Incredible Sheitel Colorist in Los Angeles

One of my favorite things about running AskChavi is getting to know various people in the sheitel and wig industry.  Recently I was contacted by Brian, a sheitel colorist in Los Angeles and I was blown away by pictures of his work that I felt I needed to share this information with my fans.

Brian operates a private salon in West Hollywood (Los Angeles) in a discreet location.  He specializes in coloring wigs and sheitels but colors hair as well.  I had a conversation with Brian to learn about his background and firmly believe that he provides a great service to his clients.

Brian was passionate about hair and wigs since he was a young boy and started as a colorist at the prestigious Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon when he was 18 years old.  In 2001 he started working in the wig industry when he was employed by a wig-maker who specialized in custom virgin European hair wigs for cancer patients.  He worked there for 7 years until they closed down.  In 2009 he decided to go freelance by growing his business from a few faithful clients and has expanded since then.

I asked Brian why so many sheitels oxidize and go brassy and he said is has to do with the factory dye process.  In fact, most of the mass-produced wigs these days are dyed in a production line method where all of the hair is dipped in acid-based chemicals to remove the pigment, and then afterwards the desired color is added.  He said this color can only last a few washes before it starts to turn brassy or fade.  He said that some factories actually use Fabric Dye like RIT because the dye lasts longer, however this kind of color has repercussions on how it reacts with normal hair dye, such as hair turning pink etc.

Brian is a self-proclaimed color correctionist (and I believe it based on his photos) and feels he can fix any color problems including fabric dyes, cap stains, brassy tones etc.  He said he is a specialist in every color but most passionate about working with blond shades.    Brian uses a special high-end line of hair products that are ammonia and peroxide free.  He said color can last up to 12 months, but some vibrant shades will only last 3-6 months depending on how much someone washes and wears their wigs.  Brian knows how to work with over-processed and over-colored hair.  I asked him to provide a few examples of jobs he has done just to show the variety of his work:

1. Red Heads: he had a mother and daughter client who both have bold apricot-color hair, and he has been able to make them happy with their sheitel color.  When I asked what is the best color for redheads to start with, he suggested something as close to possible to their desired color, for example a virgin golden brown wig.  The closer the color to the desired, the less chemical process needed. 

2. 2-Toned Sheitel:  A client had a high-end wig which had been sent back to the manufacturer to be repaired.  Her skin top was completely re-created with new hair but was attached to the bottom wefts of the original wig.  The trouble was, the wig was two-toned.  The top was blonde, and the bottom layers were so dark and brassy and Brian described them as a barbeque color.  With a lot of work Brian was able to get the dark color blonde and integrated the two colors together to make a really nice sheitel.



Brian has worked with a lot of kallahs (brides) coordinating and integrating their wigs that they first buy upon getting married.  Brian has had a lot of girls come in extremely unhappy with their first wigs.  He works with their wigs to get them to their desired color.

Brian's work is very affordable and he guarantees his work.  If his customer is unhappy after a few weeks he says they can bring it back and he will keep tweaking the color until they are happy.
Brian said, “I may not be the best colorist in the world but no one can do a sheitel better than me”.  He believes his craft is so unique that he can spot his work out of a crowd from across a large room.

LA Ladies: Give him a try!  To all my other readers, he has a PO Box and is happy to do color work through the mail.  He does not cut.  He only does color.  I hope he realizes that his number is going to be ringing off the hook soon =)

Brian
(310) 499-6836

Brian Sheitel Colorist Los Angeles

Interview with Isadore Sternhill

I had the pleasure of interviewing Toronto-based Isadore Sternhill, high-end wig maker (sheitel macher in the most literal sense) and owner of FeatherLite Hair Systems.  She specializes in wigs made of unprocessed European hair.  She answered my tough questions about "virgin hair" and wig making.  More about Isadore's experience can be found here in this Forward article.   
Enjoy,
Chavi

Virgin European hair EHH, is the most expensive hair available, why is it so hard to find wigs made of Virgin EHH?

It is not that it’s hard to get Virgin European hair, it’s more complicated and labour intensive to make wigs out of virgin hair. It’s important to understand how regular wigs are produced before one can understand how virgin hair wigs are produced. For regular wigs, the factory receives a large quantity of hair, sorts the course hair from the fine hair, and groups hair according to general hair colour. Any differences in texture are corrected and made uniform by chemical processing and the hair is dyed to meet demands for various popular colours. The procedure for making virgin hair wigs is significantly more complicated. Firstly, you can only put hair together that is very similar in texture. If there is more than a slight difference in texture this can cause knotting. When working with wavy hair, each ponytail has to be grouped according to wave pattern. If a tighter wave pattern is mixed with a looser wave pattern the result will be frizzy. The matter is further complicated when dealing with curly hair. The second consideration when working with virgin hair is matching colours. There is almost always hair left at the end that cannot be matched or grouped into bundle to be blended together.  This hair will sit around until enough hair of the same texture, wave pattern, and compatible colour can be found to make a wig.

Is it hard to find virgin hair in ash tones?  A lot of my readers want light ash brown, ash blonde and even dark brown without hints of red?

