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Permalink Reply by Alo-mom on September 13, 2017 at 1:43am

Try Chrisforhair.com  She is a small business owner in northern California who has been around for a while and really takes care of her customers. 1 925 245 0194. 

She will talk to you about caps, type of hair, hair density and color. She can put together a custom wig at a price point that might just work for you. Tell her Alo-mom referred you. You have to be careful buying wigs on the internet. You want cuticle interacted hair so your wig does not tangle. You want a cap that is good for alopecia, not one that is for a night out on the town so to speak. You would like a wig that you can cut and style to your own look. Friend me if you want to ask any other questions about hair, caps etc. I am here to help so you do not make the same costly mistakes that I did when I first started buying for my daughter.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on September 19, 2017 at 10:31pm

I'm new here and I have tons of questions about wigs!?!?
You're help would be greatly appreciated

Beth

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Permalink Reply by Alo-mom on September 19, 2017 at 11:42pm

Hi Beth, I am here to help. There are certain types of wig caps best for those for AA. I am a fan of Human Hair wigs that are all hand tied. They move and feel so much more naturally. You can also have it styled and cut to what you want, not what a wig company wants you to like. You want a wig that is able to be parted and that is called Multidirectional and is a monofilament type material on top so the wig looks like it is growing out of your head. You want to be sure that your head is measured so you know what size is so that the cap fits your head and feels secure. The goal here is to make you forget you have a wig on. Size is critical so the wig does not fall below your ears or too far back at the nape of neck. Hair quality is critical and you want to be sure the hair is cuticle interact so it does not tangle. This means that the hair is all installed in the same direction or it WILL TANGLE and drive you crazy. It will also become frizzy and not wearable. You want to be sure the density is not to think or it will look like a helmet. Hand tied vs wefted is best so you do not feel the lines of hair around the back of the cap. Hair color needs to be looked at inside as well as outside because what looks to light inside or dark inside may look a whole lot different inside. Please friend me with any other questions you might have. I am a phone support person for the National Alopecia Areata foundation and since my daughter developed Alopecia Universalis it really helps me to help others. I am glad to help and make suggestions so that you do not make the same mistakes I did that were very costly. 

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Permalink Reply by Unfair2HaveHairThere on September 22, 2017 at 6:53pm

I have yet to order from Rachel at https://www.gardeauxwigs.com/ but I have corresponded with her regarding hair and she was super-helpful and can help you get the right size.  She can also do custom colors and uses quality products in modifying the hair she sells.  When my budget allows it, I'll definitely be ordering from her.  Her prices are very reasonable, too, especially considering the time investment to color-customize.  

Just posted a long response to another query, but I will reiterate my comment that there's a learning curve, especially with human hair.  I've worn both HH and synth and like each for various aspects.  Synth is awesome for ready to go hair, but be careful sticking your head in the oven or BBQing.  

Human does take a little more time, but I feel like it's more "real" when I wear it, which is kind of silly, but that's just my hangup.  The average person on the street will have a difficult time telling the difference between a quality-made synthetic or a HH piece.  The first time I stepped into a shop, I wrongly assumed everything on display was human hair, when in fact it was synth.  Hair has improved since the plastic hair of the 60s and 70s.  

Depending on where you live (do you have to deal with humidity or harsh weather?) you might have better luck with synth, as my HH is finicky about weather, but a darker color that undergoes less processing might get along better with humidity (as will curls) than my light colored HH.  

Alo-Mom is 100% right on with the notion that the goal is to make you forget you're wearing hair, and that's all about the cap/fit/fix.  

Off the shelf wigs usually require a stitch or two here or there for me (hopefully you have a more standardized head size) and a few minor mods to feel 100% natural for me.  Love Estetica's caps, but they discontinued heat-safe synthetics a while back, and that's what I prefer for blonde hair, as it doesn't look as Barbie-doll shiny (that's a whole 'nother post, but non-heat safe hair has a more round/even surface and heat-safe hair has a different shape that reflects light differently).  

If you have darker hair, it seems like the options are greater, but that could just be me being color-envious.  I like the blonde color mixes by Belle Tresse, and love their monotops.  Monotops feel more natural to me and offer more versatility.  I also liked heat-safe synthetics as far as style options, but also found myself styling them a lot less often than I'd anticipated.  Once you get used to slapping on ready-to-go hair with very little prep, you get a little spoiled.  :-)   When I was young I'd get up an hour early to do my hair, but later in life, the thought of spending an hour a day on hair seems ridiculous.  

I do like a lot of the new gradient and ombre colors - to me, those usually look the most natural in any shade. 

If you find a piece you like, buy at least two so you have hair to wear while you wash your other unit.  

If you're lucky enough to live near some shops, go in, spend the $2 for a cap to try on styles, and soak up as much knowledge as you can while you're there, but don't necessarily take everything they say as gospel (I was told that when my first unit frizzed, it was merely time to buy a new one - uh, bologna!  A steamer to the ends was all that was needed, and all of mine outlived their life expectancy with some TLC).  While I've shopped local, I've also found that forums like this one and similar forums have given me the encyclopedia of hair knowledge that you probably won't get at the store.  

The other plus to going to the store is that you can see colors in person so you know for sure what you're getting.  A color swatch, especially on highlighted or ombre hair can be very misleading, and not all return policies are as forgiving.  Also, shopping for hair is a lot like dress shopping - sometimes what doesn't look fantastic on a hanger actually looks amazing when it's on, and same goes for color. 

Some of the sheitel-makers in NYC have lovely hair and good reputations/feedback.  If you're looking for dark/curly and are OK with a silk top that may not have a lace front (which works if you wear bangs or a style that doesn't require a lace front), that's where I'd look first.  Measure your head so you get the right fit, and even if you go the eBay route, don't be afraid to contact the seller to ensure you're getting exactly what you need.  

For whatever reason, it seems like hair aimed at the Caucasian demographic is always more expensive than non-Caucasian hair.  If I had darker hair and skin that wasn't bordering on albino, I'd happily get more out of my hair dollars by shopping those brands.  

Oddly enough, some very inexpensive wigs can look incredibly natural, while some high-dollar brands can look as fake and plastic-y as what you'd find at the flea mart, so depending on your time/budget, you can have a huge hair wardrobe without refinancing your house.  

CysterWigs does an awesome job of reviewing hair from a practical perspective, and will give you lots of info on color, volume, feel, etc.  They also have good sales.  

Once you find your "forever hair," keep in mind that there are 30% off sales on almost every holiday, and every brand I've worn has had a 40% sale or a 50% sale once a year, and if you sign up for newsletters, you can often combine coupons for savings.  Getting to know the brands/colors can also put you in a good position to pick up some bargains in the clearance section.  

Hope that's helpful.  There are a TON of sites and it's difficult to know who to trust.  

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