Buyer Beware: Tidebuy

One of my readers wanted to share her dramatic story of a wig purchase she made online which ended up ending very badly.  She purchased a wig from Tidebuy which was advertised as handtied, but in fact the wig was entirely machine wefted and did not even have a multi-directional skin part.  It was essentially unwearable because it looked so unrealistic and she attempted to try to return it to Tidebuy.  Below is her email trail with Tidebuy showing their complete lack of customer service and their outright false internet advertising.

It can be VERY risky to buy a wig from an unknown online foreign vendor. Sometimes its better to spend a little more to buy something reputable. Nevertheless we can all learn from my reader's mistake and hopefully Tidebuy steps up and takes responsibility for their products. Below is a video showing the wig which was sent and under that is the email trail between my reader JM and the Tidebuy customer service representative.



Date: Fri, Feb 3, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Subject: Re: I wish to return items
To: tidebuy <service@tidebuy.com>
Michael,
It seems like you're having difficulty understanding what I'm saying.
It is not (only) that the style that does not match the picture, the
wig was not constructed in the way described on the website.  The
webpage says the the wig is constructed by sewing individual hairs
into a single layer of fabric.  No part of the wig you sent was
constructed in that way.  The wigs sent were made of machine sewn
wefts, a much lower quality process.
I have made arrangements to share my experience with your company on a
website about wigs and will encourage all readers to share this
information with as many people as possible.
If you will not accept a return, please do not continue to write to
me.  I no longer have the time or the interest to continue repeating
myself to someone who is either unable or unwilling to understand what
I'm saying.
JM

On 2/3/12, tidebuy <service@tidebuy.com> wrote:
> Dear J,
>
>
>
> Thanks a lot for your concern of your order.
>
>
>
> Regarding the wig problem you mentioned, we made it all according to the
> size and color you chose when you placed the order. If the wig goes out of
> shape, it might be caused during transportation. So the hairstyle can be
> changed, you can make it into the one in the picture on our website.
>
>
>
> Besides, the picture on site is processed, but you can make the actual wig
> like shown in the picture with trying using the hair spray or styling gel to
> have a special effect.
>
> Sincerely hope you can understand this.
>
>
>
> If you want any other products, you can provide us a picture, and then we
> can make it according to your request. Or if you have any suggestions or
> ideas, please give us without any doubt. We will adopt it if it is
> appropriate, and we will give you a coupon for return. If you have any
> questions, please feel free to contact us.
>
>
>
> Thanks and best regards
>
> Michael
>
> Customer Service Department
>
> Email:service@tidebuy.com>
> Website: http://www.tidebuy.com>
> Tel: +86-10-62901050-815; +86-10-64477995-815; +86-10-64476833-815

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: JM>Date: Tue, Jan 24, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: I wish to return items
To: tidebuy <service@tidebuy.com>
Is there someone there whose first language is English with whom I may
speak?  You don't seem to be understanding what I'm saying.
The product you SENT is DIFFERENT from the product you DESCRIBED on
the website.
If you refuse to acknowledge and correct this then I have no choice
but to warn other customers from buying from your company.

On 1/24/12, tidebuy <service@tidebuy.com> wrote:
> Dear J,
>
> Thanks for concern of your order and we are really sorry for all the
> inconveniences we brougth to you.
>
> I do  not understand why you say the wig quality is not good. what kind of
> quality you think it good quality . We could not see any problems from the
> pictures you supplied to us. And we have tried our best to let you happy and
> give you 20USD discount. And we also could keep a good business relationship
> with you in future. We really appreciated your understanding.
>
> If you still have more questions,just feel free to contact us. We would get
> back to you within 24 hours at working days. Thanks so much.
>
> best regards
>
> Michael
>
> Customer Service Department
> Email:service@tidebuy.com>
> Website: http://www.tidebuy.com>
> Tel:  86-10-6447-6833
>       86-10-6290-5773

