Wig Studio 1 News

There are many things that can flop in life of which we have no control, however, when it comes to bangs flopping in our face, this video/blog has come to the rescue. For our subject, I have chosen Miss Macchiato HF by Belle Tress in Roca Margarita Blonde. You will need the following:
Patience, a wig head to place your wig on other than your own, 2 to 3 mesh rollers, T-Pins, and a steamer. Optional: Blow dryer, rat-tail comb, and end papers.

Needless to say, this is demonstrated on a wig that has been freshly washed and conditioned for this presentation. After securing your wig, simply section off one front fringe at a time, and carefully roll it up in the mesh roller, you may use end papers but this is not necessary. Proceed to the other side of the wig depending on the style and desired re-direction. Secure the rolled-up sections with T-Pins. Following this, plug in your steamer, I recommend using distilled water or spring water, and when the steam emits you are ready to direct the steam to the rolled-up sections for approximately 5 to 7 seconds. This can be repeated later if necessary. Be careful to avoid the lace front and concentrate the steam only on the fibers. This process can be utilized on both Heat Friendly and Regular synthetic fibers.

The most important point here is the fact that most of the work is done during the cooling down process so I would recommend leaving it to set for a few hours or overnight. If you are in a hurry you can utilize the blow dryer method. Use the low setting on the blow dryer and please take into account that this also needs to dry completely until cool to the touch. If the roller is disengaged prematurely it will not be set.

I hope you enjoy the accompanying video demonstration with the goal of seeing the light at the end of the fringe flopping tunnel.

FYI: I am wearing Kendall by Henry Margu in 10/613GR
Both wigs were purchased by creator from Wig Studio 1 (Clearance Section).

Best,
Michele Pearl

Last week I covered some of the survival ideas about getting through the summer with wigs and toppers. This week we will look at some travel questions and delve a bit further into the ideas and ways of making it through summer easier and with less stress.

HOW TO PACK AND STORE WIGS WHEN TRAVELING:

When you’re new to wearing wigs, learning how to pack a wig and travel with your wigs can be tricky because there are so many things to consider.

• What products should you bring? Just what you need, don’t overload on products. Take travel size shampoo, conditioner, sprays.
• How many wigs should you bring? Always have a spare or two. Instead of washing and drying wigs on your vacation rotate them so that unless you get them in the pool or ocean, you won’t need to wash them until you get home. But just in case, default to the travel size products. 
• Should you buy a wig-specific carrying case or are there easier options? No need for special wig carriers, boxes, or containers. 

Packing for a trip is all about one thing: suitcase efficiency.

With shoes, daytime outfits, nighttime outfits, makeup, reading materials, and all the chargers that you need, packing efficiency is a challenge. I’m a fan of the zip-lock plastic bags for storage. Cheap, easy to see what you have at a glance, and keeps the wig safe from tangling in the suitcase and keeps it from any debris. Also, it takes up much less space than a carrier, box, or structured container.

KEEP IT SIMPLE: 

As noted in my blog from last week – keep it easy and simple by bringing synthetic wigs that keep their style, the necessary care products, a collapsible stand, and some headgear – hats, scarves, etc., to give your wigs and your head a break. 

A RECURRING QUESTION: WHAT ABOUT GOING THROUGH SECURITY IN THE AIRPORT?

Will I have to take off my wig for airport security? No!

• Know that TSA/security is not required to ask you to remove your wig. Just like with your clothing, their scanners should be able to see through the wig.
• However—you should avoid wearing too many metal wig clips or bobby pins that could set off a sensor or raise suspicion.
• If you are asked to remove your wig and don’t feel comfortable doing it in front of all the people at security, ask for a private room. TSA is required to grant that request.

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

Because I’m a big Plan B person, I’d never put my wigs inside my checked bags. If I am going somewhere for a week or more, I put a spare wig and travel-size products in my carry-on bag. I also include a hat and scarf. Wig care products should not take up any more room in your luggage than care products for bio hair.  

SOME HELPERS THAT ONLY YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT: 

Dealing with the heat as a wig wearer can be a challenge, even if you are not in some tropical climate on vacation. These are some of the things you might consider to help make things easier: Bamboo caps, Wig grips, Wig liners.

Until next week, be happy, and stop and smell the flowers, Vickie Lynn…

(Wig shown above: IN CHARGE WIG BY RAQUEL WELCH)

As we all ease back into more “normal” days…it’s time to put on a new look to celebrate it! It’s party time, graduations, weddings, and just fun get-togethers in our future. Why not put the “regular” you on the sidelines for now, and step out in a new you—a more glamorous you?

