How to Make a Wig Fluffy for Cosplay (5 Simple Ways)

Looking for a simple guide on how to make a wig fluffy for your cosplay?

One of the most difficult parts to style in any cosplay is the wig. By default, most wigs come off as sleek and shiny. But that’s not the look you want for all your cosplays.

Then, you have consider if your wig is heat-resistant. If it’s not, you’re going to permanently damage your wig and you won’t be able to use it.

So, how do you add volume to your wig and make it look less like… you know, a WIG?

In this article, we’re giving you 5 simple ways to make your cosplay wig fluffy. They are all awesome tips and if you use them together, you will get the best results.

Sounds good?

Let’s dive in.

Level #1: How to Backcomb and Make Your Wig Look Fluffy

Backcombing is exactly what it sounds like. You comb your wig hair backwards to get the fibers in front to stand up and look more fluffy.

It’s super simple, but it’s pretty effective. And it works on both natural hair and wigs alike. You can get away with just backcombing for a Velma cosplay…

Harley Quinn cosplay

Mia Wallace cosplay

And even a Zenitsu cosplay (for men).

Here’s how you do it:

• Start with a section of the wig that’s at least 2 inches thick
• Lift the strands up so that the ends are away from the root
• Leave a 3-4 inch gap from the scalp
• Comb the hair backward to give it more volume

Here’s a visual guide:

You don’t want to start combing at the scalp. It’s going to make the wig look super messy. Also, you want to backcomb the undersection of the wig so that the top looks neat.

Pro Tip: Use a dense comb. The denser the comb, the more volume you get with backcombing

Level #2: How to Make a Wig Fluffy Using Hair Spray

You can’t keep your wig from going flat for long with just backcombing. To make your wig fluffy and keep it that way, you need to use hair spray.

The hair spray will help your wig stay fluffy for a long time. And it’s perfect for all types of wigs including custom ones like a maid costume wig.

Spritz on some hair spray a couple inches above the scalp. And then start back combing.

Remember not to overdo the hairspray. Or it’s going to make your wig look used and dirty. Again, try and avoid the scalp. Otherwise, the wig will end up looking messy and instead of fluffing up the wig, you’ll end up with bald spots.

Level #3: How to Make a Wig Fluffy Using Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a great way to fluff up your wig. At the same time, you can use it to reduce the shine on a wig. The extra-shiny look to any wig makes it look artificial. But you can use dry shampoo to fix that.

Dry shampoo is a great way to make your Team Rocket cosplay wigs look more natural.

Although, you may want to leave Jessie’s wig a little bit shiny.

Here’s how you do it:

• Start with a section of the wig that’s at least 2 inches thick
• Lift the strands up so that the ends are away from the root
• Leave a 3-4 inch gap from the scalp
• Spritz a little hair spray and move on to the next section

You don’t want to start spraying at the scalp. That’s going to create some bald spots again.

Also, don’t go overboard with the shampoo. Remember how we said that using dry shampoo on a synthetic wig can make it less shiny? Too much shampoo can drain the color from the wig and make it look old, used, and dirty.

Level #4: Trimming and Styling a Wig to Make it Fluffy

You can style a wig just like natural hair. Just find a decent wig crimper on Amazon. They cost around $20. After you shampoo the wig and floof it up with hair spray, let it dry. Then, use a crimper to make the volume in the hair permanent.

We recommend getting in touch with a trained stylist who knows how to trim and style a wig. It’s an expensive process and any trimming or styling is a permanent thing.

So, only have this done for very specific wigs. For instance, a Rengoku cosplay wig is perfect for this sort of treatment.

But if you use this method to fluff up your Shinobu cosplay wig…

You won’t be able to reuse the wig if you ever want to cosplay as Hinata or as Shego.

WARNING: You should not use this method unless you’re a hair stylist and you know what you’re doing. Most synthetic wigs aren’t heat resistant. And you can destroy the wig permanently with the heat.

Level #5: How to Make a Wig Fluffy Using Wefts and Superglue

Wefts are strips with hair fiber that get sewn on to a wig. You can buy wefts and sew them onto your wig to cover up bald spots. For a cosplay wig, you can also use superglue to graft some wefts in.

Using wefts is the perfect way to fix a wig if you messed up with backcombing, hair spray, and dry shampoo. Typically, you need wefts for wigs with short or medium length hair.

So, it’s perfect for a Daphne costume wig.

Sewing wefts gives you a more natural look. But if you’re pressed for time, superglue will do the job just fine. After that, just trim the extra bits and you have a super fluffy cosplay wig.

Now That You Know How to Make a Wig Fluffy, What’s Next?

That’s all for this one, folks!

If this article helped you, leave a comment below and let us know! And definitely check out some of our cosplay costume ideas and tutorials:

• How to Plan a Cosplay
• How to Start Cosplaying for Absolute Beginners
• Super Easy Cosplay Ideas to Become a Social Media Superstar
• Super Cool Spider Gwen Costume Options (Bestsellers Only)
• Best Steampunk Costumes That Your Money Can Buy

Peace out. And May the Force Be With You!