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: JM
Date: Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 6:11 AM
Subject: Re: I wish to return items
To: tidebuy <service@mail.tidebuy.com>
Dear Michael,Today is 7 days after I received my order.  I contacted your company about returning the order within a couple hours of receiving it.  I am still waiting for your instructions.  I hope that this matter will be resolved soon. Please respond.
Thank you,J


On Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 4:56 AM, tidebuy <service@mail.tidebuy.com> wrote:
Dear J,   Thanks for concern of your order and we are really sorry for all the inconveniences we brougth to you.So could you please take some clear pictures for the wig you received, and tell us where is not as described. After we received your pictures,we would contact the supplier to ask compensation for you ,refund or exchange all no problem if there are really huge issue.Looking forward to hearing from you soon.thanks.If you still have more questions,just feel free to contact us. We would get back to you within 24 hours at working days. Thanks so much.    

best regardsMichael Customer Service Department                                  

For any items, if there is a quality problem and you want to apply for a refund/exchange, please upload some persuasive pictures or video. Once it is verified, you can send the item back to us (customer assumes the shipping cost) only after you get our permission, and we will give you the corresponding comepensation.

Does anyone know the sheitel macher Randi?

A reader emailed me to ask if I knew the whereabouts of the sheitel macher Randi, who once provided an amazing wig cut.  Apparently she used to have a salon on East 19 and Avenue M.  Please post below if you know Randi's wherabouts.

Thanks,
Chavi

Curly Wig Wash & Set

Hi-
How do I wash my curly sheitel at home?  I have tons of knots.  How do I get them out without ripping all the hair out of the sheitel?  Also, what are the recommendations for daily maintenance of my curly sheitel? For example, how often should I brush it, gel it, and wash it?  Thanks!!!!

-L

Dear L,
Well first you have to comb out the knots.  BUT BEWARE, this is a very delicate process that may take a long time and you need to be patient and use the right tools.  You will need:
A Wide tooth comb:


Spray bottle

and spray on detangler or conditoner.


 Use sectioning clips to separate the hair into sections:  Start with the lowest thin layer down.

Spray on water and/or detangling conditioner onto layer, and very gently from the ends (bottom) up, slowly and carefully comb downward until the knots are detangled.  once the section is detangled, let the next thin layer down and repeat the process.
Once the entire wig is detangled, the wig can be attached to the foam head and the normal washing process can commence.  CAUTION: you must be extra careful while washing to spread the shampoo and conditioner downward on the wig and never upward against the curly cuticle.  That will just create large knots and tangles.  You can use watered down shampoo or as little shampoo as possible.  I try to just use a little close to the "roots" to clean the parts that get sweaty, and not necessarily apply the shampoo to the ends which tend to get dry, they get cleaned by nature of the water running down the hair to the ends of the roots. 

Run the soapy mixture downward using a lot of water.  Rinse.

Apply conditioner in the same manner but do not apply the conditioner to the multi-directional part of the sheitel because it can cause the knots (individual hairs that are handtied) to come loose and come out of the cap. 

While conditioner is applied, run fingers through hair to make sure the knots are still non existent.  If knots are present GENTLY try to detangle with fingers or wide tooth comb while conditioner is applied.  However, knots should not be present, and its a little risky to do this while wet we can do this in the next step as well.  Rinse out conditioner unless conditioner is a "leave in conditioner" which is sometimes best for curly hair.

Take wig off of head and gently place into a bath towel and enclose.  Let it dry for 5-15 minutes in the towel.  Then gently open towel and place on wig head, remembering to only pin near the ear clips as shown in the straight washing video.


There are three methods of drying at this point.
1. Air dry and add curling iron curls later (a little bit of Biosilk

GVP Silk Treatment GVP Silk Treatment gives hair a smooth and silky feel while providing a brilliant high gloss shine. Repairs split ends and gives hair incredible shine with no build up.

can be added at this point)
2. Scrunch with or without product and air dry for a natural wave or (mousse, biosilk or curly hair product can be applied to hold scrunch look, I would avoid gel though because it is crunchy and sticky)
3. Blowdry with a diffuser attachment on a blowdryer (products safe for heat can be used in this instance) .  While using the diffuser attachment as shown below.  Scrunch sections of hair with hand upwards while blow drying with diffuser. 