I don’t know about you but when I drag myself out of bed and get into the shower, I feel anything but pretty, much less glamorous. But when I come out of the shower, (if I don’t stare too hard into the mirror) I feel that I can once again tackle the world. That gets me through, and I’d bet it is the same for you. We feel renewed and revived, and the same feeling comes over me when I get a new hairstyle/wig, a new outfit, or shoes. It’s fun to get and try new things, and for at least a few minutes, hours, or days, every time we put on or see that something new, different, we feel better.

Life is tough sometimes, and we all have our issues, some more difficult than others. But experience has taught me that we really do live one moment at a time. It is the culmination of all these moments that make up our memories. I like to look back and remember that I had moments when I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new. For me right now that means trying new kinds of exercise, a new kind of eating (intermittent fasting), and a new look. I want to walk by the mirror and stop for a second look because I look like myself, but not exactly. Maybe I look better, just a bit different. I want to liven myself up a bit, put a little glamour back in my life, a little romance (in looks if not in fact), and value my individual moments a little more.

I recently had to force myself out of the yoga pants or leggings, find my makeup, try on outfits, and wonder what had happened to my old self. As I prepared for a writers’ conference with real people (in person!), I saw myself through new eyes. After turning around in circles and lamenting the fact that I looked like I’d been in a cave for years, and that I liked nothing in my closet, I decided to do something that I hadn’t done in years. I splurged on myself and went to a spa for a facial, manicure, and massage. Emboldened from this new happy-me-high, I went on to my favorite department store to find a new outfit. Feeling like a new person, I went home with my “new self” and realized there was only one thing missing—new hair! I pulled my newest wig, Raquel Welch’s, In Charge out of my closet. It was a little blonder than I’m used to, a bit longer, and with a fuller look than I normally wear. But it was the absolutely perfect new look for me. Could I pull this off? I know how that sounds to any of you reading this and wondering what’s the big deal—so what if the wig was a bit different than the usual, I know you are thinking. But to me, it was a big deal. I had spent a lot of time in shorter hair, and kind of blah but efficient outfits, thinking this was “just fine” and who cared if I looked anything but “just fine” anyway?

I should have care. I should have paid more attention to how the things I wore made me feel. I should have cared that when I took the time to wear things that made me look better that I felt better. When I wore wigs that suited me better or made me look younger, current, and put together, and no pun intended, “In Charge”—the feeling filtered down through my entire day and everything I did. I had been hidden from the world during Covid and now that I was re-joining it, I had to look at myself differently. More importantly, I had to CARE about how I looked, felt, acted, and interacted with others now, and I needed to decide what that person would look like to the world. What we put out into the world—words, deeds, looks, attitude, all get reflected back to us one way or the other.

I wanted to put out good things and get good things back so along with my attitude shift, I had to shift my view of myself, and realize that it is not selfish to spend time on myself—the way I look, feel, and care for myself.

Yes, I re-invented myself for one occasion, but those people won’t ever know that. They will think that I looked that way all the time—that I’m confident all the time, and I can almost believe it too. Kicking myself into gear for this one event re-started my life again as I ventured back into the post-Covid world.

I urge all of you to care for yourselves too, every day and in all areas of your life. One of the easiest and fastest ways to change our look is with a new wig. I am now brave enough to step outside my comfort zone and try wigs that I thought were “too long, too blonde, too glamorous” and see the possibilities.
Summer is here, so go new, go pretty—
Until next time, look at these options!

Vickie Lynn

It goes without saying that hair loss – regardless of gender – can be devastating. It can dent a person’s self-esteem and negatively affect their overall quality of life.

“Studies on the psychosocial impact of hair loss have found patients’ self-esteem, body image, and self-confidence to be negatively impacted.” 1. (Dr. Francis) “Known psychosocial complications include depression, low self-esteem, altered self-image, and less frequent and enjoyable social engagement.”

It seems experts are in agreement, however, that women are significantly more likely to suffer emotionally as a result of hair loss.

Dr. Francis goes on to say: “Hair loss in a woman is so emotionally devastating that it can trigger a wide range of social and emotional issues that can negatively impact healthy daily living and overall quality of life. I have heard of women that retreat from social situations have diminished work performance, and even alter their healthy living – avoiding exercise, overeating, not treating other medical illnesses – due to their hair loss.”

But why do women see a greater emotional impact from hair loss than men? I think we all know the answer to that: society puts far more pressure on women to stay young, beautiful—perfect. 

For older women, hair loss is perceived as accelerated aging and women have to deal with a sense of loss of virility and sexual attraction to their mate as well. 

Various studies all agree that hair loss may lead to depression, anxiety, and social phobia.

