How To Properly Block Wigs For Drag, Cosplay, Theater And Opera

Christmas, I did squirrel, that's a government, that's gon na code in the beginning of the video. That'S what that's gon na do. Is it mean cute everybody! Welcome to another episode of waking out with Bob easy hosted by me. Bob easy. It'S a wiki. We beat up shut up, it's a wiki Wednesday, and it's tutorial today, so yeah we're all excited. Today'S tutorial is gon na, be how to properly block lace, wigs and non lace. Wigs that people have been asking me recently what the white stuff is across the front of my wigs when I take pictures of them on the block, is what's called 12 tape and what it's doing is its blocking the wig down. Basically, when you block a lace front wig, what you're doing is you're, taking that lace, edge and you're applying wet fabric to it, so it dries flat and you basically don't want you don't want the least to stick out on the bottom of it because then you're Gon na get a weird ripple or curl, you want the twill tape to sit right on the center line, and what that does is just makes the front hairline of the wig super invisible, makes it flat against your skin and it blends in easily um. Have you ever seen those girls sometimes on RuPaul's Drag Race and they have their lace front you it's all like in the front that that's just their wig not being properly blocked and it happens a lot. I see it with a lot of drag queens. They don't really know how to care for them, etc. So I figured I'd. Show you guys, I've been getting asked a lot. Why I do that? What it's for so I figured I'd, do a little demo today and show you guys how to do it and also show you guys how to block non lace. Wigs such as Amit a machine made way. You part wig, a wefted wig stuff like that. So that isn't a lace front since I don't think I've ever talked about this before in a video, so I figured I'd. Show you guys how to do it. I do have a video up about this, that I'll link here. That shows you how to clean them and everything after you wear them, but that was back before I kind of sort of figured out lighting. I still don't have a great grasp on it. I'M also about sixty pounds heavier in that video. So if you want to see me chubby or watch that, but I just figured I'd, do a little updated video, better lighting, better examples, etc. So I guess, since I did that video like a year ago, people aren't seeing it. I don't know so today, I'm going to show you guys how I personally block lace, wigs and regular wigs when I go to Roller set them work on them, add hair to them so to them whatever you need to properly block it down, so you don't run The risk of ripping or tearing the lace or messing up or crinkling the foundation when you go to sew anything or when you go to style it later. You want to make sure it's nice and smooth and snug on the block, and I'm going to show you guys how to do that right now. You'Re gon na need is you're. Gon na, of course, need your wig in your block, but you can see behind me on my stand: you're also going to need for a lace, wig you're gon na need a water bottle, you're, also going to need blocking tape of some sort. This is twill tape. I comes on a roll like this. It'S not the cheapest thing at the store, but you can also use bias tape. You can also use elastic. You can use masking tape like you can use so many things to block a wig with you. Don'T have to use tulle tape. I just happen to get this one a show closed. Oh, your necks, gon na need glass head pins. I have the little guys right here and I have the bigger guys right here, and these are for blocking your wig down. The small ones are for lace fronts. If your wig isn't a lace front, you don't really need these, because these will kind of pull through the foundation of the wig versus these big ones. But you don't you're gon na need a comb and a brush you're also going to need some purl head pins. You can also just use the big sewing pins. If you don't have these, I think that's it. So, as you can see right now, I have my wig on the block, and this is a lace front. This is the least four I did tie myself. It'S really bald and I'm putting it on a block with blue tape. Actually a so you guys can see it better and also so I'm going to fill in the front hairline of this thing in the next couple days. So I figured I would put some blue tape on it and kill two birds with one stone. So I have the wig on the head and basically how you want to start is you want to put your wig on the head and then I like to put two pins in the top Nicci mouse, as I like to say, because it looks like little ears. You can also say Mickey Mouse. Oh you remember, there's two! Then I take two more of my big corsage pins. I just put a third one in the head, just because it's easier and then I stretch the bottom portion of my wig down and I pin it in place right there. So I'll show you on this side. It'S basically the bottom corner of the wig here, where the foundation meets the elastic right here, you're pulling that down and you're pinning that into place with a pin, I'm pinning through the hair. Sorry, you guys you pin it down in place like that, especially if you're doing an updo or anything. You want to make sure that they're. Even so, there's that I like to block the back down first, because then I find that the lace lays correctly because when you put it on, you put it on your head and you pulled it back down and pin it when you do that. It kind of stretches and conforms to your head a little more, and I feel that like when I block like that, it makes it lay flatter and tighter next want to take your twill tape or elastic or whatever I like to use white. If you use anything, that's color, that's dyed or color, you can run the risk of the color transferring to your lace, so I like to just use white and be safe. Next, I'm gon na take my comb and my pick home and I'm just gon