Wig Grips - part two: A Review

I originally decided to buy the Milano WiGrip; however, I ended up buying The Hair Grip as this was the wig grip that my friend tried.

Product: The Hair Grip
Website: http://www.thehairgrip.com/Home.html
Colour: Dark Brown (black is available and nude will apparently be available soon too)
Price: $20 for one, with discounts for American Cancer Society Patients and those buying 3.

Buying from Abroad - the shipping was incredibly reasonable and speedy. As someone from the UK who buys from the US a lot, I was really impressed by the shipping costs for this item.

Packaging and Information - the product was well packaged, and included an information leaflet on how to use/wear the Grip and how to care for it. The website is well designed and informative with a couple of video tutorials.

Construction/Quality - The Hair Grip appeared well made and looked smart (not that anyone sees it!).

This product is designed to be worn with head covers or wigs.

Use with Wigs - I found the Grip gives a reasonable amount of security when wearing it under a sheitel (regular style, closed wefted wig with a silk top and no lace front). Its main function is to prevent the wig from slipping. Initially I found it worked very well for stopping the wig from slipping backwards as I moved about, or from moving when I bent down or forwards. It is a pleasant feeling to feel that your wig is pretty 'rock solid' and I was confident that if my wig had been pulled on by accidentally getting caught on something or by a child tugging at it, it would not have budged.

The problem I am finding is that with time and wear the grip seem to be provding less adehsion/friction. I am going to wash it and see if the pile of the material (which is the part that is actually providing the friction to stop the wig slipping) fluffs up and grips better again. I will update on this after I have washed and worn it.

Unfortunately, due to the design, this type of grip is unable to address the sideburns/ear area 'flap' that many women who wear wigs struggle with, so it will not stop your wig from flapping around at the sides! The Grip is also unsuitable for wearing with a wig that has a mono or lace top or part line (i.e. a top/part line that shows through to your own scalp/hair) as there would be nothing to conceal the appearance of the Grip showing through the wig foundation (base). This is a shame, as I can imagine a lot of women would love to be able to wear this type of accessory with their lace front and full lace wigs while doing minimal or no bonding (and perhaps using some bobby pins to keep the sides held down). It would work for a lace front or full lace wig that has a silk top, and it would work for the cheaper lace fronts that have only a small inch or two of lace before the wefted top starts, as well as for the cheaper plastic skin top type synthetics.

The Grip itself is fairly comfortable, as the material is very soft. Potential issues with wearability and comfort stem from the fact that the Grip can be a little itchy (as can wigs), a bit hot, and a little bulky. The design is such that you have two open ends on the band at the back of your head and these ends have large velcro areas stitched to them. This enables you to adjust and close the band at the optimal point for your individual head size. Where the two ends overlap is quite bulky, and depending on where you place this between your occipital bone and your nape, it may or may not poke the back of your wig out a little. You also have to be careful not to tighten the Grip too much when putting it on, as this can cause headaches (both myself and my friend found this). The Grip needs to be firmly fastened so that it does not slip back on your head (and ping off!), but not too tight so as to cause discomfort.

As such, I have found that The Hair Grip requires a little practice to get right. You have to work out where is the best position for you to place it so that your wig holds on, the Grip does not move and you do not have a bump. There is a related issue at the front - in my case, if I place the Grip too far forwards, I raise the profile of my wig too high so that the front edge of it is not flush to my scalp. I am unsure if this is a problem for me because of my head shape and whether other women would not experience this issue. I tend to place my Grip a little further back than I would have thought would be correct. I do find that it still raises the profile a little, but it is definitely not as bad. I think this issue is compounded by the fact that I still have the wire zig-zag comb at the front centre that the sheitel came with. Although I do not use this comb, I have yet to remove it. I believe that because the comb is stiffish (as it is metal), this may be preventing the wig from laying as flat as possible and flush to my scalp. Again, I shall report back once I have removed that comb and see if it is any better.

I am slightly concerned that the Grip is stretching over time. I think that this is inevitable with the material it is made from. As it is not too expensive, I think I will be budgeting to buy 1 every 6 months.

Use with Head Covers - I have found the Grip is excellent when used with slippery scarves such as satin and silk material. It not only helps when wearing them, but also when tying them as it provides enough friction to stop them from slipping. I would not wear a silk or satin scarf without the Grip now as it is that good for this purpose.

Overall:

I definitely think it is worth getting one to try and see how you find it. For me, it has become a good accessory for wearing with wigs. I wouldn't say it is perfect and has resolved all my problems with wig security, but it is good enough that I feel more confidence when wearing my wig out and especially around children. I am not sure how well I will manage in the summer, as the Grip and my wig sounds like a pretty boiling hot combination; however, for Autumn (Fall) through Spring, I can see it being used every time I wear my wig. I give it 4/5 for wearing with wigs.

When it comes to head covers, I feel the Grip really comes into its own. For those women with alopecia who do not like wearing head covers, especially scarves, because they feel that the material sits too close to their scalp and thus shows that they are bald underneath, the Grip is a good choice. It helps to add a little bulk there, as well as giving an unparalleled feeling of security to traditionally slippery materials such as satin and silk. I give it 5/5 for wearing with head covers.

The Wooden Wig Cradle & An Alternative! Plus, needle safety...

A few posts ago, when I was talking about ventilating position, I mentioned the wig cradle. It is made from wood and looks like this:

For those of you who are interested, it can be purchased from the wig making supplier, Banbury Postiche: http://www.banburypostiche.co.uk/shop/home/C-264.aspx
They are located in the UK and do ship abroad, although you may need to email them for a shipping quote due to the bulkiness of the item.

For those of you who do not want to purchase one or, as in my case, do not have the funds to spend on one (I need to save the money for other things!), I have come up with a pseudo wig cradle idea....

I use a stiff cardboard box! I have two of differing sizes; both of which were originally packaging boxes for items I had bought from stores. They are stiff sided (corrugated cardboard perhaps?), which helps to keep the wig block stable and the box rigid.

Block face down - so I can work the back and crown

Block standing up - suitable for working on a hard surface like a desk or table when ventilating the top/vertex

Block on the side - so I can ventilate at this angle

I also have another box like this that is a little narrower. Of course, if I wanted to, I could cut the V shapes into the ends, but I find that the block rests okay in the box as it is and does not move around. I then use the box on my lap (sometimes raising the height if necessary by putting a cushion under it). I don't always use it, but I found it particularly helpful for ventilating the first few inches of the nape. It is also useful to safely store your ventilating needle, comb and scissors should you be called away from your work (e.g. if the phone rings). On that note...

Ventilating needles are quite dangerous as they have a catchy hook in them, which is designed to catch the hair in so that you can knot it. Unlike a crochet hook, which has a rounded end to the catchy part of the hook, a ventilating needle is quite sharp. It can catch soft furnishings, clothes and skin. I am always really conscious of this around pets and small children. One aspect I had not thought about at first was how dangerous this needle/hook can be around eyes! It would be lethal if the needle got stuck in someone's eye as removing the catchy part of it (which gets stuck in things) would cause untold damage. For that reason I urge anyone reading this who is thinking of ventilating or already ventilates wigs to please be very careful with the needles. Wearing glasses is a good way of protecting your own eyes, but remember the eyes of pets and children and other people around you.