The hair celebrities wear......in secret!
Frequently Asked Questions (1) How do I wear the SimiWeave™? (2) What does my own hair have to be like to blend in with the SimiWeave™? (3) What if my hairline is weak / fine / damaged / sparse? (4) How does the SimiWeave™ stay on / how secure is it once on? (5) My head is much larger/smaller than the ‘average’ cap size, will the SimiWeave™ fit? (6) How do I look after my SimiWeave™? (7) Do I have to take my SimiWeave™ off at night, every night? (8) Can I style my SimiWeave™? (9) Can I use heated appliances (tongs, blow driers, etc) on my SimiWeave™? (10) Can I cut or dye my SimiWeave™? (11) How long will my SimiWeave™ last? (12) Do you have a brochure you can send me? (13) Do you have a colour chart so I can see which colour to choose? (14) What's the difference between the Yaki and Silky finish? (15) My hair is somewhere between a Yaki and Silky finish, what shall I do? (16) What's the difference between synthetic and human hair and what are the benefits of each? (17) What is 'Afro Kinky', 'Afro Straight', 'Afro Yaki' and 'Silky Crimped'?
(18) I want a totally new look so I want a SimiWeave™ that is a different colour and texture to mine. How can I make it work? (19) Are all your SimiWeave™ pieces the same? (20) I purchased my SimiWeave™ from the online shop on this website. Can I return my SimiWeave™ if I don't like it / change my mind? (21) Why can't I buy all the different SimiWeave™ versions in the shops? (22) If I don't live near a stockist, where can I see the SimiWeave™? (23) How is the SimiWeave™ 'far cheaper' than extensions and weaves? (24) Why are some styles available 'whilst stocks last only'? (25) Why does the US website sometimes feature more styles than this website? (26) How long does delivery take if I order online from SimiWeave.com? (27) Why do the postage/delivery charges cost so much? (28) Why are there only a few styles and / or colours to choose from? (29) What do I do if my SimiWeave™ is faulty?
(30) What is your response to the criticisms on some blogs / forums? (1) How do I wear the SimiWeave™?
Easy! Just leave a rectangle of your own hair measuring 3.5” long by 1” wide (about the size of two fingers), loose at the front of the head ready for your parting. That's all you need! Condense the rest of your hair using mini corn rows, mini French braids, grease, gel or hair pins. See what we mean by watching our short video on wearing the SimiWeave™. Watch it here, now! When new, your SimiWeave™ may have two or three straps bridging the gap at the front. If so, you will need to carefully cut off and remove these straps in order to wear your SimiWeave™. This, and other detailed information is available in the ‘Wearing & Caring’ instructions provided with every single SimiWeave™. (2) What does my own hair have to be like to blend in with the SimiWeave™?
At least 3" long to brush over the gap at the front. For a seamless result, choose a SimiWeave™ with a hair texture and colour that closely matches your own. Because you only have to bring through a tiny bit of your own hair (about the size of two fingers, that's all), even if it doesn’t totally match the SimiWeave™, in terms of texture, straightness or colour, you should be able to get away with it. It is not like a ¾ wig where you have to bring out a whole ¼ of your own hair!
(3) What if my hairline is weak / fine / damaged / sparse?
Hopefully your hairline is strong enough, at least one area (left, centre or right?), to wear a SimiWeave™? The creator of SimiWeave™, Simi Belo, still has a damaged hairline to the right, more than ten years after the relaxer followed by micro braids that created the damage. Her hairline is stronger on the left and in the centre, so she can wear left or centre parting SimiWeaves™. However, if your hairline is consistently weak or damaged all round at the front, then SimiWeave™ will not be suitable for you, sorry. (4) How does the SimiWeave™ stay on / how secure is it once on?
Using the durable yet comfortable 'toupee clips' and comb discreetly provided inside each SimiWeave™. There are two toupee clips on both sides of the gap, which must be used. For those who want extra security, there is a toupee clip at each temple too and a flexible comb at the nape of the wig. See what we mean by watching our short video on wearing the SimiWeave™. Watch it here, now! Detailed information is also available in the ‘Wearing & Caring’ instructions provided with each SimiWeave™.
Once on, your SimiWeave™ is designed to be secure enough to withstand strong gusts of wind and tugging, so you shouldn't need to worry about it blowing off your head!
(5) My head is much larger/smaller than the ‘average’ cap size, will the SimiWeave™ fit?
