Jennifer Hudson's New Short Haircut 2014

 I love Jennifer Hudson's new short hairstyling.  I am also 99% sure that she is still rockin' a wig with the baby hairs in front.  I only mentioned this because one of my clients loved her new haircut, and when I finally saw it, my first thought was "cute!"  My second thought was that doesn't look like her natural hair texture which alerted me to the wig possibility.

 Jennifer is not new to wearing wigs.  So it is not a surprise to me.  I like the new look!

Photo credits:  bet.com, usmagazine.com, guestofaguest.com

Cornstarch: The Synthetic Hair De-Shiner

So I heard that cornstarch and/or baby powder will de-shine synthetic hair weaves and wigs.  So I figured that I would give it a try.  Relax,  this pile of hair has NOT been treated yet.

I picked up corn starch from the grocery store for $1.00 USD.

 These two strips of hair in the picture above are straight from the package new.  No cornstarch on either piece.  I then took the piece on the right and put cornstarch mainly at the top and started working the cornstarch into the weave strip throughout the ends.

Amazingly, the piece on the right that has been treated with cornstarch is duller, and it feels great.  You can be as heavy handed with the cornstarch that you want especially working under dry conditions.  The excess cornstarch is not going to cling to the synthetic hair. Careful about the fine dust that is generated from manipulating the package.  I had to hold my breath only because a cloud of dust formed for a few seconds when trying to lightly pound the package to close it.

The cornstarch does work for de-shining synthetic hair!

Peer Pressure to be Pretty: Custom Looks

Hair and Makeup by Benita Blocker. 

I am loving the compliments on my new custom look.  People love the colors.  I used four different colors that I am probably never going to be able to duplicate again.  One of the colors is like a #6? and one of the colors I was experimenting with darkening blonde hair.  The amazing thing is that I would never color my own hair because of my tight curl pattern.  In addition, relaxer plus coloring is considered double processing, and anyone with double chemical processes compromises the integrity of their hair.

 Hair and Makeup by Benita Blocker.

As far as styling, I was trying to recreate my invisible braids look that I had a few years back.  Please see my separate article on invisible braids.  I can never find a wig to fall in the right places to frame my own face.  It is hard to buy a Customized look.  The cap of most wigs are for a mannequin head.  My head has never conformed to the perfect headshape of a mannequin.

Hair and Makeup by Benita Blocker.

With a custom made wig, I can achieve my crown lift right where I need it on my head.  I can get my length and partings to complement my own facial features.

I could not have purchased a wig from a catalog with the color and fit that this handmade unit delivers.

Questions about your headshape?  Please see my separate article about headshapes for wigs.

Peer pressure and politics drive us as children, young adults, and older adults.  The pressure to be pretty . . .

My hair never defined my intelligence nor my drive for life, but having the right look at the right time can make life so much easier.

Headband rolling on a wig

Using a Black headband, I performed the "Headband curls" method as mentioned in my previous article on my blog on my wig. While wearing my human hair straight wig, I misted it with Joico Leave-in Detangler and began spiral wrapping and feeding section by section around the headband. Then I removed the wig with headband attached to rest for the night. The results are fabulous on the next morning!

The Headband curl method should look like this on a long haired wig.

The Power of Hair: Deal or no Deal

This "long hair look" took me down memory lane after I noticed the number of extra stares that I received on my day off. I even had one gentleman to say that he could not believe that no one had come along and just scooped me up. Now, I remind you that I am still not fitting back into my size 6 (six) pantsuits. I am still amazed how men can go "crazy" about "hair" despite a woman's full figure.

I specifically remember meeting a particular guy at a networking function several years ago. I was wearing a "fresh out the pack" half wig that blended very nicely with my own hair in front. Well this particular guy approached me and began conversation. He was intrigued with how beautiful my hair was. He even asked to touch it. I said "sure." He just ran his fingers through my hair ends (reality check: the ends of the long half wig). He just melted. He was in love with my hair. I was happy that I wore my "new" piece that evening. So I passed the "touch" test, and we then slipped away to the "happy hour" bar scene. We talked for about two hours, and he complimented me on my hair about four more times during the two hour conversation. He then walked me to my car.

