Here’s the scenario: you’ve just received your wig in the mail, and you’re stoked because your last-minute purchase came in time for Halloween. Except when you take the wig out of the package, the sleek, long tresses you had imagined for your Kim Kardashian costume have a big kink in them.

What do you do? Your wig, like most costume wigs, is synthetic. That means it will not stand up to heat styling. If you use your flat iron, it’ll melt.

First, prop the wig up in your bath tub or shower. If you don’t have a wig stand, you’ll have to fashion one out of anything you have around the house. Next, put a kettle on. No, really. Boil some water.

Once your pot (or kettle) comes to a boil, carefully (don’t burn yourself!) pour the water over the wig. Your synthetic wig can’t take the heat of a hair appliance, but it can definitely handle boiling water. You may need to refill your pot and repeat this step several times, depending on how bad the kinks in the wig are.

Allow your wig to dry, and then style with a brush or comb. Be careful! It is very easy to pull hairs out of your wig, and they won’t grow back. If you’re pressed for time, you can dry your wig with the cold setting of your hair dryer, or prop it up near a fan.