‘Lob’ is gotten from Longer bob, which is a haircut that is a step up from short bob and allows for compromise in styling and packing.
Lob wigs create a bob hairstyle that allows ladies to choose between wearing the hair up in a ponytail, making it into a half bun, or leaving it to frame the face gracefully.
3. Layered Bob Wigs
Layered bob wigs are made of hair strands of different lengths. The strands are often longer around the face and then shorter in the back of the head. This style improves the volume and shape of the hair, giving you an attractive hairstyle, whether with wavy or straight hair.
With layered bobs, you can explore all options, including making it however short you want at the back and how long you want it to be in front.
It isn’t often easy to tamper with the lengths and style it smoothly, but an experienced hairstylist can achieve that. Some people also call this A-Line bob because the hair is longer at the front and shorter at the back.
4. Graduated bob
This bob style is very similar to an A-Line bob, but what’s different about it is that it has more texture and longer layering at the back of the hair, rather than very short hair at the back.
5. Shaggy or Messy bob
As the name implies, this bob has a naturally messy texture and is layered all over. However, it could either be medium length or short, depending on the wearer’s preference.
How Do You Maintain a Bob Wig?
Now that we know some of the bob styles to choose from, the next thing to cover is the maintenance measures for bob wigs so that they last for a long time and look beautiful for you.
Here are simple steps to help you maintain your bob wig:
- Always detangle your wig gently with a comb and your fingers, from the tips upwards. If required, get a good Detangling spray. It is best to detangle with a comb first and then use a brush to go over it when you’re done.
- Wash your bob wig with lukewarm water and massage the bob wig with wig shampoo, depending on whether it is a synthetic or human hair wig.
- Use a good conditioner on the wig after every wash, and avoid getting in contact with the roots when you condition again.
- Air dry your bob wig, especially if it is not heat-resistant. You can also blow dry your wig at the acceptable heat range.
- Avoid heat styling and high temperatures as much as possible because heat weakens the strands of your bob wig over time.
- Don’t ever comb or brush your bob wig when wet because it would get tangled and knotted. Always allow it to dry before using a wide-tooth comb or brush to comb through the strands from the tips up.
- You can maintain and style synthetic bob wigs with a steamer and brush, while human hair bob wigs can handle heat curlers after washing to maintain the form and style.
- Store your bob wig properly when not in use, preferably in a sealed plastic bag or the original wig box to avoid dust, stain, or tangles that could occur when you put it anywhere.
How To Make a Bob Wig Look Natural?
When you put on a bob wig, you want it to look beautiful, but you also want the wig to look natural like it is your natural hair. So, how do you achieve this? Several factors come into play.
1. Buy the right wig
Achieving a natural look for your bob wig starts with purchasing a wig that fits your head size and is comfortable.
You should also get a wig in the hair color or shade that looks like yours or can pass for natural hair color. The wig texture can also contribute to its natural look or otherwise, just as the styling can contribute to its natural appearance.
It is best to buy a bob wig that has transparent lace because the light color of the lace will allow your scalp to show through and make it look like the strands are coming out of your scalp.
Human hair bob wigs often look more natural than synthetic wigs without you having to do much work.
2. Prepare your skin and hairline
Begin by wiping off the oil on your hairline using an alcohol solution on a cotton swab, or simply wash your face. It is important to remove excess oils to ensure that the wig holds onto the skin firmly.
Protect your natural hair with a wig cap and then apply the glue or wig adhesive to your scalp. Ensure the glue doesn’t touch your hair but is deposited on your bare skin.
3. Apply Adhesive
If you are using adhesives, apply a small amount to your hairline using a small brush and wait a while until the glue gets sticky before applying the wig on the glue.
However, if you are using a hard adhesive, you can apply the wig immediately because it has an immediate bond.
If you’re using adhesive glue, cut off all the hair at the edge of the wig so it doesn’t get caught. Trim off excessive wig lace as well and bring it as close to the hairline as possible. Remember to protect your natural hairline while doing this.
If you are using tape, cut the tape to the length of your hairline so that it covers adequately. Then, fix one side of the tape to your hairline and press it down firmly.
4. Align the wig hairline with yours
To achieve a natural look, you need to align your natural hairline with the hairline of your bob wig and tease it so that there’s a blend.
Spray small amounts of dry shampoo on your hairline and along the wig’s part and then tease it with your fingers or a small brush.
Better still, you can create some baby hair around the hairline using styling gel to make the front look more natural.
5. Do some cutting and trimming
Sometimes, you might need to trim your bob wig to make it look natural. It is not advisable to do the trimming yourself to avoid damaging the wig, so get a professional hairstylist to trim your hair, cut off layers and edges to create a natural look.
Top Rated Bob Wigs
Final Words:
Bob wigs are beautiful and exciting to explore. They can make your face look beautiful and transform your look, regardless of your face size, skin color, and even age.
With the varying colors and lengths that bob wigs come in, you can explore styles and lengths that suit you without worries.
What’s more beautiful? Bob wigs will never go out of style, so you can buy a wig you love and enjoy it for a very long time.