The 'average' cap size is accepted as the international 'one-size-fits-all' standard and measures 20" around the head, 13.6" from front to back and 13.2" from ear to ear. Details of the measurements are provided with the product description for each item online. Yes, the cap can be adjusted to a certain extent by tightening or loosening the straps located just by the nape of the piece. If you have tightened the straps, don’t worry if you still do not have a snug fit and the cap feels a bit bumpy or baggy at the back – it won’t be visible to the onlooker! (6) How do I look after my SimiWeave™?
We frequently offer a fantastic selection of SimiWeave™-branded products to help you care for and style your SimiWeave™. Otherwise, with the human hair versions of the SimiWeave™, you can use any mild pH shampoo and some cream conditioners; hair dryers, curling tongs / irons and crimpers on mild settings. You are far more limited with the synthetic (man-made fibre) versions, for instance, we do not recommend the use of curling tongs / irons. Please refer to the 'Wearing & Caring Instructions' leaflet provided with each SimiWeave™. (7) Do I have to take my SimiWeave™ off at night, every night?
We recommend that you do, but of course it is up to you. If you don't, you will not be letting your own hair breathe. This is one of the benefits of wearing SimiWeave™, instead of an old-fashioned 'sewn-in-doesn't-let-your-hair-breathe' weave! (8) Can I style my SimiWeave™?
Yes, you can style the human hair versions of the SimiWeave™ using hair dryers, curling tongs / irons and crimpers on mild settings as indicated in their instructions. We offer two products to help you style your SimiWeave™/ Finishing Spray: Finishing spray for hold that lasts. Sheen: Perfect for blending your hair with the SimiWeave™. Brings our natural radiance for a brilliant shine; removes tangles. You cannot style the synthetic (man-made fibre) versions, for instance, you cannot use curling tongs / flat irons. Please refer to the 'Wearing & Caring Instructions' leaflet provided with each SimiWeave. (9) Can I use heated appliances (tongs, blow driers, etc) on my SimiWeave™?
Yes, with the human hair versions of the SimiWeave™ you can use heated appliances like hair dryers, curling tongs / irons and crimpers on mild settings as indicated in their instructions. We do not recommend the use of any heated appliances on the synthetic versions. Please refer to the 'Wearing & Caring Instructions' leaflet provided with each SimiWeave™. (10) Can I cut or dye my SimiWeave™?
The human hair versions of the SimiWeave™ can be cut if that is what you decide but we recommend cutting by professional stylists only. We do not recommend cutting any of the synthetic versions as this can damage the ends of the man-made fibres. We do not recommend the use of any chemical dyes on any of our SimiWeave™ styles. (11) How long will my SimiWeave™ last?
The SimiWeave™ is designed for frequent use, and like other hair pieces, is guaranteed to last three months. Each one has been made to the highest standards and if you care for it as directed you should not experience any severe hair loss or cap damage - the two most common causes of rapid deterioration - therefore it should last you much, much longer. (12) Do you have a brochure you can send me?
If you are based outside the US & Canada, then no, because all the information and photography – and much more - is available on this website, and we like to change our offering often. If you are based in the US or Canada, our licensee Especially Yours publishes a free monthly catalog. Please call 1.800.939.9447 to be added to their mailing list or email Customer Care at SimiWeave dot com. (13) Do you have an online colour chart so I can see which colour to choose?
Click here for an overview of the colours. Please be aware that the colours vary on screen from computer to computer so you were not viewing a true representation of the actual colours. Please also refer to the international numbering system for hair colour in real life as a guideline. (14) What's the difference between the 'Yaki' and 'Silky' finish?
The 'Yaki' finish (not to be confused with 'Yak' hair) has been chemically treated in order to achieve its unique finish. It is deliberately texturised and provides a closer match to most types of straightened (blow dried, hot combed or heat pressed) Afro hair. The 'Silky' finish is dead straight, and very smooth, and resembles relaxed and other types of straight hair. (15) My hair is somewhere between a 'Yaki' and 'Silky' finish, what shall I do?
Go for a SimiWeave™ with a 'Yaki' finish. After all, you could always apply heat to make it straighter, but if you go for a 'Silky' finish, you can’t do anything to it to make it more texturised. Or go for the 'Yaki-One' finish, which is in-effect a 'Yaki-Silky' finish, where available. (16) What's the difference between synthetic and human hair (and what are the benefits of each)?
