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Posted by admin | Category:Christmas Costumes, Santa Beard and Wig, Santa Claus Costume, Seasonal Costumes
The care and cleaning of a Santa beard and wig.
If the quality of your Santa wig and beard set is such that it is washable (some wig and beards set are cotton, mohair, or cheap synthetics and should not be washed), then washing your set should be done periodically. If you opt not to wash the set, then a good spraying with Lysol or some other disinfectant should be used after every use, particularly on the mustache and chin strap, as well as the base (cloth or net base) of the wig.
Caveat. Never, never have the wig and beard dry cleaned. It might end up so matted that you will never get it looking good again, even with extensive brushing.
Using a mild detergent/soap, gently soak the wig and beard in water and then gently brush the interior of the wig, and the back of the mustache and chin strap with a stiff brush. If you’ve used Spirit Gum to adhere the mustache to the upper lip, then you might need to use a spirit gum remover (likely available at your local costume shop) as part of this step in the process.
The wig and beard at this point might be combed (again gently) to make certain the knotted and matted areas are removed. Even though the wig/beard set may be naturally and permanently curled, the objective is to have it as straight and mat free as possible. Then it (the set) should be layed on a terry cloth towel to dry naturally. Heat is a huge enemy, so never use a hair dryer to hasten the drying process.
If one is so inclined to ‘dress’ the wig and beard, that is, to re-wave it, this is probably a good time to do it…while it is still wet.
We used clamps and ‘marceled’ (waves) the set. The waves were alternated in rows from left to right and then right to left. Visualize a 1920’s movie star and that is the effect you want in general
Is this time consuming? Yes, but you’ll have a much better looking Santa beard and wig for next season.
On storage, yak hair and other natural hair can be affected by the light and cause the wig and beard to yellow if not properly stored. Like a white wedding dress, it’s always a good idea to wrap the wig and beard in blue tissue paper.