Sheitel Color Makeover by Brian

I wanted to share pictures of the awesome work Brian in Los Angeles did on my old Sheitels.  The new color really revitalized these two wigs.  The full wig is a Freeda purchased in 2008 and the Band Fall is a Milano Collection fall purchased in fall 2009.  I think they have held up really well considering they are 4-5 years old!!  Adding color is much cheaper than buying a new wig.  I like how Brian added roots on the full sheitel and beautiful highlights. On the fall he made a lot of highlights and darker ash on the top to integrate nicely with my real hair. The best thing is that I didn't even have to drop them off in person!  I mailed the wigs to him and he colored them remotely and returned them to me.  I sent him a picture of my real hair so he could match the fall perfectly.  I highly recommend his work!  

 Brian
(310) 499-6836

Milano Band Fall wig Before

and After:

Freeda Wig Before Pics 

and After:

Here's more pictures!!!: Pictures of Wigs!!

Jacquelyn Wigs Interview

My husband happened to be in New York City for work a few months ago, and he happened to pass by Jacquelyn Wig's headquarters. Being the great husband that he is, he went in and told them his wife was "Chavi" of AskChavi and he asked if he could take some pictures of their showroom. After checking with the management, they allowed my husband to take pictures (even though they hadn't heard of me!). DH was also able to introduce himself to the management team which allowed me to set up a phone call with George to learn more about Jacquelyn Wigs. I learned a lot about the wig industry and how Jacquelyn Wigs distinguishes itself. I will share some things I learned during the highly informative call.

Wig making is a complicated process that requires a high level of skill and craft. Hair has cuticles, like the scales of a fish. Hairis combined from multiple sources to produce one wig. Therefore, when hair bundles are combined the hair cuticle needs to be kept in the same direction. If this is not done properly then the wig will likely have knotting problems. For the entire process from the time the hair is cut from a person's hair, through the cleaning process and through the hackling process, the cuticles have to be kept in the right direction.  Why am I telling you this? Because if a wig is tangling from day one, its possible that some of the cuticles were sewn in upside down, therefore creating friction and tangling between the hairs. This was a great quote that I transcribed from the phone call that describes in great detail the wig-making process:

" If the hair is not handled properly throughout the whole (wig-making) process. If (the worker has) 8 oz of hair 20 inches and she might start working it, hand ventilating it in and if she takes a lunch break and comes back and forgets which end is up then there will be a serious knotting problem. After the first wash, these wigs can be identified."

George emphasized that there is greater security in buying from a reputable wig seller with years of experience (such as Jacquelyn Wigs) as opposed to at a random travelling wig sale held in a random town. He said Jacquelyn Wigs stands behind their products and have been in business for over 40 years because they are a trusted name in the industry. With random wig sales, there is not guarantee that the seller/brand will stand behind their product if there is a problem. (I thought this was a valid point. Always INQUIRE about return/warranty policy before
buying a wig from anyone!)

"Knowing where to shop and buying from the right place (is important).  Many People do not know what they are doing and they are buying because their friends are buying - certain length, certain price = bargain and grab it. They don't think about whether someone is standing behind the product. and when later at home the can't style it properly the customer realizes they are stuck with a lemon."

Jacquelyn Wigs manufactures various quality levels of wigs because they cater to a broad segment of the wig wearing population. From synthetic, synthetic human blend, processed human hair,  and the finest  Russian hair. Their basic hair wigs are "European Textured hair"(that is human hair that has been processed to feel like European hair but at a much lower cost(that hair the cuticles have been removed and hair has been colored).  The more expensive wigs that they sell use higher quality hair and are processed differently.

In today's wig market, the reality is that most hair is dyed or bleached, and this is part of the regular manufacturing process, however a customer could order a custom wig and specify that they want un-dyed hair(but costs could be astronomical). its extremely difficult to obtain virgin European hair for wigs due to developing economies in Eastern Europe and women in these previously poor countries no longer growing their hair really long and selling it to hair buyers.  Plus most women all over the world tend to dye their own hair so its already not natural color. Hair quality and length is still the #1 determining factor in a wig's price, followed by cap construction. The more hand-sewn parts of the cap, the more expensive. Blonde all natural hair is the hardest to find and hair suppliers are struggling to obtain virgin blond hair in long lengths.

