4 tips for getting wigs ready for Mardi Gras
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Debbie with a D, left, and Lexis D'Ville are two of Natalie Chosa's regular wig clients. Photos: Courtesy of Debbie with a D and Lexis D'Ville
Wigs are a key part of New Orleans' costume culture, and stylist Natalie Chosa is here to help get your faux hair ready for Mardi Gras.
The big picture: Too often, people wear their wigs and then toss them in the costume trunk or closet.
- If that's you, here are four beginner tips from Chosa to rehab your synthetic wig.
🪮 Brush it out. Use a bristle brush. "That will do a ton to the life of a wig."
🧼 Wash it. Use cold water and regular shampoo. Soak it in the sink or the tub and rinse it out. There's no need for conditioner.
- It won't change the texture of the wig, like washing out curls, she says.
🌬️ Dry it. Put it on a hanger and let it air-dry. You can also get a canvas head block to hold the wig while drying and styling.
🦄 Style it. Don't use heat like curling irons. Instead, think about braiding the hair, putting it in a ponytail or adding special items, like Mardi Gras decorations.
Between the lines: People with thick hair sometimes think they can't wear wigs, Chosa said, but they just need to learn how to prep their natural hair properly. Go deeper
What she's saying: "We have so many opportunities to dress up here and I still somehow think there's not enough," says Chosa, who is a member of the Sirens dance troupe. "I want to dress up all the time. ... I love our costuming culture."
Zoom out: Chosa got started with wigs while working on the set of "NCIS: New Orleans."
- She then began making wigs for the Krewe of Dolly at her Irish Channel studio.
- Now, she's expanded to drag queens and several more krewes, in addition to special events and her regular hair and makeup clients.
- Clients drop off their wigs to be reset or they can order new ones. Prices start at $50/hour.
What's next: She offers wig application lessons and wig styling classes over the summer so you can level up your costume skills. She posts the schedule on Instagram.
Go deeper: New Orleans' costume shops