• Depression can lead to a feeling of low mood, lack of interest or pleasure in activities, loss of energy, and sleep deprivation.
• Anxiety can cause excessive worrying, difficulty in controlling those feelings, and a feeling of heightened tension. 
• Social phobia or avoidance behavior follows on from the experience of anxiety symptoms, leading to social and economic suffering.
• Social anxiety disorder is characterized by the fear of humiliation or being judged negatively in social situations as well as the avoidance of such social or performance situations.

These symptoms can have a severe impact on an individual’s mental health, ability to work or study, and well-being.

One question that I see over and over: how long does it take to come to terms with this? There is no one answer for everyone, as you might expect. It depends on your support system, age, how you go through the grieving process, and how well you handle the loss. 

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you won’t need time to process this and actually grieve—or that there is a time limit allowed. Hair loss is a devastating loss like so many other types of losses. You need time to grieve and go through the stages of loss until you come out at acceptance. 

Developing a relationship with a good wig company, one that has advisors on all aspects of wig-wearing and hair loss, is vital. You need someone on your side, and the more the better. In a time when you might still be in the throes of the grieving process, it is hard to make decisions. That is when you need to fall back on people who can help see you through to that acceptance stage. 

What I have learned: Grief isn’t linear. It doesn’t involve clearly defined stages … It carves long, meandering, and varied paths that popular myths do little to prepare us for.

So, it is crucial to remember that you will bounce around in the acceptance stage and “backslide” now and then back into the grieving process. This is normal, so don’t beat yourself up about it. In the end, we get on with things, and for me, that meant finding wigs that made me feel like me, or even better—wigs that looked better than my bio hair even at its peak! We all have challenges in life, some more serious than others. I try to keep that in mind every day and try to be grateful that my challenge is one that has support from places like WigStudio1, and others going on the same journey. 

As we go into the summer months, I have already pulled out my Muse, Classic Cool, Straight up with a Twist, and In Charge. I am ready for it. Hope you are too, but if not, reach out for help. Here on this site and/or the private Facebook group. You will find a lot of support along with wig-wearing expertise.  

Until next time,

Vickie Lynn

1. Dr. Shani Francis, American Academy of Dermatology and director of the Hair Disorders Center of Excellence at Northshore University Health System in Illinois

As we all know by now, attitude is important. If you look at your wig and all you can think of is loss—hair loss, then touching that wig, wearing that wig can have a negative effect on your self-image, mood, and how you act and interact with others. 

Hair loss, like any other condition one might have, is often something that we can’t reverse, but there are a lot of things that we can do to live with it. Wearing a wig does not change who you are, but it can change how you look and feel—for the better if you let it. 

Now that I have reminded you (and myself) of this, let’s move on to some other practical things, like advice from the so-called “experts” and how much faith should we have in what they say.

My disclaimer - (Though there is “collective wisdom” in the hair, wig, and beauty industry, I’m not convinced that all of this advice below is much more than opinion, so read it with your skeptical glasses.):

While it's a beauty myth that women over 60 must wear their hair short, the real marker for whether you should be wearing your hair short is whether it would be flattering to your face shape and hair texture. This short hair look works best on those with naturally straight, medium-textured hair.

Does short hair make you look thinner or heavier? It is believed that short hair isn't suitable for women with round faces. (However, that's not totally true.) Some cuts do nothing for you, but some that can flatter your round face. The perfect ones will be cuts with choppy strands framing the face, asymmetric side-parted hairstyles, angled bobs/lobs, and styles with the volume on top of the head.

What is a good hairstyle for a 60-year-old woman? A wavy medium-length shag style is the best haircut for older women, especially women in their 60s plus. It looks flattering with bangs especially, and some say it can take about a decade off your age/look. Layers can mean more movement and a more youthful look. Shorter hair, which tends to expand at the ends, can leave you with an unflattering triangle effect. Whereas loose waves and that movement makes for a younger look. Beware that straight hair can age you, so play around with face-framing layers to give your hair some softness and movement.

The Ever popular and Debated “what hair for what face shape”:

(Here is what I found from the same so-called beauty “expert”):

• If Your Face Is Heart-Shaped: Wispy, Layered Cut.
• If Your Face Is Oval-Shaped: Angular Bob.
• If Your Face Is Square-Shaped: Shoulder-Length Cut.
• If Your Face Is Round-Shaped: Pixie Cut – What? Isn’t this the reverse of what this same expert said before? 
• If Your Face Is Long-Shaped: Side-Parted curly bob

Everyone has an opinion. For example, I would not wear a pixie cut with a very round face unless I had small delicate features. So, take this “collective wisdom” with a grain of salt. I think it’s about a bit more than face shape. It’s about hair color, hairstyle, density, texture, and one’s attitude too.