Hair may grow out of our scalp ashy, but as the hair grows it tends to become progressively lighter and warmer toned as you move down towards the ends.  Since hair is normally collected by cutting it from a low ponytail at the nape of the neck, the ashy roots are not included.  Secondly, virgin hair reflects what is available in nature and some colors/tones are more common than others.  It is harder to find ponytails that are ashy from the roots to the tips.  Virgin hair wigs are almost always more ashy on average than dyed wigs.  For instance, a colour 8 in a dyed wig will look auburn while a virgin hair wig comparable to a colour 8 will just be a lighter shade of brown.

Is it true that its impossible to find blond virgin hair in long lengths?  

Its hard.  The wholesale hair industry is dominated my extension makers so much of the longer blond hair never reaches the wholesale market. 

How do you make your wigs to prevent knotting?  Is it true that processed wigs might knot less than virgin hair wigs? 
I wouldn’t say that there is a definitive answer to which type of wig knots the most. The factors that produce knotting in virgin hair wigs are totally different than the factors that produce knotting in processed hair wigs. Its actually normal for virgin hair to knot to some degree specifically because the cuticle is still intact. Because the cuticles from different ponytails of hair can be different shapes and sizes, and multiple ponytails of hair have to be combined to produce 1 wig, the cuticles from different ponytails will catch on each other whenever there is friction. Processed hair will have a tendency to knot if the chemical process was left on for too long or if the concentration was too strong for the specific texture of hair it was applied to. Static is also a factor that can produce knotting in processed wigs and less so in virgin hair wigs. Whether or not a given wig will knot, processed or virgin, depends on a large variety of factors and is, to large degree, unpredictable. There are steps in the production process that can be taken to reduce the chances of knotting which involved highly skilled work and experience with hair. Again, this is harder to apply this level of attention to detail and expertise when wigs are being mass produced and there will be a lot more variability in this case. As far as virgin hair goes, there are various hair coats and treatments that can be applied to the hair to minimize knotting in many cases when it does occur.  These treatments are less effective on processed hair.

How long are virgin-hair wigs expected to last?
That depends entirely on the frequency of wear and whether or not the hair is being styled or worn in its natural state. I normally recommend that clients purchase a wig with a natural texture that is as close as possible to the texture the client wants to wear. So, for instance, if you are going to wear your wig straight a lot, don't buy a curly wig just to have the versatility of being able to wear it curly a few times. This will most definitely decrease the amount of damage your wig will incur over time.

What are other benefits of buying a virgin hair wig over a processed wig?

1.  The colour will always be the most natural looking because it is natural.

2.  The colours are almost always more ashy than dyed wigs and will tend to reflect less of a reddish tone in the light.

3.  The wig will not develop a "hallo" or red at the roots over time, and will not become lighter at the roots than it is at the bottom.  It is a natural tendency of hair to be lighter at the ends than it is at the roots, not the other way around.  In fact, I always have to repeat to new customers who are used to buying wigs darker to accommodate for the eventual colour change, that they should just get a wig in the colour that they want. If you're waiting for it to change colour its not going to happen for a very long time if ever. I find that people with darker hair find a lot of relief in this. Blond hair, which has a natural tendency to highlight in the sun, will do so over a larger span of time than a dyed or bleached wig when exposed to intense sun light. Some blonds will have this tendency more than others based on the specific biological makeup of the hair. It will most definitely not turn orange or red though. That is not a tendency virgin blond hair.

4.   You virtually eliminate the need of having to dye the wig over and over which can add up over time. The colour also becomes less accurate the more times it’s dyed. If you do choose to dye the hair, however, the most accurate colour can be achieved when starting with virgin hair. It is much harder to achieve a specific colour with hair that has been previously dyed or processed. Keep in mind we do not recommend that you dye your wig.  Once the wig is dyed you will always have a problem with colour change from that point on.

5.  The hair wont do anything your own natural hair wouldn't do.  The way that you see it in its natural state when it hasnt been styled, is the way it will look if you get stuck in the rain.

6.   You can wash it your self, if you have some degree of facility with hair. There are no specifications about water temperature, or special products. The hair is simply ultra high quality hair in its virgin state. I would recommend asking your sheitel macher for some minimal instruction or pointers if you have never washed a wig before, such as "don't brush the wig upside down while wet", but for the most part washing a wig involves basic common sense and can truly be learned by anyone. I provide a brief tutorial on how to wash your own wig for anyone purchasing a wig from me in the store

Now some questions about your brand and the services you offer. How are your wigs produced?  Are they hand-sewn, machine sewn? closed wefts, open wefts?  do you make full handsewn pieces.

The standard cap of our home brand is a hand sewn multi-directional silk top, with a closed wefted stretch back cap.  The silk top is made lager than most companies in order to accommodate deeper hairlines and deeper side parts.  The cap is produced with a strong emphasis on detail to ensure a high level of craftsmanship.  It is made to contour the head very well and eliminate points of tension around the head.  We make hand sewn pieces by custom order only.  

Do you make wigs in different sizes?  I have a lot of readers who have trouble finding size small and size XL?

Occasionally we get some small or XL pieces, but the majority are size mediums. 

Do you make headband falls, hat falls, toppers?

Yes, by order

Who are your main customers?  for example, is it mostly Jewish women looking for sheitels, or do you do a lot of business in bulk hair and extensions to non-Jewish customers?

Mostly Jewish and non-Jewish women looking for various types of wigs and hair pieces made specifically of virgin hair.  We are a popular choice for integration systems such a illusion falls and toppers as well.

