How to Make Piano Highlights In A Wig

Different hair trends unfold over time, and highlights are part of it. And among these highlight trends is vacation highlight and a host of other highlights. However, the highlight we will focus on in this article is the piano highlight. This hair trend has become so popular in recent years and is a trend that works for all hair types. But what are piano highlights, how do you add them in a wig, and maintain them as well? Read on to find out!

What are piano highlights?

Piano highlights hair is one that has a vertical mixture of diverse colors. It was quite trendy in the ’90s and recently made a comeback. Shades of light brown mixed with blond are usually the color used for piano highlights. This color difference generates a stripe that resembles the white and black keys on a piano, hence the reason why it is called piano highlights.

But, in recent years, an array of different combinations of colors have been used to create highlighted hair. Piano highlights bring about a sophisticated and classy look on any lady, and they are appropriate for diverse events. Even though highlights are of various types, piano highlights compliment the hair, giving it a natural finishing.

Tutorial: How to add piano highlights to your hair

Prior to the process of adding piano highlights to your hair, it is expected of you to know the products/materials you need. They include Aluminum foil, bleach, developer, pintail comb, gloves, mixing bowl, and brush.

Bring all the materials/ products within your reach. Then, follow this procedure one after the other to make piano highlights on the hairpiece.

Step 1: Mix the bleach with a developer. Pour two to three lumps of bleach into the bowl to do this. And then mix in the developer with the bleach with the mixing brush. However, make sure the consistency is watery but not too watery. 

Step 2: Place the hairpiece on a rack after combining the materials to make the highlights process much easier. Using a pintail comb, piece away 1.5 inches of the wig strand from the crown. Spread the bleach and developer mixture on aluminum foil underneath it. The coating of the mixture should be done with the mixing brush.

To achieve an ombre effect, start half an inch or one inch from the wig's base. Spread the mixture until it completely covers the area you're working on. While working on that region of the mane, you will notice that the color changes. That means you're doing it correctly.

Once you've finished spreading the mix, fold the foil over the hair to cover that portion. Fold the paper tightly but not too tightly, this makes the processing go faster. Then go to the opposite side of the wig and repeat the process.

Step 3: After you've completed the front area, it's time to go on to the wig's remaining divisions. However, this section is slightly more technical than the previous one. This is because the piano highlight effect requires skipping some portions of the hair.

So, to start with, cut out a larger piece of foil, section 1 inch of the wig, and lay the foil beneath the section of the wig, then, apply the bleach mixture. Once the section you are working on is fully saturated, lift the foil up so that you will be able to access other parts of the hair. 

1 Inch of hair should be sectioned off and left underneath the foil. Place another inch of foil on top of that, and then apply the bleach mix. This implies bleaching one inch of hair, skipping an inch, and then bleaching another inch. This is known as the bleach-skip-bleach method.

When you're almost done with the foil, stop. This ensures that you have sufficient foil to completely cover the hair. Cut out another square of foil and repeat the process until you have covered the entire region of the wig you wish to work on.

Step 4: Set the wig aside to process for around 30 minutes once you are done applying bleach to every spot you want to enhance. Take away the foil after 30 minutes and wash the bleach away.

Note: Only use a neutralizing hair wash, it will effectively counteract or neutralize the bleaching effect. Then, to keep the hairpiece hydrated and healthy, use a moisturizer or conditioner.

Step 5:  After you've finished washing it, squash out any extra moisture with a fiber towel. Then spritz the blond enhanced wig with hair spray or polish, brush it, and let it air dry. This is how a black wig with blonde highlights is made.

However, some people enjoy highlighting the wig's black color. To do this, simply apply a light brown color after shampooing and moisturizing the hairpiece. This will reduce the blond color and brighten the black spot. So, how do you go about doing it?

• In a mixing bowl, pour the color/dye, add the developer, and whisk with a mixing brush till you achieve a watery consistency.
• After that, spread the mixture to the prosthesis and set it aside for 10 minutes. However, knead the mixture into the wig to the point where it permeates it, but not where it reaches the lace so that it won't damage it. 
• After 10 minutes, wash with a clarifying hair wash and nourish with a conditioner, after which you can style the headpiece. 

Tips to care for highlighted wigs

Blonde highlight wigs enhance your appearance and make you appear trendy. Piano highlights wigs are quite simple to maintain, and as a result, many individuals overlook their highlighted wigs. The color may fade and it will appear unhealthy if you do not properly care for and preserve it. Here are some care suggestions for highlight wigs to help you avoid this.

Washing of blonde highlight wigs.

The first care tip is to give your highlight wig a good wash. To do this you need:

A sulfate-free shampoo, 

Conditioner,

Detangler, 

An ultra-fiber or furry towel.