If you applied leave in conditioner you may not need an anti-frizz product like biosilk.  Use very little because it can make the hair look oily.  Remember shampoo is the enemy of curly hair because it encourages frizz.  Conditioner is our friend but must be used in moderation and well rinsed to not appear oily.

For maintenance you can use the spray bottle and comb to remove knots, you can spruce it up with a little product and scrunch and let air dry.  If you are trying to "maintain" a curling ironed wig without washing, it will be tough to fix individual curls, but it is nonetheless doable. 


Please post questions below as comments.  Best of luck.

-Chavi

Should I buy this wig?

Dear Chavi,

I'm in the market for a new sheitel on a budget, I went to a well known sheitel mocker who sells her returns at almost half off. I looked at a long piece that was returned due to frizz, the mocker was unsure how bad the frizz would get so i did your shower test. I ran the water for 20min with the sheitel in the room the left the sheitel in the room until all the steam was gone. The bathroom was so steemy that the cabinets on the other side got wet. I am planning on moving to a humid area but the sheitel mocker said to use bio silk and use a straightener on it weekly to contain the frizz. My husband felt the extra use from the straightener would lower the life of the sheitel. I need to get the cap replaced due to size but the current cap has a hole that was repaired and another hole, making me wonder how long someone else owned it for and the abuse they might have put on the hair. The frizz wasn't so bad. Do you think I should get the sheitel?

Thank you

A

Dear A,

I would find out:

1. How long the person owned it

2. Why there is a hole in the cap?

3. How much it will cost to replace the entire cap.

How good of a deal is this, because size is one of the first things that should be right when trying on a sheitel.  If it is not comfortable and ill-fitting, it is bad before even considering the quality of hair and the color.  That being said, I am so glad that the sheitel macher let you take it home to try the frizz test. 

I think the most important is a good fit, a good color match and your potential happiness. If you do not absolutely love it in the store then you won't love it once you purchase it. If you love it but are concerned about a little frizz that it definitely can be remedied easily with biosilk and the right heat products in moderation, and considering the discount price it may be the best thing to do in your budget. In humid climates ALL hair is going to frizz a little bit, unless its that stick straight fine hair, which is rarely found on sheitels these days. 

Make sure that the "good deal" is still a good deal considering the amount of money you will be putting into it in order to repair the holes and replace the cap and probably the new sheitel cut.   If a sheitel has holes, it must be at least 6 months old because holes do not usually form that fast, unless the wig was truly defective.

-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

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.

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

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

Dear Chavi: Summer Frizz... HELP!!!

I am having problem with 2 of my sheitls lately.I cant get them straight!My hair stylist says she cant get them flat and straight like I like, I called my s.m. who told me she has been habing problems and reciveing calls lately from other customers having the same problem. The hair is untreated and natural, and has no chemicals in it, so apparently the humidity of the summer is creating these problems. Does this make sense? Is it happening to you? Could I have over styled them and they will never be the same again?Help!

I have owned my sheitls for just over a year now and have washed 1 about 6 times and the other 2x. Could I have ruined the wig by doing so/ they r both pouffy now,and can't be bothered to wear them.Should I wait till the end of summer and then rewash and style.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Best,
NP

NP,

Usually a wash and set won't ruin a wig.  What kind of wigs are they?  Did you wash them yourself?  Do you live in a humid climate? 
Thanks,
Chavi

virgin russian hair.  I send them to my stylist. Its been very humid and muggy. More so then usual is 6 times a year too much? I got nervous bc my stylist told me she can't get it stick straight. I called my s.m and she told me she has been having the same issues with her hair(the wigs)and had to bring a de-humidifier into her show room. My shetils are made by a lady named yonit. She uses only virgin unprocessed hair. 