Good Quality Consignment Wigs

Have any of my readers ever bought a used wig?  I have a reader who is looking for a shop that sells high-quality used/consignment wigs and sheitels.  We all know there is a huge sticker price on a wig being new and that a used wig immediately depreciates about 50% the minute you cut it.  Does anyone have a referral to such a business?  Ideally in the NY area, but maybe someone has a good online source as well?? THANKS

-Chavi

How to Bump without Showing Hair

Hi Chavi,
I read your post about the "Band Fall Bump Phenomenom".
I am wondering, what falls are you able to do that with so that you dont have the net/cap in front?
I am looking to purchase my first fall.
I cant afford a hat fall and band fall, so I am trying to find one that I can use for both.
When I use the band fall, I am not sure if I will have the band all the way in the front or I will have bangs added on. So I am looking for one that I can do that also.
However, while (at first) most of the time I will not be showing any hair at all, but as time goes by (and depending on the situation), I want to be able to have my hair like you describe in your post as I think it looks much more natural. I am also looking the it should be longer (some where between 18 - 20 inches). I have ash brown hair.
Are there any sheitels that you can point me to that will be able to worn as follows (while still looking good):
1) Hat Fall
2) Band Fall - Band all the way to hair line
3) Band Fall - with sheitel bangs added in front
4) With a "Band Fall Bump"
-N

Readers, it took me a long time to think about this and then I realized I had a piece that I had not touched in years that was actually suitable to demo as a bump-fall without showing hair.  It obviously does not look as natural as integrating hair in the front, but I think it can actually be worn to look natural and trendy.  So I happened to have a Chinese haired processed Yaffa fall called "superfall" that I bought for about $200 before I knew ANYTHING about sheitels back in 2007.  It was a thick "horse-hair" type sheitel that had wayyyy too much height on top, which made it virtually impossible to wear with a headband, also it was extremely heavy and uncomfortable so I basically thought I had wasted my money.  HOWEVER, after playing around with it today, such a piece could be the answer to ladies who do not show any of their own hair and want to wear the trendy "bump" style.    I had some hesitations at first.  For example, falls are cut STRAIGHT across the forehead and therefore do not look natural since real hairlines have peaks and valleys, some women having larger widows peaks than others, but regardless no one's hair line is cut straight across like a wig.  Here are the pictures from the initial styling, looking quite WIGGY.

Improvised without washing and setting

Side View - gotta love the hairline

Then I thought of another idea, that if a little hair was taken from the bump in the front and instead integrated as a sweeping side bang, it could camouflage the straight hairline, thus making the wig look more "natural"

Lastly, I played around by inserting a foam roller under the bump to make it dramatic and more "Lady Gaga" like with ponytail bun. 

To answer your question, yes, you would need a fall that did not have the tape in front in order to bump without showing hair.  However, its a complex situation in that you want the fall the serve as a hat fall, headband fall AND bump fall.  This type of fall with a lot of volume on top would be terrible as a hat fall.  The falls with the rim in the front actually lay much flatter when putting a headband over them and be superior for use with a headband and would also work nicely with added wig bangs in front of the headband.  I am currently doing research into producing a realistic looking fall/sheitel that will cover all the hair and properly bump and be versatile.

Additionally, even though my Freeda fall does not have cap in front, the hair sewn in front is a very thin layer and does not allow for enough height because the hair behind it is wefted and thus going downward and not "upward" as we would need in order to bump.  A hand sewn multi-directional fall cap would be ideal to move in all directions necessary.  Also, I think its a much better idea to get a headband fall instead of a hat fall because a hat fall does not have that  many uses, whereas the right fall with a hat or scarf over it can look fine as a "hat fall"

The sheitel tag says: Yaffa, 100% Human Hair, Made in Korea.  Style: "Super Fall", Color: 16/8

Frizz Test

I get a lot of emails during summer from women complaining about their "pouffy", "frizzy" wigs.  As it turns out, wigs that seem nice and beautiful in the salon can become huge and frizzy as soon as humid summer rolls around.  I heard a story of a particular sheitel shop where the woman runs a dehumidifier in the studio to keep the wigs smooth looking.  That is so deceptive!  As soon as that girl steps outside the wig could become frizzy.

Products can help, but sometimes its the particular hair type that is more prone to frizz than others.  Wavy hair that was blowdried straight will gradually get wavier as the humidity goes on.  I thought of this recently.  I took me and my Milano Bandfall to Florida in February (yes, it was fabulous).  Anyway, I wore my bandfall bump style, as it turns out my real hair was really frizzing up, but my processed Milano pretty much stayed the same.

Maybe it was the perfect combination of hair sprayed curling-iron-curls mixed with dirt and grime.   Either way, it worked out fabulously.

Then this morning the frizz test occurred to me.  I was running my shower on just hot for 10 minutes as I wasn't able to get into it as soon as I would have liked, and when I came back the windows and mirror were completely fogged and there was a thick layer of steam in there.  People should ask their sheitel machers if they can take it home for a night, uncut before they commit to buying it so they can test whether it will frizz in humidity.  You can create that humid environment in your very own bathroom!

Please note how much my real hair frizzed (without any product in it) contrasted with the Milano made of processed "European Hair'" and with some hairspray stayed flat. 

