The eighteenth century was an age of elegance. Never in European history do we see men and women so elaborately artificial, so far removed from natural appearance. What could not be done with the natural hair was made with wigs. This epoch was an extravagant explosion of amazing hairstyles, a reaction completely opposed to the modesty and shyness of former centuries. The hair was in synchrony with the "Rococo" style, which was the most important one until the end of the century. It was an artistic style in which curves "s" shaped predominated, with asymmetries, emphasizing the contrast; a dynamic and brilliant style, where the forms played integrating a harmonious and elegant movement. A style according with an age of new philosophic ideas, like the Enlightenment, and according with the affluence of a powerful economic wealth arrived to Europe from the travels to the new continent, America. New social orders started to born; besides of the clergy and the nobility, a strong bourgeoisie of nouveau riche people appeared, who make fortune and was positioned into the best of the social and political spheres, imitating in all their costumes to the nobles. A style according with a time when the science was more independent of the religion, reaching spectacular achievements and developing, in consequence, a technology which would open the doors to the Industrial Revolution. People at that time believed that they were living in the best of all possible worlds. At the end of the century, artistic and cultural styles changed; it appeared the "neo-classic" style, much more sober and conservative, with a return to the classic Greek and Roman esthetic.

The wear of wigs in men started to be very popular at the end of the 17th century, while the reign in France of Louis XIV, the Sun King. All his court began to use wigs, and as France was the pattern of the fashion for all Europe at that age, the use of wigs was spread to the rest of the courts of the continent. In 1680 Luis XIV had 40 wigmakers designing his wigs at the court of Versailles.

From 1770, wigs were also extended to women. And, as the years were going on, women wigs were being made taller and more sophisticated, especially in France. Men's wigs were generally white, and women's wigs of pastel colors, like pink, light violet or blue. Depending on how wigs were ornamented, they could reveal a person's profession or social status. Wealthier people could cost expensive wig designers and better materials. They were made in general with human hair, but also with hair from horses or goats. The countess of Matignon, in France, paid to the famous hairdresser Baulard 24.000 livres a year to make her new headdresses every day of the week.

Near 1715, wigs started to be powdered. Families had special rooms for "toilette", where they arranged and powdered their artificial hair. Wigs were powdered with starch or Cyprus powder. To powder wigs, people used special dressing gowns, and covered their faces with a cone of thick paper.