6 times a year is not too much.  I know women who get their sheitels washed monthly.
I think the problem here is absolutely the weather and the humidity.  I wouldn't worry.  Did the hair look stick straight when you first bought it?

It was straighter, but i think b/c it was not as hot as it is right now...All my sheitl from the lady i bought are pouffy now, the only one that isnt is a processed one from another company...I will retry again in late aug to wash it again.  Thanks so much! -NP

I would purchase some Biosilk Silk Therapy Serum.  This stuff is amazing.  A little goes a LONG way.  It is great for de-frizzing.  All you do is put a pea-sized drop in your palm, rub it with your hands and spread evenly over the sheitel.  I would avoid the root area.  You can also then brush and comb through to evenly distribute.  If you use too much the hair can end up oily.  It helps smooth fly-aways down.  I used to use it on my natural wavy/curly hair and it worked wonders whether air dried curly or blow dried straight.  Keep in mind that VIRGIN unprocessed hair is going to react to humidity the same way as the hair that grows on our heads does.  Using salon-grade products as directed will not damage your sheitel and can provide the look you desire. 

Question: What kind of curling iron should I use?

Hi Chavi,

What kind of curling iron do you recommend to curl a human hair sheitl?

When it comes to working with human hair sheitels we should try to treat them as well as possible.  Therefore, it is worth it to spend the extra money to invest in professional styling tools, rather than just buying the cheapest curling iron on sale at CVS.  I recommend the

BABYLISS PRO Nano Titanium Spring 1" Curling Iron (Model: BABNT100S) This irons use titanium and ceramic barrel technology that provides smooth, easy curling control. The results are shiny, frizz free curls and waves. Available in four barrel sizes.

far-infrared heat penetrates hair quickly, heats hair evenly from the inside-out, curls hair in a fraction of the time with superior results and with far less damage.  They are pricier but work faster and have better results that traditional curling irons that penetrate hair from the outside-in, exposing hair to moisture loss and damage.

Good Luck,

Chavi

Dear Chavi: My Poor Freeda

DISCLAIMER:  Every wig is different, and every sheitel macher has sold amazing, good, fair and bad pieces.  Every sheitel company has produced amazing, good, fair and bad pieces.  Unfortunately buying a sheitel requires mazal (luck).  Every woman will probably end up with at least wig that she is unhappy with in her lifetime.  None of my posts are intended as loshon hora towards a company or sheitel macher, rather just to discuss problems people have had with particular pieces.  Mentioning the brands are necessary in order to provide context into price and reputation of each individual wig. 

Dear Chavi,

When I was a kallah 8 yrs ago, and as a clueless BT, I was persuaded to buy 2 custom Freedas (a full and a band) for a small fortune. I never loved them, simply because I never ended up with a style that felt comfortable for me til a couple years ago when, the hair and hairline of the full sheitel were already way too thin. There was  a hole in the cap, too, and the hair was really oxidized, even after being dyed twice over the years. But the hair on both sheitels was still amazing, just thinner, after all those years. Silky, natural, gorgeous hair. But with a cut that was more "me" I knew what to look for when getting a new one.

I think most kallahs have this problem with their first sheitels.  It is hard to get used to ourselves in a wiggy style, as opposed to how our hair looked before marriage.  It looks like you spent a lot of money but they lasted for a long time.  You must have worn them a lot if you ended up with a hole in the cap!  Was that from washing or from general wear?  Have you considered adding more hair into the full sheitel and repairing the cap and maybe getting it cut?  You wore your two kallah sheitels for 6 years!!! and the fall still looks good??  That is INCREDIBLE

