Beauty : A wig for a rainy day

I was in Mombassa a few weeks ago and two of my Muslim friends decided to take me out for a Taarab night with a famous band from Tanzania in town, they were not to miss in the action. Since I was not prepared for such a night, we had to go shopping for the right dress and accessories.

Saturday, October 16, 2010
L-R : Mary J.Blige donning one too ; Whitney Houston sporting a wig

I was in Mombassa a few weeks ago and two of my Muslim friends decided to take me out for a Taarab night with a famous band from Tanzania in town, they were not to miss in the action. Since I was not prepared for such a night, we had to go shopping for the right dress and accessories.

My friends too had some things to buy. From one shop to the other we went looking for something to buy. The last shop we entered was a beauty shop; this is a shop which has existed since my days as a primary student.

One of my friends suggested that I do something to my hair which I have tried to keep very short and natural for the last few weeks. There is absolutely nothing I can do to my hair. "Try a wig,” the other friend replied! "Oh, ok,” I said.

And there it was! The wig looked nice on me and we decided to buy it so that I could change my hairstyle to suit the occasion for the evening.

Looking at myself in the mirror that evening before we left for the Taarab night, I realised that, as much as I want to keep short hair throughout, once in a while I can change into a wig for a different hairstyle as a change.

Wigs have become the ultimate fashion accessory, so I realised. They come in a large variety of lengths, styles, and colours, while still being very affordable. Movie stars are famous for wearing wigs too, so why shouldn’t ordinary women wear them?

Women do a lot of things to look and feel better: they draw on eyebrows, paint their faces with eye liners and lip liners, use false fingernails and eye lashes, colour their hair to change their looks. But one thing that is sometimes overlooked as the ultimate makeover is wearing a new wig.

Sometimes wigs come in handy when you want to give your hair a break from the heat or the chemicals in styling products. Human hair wigs are the best way to go if you would like to purchase a wig and wear it long term.

They are versatile and you can style them just as you would normal hair. When it comes to selecting wigs you should look for one that matches your own natural hair and colour.

Using a hairpiece which does not drastically differ from your existing hair makes it easier to disguise that you are actually wearing a wig. The wig can look very realistic if you select one that fits properly and you wear it correctly.

If your hair is long you may need to braid it in a bee hive. You can also wear a wig cap to push your real hair down, so the wig can be more easily fixed into place against your scalp.

You can also have your braids tucked under by wrapping them under your hair, or by piling them on top. If your hair is not braided, you can wear it into a flat bun at the top of your head. Women have admitted to having braided their hair in conjunction with wearing a wig to make the overall look to become fuller and longer.

After searching for a while, they also can find cheap wigs which closely match their natural hair appearance. Wearing a wig is a great way of growing out your hair while not allowing people to see how it looks like once your own hair is fully grown you can stop wearing your wig and surprise everyone. 

Even though wigs are good, they can sometimes have issues; particularly with pieces that are extra long or heavy. Due to their weight, the wigs can shift while being worn.

However, if the wigs fit properly - they usually have straps you can adjust for size - they shouldn’t move around too much. Proper fitting allows experienced wig users to wear them day to day without incident. If you use bobby pins to secure your wig, you should also be fine. As for comfort, some people with short hair may feel itchy when wearing wigs.

If this is the case, it is recommended to use a wig cap or even makeshift panty hose pieces sewn to the parts that are scratchy and uncomfortable. Wig caps are usually the easiest solution as they go over your natural hair and allow you to comfortably put a wig over. 

Cheap wigs are a great way of changing your hairstyle as often as you want. You can wear the same style every day, or try different styles daily.

Ends