As a blogger, I strive to be transparent and honest. I also like to write about why I do what I do.
If you are a regular reader, then you know about my struggle with hair loss. The root (pun intended!) of it began many, many years ago to curb my anxiety by twirling my bio hair, picking out hairs with split ends and further splitting the ends, picking at my hair and finally pulling it.
You have NO idea of the amount of time I have spent pulling out strands with split ends. And then splitting those ends further. Hours. HOURS I tell you! No wonder my crossed eyes never straightened out!
This is called Trichotillomania. And it caused damage that is not reversible. The hair I’ve lost is gone for good and it is due to just me and only me.
My hair was always being pulled, tugged, torn, you name it. I did it!
But moving on from that, and moving on from the products that disguised the loss and hairpieces, I want to talk about wigs. Again.
I also want to talk about why I don’t wear what I call “White Lady Wigs”. These are wigs that are overly shiny. The texture is way too thin, many have a “perma-tease” bump. And they just do not look realistic on my head.
This is supposed to be a joke wig of a “granny” wig. I find this insulting and offensive. First of all, the stereotype of the older woman pisses me off. The great majority of us CARE about how our hair looks…get it together and stop stereotyping.
In photos, on wig sites, these white lady wigs will always look fabulous. And the wig companies charge a lot of money for these wigs that cannot compare with the types of wigs that I wear on a daily basis.
This is the beautiful Raquel Welch. She has a line of wigs. The price runs the gamut of about $100 up towards $1,000. We all know Ms. Welch is gorgeous. No doubt about it. She would be even more gorgeous if she wasn’t photoshopped. No 76-year old woman is that wrinkle-free. Anyway, I purchased this wig about two years ago and it sits in the box.
Believe me. It isn’t that I’m knocking or being disrespectful to these companies or the women who wear them. It’s just that white lady wigs do not work for me. I’m a believer in wearing what makes you comfortable and what gives you confidence and what makes you feel good.
Here’s the Raquel Welch wig. Enigma. I trashed it after I took this pic. It’s thin and shoddy. And definitely was not worth the money I spent on it. A true disappointment.
And that is why I wear wigs by brands that make wigs for African-American women. And there is a reason for this.
My biological hair is very coarse and wiry. It is dull. And by “dull” I mean not shiny. So why then would I wear hair that looks like it came off a Barbie or any other doll?
This photo was taken in February of 2016 and I was still able to wear my bio hair with a bit of Toppik to cover the “bald spots”. See how coarse it is? It doesn’t shine and it is dense. I miss it–but–it is the hair I was born with and why would I want to wear a wig that doesn’t resemble this head of hair?
I want my fake hair to look as natural as possible. Makes sense—doesn’t it?
My hair is closer to Yaki texture—which resembles my coarse, wiry, kinky in spots hair that has been blown out.
My winter beauty. Outre’s “Perm Yaki 18” I have three of these!
But—what I also absolutely love about the wigs I wear are the fact that they are affordable and that is very kind to many of us women who just don’t have the funds to spend hundreds or thousands on wigs. Wait—let me also add, the more affordable the wig, the more looks you can achieve.
Now THIS is what I mean when I want a dense wig. This is Freetress’s Soft Volume wig. I cut bangs into it. Now. Look at this wig vs. the white lady wig a few pics above. Tell me which looks more natural!
Honestly, women need to stop fussing with their hair and stop allowing the weather to dictate how to style their coifs to protect from humidity and the elements and just plop a wig on. It’s always a great hair day!
One of my favorites is Justine by “It’s a Wig”. I love the brand’s name. It’s like “Who’s On First”. i.e. “Cathe, your hair looks great” “It’s A Wig”. ” Oh, what kind” “It’s A Wig” “Oh, what’s brand” “It’s a WIG”….and it goes on and on.
If you are a woman suffering from thinning or hair loss due to several reasons, may I suggest pouring a glass of wine or an iced coffee, sit at your computer, turn on YouTube and start watching reviews.
Yes. Reviews are paramount. On any site, you will see the model wearing a wig that has been styled, manipulated and possibly photoshopped. If you want to see the real deal you absolutely need to watch thorough reviews by real women. And I literally binge on wig reviews.