Replacing Wig Snap Clips

Most wig wearers have probably experienced the following scenario: After a year of wearing your favorite wigs one of the snap clips breaks or sometimes comes loose. Usually a wig wearer will bring the wig to their sheitel macher who probably charged $10-$20 to replace the clip, when in actuality the clips are available for less than $1.00 and all it takes is a little sewing skill.  My recent situation was that I bought a wig over the internet that did not come with side snap clips, only a center comb which I found basically useless for keeping it secure on my head.

Step 1: Obtain Snap Clips
I found a set of tree snap clips from Sally's Beauty for $1.99. 
Hair Extension ClipsThey had this light color pictured right, and black.  I bought the light one since the wig is blond. 

Step 2: Needle and Thread

First you must thread the needle.  I like to use about 4 feet of thread at a time because I was always taught to double up my thread and I had threading needles so I'd rather deal with a thread tangling then having to re-thread 3 times during the process.  I loop the thread through the eye of the needle, then make the 2 ends meet, I tie a knot by wrapping both ends around my finger a few times and then rolling tightly towards the end of the finger, it usually produces a little string that you can then pull on and the threads knot.  Or you can just knot the ends manually, but do not do a slip knot.

Step 3: Find Proper Clip Placement

It is very important to have the combs facing into the wig.  Once I spent 10 minutes sewing in a clip and I sewed them in facing out, which was incorrect, I then had to start over.  Secondly, I like to have my clips closer to the ears and father from the top of the temples, because when I used to have them by the temples (especially on falls) I would get terrible headaches.  Keep in mind that I do not even clip my clips, I just clip them to my head while open.

Step 4: Sew

For sewing the clips, I use the four holes on the clip and basically anchor each one to the wig.  Figure out which part of the wig will hold the first hole and loop the needle and thread through the wig cap, I usually make a little knot by looping my needle through the two attached threads and pulling to the end which the end knot will be against wig cap.  I then loop around the edge of the clip hole, into the cap, back up through the hole, about 3 or 4 times until it seems secure.  I then tie a knot on the tread to secure it.  I repeat the process for the three other corners of the clip.  I find it helpful to place the wig on a wig head inside out.  If you see the picture above you can see my white thread and how there are tiny knots securing each corner.

It is also a good idea to move your clips around every few months if you are having thinning hair or balding as a result of wearing your wig frequently.  Moving the clips should give the section of hair that has thinned time to regrow.  If you have a handtied cap please be very careful about not ripping your cap, it is best to sew the clips in the ear area, which is usually reinforced, they very edge of the wig should be stronger and serve as a good mounting point.  Additionally clips could be sewn into the bottom of the wig to allow the wearer to wear a more natural ponytail.

Raffaele Mollica Wig Video

Raffaele Mollica, aka owner of Ralph Wigs has a very interesting video posted on his site about his custom wigs. To watch it go to http://raffaelemollica.com and then click on the video link which is the bottom link on the bottom left of his site.

He talks about blending colors to create a natural look, creating a realistic skin top, and why the finer European hair is so desirable and hard to get. After watching the video I realized how much time and detail it must take to individually knot each hair onto the caps. Wow its impressive. His wigs are known for being in the extremely high end and expensive.

He was mentioned in a 1997 NY Times Article which can be read here.

I have never actually known anyone who actually owns a Ralph and would be interested to hear if any of my readers own or have ever owned one and whether it was worth all that money.  I was definitely impressed by his artistic approach to wig making shown in the video.  Seeing his custom work gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside that a machine sewn wefted wig just doesn't provide...

Wefted versus Handtied Wigs

Hi Chavi,

thank you for your wonderful website!

could you please tell me how to determine if the construction of a shaitel is well made? i recently saw a shaitel that looked nice on but felt a little bit too light to me. i have a lot of hair, so some wigs that are thinner feel cheap to me, but the shaitel macher was trying to convince me this is a good thing. so the construction of her wigs was basically a horizontal line of hair, an inch-or two of space and another line of hair. is that normal?? my shevy is not like that at all, it seems to be just hair coming from every point of the cap, there aren't any "lines" or "spaces"

is that the reason shevy is so expensive? more hair?

is that the reason my shevy knots so much?

what should i do, im afraid of buying a shaitel that doesn't feel full, it makes me doubt how long it will last..

your insight will be greatly appreciated !

-Y

Dear Y,

Thank you for your questions. First, let me explain about the two types of cap construction. It sounds like your Shevy is "handtied" which means the hairs are not sewn into rows (or wefts) but rather individually weaved throughout the holes of the cap. This cap construction is usually considered "better" because these caps are stretchier and more comfortable and the hairs can be placed in individual directions. Here is a picture of a handtied wig from a Shevy review I wrote earlier this year.  They are also usually custom sewn to fit your exact head shape. 

Wefts of Hair

The sheitel she was showing you was "wefted" which means its construction consists of various wefts of hair (pictured on left) that are sewn in rows usually a few centimeters apart.  The tops of these wigs usually have a "hand tied" section that allows the sheitel to have a multidirectional skin top.  There are two types of wefts: open and closed.  I have owned both types (my Milanos were open wefts and my Freeda and JAP fall had closed wefts.  Both have their advantages (I was able to itch my head in between an open weft before).  However, it is possible that if a open wefted sheitel is thin enough that ones real hair could actually show through.  This would only happen in rare cases though. 