Can changing our hair color make us look younger? (an always popular question)

I think we can all agree this can be true. Here again, are some “experts” weighing in. What do you think? Again, I think it depends on skin tone and condition, and the hairstyle and volume. I am not a fan of gold tones myself because it doesn’t go with my complexion, but it works for many others. So we see again that these blanket declarations may not be right for everyone. Also, I have seen many women who can rock white hair with no gold tones. But I do agree that tone can be important, and shading, highlights, all those things can make or break a look. Again, take the following “expert’s declarations” with a grain of salt:

• Blonde. As we age many people experience premature gray. For blondes, this can look ashy and age the complexion. Rather than keep your tresses platinum or white, add some gold tones to your highlights and you’ll soften your skin tone.
• Red. Adding warmth to red and strawberry blonde hair has the same effect as adding warmth to blonde. It makes you look healthier. Ditch the blue reds and select something warm to add a youthful glow to your tone.
• Brunette. Lighten up dark roots with caramel highlights and you’ll ditch the drab. A few highlights will soften your look and recapture the youth of summer days long past.
• Black. This is tricky. Black hair can be undeniably mysterious, but when in doubt – leave the blue out. A warm shade of black looks more natural and believable than Elvira’s blue-black, and there’s nothing worse than an off-tone box job look, no matter your age. 

In summary, I wanted to point out that everyone has an opinion and that often these “experts” know less than we do. I say that we know best—you know best. Most women have had enough hairstyles and colors that they have learned what looks best on them. If you are a new wig wearer and get close to your bio hair color that you loved, you will likely be more comfortable. But remember, our complexion does change as we age, and we get lighter in the winter, darker in the summer, at least to some degree usually. And more than that, we have undertones in our skin that run from yellow to pink. The hair color that looked good on you at twenty-five may not look so great now. Don’t be afraid to change your color if it looks good on you. Look at the colors in your wardrobe. What do you gravitate to, have more of in your closet? That will give you a clue if you are warm, cool, or neutral in the tone family. Once you know that it is easier to pick a wig color that also will have shades/tones to compliment your skin tone. There are tons of videos and articles about picking your skin tone and under-tone.

We are the real experts, you, me, and other wig wearers. Follow the talented ladies here on this site for some great demos and information for all types of wig-wearing assistance. Also, follow us on Facebook, another great place for information from the real experts, those who know wigs, wear wigs, and know colors, and styles! 

Until next time,

Happy short Wig Season (for me anyway) 

Vickie Lynn

Well, the cap is one big thing, for sure. Comfort, coolness, all of these things seem to be magnified during the summer. Unless we plan to wear a baseball cap or shave our heads and go natural, we will continue to wear our wigs. So by choice or necessity, we search to find ways to stay cool and comfortable. I have included some things here that might help us understand the cap and the cap construction so that we’ll be better able to make good decisions for our particular situation.
But summer comfort also includes the wig itself, the fibers, the length. Wearing a wig in the summer can pose challenges for many wig wearers. Certain wigs can leave you feeling hot, sweaty, and weighed down. However, there’s no need to sacrifice your wig altogether in the summertime. No!

A shorter wig for hot days would work well, especially if you change your style around daily. There are so many beautiful short wig styles for summer to choose from. I’m sure you have some already in your collection, but I’ll put links to a few of the newer ones at the end of the blog. But don’t think you must wear short wigs all the time, you can do some lovely up-do styles with the longer ones as well. Keeping your wig off your neck is key when it comes to preventing your head from overheating. In addition to opting for an up-do, if you have a longer length wig and your aim is to keep from sweating as much as possible, plaits and braids are the most effective styles to go for.

There are so many helpful YouTube videos from our wonderful ladies who do the reviews and offer helpful advice here and on our Facebook page. Check them out and get inspired! I know that I did.

As for fibers, synthetic versus human—overall, synthetic wigs are the winner during the summer months. Synthetic fibers are lighter than human hair so should keep you cooler. Also, human hair wigs will react to the hot weather in the same way natural hair would; it can lose shape and style or go frizzy with the humidity. Synthetic wigs, however, have ‘style memory’ and will hold their shape even when exposed to the elements.

Now, back to the cap—and cap liners: When it comes to wig construction, I’ve always been a fan of hand-tied wigs. I’ve got several that’s wefted at the back and hand-tied on the crown. I’m certainly finding that the wefted construction helps keep things a bit cooler as it lets the air circulate more. Watch out for fitting even more during the summer. Too tight wigs can restrict the airflow and make you very uncomfortable fast.

