Short wigs in South Africa: styles, prices, where to buy

Short wig prices across SA stores

The cheapest short wig at each of the 12 stores with the lowest starting prices, cheapest first. Checked 6 Oct 2026. Prices change, so confirm on the store's page.

Stylists who fit short wigs, by city

City pages go live once three stylists there are verified.

Short wigs, explained

What counts as a short wig

In this guide a short wig runs from about 6 inches, a cropped pixie, to about 12 inches, a bob that reaches the shoulders. Wig length is measured from the crown to the ends with the hair pulled straight. On straight hair, Mayvenn puts an 8 inch wig at the chin and a 12 inch wig at the shoulders, and Luvme calls 10 inch the classic bob. The slider above starts at 10 inches. Wavy hair looks about 2 inches shorter and curly hair about 4 inches shorter, according to Mayvenn.

The shapes you will see in South African stores are bobs, pixies, boy cuts, finger waves, short curly wigs and short afros. We cover the two biggest groups in more detail on our bob wigs and pixie cut wigs pages, and the textured ones on our curly wigs and afro wigs pages.

What short wigs cost in South Africa

In our 6 Oct 2026 check, 17 of 27 hair stores had a short wig in stock. The table shows the 12 stores with the lowest starting prices, one wig each, and those prices ran from R179 to R1,035. At the bottom, Takealot lists a synthetic bob at R179 and Universal Dealers lists a curly boy cut at R200. The Wig Factory's 10 inch fringe bob is R299, and Virgin Human Hair's boycut pixie is R399. Remore's finger wave pixie is R498, Hair Majesty's 6 inch straight pixie is R520 and Hair City's curly T-part pixie is R599.

Shop around, because the same wig can cost very different amounts. The Manic Panic Short Cut Glam Doll synthetic wig in Blue Valentine is R690 at Hair Health and Beauty and R1,035 at Hair House Warehouse. The table starts at where each store's prices start. A longer, fuller or customised short wig costs more.

Short wigs for Black women: texture decides the look

Most of the short wigs sold here are straight or wavy, but there are also curly, finger wave and afro options. If you want a short wig that echoes tightly curled natural hair, look at the afro and kinky curly listings. Hair Majesty describes one of its kinky curl wigs as having thick, defined curls with a natural afro-inspired finish. Remember that curls shrink, so Mayvenn's 4 inch rule applies: a curly wig can look much shorter than the number in the title.

If you want a sleek short look, a straight bob or pixie is the usual route. Store titles use words such as fringe, blunt, middle part and T-part, which describe how the front is cut and where you can part it. Look at the photos closely, because the same word can mean different things at different stores.

Human hair, synthetic and heat

Short wigs come in both fibres. Human hair can be restyled with care, while synthetic fibre has a heat limit. HairUWear says plain synthetic fibre must never be heated with a blow dryer, curling iron or hot rollers. Heat friendly synthetic fibre can take more. Jon Renau says its HD fibre can withstand tools up to 350F but recommends 270F to 280F, and Ellen Wille rates its heat friendly styles at 260F to 280F. The American Academy of Dermatology says excessive heat damages hair and advises limiting blow drying and curling or flat irons.

The fibre is not always obvious from the price or the title. Remore's R498 finger wave pixie is described on its page as heat friendly synthetic fibre and machine made, while Hair City's R599 curly T-part pixie is described as 100% human hair. Read the page, and if it says only heat resistant, ask the store for the temperature.

Colour, bleach and short wigs

Short wigs are a popular way to try a bright colour. If you plan to lighten a human hair wig yourself, know the cost to the hair. The American Academy of Dermatology says lightening hair by more than three shades needs higher volumes of peroxide, which causes more damage. For a dramatic change, a stylist is the safer person to do it, and The Wig Factory also recommends a professional stylist for colour changes. A guide to 613 hair says synthetic fibre cannot be toned or dyed at home.

Before you pay

Run through these checks on any short wig:

• The fibre and the heat limit, in degrees, if it is synthetic.
• The cap: glueless or not, lace size and whether the lace is cut and plucked or left for you.
• Whether you are paying for customising. Hair Majesty says customised wigs cannot be exchanged or returned.
• The returns window, and whether it needs the lace uncut and the wig unworn.
• The length in inches and the texture, because a short curly wig reads shorter than a short straight one.

Short wigs: questions