Closed Wefts

Wefted does not necessarily mean thinner.  I have owned very thick wefted wigs.  It sounds like the particular piece you were shown is thin.  My JAP fall was wefted and very thin( please refer to my JAP Review).  The advantage to the thinness was that the wig was light and therefore more comfortable (I could barely feel it on my head).  However if you like the look of really thick hair, then a thicker, heavier sheitel would be more appropriate for you.

Open Wefts

Another disadvantage to wefted wigs is that the hairs have to be sewn in one direction (which is usually down).  The problem is that since the hair is headed downward it would look less natural if one tried to pull it into a low pony and could actually be hard to pull into a twist or high pony.  Pony Sheitels are actually made so that the wefts on the bottom of the sheitel are heading upward so it would make a more natural pony.  I have some friends who wear their pony sheitels down without problems.  Also, when a sheitel macher washes an open wefted wig they often have to flip sections of wefted hair that may have become twisted through normal wear.  One who is not careful about untwisting sections could cause more problems.

The reason your Shevy was so expensive is because it was handsewn, versus wefted wigs which are machine sewn.  Secondly, you were paying for Shevy customer service, which usually means that they will fix any problems that arise naturally within a reasonable amount of time.  Also, Shevy supposedly uses unprocessed European Hair (this is not confirmed) but they at least have more quality assurance in terms of picking "good hair" that is shiny, soft and silky. They have a reputation to uphold in a very competitive market.

I think there are great wefted wigs available that are good quality.  For example, even the Shuly wig reviewed on my site is made of closed wefts, as is my Freeda.  Since wefted wigs are machine sewn, they are arguably more durable in the long run.  Also, a handtied wig requires much more care and attention when being washed.  It is absolutely vital that it is washed by a trained professional or that the owner receives guidance from the manufacturer on how to properly wash and set it.  If the wefts of hair are sewn in properly (cuticle in the same direction) there should be minimal knotting.  It is possible that the hand tied cap could be causing the Shevy knotting, as knotting is the most common complaint with Shevys, but it could also attributed to some other cause perhaps the hair texture.  Keep in mind that custom handtied wigs are usually $3000-4000 and a "out of box" machine sewn "custom" usually runs for about $1500-2500 if it is made of European Hair. 

My advice, look for a thicker wefted sheitel (they do exist!).  Also, make sure there is some kind of guarantee in case the wig you buy ends up being defective.  In terms of hand tied wigs lasting longer... usually its the skin tops that thin first, necessitating the need for a new wig, not the back part that is wefted.  Handtied vs. machine shouldn't affect the life of the sheitel since they both have multiirectional skin tops.  FYI hair can be added to a thinning skin top to extend its life.

Good Sheitel - Gone Bad

I am sure many of you have been frustrated with the following scenario:  You find a gorgeous looking piece in a wig shop, you try it on and decide to  buy it.  You get a fantastic cut and the sheitel macher styles it beautifully.  Then a few months later you realize it has lost its lusther, that it is literally falling apart.  Here are some pictures from my own experience.

My Milano was purchased in 2007.  It became necessary to buy a new sheitel when it started looking like the second picture just a year later.  I paid $1100 for the sheitel which is a lot considering how quickly its quality deteriorated. Full review can be viewed here.

I purchased the Yaffa Human Hair (probably contains a lot of Chinese) in 2007 off of Ebay from the Yaffa Wigs Outlet for under $100.  When styled it looked pretty good as seen in the picture on the right.  However, the wig was extremely knotty, thick and heavy and uncomfortable and did not even have a skin top. Upon getting it wet myself I saw what its natural texture was: tangly waves and the pic below shows how it looks today. 

So there you have it ladies... buyer beware.  Just because a wig looks good in the picture or in the wig studio does not mean that it is good quality or that it will last for a long time.  If the hair is treated eventually the silky luster will wear off and you will be left with dry, brittle processed hair.  If the cap is not good, you will be left with wefts that are coming apart.

I would love to hear your own stories in the comments below.
-Chavi

Going from Curly to Straight without Wash??

Hi Chavi,

If i want to straighten my shietel is it best to just use a hairdryer like in your video or can you use a hot straightening iron?  If i were to leave it to dry naturally and then curl it say for a function or shabbat can i then straighten it afterwards without washing it or is that not advised. if yes can i use an iron or should i use a hairdryer?

Also, when blow drying my full sheitel do i have to worry about melting the skin?

Thanks so much for your great website. it's been really useful.

I've not yet styled my sheitel myself but i did watch my sheitel machar do it the other day so i'd know how. she didnt' spray it with hairspray after styling it - should I do that? Would it hold much better? it actually went a bit frizzy as it was raining when i went out. would hairspray help prevent that or serum perhaps? my natural hair was always really easy to manage that i never had to put products onto it!

Thanks,

RC

RC,

Anytime you apply direct heat (i.e straightening or curling iron) there is a slight amount of damage put on the hair. 

It is recommended to let a wig air dry when you are going to be curling.  If you try to flat iron the curls then you will be fighting against the hair cuticle which was set with a curling iron, thus, it will be harder to get the hair straight and could cause more damage than necessary... I would wash it after the curls..

About the blow drying.  It will not melt the skin, but it could burn it.  Make sure when you are blow drying the cap that you constantly move the blowdryer around as shown in the video so it doesn't burn it.  Also, you can hold the blowdryer a little farther away to help this.  Refer to the blow drying video for more information.