Wig caps are one effective method to help reduce sweating when wig wearing. For the summer, in particular, I recommend trying the bamboo caps and/or liners. The material moves sweat to the outer surface of the fabric and dries quicker, helping to avoid excess sweating.

Cap Construction types: Monofilament – more natural-looking and more versatile (top, part, crown options). Lace Front – natural-looking, more style options. Hand-tied – More realistic movement and styling versatility, softer on the scalp (lack of wefts), lighter, cooler. Wefted-open cap – most basic, not as expensive, open construction allows it to be lightweight, breathable. Permatease is a factor for some with these.

Until next time, take a peek at the links…
Vickie Lynn

Below is lace front, mono part and mono cap, both mine, both comfortable.

Please see the links below to help you learn more about caps, and what new short wigs are available right now. I have my eye on two. So many wigs, so little time!

Does your hair make you look fat? Just kidding, wanted to get you interested. But hair is powerful. It can make you look “fatter” sort of, by making a round face look more so, but your hair can also make you look younger, older, healthier, thinner. It’s all about what draws the eye. Where do you want your focal points to be? I know that at my age I don’t want them at my chin and neck, so I look for styles that have a bit more going on at the crown. I know that my face though not round, is a bit wide, so I try to keep styles below my cheeks rather than at my cheeks. I can get away with a shorter style if there is not too much hair on the sides. So, yes, we all have our challenges, and that led me to seek out some true experts in the field. 

I interviewed some really good professional stylists to get their advice on how wigs can look as good as natural hair. These two stylists have done the hair of local TV people, and a number of national celebrities and that includes some “additional” hair help for their clients. Since they had wig and extension experience and years of experience working with hair in general, I was certain that they would have some good information to share. They don’t claim to be wig experts, but they have several clients who do have wigs and with whom they work regularly. 

Though wigs are different from natural hair in a lot of ways, the same rules apply when it comes to color, length, and style—for you individually. Most of us have learned through research and/or trial/error what does not work for us. Wig wearers know that this approach can be costly and frustrating. You may have gone to different kinds of beauty seminars, read magazines, and talked to your own stylists about what works best for you. There is nothing worse than getting the perfect wig and finding it is not perfect for you. 

What follows is the advice of two stylists who have devoted most of their careers to hair. They nicknamed their advice as their “dirty dozen” rules for hair—wigs included. I turned on my recorder, bought them coffee, and listened. You may know some or all of this, and you may agree with their advice or not agree, but there is a combined 50+ years in the business between them, so I paid attention. You won’t find much new here if you are a long-time wig wearer because you will have confronted all these issues, or most of them, along the way. But these are the questions they get asked time and time again, over and over, and I can see why because they were my questions and concerns too. 

Here are their opinions based on their experience. 

“The Dirty Dozen” questions and concerns from clients:

1. Center parts—not for everyone. They can make you look older. It takes away from the fullness at the crown. If you are young, it’s not so much a concern. Most people do tend to look better with more fullness at the crown. It draws the eye upward.
2. An ongoing should older women have long hair debate: If your hair is too long it can make you look older. They agreed that it doesn’t have to be short to work best for mature women, but long hair draws the face down, the eye down, especially with heavier bottom ends styles with a lot of volume. Do you want people to focus on your chin and neck? For longer styles think layers and less density. Women of all ages can wear long hair and look good, but style and color are everything. They did note that if you have a heart-shaped face you have an advantage in wearing longer styles, especially with bottom volume. This style works best to “fill out the face triangle” by having more hair at the bottom under the chin area. 
3. Manage your expectations. Understand what your style really is – meaning, what you like and what looks best on you may not be the same thing. Also, make sure you are using volume in the right places. Refer to their comments on face shape. How does your hairstyle work with you or against you to compliment your face? 
4. If you have a full or very round face, watch for too much volume on the sides near the cheeks. A lot of hair there will make your face look wider. Try for more volume on top and a longer style that comes under the chin—not at the chin and curving around to accentuate more roundness. On the upside, people with round faces look younger longer! 
5. If you have a long face, go for that side fullness and less volume on top. You can still wear longer styles if you like, just balance the hair with the face. Bangs are also good for long faces. More about bangs in number seven. 
6. And for all the face shapes in-between round, long, heart-shaped, well, you get the idea. The stylists’ mantra: where do you want the focus? What features do you want to highlight, or dimmish?
7. Bangs – handle with care was their advice. No thick straight across cut bangs unless you have a long face and even then, it can be tricky depending on the style. Thick straight bangs will “close your face” and make a round face look even more so. Their advice for most bang lovers is to keep it light, don’t cover your entire forehead, ever. Keep your face open by making sure your forehead can be seen, at least part of it. 
8. Color can make all the difference. Natural hair is not just one color. For wigs, you must have some shading and dimension in order to look natural. Know what colors work for you. For example, gold-blondes tend to age some people depending on their skin tone and undertones. For some people ashy shades make them look ill or washed out. Learn if you are a cool, warm, or neutral in the color family, and pick your hair colors appropriately. A special note for over fifties: Going too dark can look harsh and fake. Better to lighten up, and don’t be afraid to go salt and pepper or silver/gray. It will actually make you look younger than too dark.
9. Layers are important for styling in that they keep things more balanced and the look is less heavy, and you guessed it – hair that just hangs in one length brings the eye down. 
10. Don’t use too much product. If your hair won’t move it dates your style, and makes you look older. 
11. Visit a stylist and let him or her make your wig more you—have it tweaked to bring out the best in the wig so that your wig will bring out the best in you. It is a good investment especially if you have an expensive wig and wear it every day.
12. Be open to trying new styles. There is nothing that dates you more than keeping the same style for too many years. 

