Wigmaker and CEO of Verushka Wigs and Verose, VERONICA NYABUTO shares hair secrets that will guarantee your wigs and hair pieces a long beautiful life.
Keep your natural hair and wigs washed and conditioned regularly, she says. She also recommends washing and treating at least every 1 to 2 weeks!
Also, wigs become a great option in the interim for those business zoom calls and a great go-to quick and easy protective style.
Here are more tips from the economist turned hair and beauty pro.
You once said that a wig to a woman is like a pair of shoes; how many wigs should a woman have?
Just as a woman cannot have enough pairs of shoes, she cannot have enough wigs.
How long should women wear their wigs?
Wigs are made to be long-lasting with proper care. I have known some ladies who had their wigs for up to four years. It’s all about maintenance.
One thing that really ticks you off?
Wearing wigs incorrectly. One of my major pet peeves is seeing a wig worn too low on the forehead or too far back on the head. A wig needs to be worn correctly to look natural. Also, improper care and maintenance. I cannot preach this enough. Regular wash and conditioning treatments are key.
And how often should that be?
Keep your natural hair and wigs washed and conditioned regularly. I recommend washing and treating at least every 1 to 2 weeks.
Women have been accused of putting no effort to look fashionable while at home?
I find this a difficult question to answer as I do not believe there is one beauty standard that we all ought to ascribe to. It’s really an individual choice and I feel everyone should do whatever makes them feel beautiful.
Back in the day, we judged our mothers for wearing wigs yet today’s woman changes hair like she changes clothes.
I feel we looked down on wigs because they looked ‘wiggy’. However, with growing trends, wigs now look super natural and offer a great protective style that one can easily wear and style on their own.
Where are you working from?
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I work remotely from home but still manage my business as we are still operating online. So I am at the shop intermittently depending on the tasks of the day.
By the way, who are your clients?
Through our two brands, Verushka Wigs which offers high-end luxury raw hair wigs and Verose Wigs which offers top quality affordable human hair wigs, I can comfortably say my clients are women from all walks of life.
Quality wigs don’t come cheap. Can mama mboga (small scale vegetable trader) afford your wigs?
Yes, I don’t see why not? I have two wig lines; Verushka Wigs, which is our luxury line and in terms of price has a premium price; and Verose, which offers beautiful, quality price friendly wigs. The question of affordability is relative; however, with the two lines we are able to target a wider market niche.
Covid-19 lockdown has created all manner of beauty challenges, which one is your favourite?
The #maskmakeupchallenge. I found it creative as beauty influencers were creating special make-up looks to go with their medical masks. It was refreshing to see people showcasing their talents and artistry despite the pandemic.
Kirinyaga Woman-Rep Wangui Ngirici became the first Kenyan politician to participate in the viral, don’t rush social media challenge; what did you think of her transformation?
She slayed. I loved her transformation. I love that she tapped into her youthful side by taking part in the challenge, despite the seriousness that comes with her job. It definitely makes her more relatable, especially to the youth.
Has the pandemic impacted your business?
I decided to temporarily shift all operations to one central outlet and have the staff work on weekly rotations while others are on leave. The idea behind the rotations is to reduce the number of people in the store at any given time thus enabling social distance, so I am currently operating a very skeleton online team. We have also changed the manner in which we operate.
We now no longer have clients come in to do wig fittings or for customizations. Using video technology, clients are able to see their wig before and after it is customized before delivery. Also with more people confined to their homes, wigs become a great option in the interim for those business zoom calls and a great go-to quick and easy protective style.
Any lessons you have picked from this experience?
Several. The importance of credit for emergency; credit terms are essential to tide you over. Also, I’ve learnt to run a lean business and re-strategize my financial plan to go as lean as possible for the next 6 months. Besides that, acting swiftly and planning for the unexpected.
Finally, to go digital. The crisis has taught me the importance of digitalization. Putting a genuine digital strategy is now an imperative. In the meantime, we continue to use our social media platforms where our customer acquisition has gone up remarkably.
Interesting that you studied economics and political science; what inspired you to make hair?
I worked in banking and a private equity firm – Iroko Capital in Lagos Nigeria – for a couple of years after graduating. Afterwards I left formal employment to follow my passion of setting up a wig line.
The inspiration came by chance while I was in between jobs after mobbing back home. I started selling and customizing wigs from home and word started spreading. It was due to growing demand that I decided to create my line.
Your thoughts on the natural sister’s hair movement?
I love that we are now embracing our natural hair. I am part of that movement as my own hair is natural. I have rocked a fade, a bald head and now I am growing back my afro. Most wig wearers I have come across are team natural.