At this point, I was mentally at war over the hair topic. Should I tell him that I had "help" to achieve my hairstyle or just let him keep thinking that it is all "home grown." Well, since I was getting the vibe that he was purely a "hair man" - I decided to tell him "this was not all my hair." His response in a nutshell was: "are you baldheaded?" Of course, the answer was "no." And I never heard from him again - "The jerk." Smile.

I can happily say that I made the best decision based on our prior two hour conversation. He had some growing up to do. He was very self-centered. I was not fond of how he talked negatively about his "baby mama" etc. Should I say more? In my mind, I think that I was looking for an excuse to get rid of him as well. He was physically attractive, but the conversation was barely tolerable. It all worked out for the best. It was a little traumatizing to have wasted two hours, but that is better than wasting two more dates. Smile.

Nonetheless, hair is a very powerful thing. Natural looking long hair can lure more men than you could ever imagine . . .

From "Hair"stylist to "Wig" Stylist: The new trend?

So Beyonce was selected to lead the "Beautiful Woman" issue of People Magazine 2012. Halle Berry was the first Black woman to accomplish this. Both are beautiful Black women, but Beyonce is known for lace front wigs, extensions, ponytail extensions, etc.

So it's official! Wigs are the new style!

1) You don't have to worry about your flips flopping. 2) You don't have to worry about getting caught in a light rain. 3) You don't have to worry about hot tool damage. 4) You don't have to worry about sweating out the style 5) You don't have to worry about haircolor damage 6) You don't have to worry about going to the hair salon as often.

Wigs are "Hollywood!" 1) Meryl Streep wore a lace front wig in "The Devil Wears Prada" movie. 2) Many of the female cast members of Tyler Perry's plays are historically known for wearing wigs to have a consistent look for each showtime. 3) Madea wears wigs too! LOL! 4) "Dancing with the stars" contestants are interchanging in and out of wigs.

It's Wig Mania! I remember on the "Housewives of Atlanta" series when "Derek J" had the title "Celebrity Wig Stylist."

I also remember attending a class at a Bronner Brothers hair show where the platform artist typically carried an integration unit or wig for all celebrity photo shoots. The wigs and hairpieces saves time, money, and the photographers get great pictures.

Society is sooooo driven by the perfect image that very few people are going to be able to avoid reaching for a wig.

Angelina Jolie keeps her hair in a loose ponytail in her downtime. She never complicates her hair. Even for events, simple, elegant, and probably some flexible hold hairspray.

So hair stylists - if you can't "beat the wig trend" then you may as well join it!

Consumers - keep your own natural hair clean and trimmed every three months.

So how do the men feel about all of this? We need a "documentary." Men, let me hear from you!!!!

Lace Front Construction and Wig Partition Pattern

Many people have questions about lace fronts. Pictured is the inside of an inexpensive ($40 US Dollars) lace front "synthetic" wig that has been worn for about a month and is time to be disposed of. You can see remnants of tape and adhesive/glue for those who have enough forehead and may be lacking enough hair to support the side comb attachments. Notice it looks like a regular wig for 75% of its construction. Just the front hairline fits flatter and more snug.

If you do have plenty of hair, then pictured is a great way to part and plait your hair to support the two side combs within the lace front wigs. Also, the middle cornrow gives the wig a little natural lift with a natural hump in the crown area. Careful, the inexpensive lace can cause traction around the hairline. Keep the hairline moisturized daily if you are removing the wig each night. If wearing the lacefront wigs for glamour, then take them off during your down time. Those with hair loss will generally have the wigs glued and taped on for removal once a month or bi-weekly.

Protective Styling: Longer Look

I'm experimenting again with "It's a Wig: B. Singer." Color: DX3427 I cut a couple of inches off of the back, but it is still a slightly longer look than the B. Morning.

Same style. Different color: 1B/30 (a little darker look)

Importance of finding the right hairstyle

Amazingly, I have received the attention of more male prospects in one week with this hairstyle than in one whole year. Even the compliments from female strangers as well as regular clientele have just been on going. Everyone is saying the hair is very becoming on you. "I love your hair." "You have great hair."

Life has been so much easier. People are more friendly. They treat you nicer.

I just sit back and laugh a little because my IQ and personality has not changed, but I seem more accepted by society with this look. It is just amazing to me. I have the same beautiful skin and beautiful smile. However, for $40 and some style tuning, I have a weatherproof, beautiful hairstyle. This is better than sliced bread! LOL!

