How To Style a Wig Ponytail
A note to the readers: There are several ways to do a ponytail wig – this post pictures and describes a few different method! This tutorial is subject to changes and updates. Fundamentally, it’s pretty solid – however, I am very bad at recording the process steps and taking photos as I go and may have missed some information, steps in the process, and/or my photos may not all match.
Creating the Ponytail Base
This is one of many methods to create a ponytail base for a cosplay wig. For this wig, I created the base post for the ponytail using a few strips of Thibra, some upholstery foam, and some masking tape.
Other methods may include materials such as Worbla, PVC pipe, a waterbottle top and cap, or 3D printing. Be mindful of how heavy this may end up being – you don’t want your wig to pull itself off your head all the time.
Create a sleeve-like connector piece to act as the actual ponytail. For this wig, I created it out of a simple EVA foam cylinder. If the surface of your ponytail base is not a soft surface (such as Worbla or 3D printed), cover it with a layer of EVA foam clay or quilt batting – this will provide a nice, organic looking surface for the hair to lay on and will prevent it from looking weird and unnatural.
Position the ponytail base on the wig head to determine where you want the ponytail to sit. Invert the base wig and place it on the wig head. Use the ponytail base to mark out where the ponytail will be on the wig.
POINT OF NO RETURN. MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE.
For this wig, I opted to not create a helmet wig base. Instead, I passed the ponytail base through the netting of the wig itself so that the base of the ponytail is on the inside of the wig.
I did this using a pair of sharp scissors and cut out a small space where the ponytail post will be. If the wig has a simpler net-like base, you may need to snip some connection pieces between wefts to create a space for the ponytail to pass through. You may want to stabilize any wefts you end up cutting with glue or sewing to prevent the wig from shedding its hair as it’s worn.
Carefully pass the post of the ponytail base through the hole and hot glue the wig netting to the ponytail base to secure it. You can add a layer of felt or EVA foam to the underside of the ponytail base to pad it where it will be sitting against your head if desired
Smoothing the Hair
Once the ponytail base is in place, the next step is to pull the hair back and make it look like it’s been swept up into a ponytail.
To do this, section out the hair and carefully remove wefts in areas that will end up being too bulky. This will primarily be the wefts the immediate 2-3 rows of hair on the wig netting. Use a pair of hair scissors and remove the hair as close to the netting as possible without cutting the netting.
Note: Set this hair aside – you may need it later!
Once everything is sectioned out and your excess wefts have been trimmed out, smooth the base of the wig using a silicone spatula tool or just your hands. Allow the layer of glue to dry completely before proceeding.
At this point, you can add a later of quilt batting to the wig base if desired – this can help provide a solid base and structure to adhere the hair to as we lay it down. Use a heat gun or steamer to carefully shape it and remove bulk (being mindful to not completely melt through the batting), and airbrush or brush paint on to match the color of the hair.
Use your choice of glue (I prefer UHU or Clear Gel Tacky Glue) to slick back the wefts of hair and gather them around the PVC pipe. I leave them longer than necessary until everything is swept and glued into place, using clear hair elastics to hold it in place around the pipe. Once everything is where I want it, I trim the wefts to length and use UHU to hold the hair in place around the ponytail post.
Building the Ponytail
To start constructing the ponytail, gather your extra wefts and start attaching them to the ponytail base you created a few steps back.
If you used the EVA foam cylinder method, glue the wefts in a spiral, starting at the closed end, and finishing where the ponytail meets the head. Once reaching a point close to the connecting edge of your ponytail base, attach a hair tie or ribbon or whatever accessories you prefer. Always start from the middle of your pony tail structure and work your way out to make it easier on yourself to apply the wefts.
Once you reach the end of the ponytail, you can finish it with several different methods, such as attaching a scrunchie to hide the ends of the wefts, wrap it with a weft that’s been coated in glue to create a “natural” hair tie, or simply glue the ends down very well to finish the look.
Note: Scrunchies are probably the easiest option. If you don’t want to buy some or if you need a custom looking one, they can be made out of a strip of fabric and a normal old hair tie or a strip of elastic. This tutorial offers a great step-by-step process and material list to get you started making scrunchies
Additional Resources
There are tons of ways to do wig ponytails – and tons of tutorials online to help you along the way! Check out some of the following if you need/want more info or help and happy styling!