Hope you picked up some useful tips. 

Until next time, Vickie Lynn

If you are like me, you have drooled over a human hair wig or two, and early on in my wig journey, I bought one. One was it for me though, at least for the near future. The care, time to style, the cost, all came to weigh heavier on the con scale because I was trying to wear it every day, all day. If I had one now, I might appreciate it more but just haven’t seen the need as of yet. After a lot of experimenting with several fiber types, and all cap types, I have finally settled on the ones that work best for me.

We all have different wig priorities. If you have no hair at all or little hair, or sensitive scalp, the wig cap construction will be very important. If you can’t stand wig bands, clips and pins, the kind of cap and the way it fits will play an even larger role in your choice. For me, it is the less on my head the better, so a good fitting cap is very important to me. The better the fit, the less security measures I feel the need to use. I can go out without any wig security measures in my Muse for example. It happens to be a perfect fit for me. If I am wearing it to the dentist, I might put a decorative bobbie pin in on each side. This keeps my hair out of the way while keeping it steady on my head while I am in the dreaded dentist chair. But if you have an in-between size head, and can’t get that perfect fit, you will need to make decisions about security. I do use more security when I know I will be outside for any length of time, or if I am going to a special event where I know it won’t be as easy to adjust my wig in public.

Now let’s move from cap security, since we have looked at that in a prior blog, and let’s go to caps in general. I won’t go into details here because this has also been covered in prior blogs on the site. We all know by now that we get what we pay for. Getting a hand-tied cap with a mono-top and lace front will cost you more because it costs the manufacturer more to make. That’s easy to understand. And ideally, you’d think everyone would want or need this. But that is not necessarily the case. Many wigs that just come with a basic cap can work well for many people. A lot depends on the wig style. Is the style one that doesn’t really have a part and may have bangs—then a mono top and lace front would not be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. Also, for the same price, you can often get two or three of the basic cap wigs compared to maybe just one of the wigs with all the bells and whistles. That is appealing to a lot of people, especially if you are hard on your wigs, or if you just like to change styles a lot.

All fibers are not created equal. This too, you may have already learned. Some look and feel better and seem to last longer. Every manufacturer seems to do them a bit differently. They have their own vendors, processes, and crafts people. Human hair wigs are just that, so we all know how to take care of human hair, and the pros and cons of this. It is when you get into fibers that it is more of a challenge. Over time, the coating of the fibers, the color, and strength of the fibers will change. Depending on how much you wear your wig and how you care for it, can shorten or lengthen the life of your wig, but eventually the fibers will show their age and wear, just like us. “More’s the pity”—as my grandmother used to say. 

The big tradeoff: So, we have to decide, do we want the best of the best, the middle of the road, or some less costly ones but do the job just fine? Fortunately, we can have one of each if budget allows. I doubt I will ever return to human hair wigs just as a personal preference that is combined with my definite lack of styling skills and patience. I seem to have landed in the middle of the pack with lace front, mono-top and hand-tied as my preference, but hand-tied is not a deal breaker if I can have the other two. I still have a couple of basic cap wigs that I bought early on and can still wear but I find them hot and scratchy now because I have lost more hair loss over time. My scalp is more sensitive now too, and I have to be picky about my caps more than ever it seems.

The little extras are important. I like to get a wig with those soft tabs on the side and at the neck, along with the ability to adjust the fit. I can live with a mono-part vs. mono-top, but I hate not having the ability to make fit adjustments or have that comfort of the felt tabs on the side and the one at the bottom of the neck. So, in the end we all find our sweet spot, what we can live with or hope we don’t have to live with, as the case may be. 