 

Finally, treat your sheitels better than you would treat your own hair.  For example, if you had your own hair styled curly in an updo for a wedding with hairspray you would certainly wash it before blowdrying it straight.  So, you should give your sheitel the same treatment as one would do to their own hair.  I've never heard of someone just using a flat iron over their styled updo in order to fix it without a wash in between....  The hairspray would start smelling bad from the heat of the iron and become sticky... GROSS!

Hairspray will help the curl/wave stay longer and prevent frizz.  However, it will make it a little more prone to knotting when there is spray on it.  I used a soft brush on the wavy styled sheitel after I take it off to keep it from knotting.  It has been holding up really well and doesn't look frizzy yet... but I don't live in a humid climate.  I prefer a little hairspray so the wavy style lasts longer, which ultimately means less washes and less exposure to heat. 

Serum could work but if you put too much on the hair it can look oily.  You want to put hardly any on at all and make sure its well spread over your hands before putting it on.  This should be applied as a final step after either blowdrying or ironing is complete.

To answer the first question.  Blow drying to achieve straightness is recommended.   It would be bad form for a hair stylist or sheitel macher to make their living by flat iroing air dried hair.  Usually a good blow dry will work extremely well.  Environmental factors such as humidity and hair texture could mean that it is poofier than desired, but for the most part someone who knows what they are doing should be able to set it properly with a blow dryer.  There are some people who desire the "flat ironed look" and would ask their stylist to iron AFTER doing a complete blow dry, a sacrifice that does inflict slightly more damage on the hair, but can look oh so sleek...

Take care,
Chavi

Alternative way to Dye - from AskChavi Reader

Hello Chavi,

 

I read your blog and watched the videos and I just loved all of it! I do my own sheitels and I am always looking for ways to do it better :) I have colored my sheitels and I have found a way to do it without ruining the skin part. I have colored almost all my sheitels :) I just colored my Milano sheitel and it came out so nice and natural :) it was Naomi color (very, very blond with lots of highlights) and now it is dark blond with light blond highlights. My fall oxidized and became too light and I colored it light brown. So here is how I do it. I either buy professional hair color and peroxide separately or a hair coloring kit. I mix the color according to the instructions & then I mix it with 1 quart of warm water and stir until color is mixed really well (make sure there are no globs of color or they will adhere to the hair strands and make a sheitel appear blotchy). Then I put my sheitel in and make sure it is saturated throughout with the mixture. I usually leave it in the mixture for 15 to 25 min depending on the desired effect. If I want to just slightly darken a really blond wig, I leave it on for 15 min, if I want it to saturate well with color and the wig is darker blond, then for a bit longer. Afterward I rinse it well and then wash it as usual. I did lighten one sheitel and it came out nice as well. I would not recommend using ashy colors as they tend to turn hair greenish tint. I usually use natural colors and they work really well. I hope this info is useful.

 

Here is the website from where I got the info on wig coloring:

http://allaboutwigs.wigwiz.com/allaboutwigsresults.asp/topic_COLORING+HUMAN+HAIR+WIGS

 

All the best,

S

Wasting Money on a Bad Wig

Dear Chavi,

I enjoyed reading your blog… just wondering how to avoid getting railroaded on a wig. I have been wearing wigs for ten years since I am married and have had nothing but problems with them…. Junky quality…… balding in the back .. see through in the back and it has to have hair added… how can I protect myself as a regular consumer and NOT a sheitel macher.. I m really tired of wasting so much money….. please provide any pointers that you can I appreciate this.
DA

Dear DA, 

Here are some pointers:

1. Do not rush into a wig purchase.  

Salespeople often use the tactic of making you feel that if you do not make the purchase today the wig will not be available later.  Don't buy into it.  There are thousands of wigs available for purchase and if you do not feel 100% satisfied in the store you will not feel satisfied when you get home.

2. Reputation is important.  

If you have a friend who bought from a particular salon and had a bad customer service experience, it is likely that you could have the same customer service situation.  I think customer service (i.e. return/exchange policy is more important than the reputation of the wig brand itself)

3. Inspect the piece inside and out.  

Don't be fooled by the wigs perfectly styled appearance.  How the wig is manufactured is much more important.  How are the wefts sewed in?  Is it hand sewn or machine wefted?  What does the inside of the skin top look like?  Turn the wig upside down, does the hair on the wig immediately knot.  I know someone who inspected a wig on a showroom floor and found that one of the hair wefts was coming off!  Does the hair knot?  If it knots in the back it is more likely to tangle and fall out.

4.  Ask your friends for recommendations.  

If you start realizing that the vast majority of people who own brand X love their wigs and have had them for years, the chances are that you will also have the same experience. 

5. If the price seems too good to be true... it probably is.

There have been a lot of new wig companies marketing affordable "European Hair Wigs" with prices in the $500-$1000 range.  While I do agree that $2500 is VERY expensive for a wig, there has to be a reason that these companies can afford to sell their wigs for much less.  Perhaps they do not have a return policy, perhaps they mix Asian hair into their European hair, perhaps the European hair is heavily processed, which is easier to obtain.  If one compares the texture of hair from one of the cheaper "European companies" to the expensive top of the line brands, there is a notable difference in how the hair feels.

