How to Pluck a Lace Front Wig

If you are new to the world of wigs, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: you need to pluck, hon. Plucking your lace front wig will ensure you have a natural hairline instead of the super straight; I’m obviously a fake hairline. 

But how? While you might think you have to have a year of cosmetology school under your belt to pluck a hairline, it’s actually a lot easier than you might think. Even someone brand new to wig-wearing can pluck their hairline for the gods, honey.

Ready to make your lace front wig look like the real deal? Then keep reading. I’m sharing the easiest and best way to pluck a lace front wig. Get ready to slay all day.

Step 1: Get Your Tools Ready

Tools? No, I’m not talking about a hammer and a chainsaw. It’s not that serious, queen. There are only a few pieces of equipment you will need to be successful:

• Your desired lace front wig
• Wig stand
• Pins
• Comb
• Tweezers

Luckily, these are things that you likely have in your home already. The only thing you might need to buy is a wig stand. No, it’s not technically a must, but it will make your job 100 times easier and give you far better results than without. 

(Psst.. there’s a wig stand for under $5 on Amazon, so you don’t really have an excuse not to utilize one!)

Step 2: Decide Whether to Pluck Wet or Dry Hair

Does it matter? No, not really. It’s more of a personal preference.

Working with wet hair is a bit easier because the strands are more easily maneuvered. However, dry hair will provide you a more accurate depiction of what the hair will look like. With wet hair, you have to wait till it dries to see the final product.

Step 3: Put the Lace Front Wig on the Wig Stand

When placing your lace front wig on the wig stand, make sure that it is securely fitted onto the stand. To provide added security, consider adding pins to hold it down. 

The addition of pins will ensure that the wig doesn’t slip and slide while you’re plucking, which could lead to a disfigured hairline.

Step 4: Comb the Lace Front Wig

The next step is to comb through the lace front wig entirely. You want to make sure that the wig is void of any type of knots or tangles which could hinder your plucking abilities.

That said, pay extra close attention to the hairs around the hairline. They should be 100% smooth and tangle-free.

Step 5: Start Plucking Your Wig

Now, it’s time for the moment you’ve been waiting for: plucking your wig. 

Ladies, if this is your first time, I’m going to tell you this much – go as slow as you want. Take your time. A rushed hairline will appear rushed and sloppy, and that’s something you want to avoid.

Here are a few key things to remember when you start plucking:

• Pluck the strands of hair away from the face for a more natural appearance.
• Pluck every other strand, so it is spaced out without bald spots.
• Start above the ear and make your way to the middle of the head.
• Go slow. 
• Don’t over pluck. While you can pluck too little and use your tweezers for more plucking magic, you can’t replace plucked-out strands. That said, make sure you are lenient with the plucking.
• Make sure that you’re plucking the actual strands of hair and not the lace.
• When finished, brush out the hair to remove any loosened strands.

Step 6: Repeat Step Five with More Layers

Don’t stop at the front of your hairline. Just like your natural mane, hairs around the hairline go back further than a single layer. That said, you need to pluck several layers of the hairline for a more organic finish.

The best way to accomplish this is by parting the hairline into small sections. Take a bit of the hair and separate it from the rest of the bulk. Pluck the hairline in the same fashion as you did before: slowly and from ear to ear. 

Continue this process until you have plucked at least three or four layers of hair. 

Step 7: Finish the Look

Now that you have plucked several layers of the hairline successfully, it’s time to polish it up a bit. Comb the lace front wig thoroughly and inspect the hairline. Does it appear natural? Are you happy with the final result?

If you think the hair could benefit from a bit more plucking, now is the time to do it. Pinpoint which areas might need a few more plucked strands. Remember not to overpluck during this process, either.

Tip: Pulling the hair back into a ponytail will provide you with a better visual representation of what the hairline looks like.

Are you more of a visual person? Then check out this easy video that shows you how to pluck your lace front properly: 

What If the Lace Front Wig is Pre-Plucked?

If the lace front wig you purchased is pre-plucked, then you do not need to pluck the wig. However, most women will prefer to customize a pre-plucked wig to their liking. There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to plucked hairlines.

So, if you’re dissatisfied with the pre-plucked hairline in any way, don’t hesitate to pluck the hairline. If it needs subtle changes, then follow the above steps. If you want to start from scratch, begin by cutting off the existing baby hairs entirely and start with a blank slate.

Final Thoughts

Plucking a lace front wig is pretty easy, and I think you will agree. The most important thing to remember is that you need to tread the plucking waters slowly. Overplucking can’t be fixed, but you can always pluck more when necessary. 

Other than that, a good pair of tweezers and plucking every other strand from ear to ear will provide you with a gorgeous finish that looks like the real deal.

My name is Michelle and I've been using hair wigs for about five years. I use them when I am heading out on a hot date or looking fierce for a special event. I created this site to help those new to the lace wig world.