In the year 2024, maintaining beauty standards has never been as difficult and financially draining as it is now. Human hair wigs and extensions have been a staple in the beauty community for years. This is because they offer a stylish way of switching up your looks using different hairstyles and colours according to your preference. They essentially, allow you to experiment with your looks in a fun and classy way. However, lately, the price tags on these beloved pieces have become almost ridiculous.
Since the boom of human hair wigs in Nigeria in 2016, they have become extremely popular amongst Nigerian women. Almost every girl has a wig or two in her growing wig collection. And why is that? It is because of the convenience they provide. Wigs, especially the less complicated ones like closures, can be thrown on, and you’re good to go. Some others that might need a little more styling are the lace wigs and frontals. And even at that, with proper care, a well-laid frontal installation can last a week or two.
Furthermore, some of the human hair wigs that are immensely popular and are seen as essentials in a woman’s wig collection are bob wigs, wavy hair, and bone straight. The bone straight wig saw a popularity boom years back. The internet was flooded with over-the-top reactions from women being gifted this luscious wig, understandably so. Although the craze for the bone straight wig has come and gone, its effect remains.
Human hair wigs, blend wigs, and synthetic wigs, which were reasonably affordable to many, have seen a price hike to astonishing levels. A quality human hair wig that was once a reasonable investment a few years ago, can now cost upwards of ₦500,000. Some luxury pieces can reach as high as ₦1 million to ₦2 million. Unfortunately, this is now the reality for many Nigerian women because this price increase isn’t even slowing down.
This begs the question, how sustainable is the current beauty standard?
While it’s understandable that, just maybe, the target market for these types of wigs is not the average working-class woman but relatively high-profile celebrities and influencers. What do we now make of the price increase for easily accessible attachments and hair extensions? The cost of hair attachments used for braiding hasn’t been exempted from the price increase. In 2023, a bundle of hair extensions sold for ₦1,200 to ₦2000, now cost around ₦5000 upwards in 2024. And it’s only getting worse.
Since braids typically last three weeks to a month, the expense of frequently making these styles with attachments every month has become a huge financial burden. Not to add the service fee that the hairstylists themselves will charge. The landscape of what is considered “desirable” in the beauty community is shifting to an unfavourable level. Many women have now resorted to styling their natural hair, and some even chopping off their hair.
Additionally, some human hair vendors now run the business practice of renting out their wigs for a set rate to people who have occasions or special events to attend. They have to get the bread one way or another, and I support women in business.
Voices from Those Affected
To understand the exact impact of the rising costs of wigs and hair extensions, I spoke to two women in their 20s who are facing these challenges.
Mercy Ubani, a 23-year-old data analyst and Favour Agbai, an NYSC corper serving at an accounting firm. These women shared their thoughts on the hike in prices of wigs and extensions, and they shared their coping strategies during this time.
Speaking to Mercy on how the price of hair extensions has changed the frequency of her making her hair, she said, “I used to braid my hair frequently, but now I cannot afford it, certainly not in this time and age with how expensive they have become. I read somewhere on X in a post addressing women that this is not the time to buy wigs; any money you get, buy food first. I have followed suit.”
Mercy has resorted to wearing wigs she bought years ago almost every day to save money. “I’m on the verge of shaving it all off,” she added.
Favour Agbai, an NYSC copper, shared: “I have had to do my hair less often and rely more on the old wigs I bought two years ago.”
People who bought quality wigs last year or years ago don’t know what God has done for them.
The high costs have also forced women to adopt alternative hair maintenance methods. “I do my hair myself instead of going to the salon,” Mercy said. “Within the first months of 2024, I decided to learn how to braid my hair; it was the best decision I’ve made so far. Although initially hard, I got the hang of it within two months.”
Some women have considered going natural with their hair, but even natural hair care products have become more expensive. “I have always been natural, but the products used to maintain my hair in its natural state are even more expensive now,” Favour lamented.
Possible Solutions to this Beauty Pandemic
After looking into the current issue the beauty community in Nigeria is facing, let’s explore possible solutions.
1—Learn to Make Your Own Hair
Easier said than done, I know, but learning how to make your hair is a skill that is useful in so many ways. Not only will you save more money, but you can also leverage this skill and turn it into a business in the future. A win on all fronts if you ask me. Make YouTube and TikTok videos your best friends as they contain in-depth, step-by-step tutorials on how to make different hairstyles.
2—Lock Your Hair
Also known as dreadlocks or locs, this hairstyle requires minimal maintenance and upkeep on a day-to-day basis. However, you have to set your mind on doing this style because reversing it is tough. Another benefit of locked hair is that the locs are more resistant to breakage and they can be styled in different ways.
3—Chop Your Hair Off
Very extreme, but if you’re tired of spending big bucks on wigs and extensions, you could consider doing the big chop. Just like locking your hair, chopping off your hair is a big step that not a lot of people can get themselves to do. It takes a certain level of boldness and courage to do this. As it is the opposite of what is preached as the acceptable beauty standard – long wavy hair. With chopped hair, you rock different styles like pixie cuts and even dye your hair in different colours.
Finally, the financial pressures are obvious and we hope to see how these changes will affect long-term trends in hair care and styling amongst Nigerian women. Will the allure of human hair wigs become a thing of the past as women focus on other affordable options? Time will tell.