I hope to get some information direct from the wig companies for a future blog about their fibers: how they pick them, how they make them, and what new things might be ahead in the future. I can’t wait to ask them this question: Can’t you do something about the “fly-aways” and the shine? Inquiring minds really do want to know. 

So, until next time, send me any questions you might have, any topics that you would like to see addressed in future blogs: 

Below is a video about hand-tied caps that you might like to watch or re-watch, and a reminder of how to measure your head for the best fit, and a picture of a lovely hand-tied wig. 

Wishing everyone a good week, and a new week to brighten it! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8XmOIp9Wo&feature=emb_rel_err

You will need: A wide-tooth comb, a rat tail comb, a styrofoam, or a canvas head. A steamer of some sort, flat iron with an adjustable temperature control, and a hot air brush. T pins or hat pins. Jon Renau's HD Smooth Detangler and distilled water. Optional: Silicone spray. Not Optional: a lot of patience.

1. Using a wide-tooth comb gently comb through your heat-friendly wig with extra attention to the ends in conjunction with misting the hair with Jon Renau's HD Smooth Detangling spray. This product assists in the process of hydrating the heat-friendly fibers.
2. Carefully turn your wig inside facing out; handling with care. 
3. Place your wig on a styrofoam or a canvas head. T pins may be used to secure the wig. Pins can be placed one on each ear tab and also one pin affixed to the nape area of your wig (avoid any contact with the lace front or monofilament areas, best to steer clear of the cap area). 
4. Begin the steaming process as demonstrated in the video, concentrating on the ends where most likely frizz and tangling are concentrated. (Consider wearing gloves as the steam gets very hot). 
5. Next: turn the wig with the outside facing you to continue the steaming process. 
6. While still damp from the steam, and if not sufficiently damp, mist additionally with distilled water. Next: use the flat iron approximately 270 degrees Fahrenheit or less for one pass through as you section the wig in small sections using the end of your rat-tail comb or fingers. 
7. A second pass through with the flat iron may be indicated.
8. Optional: Silicone spray/product may be lightly applied to the ends, however, rub between your ungloved palms to first heat up the silicone. A dime-size amount should suffice. Simply Stylin, Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum, or any silicone type product that is safe for synthetic hair may be used.
9. Next: Utilize a hot air brush to customize and style hair as desired. This is very helpful for straight styles for a soft, sleek, and natural-looking result. 
10. Optional: Mesh hair rollers may also be used when hair is still warm from using the hot air brush if desired. Secure with clips or T-pins allowing the fibers to cool down which ensures definition, then disengage the roller when completely cool. See video for technique. 

I hope this blog with accompanying video demystifies the process of restoring your heat friendly/heat defiant alternative hair to its former glory. If I can do it, you can too. There are several ways to achieve this end result, however, this is what has worked for me. 

Straight Press HF 18” by BelleTress in the color Roca Margarita Blonde volunteered for this video. This style and many other beautiful heat friendly/heat defiant alternative hair units are available at Wig Studio 1. 

Hope to see you all in upcoming blogs and in the private Wig Studio 1 Wig Topper and Support Group on Facebook. 

Best, 

Michele Pearl

Hi, I hope that all of you will see this weekly blog not only as a source of information but as a place to ask questions. If I can’t answer every one of them, I will find the answer. You will get facts about hair loss, wigs, and wig care, along with my personal experience, my trial and errors, and how I learned that asking questions saves you a lot of time and money. I had to take this journey alone and I don’t want anyone else to do it that way.

As a way of introduction, I will share a bit of my journey here, but I know that everyone has a story, and your story may be very different from mine. I promise you that future blogs won’t be all about me. I want it to be about you and your stories if you want to share, and all about how wigs can help you enhance your look and give you back your confidence. There is more than one reason for wearing a wig, and for some of you reading this, you might just like wearing wigs for the convenience and to change up your look. Some of you may be going through a health challenge that will resolve and your hair loss might resolve along with it. Whatever your reason, I hope this blog will become a resource for you.

As you all likely know by now, there are many reasons for hair loss, and I will be talking about them in my blogs to follow. My loss started some weeks after I had surgery, a hysterectomy. I will never forget looking down in the shower and seeing long strands of my hair, lots of it, on the shower floor. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Shock, confusion, worry, all those things followed and eventually led me to a doctor—the first of several visits looking for answers. On this first visit, I was told it was only temporary due to the hormonal shift post-surgery and it would grow back. It never really did. The tremendous volume of shedding eased up, but I was thirty-three years old and before that, I had a lot of hair. Fine though my hair was, I had always had plenty of it. As time went on my hair just seemed to get even more fine, and the thinning-shedding kicked in again when I was fifty. I tried a few over-the-counter things along the way, which did not help at all. I bounced around from denial to hoping for a miracle. Neither state of mind was a good one.

