Ok ladies it is that time of year again...the time to protect our hair from the harsh winter weather and give our arms, shoulders, hands AND hair a break from manipulation. I think my hair might be contributing to a shoulder issue I've been having for the past few month, but that's another post.
My gym regimen increases during the winter months too so I welcome any protective style that is easy maintenance and can allow me to only touch my hair once a week. So, stage-right....the half-wig.
I have accumulated about 20 wigs in about two years and vow each time I buy one that this is my last. Well the product junkie in me shows itself in other ways. I have lace front wigs, halfs and a few ponytails-which I only wear the pony's on vacay after I've been laying out on the beach or by the pool all day. But the half-wig usually is my go-to. Now I've tried to leave hair out in the front and style it to blend with the wig and all...but I can never seem to get that part right. My hair is very thick so I usually leave to much hair out where my hair sticks out and the wig just sits there- making me conscious of the two textures. So when I leave out less hair- I feel self-conscious of the wig and my hair not being the exact same color and texture-even though I try to get wigs as close to my texture as possible.
But really doesn't all of the above defeat the purpose of protective styling? So I'm now the girl with the half-wig and the headband. And I love it! I can braid all my hair going back-starting the braid about 1 inch from my forehead going backwards and pin the ends with bobby pins. Put on my satin, yes satin with a mesh top, wig cap and pin the sides to secure. Then I place my half wig on and select a headband that matches my clothing- which is usually black-brush, fluff and hit the streets= work! Sometime I my Bobby Boss wig band so as not to use the combs- but all wigs are different and this one won't allow me to do that. Thankfully the combs are comfortable and I don't feel like they are breaking my hair.
I get all these compliments/criticisms that its kind of funny. Apparently, I have this nice grade of hair that everyone wants but that I think is so hard to manage and always looks fluffy- so I guess I'm the definition for "own worst critic." Then I get the regular compliment of how cute my hair looks, and of course I say its a wig and everyone acts surprised. Now at first I thought people were just being nice=lying to me. However, good friends that will tell me the 'sho-NUFF Truth' were fooled and total strangers reacted the same way- I guess I was wrong. After removing the wig and actually style my own hair- no one said a word, as if, yes, they didn't know I was wearing a wig in the first place.
But the reality is I wear them for growth. I just completed a 14 month transition and the wig was my friend...especially in the dog days of summer. I had 11 inches of growth in 14 months= happy me. Now I'm just trying to keep it all healthy and growing and wigs seem to do the trick.
The wig I'm wearing now is the Outre Javina in 1B. I might get her in a 1B/30 for a little color and stuff! :-)
Do you wear wigs for protective styling? If so, please share!
Good Hair! :-)