I got lots of faves but at the top of my list are:
NaturalJoy. Her reviews are hands down, spot on when it comes to describing everything about any wig you are interested in. She’s a “Bob” expert. I’m not kidding. I literally almost didn’t buy a certain bobbed wig because I couldn’t find a review of hers on it. I ended up making the purchase—which was a good one, but boy, it took courage. With reviews from NaturalJoy, I always feel more comfortable with a purchase. She is very detail-oriented and knows her stuff! She gets into the construction and all the nuances of each wig. You can’t not want every wig she reviews!
NaturalJoy is my Number One Go-to Reviewer!! I can’t wait for the rest of the Bob Series!!! Here’s her review of Rita!
My most recent wig, Rita, was purchased solely on her review and let me tell you, Rita is fabulous. Did I mention that NaturalJoy is doing a “Bob Wig” Series? This is more important to me than the episodes I watched of “Gossip Girl”.
Left side is Rita on me right out of the box. I didn’t even manipulate the part yet and the stock card is still on the wig. Right is my bio hair from a few years ago. Rita looks better than my bio hair! If it hadn’t been for NaturalJoy’s review, I wouldn’t have known about this little cutie! I even went a shade lighter!
Next of my faves—TheHeartsandcake90. I also rely on her reviews as well. Again, very detail-oriented and reviews on quite the variety of wigs. She is very descriptive and explains everything like—well, like a teacher. That’s because she is a teacher! My next wig purchase will be the Bobbi Boss Claudia that she reviewed. As soon as I get back from France, I’ll be rockin’ Claudia! Thank you Heartsandcake90! She’s also very very good in addressing any issues that a wig may have. She’s also a fan of NaturalJoy!
Thank you TheHeartsandcake90! I am now the proud owner of THREE Storm units. Thanks to your review and Storm is an absolute favorite.
One of my Storms. Outta the box and lace just cut. She’s packed for the trip to France!
Storm is a great, great everyday wig!!!
DeeDee Woods comes in on my “Top Three” as well. OMG. She is the big sister that you always wanted. You know, like when you were in high school and you were the oldest and you had nobody to look up to. Yeah. That’s DeeDee Woods. Her reviews are also great. She loves a natural look and she will keep you well-informed and well-educated on the wigs you may be interested in.
Here’s the very pretty DeeDee with the Shasha wig. And yes. I ended up making the purchase!
“Hair” I am in my Shasha! Bonaparte likes this one a lot. It is very natural!
A few others whose reviews I enjoy are:
BodiedbyKeira. I love her because she makes me smile and her sense of humor gives me the giggles. She’s fun to watch and very informative.
If you want fun and a good time while watching a wig review, by all means watch BodiedBykeira. You can’t stop smiling. And her reviews are GREAT!!
SamoreLoveTV. There’s a special place in my heart for SamoreLove. Her accent reminds me of my old homestead of New Yawk City. When she says certain words like “off” and pronounces it “ouwf”. I get homesick and my accent thickens. Yeah. It duz! But her reviews are good. Her newest is one I can resonate with because she focuses on a bob wig for those of us with “showt” necks! And she’s got a sense of humor!
Hey! SamoreLove!! WHY did you just post this today? It’s too late for me to order this bob for my trip! I need this bob. Oh..boy do I need this bob. My neck is also short!!! Isn’t she adorable?
I don’t know if these young women are aware, but their reviews erase the boundaries of age and race. Women empowering women is what it is all about.
My Bobbi Boss Copper. Pay no attention to the fact that I didn’t put the edges down. I literally plopped this on my head for the blog photo.
Model Model “Sage” wig. Another wig I purchased from a review.
Freetress DP “Smoky” wig. I was hesitant to make the purchase because I didn’t see reviews but I’m glad that I did gain the confidence to do so. I love this short bob. I think it is a great head of beach hair. And yes. I will go in the water with this on. It cost only $17.95!
I think Caucasian women can learn a lot about confidence from African American women. Where we are self-conscience about things like wearing wigs, Black women own that confidence. These are empowering women who know what works and what does not. We all need to be more like them!
And that is why I wear wigs marketed and created for African American women. A wig that is more in tune with my natural hair gives me the confidence to go out and be confident and empowering. I don’t care if the hair I wear is fake. I don’t care if there is a line of demarcation on my Swiss lace—it’s better than walking around like Friar Tuck!
Um..you think I look weird in a wig? What would you think if I walked around like Friar Tuck. Because that’s what my head looks like now. Only the hair part is way longer!
My wigs are packed. And Bonaparte has also gained confidence in his knowledge of wigs. He believes he is now my “wig” consultant. He likes my wigs wavy. I still prefer a straight bob or a longer look!
