One thing’s for sure: Sherri Shepherd is no stranger to rocking a fabulous wig! On any given day, Shepherd could go from short to long to short again. The daytime diva loves wigs so much that she created her own hair line for other wig-wearers who want to be a hair chameleon in their own right. We caught up with the bubbly host to get her expert wig tips. Ladies, take notes!
ESSENCE.com: Tell me about your new hair line that’s out.
SHERRI SHEPHERD: It’s called Sherri Now with LUXHAIR. I wear wigs all the time. Being in this business, they put so much heat on your hair that I would be bald since I do a show every single day. Not only that, but I think a lot of women are multitasking and we have kids, husbands, jobs and we don’t have time to sit in the beauty salon for hours anymore. I love wigs because they give you such a different look. At any time you can pull a wig out of the box, shake it, and throw it on. I go from short to long to curly to straight and I love that I can have so much variety with hair.
ESSENCE.com: What else do you personally love about wearing wigs?
SHEPHERD: It’s like an accessory. You can be what you want to be. That’s the beauty about wigs. If you ever wondered what you would look like with a short haircut like Toni Braxton—you don’t need to cut your hair! Go get a wig and try it out. If you want long blonde waves like Beyonce, go get a wig and try it. You can try it and you don’t have to be stuck into one look.
ESSENCE.com: What made you decide to create your own wig line?
SHEPHERD: Girl I feel like if I don’t have a hair line and bra line by the time I leave The View something is wrong. That’ all I talk about is my boobs and my hair. [Laughs] I’ve always worn wigs, even since I was younger. It was a big production in my family. They had the wig heads in the bedroom. My grandmother had a different wig for each day and for when she went to church. My mother had an afro wig. It’s always been a part of my family. LUXHAIR approached me because they always heard me talking about my wigs and how much I love wearing them. I had been looking for a company to partner with and I loved them. We worked together to come up with styles because I really wanted something practical that women could wear when they go to work. I wear my own wigs on my show and these wigs take a beating. Now, I feel comfortable saying to my customers, “I wear this wig so I know it’s going to work for you.”
ESSENCE.com: What hair types and textures are available in your line?
SHEPHERD: My wigs are synthetic. I’m speaking to the woman who wants to get a little bit of high fashion but who also has to go to work. I feel like if you get human hair, you might as well be doing your own hair. With synthetic hair, you can shake it right out of the box and put it on. I wear human hair wigs also, but I have a whole team of stylists on the show who can curl, set, and wash it.
ESSENCE.com: What are your favorite looks from the line?
SHEPHERD: I love the Curl Intense Lace Front Wig. When I moved to New York, I would go down the street and I would see all my Puerto Rican sisters with this curly, wild hair and they were so proud of who they were. They would walk down the street and have all this hair and I loved it so much. This is my homage to my Latina sisters. It’s a really full wig. I can rock it at work but I can wear it to the club, too. It’s very lightweight.
ESSENCE.com: I want to know some of your insider wig secrets. What tips can you share that you’ve mastered over the years?
SHEPHERD: One thing is that I don’t wear the lace front. If you can’t do the lace front by yourself, it’s going to be a disaster. Everybody is not a celebrity where they can walk around with professional hairstylists to make sure the lace is not wrinkled up. I take the lace and cut it out and I just use bobby pins.
Make sure when you place your bobby pins, put two of them in so that they cross over each other like an X. That will make it a lot more secure. During the day, I have a lot of people who hug me so my bangs will start at my eyebrow, but by the time I give out 30 hugs, my bangs would be in the middle of my forehead! Criss-crossing your bobby pins at your ears and neckline with anchor it.
Also, go beyond 1B! One of my wigs is blonde and I never thought that bonde hair would look good on me. I tried it and I got a lot of compliments. So try some color. If you’re going to wear a wig, why not experiment?
Don’t go and get a wig by yourself. Order one with your girlfriends, try it on and put on some makeup. Then, go somewhere where folks don’t know you. This way, you don’t have people asking, “Girl, what did you do to your hair?” I think you will feel a little less self conscious about wearing a wig.
Most of all have fun! Wigs are so much fun.
Shop the LUXHAIR NOW for Sherri Shepherd Wig Collection now!