Wigs vs. Natural Hair for the Show

Destinee Steele, International Thespian Society alum and regular contributor to Dramatics.org, has an MFA in wig and makeup design. She is the CEO of The Beauty Menagerie, LLC. She is also a Founding Board Member of Black Hair and Makeup United. In this video Destinee shares three factors to consider when deciding to use wigs vs. natural hair in a performance. Whether for yourself or when working on Black actors’ hair.

THREE FACTORS TO HELP YOU DECIDE:
WIG VS. NATURAL HAIR FOR THE SHOW

Factor #1 – How many performances will there be? How long is the run?
For example, extensions require more maintenance than a wig. So if it’s a short run then extensions may work. But, say, the show is scheduled for an eight-month run then a wig is likely going to be more manageable, easier on the actor’s natural hair, and more cost effective.

Factor #2 – How much time does that style require?
Similar to factor #1, take into account TIME – both the actor’s and the stylist’s. Some styles may require a substantial time investment to work. Make a choice that’s reasonable for everyone.

Factor #3 – How much does maintaining the style cost vs. the cost of a wig in that same style? Let’s estimate that extensions for an actor cost $280. It’s possible that a wig in that same style could cost as much as $6,000! There’s always a budget amount to stay within so know the total costs for all options. ♦

Watch another video with Destinee talking about styling Black hair.