Where do I get the wigs? From HairsoFly, Divatress, SistaWigs, Glamourtress. These are just a few of the many sites that sell wonderfully affordable and more natural looking wigs! Take a look at the sites. If you have thinning hair or any hair loss, take a chance and have fun knowing you will have a great hair day! NOTE: You know me. I am not sponsored. I am adding the links to these sites because I purchase from them!
Some wiggy fun for you. The B-52’s. “WIG”. PS I love the bouffant wig in the video!
If you never told us you wore wigs,I would of not known, They look natural from the pictures and you do a good job of picking ones that suit you. Just wondering , do you wear a cap under or just the wig? also will they are they comfortable and hopefully they don’t move around on your head. Sorry, with all the questions
Hi Julie. Oh don’t even worry about questions. You never ask too many!! I don’t wear a cap at all. I either put my hair in two braids-Heidi style or a low ponytail and pin it up! They are very comfortable. They don’t move around at all but sometimes at the end of the day if I’m wearing the soft Swiss lace, it’ll lift a bit but no big deal. I’m very much at home with these hairs!!! XOXOXOXO!!!
On Saturday I went to the hairstylist because I was craving some rocker bangs, and on a whim I went back to my natural dark brown. I can’t believe how much fuller my hair looks without those blonde highlights! It made me feel very Catherine – and now I too can wear the less expensive wigs because it’s so much easier to match to my color. And if you haven’t ever checked out Sam’s Beauty be sure you do that this weekend – they have 3-day clearance sales starting every Friday night and their stock of wigs is MASSIVE. 😉
Hi Cynthia. Thanks for the heads up on Sam’s Beauty!! I’m THRiLLED that you can wear the less expensive wigs and I know that you will be purchasing a ton of them which is great because you can do video reviews!!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!
Wow, you’re lucky to have your own wig consultant! 😉
Oh yes, Cathe. Monsieur Bonaparte, Wig Consultant, is a man who wears many hats!!!! XOXOXOXOXO!!!
Why do you cut the lace and also make a parting? Another thing, doesn’t wearing a wig make you Itch? You look fabulous though!
Hi Mary. the lace is cut because it hangs over the forehead and needs to be cut in order to wear it. The wigs (lace) and lace part, all come with a part but many times the parts are too narrow and need to be tweezed to widen the part and make it look more natural. Nah. It’s funny because now that the weather is really hot, I thought I would get a bit itchy and it hasn’t happened. I’ll tell you, when I had all my hair–and this is before any permanent loss, my bio hair was so thick that it got very hot and uncomfortable during the summer. The wigs are more comfortable. Go figure!!!! XOXOXOXO!!!
I think your wigs look amazing – it would never occur to me that you are wearing one. Nothing is worse than someone who wears a wig and you can tell!
I also think it must be fun to be able to completely change your look without having to actually do anything to your hair. My hair is fine, but I have a lot of it. Fortunately, I don’t have to try and find a wig to look like it.
Thanks for the info though – it’s always good to know what to look for, etc.
Hi Bridget! Any time!!!! And I thank you for your compliment on my wigs!!! Hey, I just got back from getting a spray tan and it felt great to take my hair off and not worry about getting it messed up. I took my bio hair put it in a bun and that was that!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO!!!
Hi Catherine,
Your posts on wigs are soooo helpful to me. Thank you.
One question, i wear glasses, as you do. Is that something to take into consideration when choosing a wig? Any special feature to look for?
Have a great time in France!
Hi Judy. You know what? The glasses aren’t a deterrent at all. I don’t take them into consideration. The special feature that is most important to me is getting the texture of the wig as close to my bio hair. I also like the lace parts because if too narrow, they can be widened by tweezing to give a more natural look!! Thank you. I will have a great time. Just got back from getting a spray tan!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXO!!!
Hi, I have a friend who has lost her hair from Chemotherapy, what types of wigs do you recommend, there are so many, lace, glue, etc.?
Hi Dotty. I would recommend lace. Glue isn’t going to do much but if she gets this product called “Gorilla snot” it works like a glue. Swiss lace is great but it sometimes lifts, and that’s where you need product to keep the edges down. A harder lace is better but some people say it gets itchy. I’ve never had that issue. The monofilament tops look too “wiggy”. She may want to start with a wig that is closest to her biological hair. Have her check out hairsofly.com, divatress.com and research as many videos as she can. XOXOXOXO!!!!