I wanted to know how long wigs typically last. He said that their synthetic wigs are made of varying fibers and their higher quality fibers can last a year or two. Human Hair Blends hold up very nicely, some have lasted 2-3 years, but so - but there are ways to restore them to their original state. Some poorly made synthetics that some companies offer are truly garbage wigs that last for two months only (this usually reflected in their cheap prices). Getting 2-3 years out of a human hair wig should be expected, but it may need to be colored or deep conditioned during this time.

"People say that Jacquelyn Wigs has the best hair, they (the hair sourcers) travel the world to collect the hair.George says that buying hair is like buying a mink coat or diamond ring - As an example you could walk into a store selling Mink coats and you can see coats for $800 up to$30,000.In most cases   the average person looks at the fur and cannot tell the difference, similar with hair - most people cannot tell the difference. You are buying the quality of the wig and you are buying the styling and the trust of the company selling you the wig .Even the most expensive wig if styled poorly can look like a cheap wig. Not every girl needs a $3000-$5000 wig. When Jacquelyn started in 1969 synthetic wigs were becoming popular. (These women) had custom wigs at the time for $1200 (but) they wanted the new synthetic wigs because they were easier to maintain and much cheaper."

How often should a wig be washed?: We suggest that a wig worn every day should be be washed every  2-3 weeks(depending on the seasons of the year). if you are wearing it everyday. Some women wash their own wigs improperly or give it to someone inexperienced there by getting poor results- using the right products on a wig makes a big difference. Too much hair spray, too much mousse can hurt it. Some heavy oils make the hair clumpy and not natural looking.

In addition to being able to purchase Jacquelyn Wigs in their salon and online, Jacquelyn Wigs manufactures and sells their wigs to stores all over the world. They also manufacture private label wigs.

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

Milano Collection LA Showroom Tour

Over Passover I had the chance to checkout Milano Collection's Los Angeles showroom.  I wanted to share my general impressions.  First of all, Milano Collection is one of the first "major Jewish wig brands" to open a dedicated showroom in Los Angeles.  Los Angeles has sheitel machers who sell multiple wig brands as well as sheitel stores that carry various brands, but to my knowledge Milano is the first "NY Transplant" salon to open shop in LA.

There was plenty of metered parking available right in front of the store, for the reasonable rate of $1/hour.  There is also free street parking available in the residential neighborhoods a few blocks away but be careful because LA has strict parking regulations including some streets that require permits and others that have street cleaning on certain days a week.  The storefront had a upscale look to it and displayed a few wigs in the window.  You have to ring a doorbell and be buzzed in.  I called Milano in advance and let them know that Chavi was coming to the store, believe it or not, they hadn't even heard of me!!!  Well, I educated them on who I am and what my mission is - essentially providing wig information to consumers. They were happy to let me come in and take pictures and try on wigs to my hearts delight.

I learned that Milano wigs come in two qualities: processed European and unprocessed European, and that the prices vary depending on length and hair quality.  Their unprocessed wigs have codes such as LL-14 while the processed wigs have names like "Reese" and "Giselle".  They organized their showroom by grouping the wigs in various color groups.  They also had additional wigs in bins below each section.  The shop attendant told me that pretty much all of the wigs out on the main showroom floor were considered "pre-cuts" .
A few things I learned:
1. Freedom wig caps run really small.  I tried to try on a size Large freedom cap and couldn't even get it onto my head.  (freedom caps do not have any clips in them)
2. The iFront line has a small strip of lace in the front that is supposed to make the hairline of the wigs look more natural.  For whatever reason the lace on the lighter colored wigs was more noticeable then the lace on the darker colored wigs.
3. Milano wigs come in various textures but overall the processed wigs actually frizz less than the unprocessed wigs.
4. Pony wigs come in sizes L and XL because for many people its necessary to go up a size in order for them to cover all their hair and make the pony look natural.
5. The stylist recommended washing wigs exclusively in high end sulfate free shampoos since most of them are processed, in order to prevent them from becoming dry and brittle and losing their shine.  (I will be recommending specific products in later posts)
6. I look better in hair darker than my own hair, even though my natural hair color is "dishwater blonde".  The blonde wigs made me look completely washed out. I suppose if my true color existed it would look good, but its hard to find.

The showroom offers tons of wig services aside from wash & set and cutting including coloring and deep conditioning treatment.  Also, the cut price varies on how much one wants cut.  I ended up buying something... will post about it later!  Can anyone guess which of the wigs pictured in the album is the one I bought??