So, for my second attempt at buying a sheitel, I went back to the Freeda warehouse, no sheitel macher this time, and thought I would just get a precut.  I got the Riva Long in a medium brown. I tried to get one that had as little red as possible. Oxidation is a problem with Freedas. It has some natural highlights in it - I never dyed it. Who knows how much they processed it though before i got it. Also, I think it dries straight but I've never washed it myself. I never noticed any texture or frizzing problems til now. I don't need a special size, but i wanted the Freeda quality. I got a great sheitel. Hooray for me....then got a cool cut. A couple inches below the chin, angled bob with the front a bit longer than the back. Kind of modern looking. The problem? It's only been washed a few times over the past year and a half since I really only wear it 4 times a month but I just noticed that it is full of split ends and the actual ends feel a bit rough. My 8 yr old band fall has better looking hair at this point. The split ends go all the way up the locks.

When did you first notice the split ends?  How was it cut?  If it was cut with a blade on the ends instead of scissors it can cause split ends to form faster. 

1. I just moved and tried out a new sheitel macher, who is a friend so i would feel bad of accusing her of anything - but did she do something unintentionally? Was she too rough on the sheitel?

Do you think it is possible that maybe she just isn't a very good sheitel macher?  If you noticed in my videos, my sheitel macher pointed out that an improper blow dry can make the hair look frizzy and appear to have split ends which could be minimized if set well.  How many times has she washed it?  When did the problem start?

2. The climate here is hot and humid - is that making the split ends show? The band fall looks totally fine but maybe b/c it hasn't been outside in this weather is why it looks better. But i think it started to look like this in NY; i honestly was so stressed and busy about moving i just wasn't paying attention. But at a wedding I wore it to in November, it definitely didn't have this issue...

The humidity could be causing the frizz to show. 

3. Is my sheitel a lemon? Is it slowly getting "straw" hair? No $1700 Freeda should look like this after a year and a half!

As I stated above, every brand produces good and bad pieces.  Afterall, it is a sewn item and there can be defect.  MAYBE the current condition is a combination of how the sheitel was cut, how it is being washed, the weather and back luck?  I agree it seems like a lot of money spent if the piece is actually headed towards an early retirement after a year and a half.

I could call Freeda but it's not like they could fix one small part of the wig. The whole thing has split ends. They're not going to replace it at this point, so long after the sale and after 2 sheitel machers have handled it. The color and cut and fit still look great so people still think it looks nice but when you look up close you see all the split ends and when i run my hand up the hair, against the grain so to speak, they feel so rough. What do i do??? And I'm no longer in NY so I can't go to them in person....

It doesn't hurt to ask.  I mean, they can say no, they may not do anything, but maybe some good will come of it.  Maybe they can sell you a new one at cost or something or half off.  Again, maybe it just needs to be set with a certain hair product to make it look sleeker. I used to put hair serum on my naturally wavy/frizzy hair.

I'm really upset over this. I hate sheitel shopping, I hate the expense and I was so happy to have something i liked wearing after all these years. If I spent so much on a sheitel that's not gonna last more than 2 years, I'm tempted to buy a cheap one next.

Advice?

Cheap sheitels seem like an option.  You have a darker hair color so you may be happier paying less money.  Also, you are wearing a shorter bob style which would only cost about $500 in a cheaper brand.  When we pay over $1500 we expect our sheitels to last at least 3 years, so I understand your concern.  However, a cheap sheitel might only last one year or less.  I really hope that the Freeda customer service comes through.  

Another thing to consider: sheitels lasting 8 years is unheard of these days.  I only know a few people in that boat and they had really expensive custom sheitels ($3500-4000).  You should consider yourself lucky that your fall and kallah sheitel lasted for 8 years.  Maybe they aren't making them as well as they used to.  Or.. you could have just been unlucky with your purchase.  I would love to hear what happens and if styling products can help hold the style better.  Another comment: longer sheitels have more room to be trimmed after split ends form, whereas shorter styles like your bob do not have much wiggle room in case the ends do become broken.  


And don't worry, the sheitel doesn't look that bad in the pics you sent....
Regards,
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.