For example, I have a friend who bought two Milanos when she got married.  Four years later she had gone through five mediocre wigs and was not so happy.  She splurged on a Shevy ($2600) and wishes it had been her only wig all along!  She would have spent less overall,

6. Avoid Buying Online

Purchasing a wig sight-unseen is a pretty bad idea.  You have no idea if it will fit or what quality the hair will be.  If the seller agrees to free returns and/or exchanges it is workable.  But remember, with exchanges you can never get your money back if you realize the quality of the brand is low, it would just be shuffling pieces and dealing with the shipping costs. 

7. Marketing

Does the salon spend a lot of money on marketing and less on actual quality?  Find a wig maker who values wig making as an art and truly cares for making her customers happy rather than some fancy trendy salon with expensive interior design. 

8. Ask the sheitel machers direct questions about the piece.

Tough questions such as: Where was it made?  Is it 100% European hair?  Can you show me what one of your pieces looks like when air dried?  The wigs in the showroom could be sprayed with hair product to make them look shinier. If she gets really defensive she might have something to hide, if she seems cooperative her pieces probably ARE good quality. 

9. Make sure your wig is being washed properly

If your wigs are falling apart, it could be caused by harsh washing and setting.

I hope this helps.  Read as many reviews as possible.  Hopefully wig salons will become aware that their pieces are being rated on the internet and hopefully they will become accountable for what they sell. 

Good luck,

Chavi

Help! My wig REALLY hurts me.

Dear Chavi,
I get terrible headaches from my fall.  The clips are so tight and I feel uncomfortable all day.  What can I do?
R

Dear R,

I have a few suggestions.  Guess what... I don't clip my side clips on my fall!  I put the center comb in and lightly place the open side clips lightly into my hair.  The placement of the side clips on the fall can also make a big difference.  I once sewed them in at 2 o'clock and 10 o'clock and found them very uncomfortable.  I moved the clips to 3'o'clock and 9'o'clock and the comfort was like night and day!

Another suggestion, if you always wear your fall with a tight headband it can actually function to keep the fall in place, so you don't really need any side clips. 

It could also be uncomfortable because it could be the wrong size for your head.  If it is too small see if you can wear it further back from your hairline.  You could also have the cap stretched.  Some sheitel machers suggest wearing it over wet hair to stretch out the cap if it is too tight.  Any other fall wearers have suggestions??

Chavi

Blow Dryer for Human Hair Wigs

Dear Chavi,

I would like to purchase a new blow dryer for setting my sheitels.  Do you have any recommendations?

Thank you,

Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Throughout my single life I struggled with wavy frizzy hair that could only be straightened with a proper blow dry and perhaps occasional straightening with a flat iron.  Therefore, I spent a lot of time trying out various types of blow dryers.  I think it is important to have a "salon-grade" blow dryer.  They will make the appearance of the wig setting better overall, should minimize frizz, and are apparently less damaging.  I have noticed different outcomes of hair depending on the quality of the blow dryer.  The professional dryers have more wattage, hence more power and therefore a quicker and better set.

BaByliss PRO

I personally own the BaByliss PRO BAB2000 Professional Ceramix Xtreme 2000 Watt Hair Dryer which is one of the most reasonable at under $40.  There are obviously better blow dryers than this one, ranging upwards of $200, but I think in terms of buying one that is reasonable it does the job.  It has cool, warm and hot temperature settings and high, medium, and low air speeds so you can find the setting that you are most comfortable with.  Also, recently my mother treated me to a haircut at a salon and the cosmetologist had this BaByliss, the same one that I owned at home!  It made me feel great that I was using a blow dryer that professionals use.  My hair came out great, and then I covered it and went home =)  One of the downsides to this blow dryer is that its loudness and that the handle can get hot if you have it on too long, however neither of these "issues" have ever bothered me.  It is VERY powerful and hot.

If money is no issue then I would get the Sedu Revolution Pro Tourmaline Ionic TGR 4000i Hair Dryer which is much quieter and has many heat levels and choice to blow dry with ions or without ions.  It will dry your hair or wig faster and is advertised to reduce frizz.  I have not tried it myself but it has received raving reviews from both customers and magazines. It looks fabulous, but it is over $150...

Also, before attempting to blow dry your wig, please refer to my video on blow drying a wig straight to make sure that you do not damage your wig when drying:  Blowdrying a Wig Straight. 

Best of luck,

Chavi

My Intentions for AskChavi

Dear Readers,

In the past two weeks that I have been writing AskChavi, I have received overwhelming positive feedback.  So many women are really clueless about their wigs, something that they wear everyday!  We are hungry for information and I am striving to provide it to you.  I really aim to do my best, and conduct thorough research before I answer each question. 

There are a lot of women searching online for wig reviews of different brands, and aside from some forums catering to Jewish women, allopecia patients and women with cancer, there is little information online on the topic.  In the next few weeks I plan on writing a review of a custom Shevy, a review of an Allegria (a little known but apparently high quality manufacturer of wigs from Canada) as well as any other brand I can get my hands on.

I also want to talk about the different types of cap construction on the market today.  There is a lot of advertisement for the Milano Freedom Cap, which is apparently clip and combless.  I wonder how exactly this stays on without being super tight.  Also, why do so many of us have to be unhappy with our wigs??  We are spending THOUSANDS of dollars on them and we are still often dissatisfied.

