Burgundy Is the Colour of the Season: How to Wear a Burgundy Wig

A burgundy wig is the easiest way to wear deep wine-red hair without bleaching or dyeing your own. The shade sits between red and purple-brown, so it flatters most deeper skin tones and reads as rich rather than loud. The key is choosing the right undertone, pairing your makeup to it and washing it gently so the colour stays vivid.

Key takeaways

• Burgundy has a cool, berry side and a warm, brown-red side. The one you choose should echo your skin’s undertone.
• A pre-coloured unit saves your natural hair from bleach and saves you the wait of a custom colour job.
• Red tones are known to fade faster than browns, so cool water, gentle products and heat protection matter more than usual.
• Our Zara Burgundy 24″ is a glueless, single donor Vietnamese raw hair unit in this shade.

Why burgundy, and why now?

Deep reds tend to return whenever fashion leans towards richness: velvet, wine tones and glossy finishes. Burgundy also photographs beautifully, which is why it works so well for weddings, year-end functions and festive-season events. It feels bolder than black or brown, but it is still polished enough for the office.

South African women in the public eye have proved the point. In a July 2024 hair-colour guide, TrueLove featured Zola Nombona in burgundy, describing the shade as red with a bit of brown. Mihlali Ndamase has worn a burgundy cropped wig, one of the looks listed in a 2022 Briefly roundup, and in February 2024 wore a red weave for a Valentine’s Day shoot, installed by The San HD, according to Briefly. For more on Zola’s career, read our profile of Zola Nombona.

Which burgundy suits my skin tone?

Burgundy is forgiving, but the undertone still makes a difference. Look at the veins on your inner wrist in daylight, or think about which jewellery flatters you most.

If you are torn, a darker root or a slightly deeper shade near the face usually softens the transition and looks more natural on deeper skin. Our stylists can advise in person, as colour reads very differently in daylight than on a phone screen.

The Zara Burgundy 24″: what you are buying

If you want the colour without any processing on your part, the Zara Burgundy 24″ is our ready-to-wear option. It costs R18,400, or 4 × R4,600 with PayFlex.

• Hair: single donor Vietnamese raw hair, worn straight.
• Length: 24 inches, long enough for a dramatic middle part or a sleek high ponytail.
• Lace: 13×6 transparent lace, which gives generous room to part and style the front.
• Fit: fully glueless, with an interior drawstring and tension band.

Not ready for colour yet? The Zara 24″, R17,400 (4 × R4,350 with PayFlex), shares the same single donor raw hair, sleek glass-like shine and glueless 13×6 lace. Delivery is free on orders over R5,300, and you can also collect in Sandton.

New to red? How to ease in

If you have only ever worn black or brown, burgundy can feel like a leap. A few ways to make it feel like you:

• Try it for an occasion first. A wedding, birthday or year-end function is a natural moment to debut a new colour.
• Keep everything else simple. Neutral clothing, black, cream or camel, lets the hair be the statement.
• Take daylight photos. Indoor lighting can make burgundy look almost black. Natural light shows the true shade.
• Alternate units. Owning one coloured unit and one natural one gives you range without committing your own hair to dye.

How to style a burgundy wig

Straight burgundy hair shows off shine, so lean into styles that reflect light:

• Sleek middle part. The cleanest way to show off the colour and the lace.
• Deep side part with a soft bend. Glamorous for evening, especially with bare shoulders.
• High ponytail. Lifts the colour away from the face, which helps if you are new to red.
• Loose waves. Curls catch the light in layers, so the burgundy looks more dimensional. Always use heat protectant.

What makeup goes with burgundy hair?

Red hair changes how your face reads, so your usual makeup may need small tweaks:

1. Balance the warmth. If your hair is very red, a slightly cooler or neutral lip stops the look from becoming one block of colour.
2. Or go tonal. A wine or berry lip that echoes the hair is striking for evening. Keep the eyes softer.
3. Define your brows. Bold hair can make faint brows disappear. Fill them in a shade close to your natural colour.
4. Bronze, do not blush hard. Warm bronze tones on the cheeks usually sit better with burgundy than bright pink.
5. Gold or silver? Follow your undertone, as in the table above.

If it is for an event, our full glam makeup service pairs the face to the hair from the start. Prices are on Fresha.

How do I stop a burgundy wig from fading?

Coloured hair is more porous than untouched hair, and red tones are widely known to be among the quickest to fade. With good care, often you can keep the colour rich for much longer:

1. Wash less, and in cool water. Hot water opens the cuticle and lets colour escape.
2. Use sulphate-free, colour-safe products. Gentle cleansers strip less pigment.
3. Condition every wash. Coloured hair dries out faster, and dry hair looks dull.
4. Protect from heat. Lower your flat iron temperature and always use heat protectant.
5. Limit strong sun. UV can dull red tones. A hat or scarf on long outdoor days helps.
6. Store it away from light. Keep the unit on a stand in a cupboard or covered, not on a sunny dressing table.

A professional wig treatment between wears also helps. Our Wig Maintenance bundle includes one wig treatment a month for R349.

Can I dye my own wig burgundy instead?

You can, if the hair is human hair and in good condition, but it is a bigger job than it looks. Going from dark to burgundy usually needs lifting first, and results vary by hair. Our guide on whether you can dye a human hair wig explains the risks and the safer options, including asking our stylists to colour a unit for you.

Ready for red?

Burgundy is a confident choice that still feels refined, and a pre-coloured unit lets you try it without touching your own hair. Shop the Zara Burgundy 24″, or send our stylists a selfie in daylight on WhatsApp and we will help you choose the right shade of red.

Frequently asked questions

Does burgundy hair suit dark skin?

Usually, yes. Burgundy is one of the most flattering bold colours on deeper skin tones because its depth keeps it from looking harsh. Choose a brown-red burgundy if you have warm undertones and a berry or plum-leaning shade if you have cool undertones. A darker root can soften the look further.

Is burgundy the same as red?

Not quite. Burgundy is a deep red with purple or brown in it, named after the wine. It is darker and more muted than a bright cherry or fire-engine red, which is why many people find it easier to wear every day. The exact shade varies from unit to unit.

How do I wash a burgundy wig without fading it?

Wash it only when needed, in cool water, with a sulphate-free, colour-safe shampoo. Condition every time, squeeze rather than rub, and let it dry on a stand. Keep heat low and use protectant. Some colour release in the first washes can be normal, so wash it separately from light fabrics.

Can I straighten or curl the Zara Burgundy 24"?

It is human hair, so it can be heat-styled with care. Always use a heat protectant and keep tools at a moderate temperature, because coloured hair is more vulnerable to heat damage and fading. If you plan a big change of style, our stylists can do it for you.

Is the Zara Burgundy 24" glueless?

Yes. It has an interior drawstring and tension band, so it can be worn fully glueless. It uses a 13×6 transparent lace, which gives you plenty of room to part the hair. Our stylists can also install it for a flatter, event-ready finish if you prefer.

Sources

• TrueLove/News24 — 5 hair colours to try, as seen on Zola Nombona and others
• Briefly — Times Mihlali Ndamase rocked different hairstyles
• Briefly — Mihlali Ndamase's Valentine's Day hair colour

Written by The Penthouse Beauty Studio team at The Marc, 129 Rivonia Rd, Sandown, Sandton. Prices are in rand, include VAT and were correct at the time of publishing.