Who’d thunk? Good thing you pointed out for those wig wearers that you are buying from specific lines. They all look the bomb on you.
Thanks Tami. Yeah. AA wigs are amazing in the reality department. I don’t think I could ever wear other kind of wig!!! XOxOXOXO!!!
I am going to check these out. I wonder if they have anything in silver?c
Hi Cindy!! Ohhhhhhhhh…yes! Many do have silver and they are beauties!!! XOXOXOXO!!!
Wow, each wig looks better than the next on you, and the varieties are great! You’d probably have to put in at least an hour to achieve any of those styles on natural hair, who has the time for that?? I could never understand how so many women spend so much time, money and heat on their hair, it’s not for me. This is definitely the way to go. You’ll certainly be styling in France, Bon Voyage Catherine!
Hi Margaret. And I’m one of those women who would spend hours on my hair. Trust me, wigs are much easier!!!! Thank you so much for your compliments!!!!! XXXXOOOOXOXOXOX!!!
You look great in all these wigs Catherine but my fave is the one still bearing it’s label. You are fortunate that you have the same hair colour as African American women. Decent wigs in the UK are generally incredibly expensive, although my friend did find a great one on a local market stall for £85. She has the Friar Tuck look also, after chemo her hair hasn’t grown back.
Racquel Welsh looks amazing…I know she’s been airbrushed and had work done but I’d still love her cheekbones.
Je te souhaite un bon voyage. Xx
Thanks Fiona! Yeah. Wigs here are ridiculously expensive. Its as though wig shop proprietors are taking advantage of women who are suffering hair loss. I am amazed that I can get a great wig for less than the cost of a blow out while those white lady wigs are ridiculously expensive….XOXOXOXOXOXO!!!!
Thank you Catherine for this post…we are doing more wig research and will definitely look at all your favorites….chemo treatment is next and there may be hair loss…would you suggest bringing a wig to a trusted hairdresser for a fitting and tips? I bought the Hair So Fly Riley ($20) to try it out…Thanks. It is wonderful to get the inside scoop from a friend/expert(!)
Hi Jeanne. Absolutely. I think a great start isto bring the wig to a trusted hair dresser. I’m praying for your daughter!!! XXOXOXOXO!!!!
Jeanne. Email me your address: wynstep@verizon.net
I think you look fantastic, you just have that innate sense of style and you are great at knowing what you suit. Rock on – you’re fabulous
Thank you Juliet!!!!! That was very kind of you!!! XOXOXOxOXO!!!!
I have the same pattern of hair loss in front and throughout the crown. But my hair is extremely fine and sparse. Always has been, and now it is totally see through. I can’t use the clips as they don’t stay on the remaining bio clips and I can’t wear wigs because of my excessive perspiration. I am drenched with any exertion. Not hormonal, hereditary. I checked out the tape-ins but they are out of stock. Thanks.
Hi Annie. Honestly my friend, try a wig. I’m so used to wearing wigs now that I would feel funny leaving the house without one. And you don’t have to worry about them falling out. The comb in the back always helps. I’ll be doing another wig post soon so stay tuned and you can always email me if you would like!!! XOXOXOXO
Hi! I just discovered you through Buzzfeed 🙂 Pertaining to the ‘old lady hair’, my mom, all my aunts, and my grandmother and her sisters have that exact natural hair style! I’ve never seen a lady such as yourself with such stylish hair; you look amazing!
My hair has always been extremely fine, and you can see my scalp quite easily. If I were to wear a wig I would need one that resembles my own head of hair, that is, fine and somewhat thin. Any recommendations?
Hi Dominique. My suggestion? Research. Research. Research. If you hair is thin on top, perhaps a topper may be the solution rather than a full-on wig. Google wig reviews and topper reviews and you’ll see a ton on YouTube. Reputable wig sites are: Divatress.com; Glamourtress.com; HairsoFlyshop.com; HairtoBeauty.com; ElevateStyles.com; Voguewigs.com. Take a look at your natural hair texture and color and decide what would be the best match. Lace front and whole lace wigs are very natural looking. I started off wearing toppers, but in all honesty, wigs are just easier!!!! XOXOXOXOXO!!!!
Justim & Sasha my fave!!
Thanks Chevy! Justine is one of my all-time faves!!! And Sasha is a nice going out head of hair!!! XOXOXOXOXO