I want to write about everything from multi-directional skin tops, to sheitels with no part, to band falls, to hat falls to kippa falls (or topper wigs) as they are called.  There are a lot of different customs and interpretations of halacha (Jewish Law) when it comes to how women decide to cover their hair.  I also hope to bring together k'lal yisroel (The Jewish People) by helping us women understand each other and the way we cover our hair and not to be judgmental about it.  It is an extremely difficult mitzvah for some of us, and easy for others. 

Please keep sending your feedback and questions to askchavi@gmail.com - I love being challenged by your questions! 

Shavua Tov,
Chavi

Sheitel is darker on top!

Dear Chavi,

I just bought a Sheitel and I noticed the hair on the bottom was lighter than on top. The difference was slight but when I bent the hair over to compare the bottom and top it definitely was noticeable.

I spoke to my Sheitel Mochur (The one who sold me the Sheitel) and she told me that natural undyed unbleached hair is often like that. Is this true? Or was the Shaitel bleached and they are just trying to finish the sale.

It was a color 6 and the bottom is lighter that a 6.

-BS

Dear BS,
The sheitel macher was not lying when she told you that natural undyed hair is often two toned.  Since the hair at the ends is the oldest, it was exposed to the sun for the longest, hence it had more time to lighten.  The new growth near the roots of the hair appears darker since it has not had as much exposure to the sun.  The fact that the hair color is slightly different makes me believe that the hair on the wig is NOT dyed.

I have had a lot of experience with hair dye and when hair is dyed a solid color all the hair becomes one color.  If the wig had been dyed after being sewn together it would probably be exactly the same color on the bottom and top!  That being said, there is no guarantee that the person who sold their hair to a wig maker never used lightening products or dyes on their hair.  Some people put in lemon juice to enhance the sun's lightening for example.  If the hair feels healthy and smooth then I wouldn't be worried about the fact that the ends are lighter than the roots.  However, if this really bothers you and you want a more solid color look then maybe you could actually buy a wig made of dyed hair for less money.

The two-toned look seems to be most noticeable on blonds, but can also affect brunettes by often turning the ends reddish.

Enjoy your new wig!

Chavi

Left picture is example of hair that was dyed and grew out whereas the right picture shows two-toned hair as a result of the sun's natural lightening.

All About Hair Types

As you may already know, many wig companies make a large variety of wig types ranging in quality and price.  The one factor that seems to set the price of the wig above all other features is the hair type.  You have probably heard the following terms:

European Hair, Virgin European hair, Human Hair, Kosher Human hair, synthetic, synthetic/human hair blends, South American hair

European Human Hair - Hair that originated from people of European origin (Caucasian).  European Human Hair is the most rare and expensive to maintain.  However, just because a company claims the wigs are European Human Hair does not mean that the hair is not dyed or processed.  It is important to ask this question when purchasing a sheitel.  Dyed wigs will oxidize faster, Also if the hair is processed to be straight or wavy it could feel brittle or damaged.  Also, its possible that the hair was processed on the head of the original person before it was cut and sold to be a wig.

Virgin European Hair - same as above except hair is completely unprocessed.  That doesn't mean the wig will look better.  In fact, some sheitel manufacturers purposely process the hair to give it the smooth sleek look that so many consumers desire.  (Think how your own hair looks without being blow-dried and without styling products)

Human Hair - If a wig is being sold with the title of "human hair" the hair is definitely Human, but the origin is most likely Asian.  Indian hair was more like European Hair, but ever since the Indian Hair fiasco no Jewish wig companies will sell it (albeit some rabbis actually hold that Indian hair sheitels aren't a problem, consult your LOR)

Kosher Human Hair - Probably mostly or 100% Asian Hair.  The structure is thicker and coarser than European Hair, and much more affordable.  Human Hair is heavily processed in order to get all the shades of light brown, blond, red, auburn etc.  Curly Human Hair wigs are probably permed.  Kosher Human Hair is Kosher certified.

Synthetic Fibers - Wigs made out of synthetic fibers are the most affordable.  They come pre-cut which saves a lot of money.  Also they can be washed at home easily by just soaking in soapy water, rinsing and air drying.  Synthetics regain their shape by simply shaking and brushing them out.  Synthetic hair cannot be styled with heated hair tools (the hair will melt).  They typically have a much shorter life than a human hair wig, but they definitely require less maintenance. Synthetic hair often has a glossy reflective quality to it that makes the wig look fake or.. like a wig.

South American Hair - South American Hair is similar to European Hair, since many of the people there originated from Europe.  It is cheaper to obtain than European hair and a lot of companies are starting to offer South American wigs at a cheaper price but almost identical in quality to European hair wigs. SA hair may be processed to be smoother because its texture may be coarser than European Hair.

Eurohair/Y2K/European Texture Hair - A quality of wig hair between European and Human hair made with processed Human Hair and European hair blends.  These wigs are much cheaper than European Hair Wigs, and depending on ones needs and hair color may be satisfactory.


Caveat for blonds: As a blond I have had an extremely tough time being happy with a sheitel.  Finding a wig made of non-processed blond hair is extremely difficult and expensive.  Additionally, a person with dark brown hair might be perfectly satisfied with a sheitel made of Asian hair because the hair wasn't dyed, however a sheitel of the same price in blond is surely heavily processed to become blond and will most likely get damaged quicker..