It makes me realize that our Blacks with kinkier hair that are not conforming to a European well groomed look will always have a rough time being accepted into society.

So to rise about the lower income bracket, one has to fix the hair, teeth, and skin first. Maintaining a smaller frame weight-wise is important too, but it is secondary to the whole facial image.

Celebrity Star Jones is a perfect example. I felt that Star Jones was one of the most beautiful plus size women on television prior to her weight loss. I was happy that she was happy about the weight loss, but the truth be told, I felt that she lost a lot of her beauty with the weight loss. The loss of beauty could have been resulted from the weight loss method that was used. It could be that natural aging took over or even stress, but I feel the face of the heavier Star Jones was much more beautiful than the skinnier Star Jones.

In a nutshell, with the advances of wigs and the unpredictable weather, paying a wig expert to assist with wig selection at your price point may be an invaluable investment. When you land a better job with your new look, just keep making improvements.

On a separate note, for those who prefer to "wear their own hair" - listen: If your hair is extremely kinky and overcurly by nature, you will not be able to achieve and maintain this level of straightness, body, and thickness all day long, every day. That is why stage plays are showcasing more wigs on their actors.

Also, I was watching the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" on yesterday. It was the first time that I noticed that Meryl Streep was actually wearing a "white haired" lace front wig cut into a bob style. I was floored.

Always, Always take care of your own real hair, but for glamour and image consistency - consider "wigging out!"

Full Wigs with Monofilament

A monofilament gives the illusion of a scalp and gives natural volume and lift to your final look. Wigs with a monofilament should have a circular inset. The monofilament can be various sizes.

In the picture attached here, the wig is synthetic with a monofilament in the bang and front area. I started cutting out the combs from my old half wigs, and I actually sewed the comb band into this full wig. I like the monofilament look plus the comb band to keep it from moving on my head!

Wigs inspired by Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj

I just saw these wigs in the Aldo Accessories store in Northlake Mall. $25 and only a few left!!! You can look like recording artists Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj in an instant! Talking about impulse buy! Just having a little fun! LOL!

Holiday Hair 2011 for a day!

The beauty of the human hair wig! And I left my own (bang) hair out in the front!

This look was lightweight, but just like a "du rag," by the end of my day, the rest of my hair was "flat as a pancake!" It was a great one day look!

I have to admit I was diligently looking for my other Holiday hair that I was wearing for about 3 weeks. I could not find it; then I remembered it was a gluefree quickweave (that was attached) to my head. So the hair is disposed of and "the look" just another memory on this blog. LOL!

Anyway, Happy New Year Everyone!!!! Wishing you and I a productive 2012!

Will my head shape look good in a wig?

Wondering if your have the right head shape to wear a wig? The weather can be unpredictable. High humidity, rain, sweat can all put a damper on a fabulous hair day. So if you are in a bind for time and want to look great, then do you wonder if a wig is an option that you can embrace to save the day? The way to answer this question is to determine if you have a flat head or not. If you get a book balanced on top of your head, then determine if the book actually touches your front hairline or is there a gap between the book and your hairline. If there is a gap, then more than likely your forehead slopes down, and a full wig will NOT be a good fit.

Actress Diahann Carroll is a perfect example of a headshape that does not conform to the typical lacefront wig. Half wigs are a better option for this headshape/forehead shape. With the half wigs, one wears their own hairline out. If you worry about the weather and your own texture matching the half wig, then you can opt for a wig with a bang. The bang could be a "swoop bang" or a "whispy bang." The bangs help compensate for the gap from the hairline to the forehead dropoff point. Also, people with this "gap" headshape will find their side profile pictures flatter them more than head on photographs. They also will find that the traditional ponytail look without a bang is not a good "bad hair day" option.

So if the book does touch your hairline, then your head is flat enough to wear a full wig. In the picture at the top of this article, ignore the bang. You can see that her forehead versus the "top of her head" has a nice 90 degree dropoff. The book lays flat on her head touching her hairline. She is a perfect candidate for a wig. Pictured here is a wig stand. Do you get the same idea?
Almost any wig would go on natural looking without much effort with a head shape like this. So a flat, straight, vertical forehead means "wig ready." A big, bulging, curved forehead is not a natural candidate for a traditional wig.