Step 1: To start with, clear away all tangles in your hair with a detangler or wide-tooth comb. Use a paddle hairbrush for a straight wig and a wide-tooth comb for a curly one. To untangle knots, you should begin from the end and brush down to the base. This will help reduce any form of strand breaking from the headpiece. 

Step 2: Fill a washbasin or wide container halfway with warm water. To clean the headpiece of any perspiration, grease, or build-up substance, use warm water. Hot water should not be used since it can harm the cuticle. You should also avoid using cold water as it will not effectively clean the wig.

Step 3: When cleaning the highlight wig, pour the shampoo straight into the water rather than on the wig. Furthermore, be sure to utilize sulfate-free shampoos. If your shampoo contains sulfates, your hair color will fade and all of your hard work will wash off down the drain (pun intended).

Step 4: Flip the wig inside out and soak it in a bath of warm water laced with shampoo. It is necessary to shift it inside out so the shampoo can reach the wig cap. This will remove all sweat, grime, and product build-up from the cap. Ensure that the wig is completely immersed in the water in the bowl. If it is not fully immersed, you can add more warm water. 

Then, to minimize tangling, slightly twirl the headpiece in the water (emphasis on slightly). Allow the prosthesis to sit for about 10 minutes after that.

Step 5: Clean out the shampoo with warm water after 10 minutes. For a thick wig, try the cleaning procedure once more. If not, gently squash out extra moisture from the wig with a microfiber towel until it is no longer soaking wet.

Step 6: Then, to nourish and keep the wig hydrated, use the conditioner. When using the conditioner, though, stay away from the lace area of your headpiece. This is because the conditioner may cause the lace to wear out and the tresses to fall out.

Allow the moisturizer to penetrate the wig for a glossy, fresh finish, then set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Instead of using warm water to wash off the conditioner, use cool water. The cold water will aid in the strand’s nutrition and moisture retention.

Drying of blonde highlight wig

Now that you know how to clean blonde highlight wigs properly, here are some suggestions for drying them safely.

• Use an ultra-fiber towel.

Softly squeeze excess moisture from the headpiece using an ultra-fiber towel. Alternatively, to eliminate water, wrap it in a furry or cotton cloth and push it down. Set it on a headpiece rack after running your fingers through it.

Avoid brushing or combing a drenched blonde highlighted wig so that it will not break or be damaged. Spritz hair spray on it to prevent tangling, and you can decide to use mousse for curly wigs. Then set it on the headpiece rack to air dry. 

• Blow-dry at a low temperature.

You can blow-dry your wig as an alternative to air-drying it if you don't have time or are in a haste to put it on. All you have to do now is spray a thermal protectant and tune the blowdryer to a cool setting before blow-drying. Thermal damage can be avoided thanks to the thermal protectant as well as the cool temperature settings.

Maintenance of blonde highlighted wigs.

One component of the care tip is cleaning and drying; the other component is maintenance. How well you care for your highlighted wig will impact how long it lasts. For long-lasting blond highlighted wigs, follow these maintenance tips:

• Avoid frequent washing.

The more your highlight wigs are washed, the more nutrients and oil are stripped away. As a result, if you wash it regularly, the shine and highlight will be stripped away. So, even though cleaning your headpiece is vital, try to steer clear of doing so frequently. Washing your highlighted wig fortnightly is fine if you use it frequently. Cleanse it every two or three weeks if you do not use it as frequently.

• Use dry shampoo between wash days.

As we have ascertained that we should really not wash highlighted wigs too often, another option is to use dry shampoo. Dry shampoos remove all traces of sweat, debris, and build-up product from the tresses without removing color. Use dry shampoo between washing days to extend the life of your wig's highlights.

• Avoid using hot styling appliances.

When hair (natural or extensions) is exposed to too much heat, it can be damaged, and your black wig with blonde highlights is no exception. As a result, stay away from hot styling products like curling irons and flat irons. If you can't get rid of them entirely, reduce how often you use them. Work in a heat protectant before using them in any case.

• Store your blonde bob highlight wigs on a wig stand.

When you're not using your piano highlight hair, store it appropriately. To store them, you should utilize a wig stand. It will keep the wig structure intact while preventing tangling.

• Do not expose it to sunlight or chlorine.

Sunlight or chlorine eliminates color from your highlighted wig strands. As a result, keep your wigs out of direct sunlight. When you're out in the sun, wear a hat or scarf. Also, you should take it off when you want to swim as most swimming pools contain chlorine.

• Use headcovers made with silk material.

Tangling and frizziness are avoided with silk materials. As a result, make sure to wear a silk nightcap or bonnet. Furthermore, you should use a silky pillowcase.

Where to buy piano highlight wigs?

In need of piano highlight wigs or blonde highlight wigs, look no further. Ula hair has highlighted wigs in various types and textures. Our piano highlight extensions are 100% human hair, which makes them less prone to damage. Hence, they last longer.