na. Take these hairs that are like hanging in the front hairline and I'm just gon na calm, those little guys back just so that I can block the wig down nice and tightly, but not have any hair in the way or taking my wet twill tape. And I go, you can see right here, the edge of the lace. I go right to the edge of the lace and I line up my bias tape so that this edge of the lace is in the direct center of the bias tape right here. I then take two small pins and I do one at the top of the lace, one of top of the ribbon and one at the bottom of the ribbon right there. Then I like to just go side to side. I like to just take my ribbon to stretch it out a little bit just so that I can get a nice firm block on the lace and I personally like to block every like half quarter to a half inch apart, depending on how long my lace is. If my lace is long, I like to use less pins in the front lace and I like to block more pins in it. But since this wig has a very short lace front on it, I'm putting them rather close together up here in the front, and I'm also going to put some in the interior as well. So now you guys can see here that I pinned to this hair up out of the way and then this is where my lace ends. So what I like to do is I like to take a pin at the top and then a pin here at the bottom, with the lace hitting in the center again like before, and I like to make a corner right there, basically like this and then I Put a few pins back here to hold this bottom portion of the lace on, and I usually put at least one on the bottom as well. To make another corner, I like to block very very neatly. Personally, you don't have to I personally like to block very neatly. You don't have to. It. Just has to get the job done, but you can make it look gorgeous at the same time you might as well so same thing on this side. This is gon na, be a little awkward for me because I am right-handed um. I also sometimes will stretch the lace down across the front and I like to just put a small pin there to hold it flat as I'm blocking. So it's a little easier for me to get tension. So now you can see, I have the whole front hairline block down and I have my two pins up in the top now. What I like to do is I like to take a few of the large pins and I like to put them in four strategic spots in the front of the wig I like to put them here, the seam, where the top meets the sides which, in a Machine made wigs like this one is usually where the skin top or the left to top or lace top meets the rough ting on the sides. You want to put one pin in there and I like to aim them going back or going in so that it makes it nice and tight same thing on the opposite side, one going back just like that in there and then over here I like to do The same thing, but I like to do it right here, where the wig lace front, meets the foundation of the wig right here right above the ear I like to do one right there as well, and the same on the opposite side in there and depending sometimes I'Ll put one in the center as well, so basically, what that's doing is that is blocking the foundation of your way into the block. This blocks your lace front, this blocks the foundation so when you're in there and you're brushing in your roller setting and you're pooling and everything, you're not going to put all that stress on the lace front, you're putting the stress on the foundation, which is much stronger And can support the pulling and tugging of styling and setting next? If your lace is a little long, you can put smaller pins in the interior about half an inch past. The hairline on the inside and that's just gon na keep the lace from pulling up or bubbling when you roller set, as lace can tend to do, especially if the wig was not made for the block you're putting it on. In this case. This week was not made on this block, so it's probably gon na gap a little bit when I go to do my roller set, you can are see like how that pulls a little bit. That'S what this prevents from happening all right and she is fully locked. Um, let me get a close-up of this. You guys can see, can see lace front and that she is bold and I got a filler in but honestly for hair lines, bald looks better. It looks so realistic if you keep it, keep it kind of bald. All you girls out there, making those thick thick thick fronts make a bold. Please make a bold. So after I brought two lace front, I decided to show you guys how to block a non lace front wig. This is just a regular synthetic mono top with the client brought for me to color match for a new piece. As you can see, I have my Mickey Mouse's on the top and I'm pulling the back down and blocking that down with my large pull head pins. Next, I am moving to the front hairline and making sure it's square and I'm going in right behind the front. Hairline, as you can see here, with one large pin in the center - and I also do one large pin at either ear tab here again on this side with the ear tab. And then I also will put that at the top seam, where the weft eing on the side meets the top portion, like I talked about earlier and then again on this side as well as I move my computer, and that is how you properly block a non Lace, wig. Alright, thanks for watching you guys, I hope you enjoyed that quick little tutorial about how to properly block a wig beginning asked a lot about why you block a wig or what that white stuff is on the front of my lace fronts, and so I figured I'd. Do a little blocking video and explain that you know this is why you do it. This is how you do it, and here you go so thanks again for watching you guys be sure to check out all my fun social media stuff down in the. If you have any questions, please email me at info at bobby-pins calm, be sure to check out my online web shop at bobby-pins, calm and be sure to LIKE comment subscribe and share and I'll see you on Friday for another fun Friday. Video thanks guys,