One day, the day that deep down I knew would always come, I accepted that I couldn’t go on as I was because I had started to notice that people’s eyes began to look more often at my hair. Every week it took me longer to do all kinds of things to cover the thinning areas every morning before I could go to work. I couldn’t kid myself about this any longer, I was losing my hair, and likely forever. But optimists don’t even up easily. So, surely, this could be fixed somehow, I told myself. I decided to go to an expert, maybe a hair transplant was the answer. Yes, I was still in a bit of denial, and back to the doctor, I went. This time only to find a doctor who was not at all interested in me or my hair loss issues unless he could use me as a hair transplant patient. Once he looked at me for a grand total of two minutes, he decided I was not a candidate and that was it. He couldn’t get out of the exam room fast enough. I was a waste of his time. He had offered no help, hope, suggestions, or referrals, and I left there feeling more alone and disappointed than went I went in—and I was angry now, a new emotion to add to my list.

After I finally faced the fact that no one had answers or at least no answers that I wanted to hear, and that no help was coming, I did as much research as I could on my own. What I found was not good. It looked more and more as if I had the markers of male-pattern-baldness. And as bizarre as it sounds, a sense of calm settled over me that I still don’t totally understand to this day. I can only conclude that it was having an answer finally. Yes, it was a terrible answer, but at least I knew what I had to deal with, and I could go forward. I decided that if this was my fate then I would make the best of it. Yes, that old optimist gene kicked in and I welcomed it.

I started my wig research shortly after facing the facts. I first went with the topper. I learned early on that it was not for me. I did not have the skill to style it or attach it in such a way to make it look realistic. Some people do—I am not skilled in that way, and I graduated very quickly from a topper to a full wig. As luck would have it (and I felt I was due some by then), I was offered a new job at my former company. I had not seen them in years, and this was the perfect opportunity to go in with a new wig, a new look, and a new me. By then I had gone through several wigs and several styles and educated myself about fibers, caps, synthetic hair, friendly fibers-heat allowable hair, human hair, and the care of all of these. Sometimes it is helpful to be a writer and researcher.

Once I settled on the right wig for me, it didn’t take me long to get over the fact that I was “oh, I am wearing a wig.” Very soon in the process, I stopped thinking about it and wondering if anyone could tell. The only looks and compliments that were coming my way were all about how much they liked my color, cut, etc. I never told anyone outside my immediate family and best friend. No one. I had more than one person every week ask me who did my hair. I knew then that I had found the right wig. In this particular case, it was “Muse” by Raquel Welch. I have since branched out, but I still have the Muse wig in my collection, in two colors. This brings up another topic that I will address in my next blog or two. How to pick the right wig? Is it better to have two or three lower priced ones versus spending the money for a higher-end wig? I will tell you what I did and why in my next blog. One thing I will tell you now: ask the experts. When you are buying online that is so very important. Be sure that you understand the importance of cap construction, what you can live with or just can’t live with, your budget, the amount of wear you expect from a wig, and many other things that will make or break your wig experience.

That is my story, but the point of the title—the psychological challenges, well that is the “big story”, and the challenges will be different for everyone. The acceptance process will be different for everyone also. No matter if you are an introvert or extrovert, or always confident or not so much, losing one’s hair is a huge issue. Your hair has been with you all your life, it has been a part of your identity, the way people see you, and who they think you are to some degree. Now your own hair is betraying you—your body is betraying you. How you deal with that can make a big difference in your life, but you will need to deal with that, and how you do that will depend not only on the reason for your hair loss but how much support you have. I am not a psychologist, but one of my best friends is, and I didn’t even talk to her about my experience for a long time, and after I had dealt with it all myself. If you have someone to talk to it can really help, even if they know nothing about wigs. But to get real help for picking a wig.

I hope that my blog can help you going forward. In the meantime, if you are new to wig wearing, or not so new and still have questions, I am here to help, this company is focused on helping you on your journey and will assist you in finding the right wigs for you and your life. Wigs are done so well now that there is no reason for you to ever tell anyone that you are wearing a wig unless you want to do that.

Until next week, I’m looking good in my “The Real Deal” by Raquel Welch. In the meantime, please let me know what questions you would like to see covered in the upcoming blogs by emailing me at vickie@wigstudio1.com. 
If you have questions regarding an order, personal consultation, return, etc., please be sure to email support@wigstudio1.com.

Vickie Lynn