How to Make a DIY Bald Cap for a Halloween Costume

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Voldemort, Professor X, Uncle Fester and Dr. Evil all have bald heads, but your child does not. Whether it's a Halloween costume or a character for the school play or cosplay, sometimes it's necessary for your child to become bald without losing his hair.

This bald wig tutorial will show you our hack for beginners to give the illusion of a smooth scalp without shaving your child's precious locks or using a store-bought lace wig or silicone bald cap.

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Things You'll Need

  • Hairbrush

  • Ponytail holder

  • Petroleum jelly

  • Plastic wrap

  • Clear tape

  • Black marker

  • 2 wig forms

  • Utility knife

  • Liquid latex

  • Sponge

  • Baby powder

Wet and slick down the hair

Wet your child's hair and slick it down with a brush. Flatten the hair to the neck. Tie long hair in a ponytail and secure it flat to the nape of the neck.

Apply petroleum jelly to the child's face

Smear petroleum jelly liberally along the hairline, ears and neck, smoothing back any stray baby hairs.

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Wrap the hair with plastic wrap

Wrap a piece of plastic wrap around the hairline, covering the ears and neck. Continue wrapping the head until you cover all of the child's hair.

Cover the plastic wrap with clear tape

Cover the plastic wrap with clear tape to create a solid shell.

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Trace the child's face

Trace a 1/2 inch outside of the child's natural hairline, including around the ears. If you will be hiding long hair, include the entire length of the neck. Hair can be hidden underneath the extended prosthetic and then remained tucked under a shirt collar.

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Remove the plastic wig cap carefully

Slide the plastic wrap carefully off the child's head, and place it immediately onto a hard plastic wig form to preserve its shape. Don't use a foam wig form because you won't be able to remove it from the form later.

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Cut along the traced hairline

Cut along the hairline you traced with a utility knife and remove excess tape and plastic wrap.

Trace the hairline onto the wig form

Trace around the hairline onto the wig form to create an outline.

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Cover the wig form with petroleum jelly

Coat the wig form with petroleum jelly, covering the line you just traced.

Apply the liquid latex layer

Apply a thin layer of liquid latex with a sponge, keeping the latex inside the hairline.

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Dry the latex between layer applications

Allow the latex to dry for the manufacturer's recommended amount of time before applying additional coats. You will need five to 10 coats of latex to make a bald wig opaque enough to disguise hair using this bald cap method.

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Peel the wig and apply baby powder

Peel the bald wig from the wig form 24 hours after the last coat of latex. Coat the outside of the wig with baby powder before peeling, and apply additional powder to the underside of the wig as you peel.

Store the DIY bald cap on a wig form

Store the bald wig on a clean wig form until you're ready to use it.

Tip

If you have an antsy child, skip tracing an exact hairline and just rough in a line that extends at least 1/2 inch beyond the general shape of the hairline where you will apply the bald cap.

Dark hair may still be visible beneath the bald cap application. Cover the wig with flesh-toned makeup to disguise the hair and blend it with the child’s skin before you attempt to add your own bald cap.

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