When creating postiche for a character makeup, various types of hair are often used: human hair, animal hair, and synthetic hair. You might think that hair is hair, but there are very clear differences in hair textures, in addition to the obvious color variations. Of the human hair used for postiche, there are European and Asian. European hair is the most expensive because it offers the widest variety of natural colors and has a mild texture. Asian hair is less expensive and coarser than European hair and sometimes does not last as long, but it’s readily available and can also be found in a variety of colors.1
Yak hair is frequently used in postiche work and because of its coarseness is particularly suited for moustache or beard work. It is naturally black, gray, or off-white and can be artificially colored. Angora goat hair (mohair) is a very soft hair used predominantly for fantasy character work. It colors very well, but it can be quite expensive. Sheep’s wool (crepe wool/crepe hair) is sold in braided ropes that can be easily straightened and used for a variety of postiche, but it’s used quite often for hand-laid (laid-on) hair work such as beards and moustaches. It is relatively inexpensive and is available in a broad range of colors. Synthetic hair is quite versatile and can be permanently curled, which is something that cannot be achieved with real hair. However, synthetic hair does not last as long as the real deal.