Synthetic hair (also known as acrylic or monofibre hair) is made from man-made fibres, is significantly less durable and malleable than human hair but does not react adversely to wind displacement. Heat cannot be applied and the fibers do not absorb water. These are not necessarily drawbacks though because it means that styles are not permanently affected by damp or wet conditions and curls snap back into place after exposure to strong winds. If you are looking for a ready-made style (akin to wearing a hat) and do not want to spend any time whatsoever on styling, then opt for synthetic hair. Human hair is undisputedly the better quality hair available and for this reason it commands higher prices than synthetic hair. It is durable, malleable and long lasting, and can be styled using heated products as directed. With regards to maintaining a style however, human hair displays all the drawbacks of real hair. For instance it shrinks and reverts to its original style and texture in damp and wet conditions, and strong winds can blow out temporary curls. If you are looking for realism, require a long lasting hair product and have the time to style your hair, then opt for human hair. (17) What is 'Afro Kinky', 'Afro Straight', 'Afro Yaki' and 'Silky Crimped'?
These are the unique textures that we designed ourselves for customers with natural afro hair. We offer these textures whenever we can get the suppliers to make them for us (this is still unpredictable at present because the texutres are so new, so please bear with us).
(18) I want a totally new look so I want a SimiWeave™ that is a different colour to mine. How can I make it work?
Easily; you will get a 'two-tone' effect which many customers love! Try and get the texture to match though, and the difference in colour will not break the illusion!
(19) Are all your SimiWeave™ pieces the same?
No. Although they are made to our strict product specifications, they are hand-stitched on top so will vary slightly from piece to pieceg (as per all hand-made goods). They are also chemically processed manually (for colour and texture) so can vary from batch to batch in terms of colour, volume and texture. And although we measure the length from the top of the head (some other brands measure from the ear), occasionally we are able include a few extra inches of hair, for free, meaning that our products can also fluctuate in length from batch to batch. (20) I purchased my SimiWeave™ here from this online shop. Can I return my SimiWeave™ if I don't like it / change my mind?
No, because we ('SimiWeave.com') operate a 'no returns or exchanges' policy in our online shop. Even if you insist that it is brand new and unworn, and we can see that all the packaging and labelling is intact, there is no way of telling for certain that this is true. The only way we can guarantee to you, and all of our other customers, that the pieces we are selling you and them have not already been tried on or worn, even for just a few seconds, by someone else, is by selling only brand new pieces that have never been returned or exchanged by someone else beforehand. Imagine if this 'someone else' had lice, diseased scalp and other hair health problems? Hair pieces are considered hygienic products which cannot be returned or exchanged so our 'no exchanges or returns' policy is in line with the law. So please choose carefully. We encourage all our customers to see, touch and feel our products before purchase. So visit a shop, salon or an independent sales rep - check out the 'Availability' section of this site for a list. Or attend one of our SimiWeave parties. Or visit us at one of the events or exhibitions that we attend. Refunds are only possible if you cancel your order before it has been dispatched. In such instances we would pass the charges we would have incurred in processing your order and your refund over to you. So a 15% (or 8% for cash payments) charge will be deducted from your refund.
The Especially Yours online shop for customers in the US/Canada operates independently of ours so they have their own terms & conditions. Please visit www.EspeciallyYours.com or call 1.800.939.9447 for details. The Sleek online shop for customers in the UK & mainland Europe, and Studio Sleek online shop for customers in Nigeria also operate independently of us so they also have their own terms & conditions. Please contact them directly (Sleek Europe, tel: +44 (0) 20 8556 9066; and Sleek Studio Nigeria, tel: +234 (1) 763 3240 or +234 (1) 871 1525) for details. (21) Why can't I buy all the different SimiWeave™ versions in the shops?
Alas, thanks to the different partings, styles, hair types, hair finishes, lengths and colours, and we offer many different versions of the SimiWeave™ at any one time! Although SimiWeave.com and its licensees encourage the offline outlets that sell the SimiWeave™ to offer as many versions as possible, (1) our range is quite extensive and these outlets typically do not have the resources or space to carry every single version that is available; and, (2) alas, we are not responsible for the stock levels of these outlets so cannot dictate the quantity they have available (or don't have available) at anytime. Please call them to check availability before hand - all their contact details are listed on the 'Availability' page. (22) If I don't live near a stockist, where can I see the SimiWeave™?
Visit our 'Availability' page for the latest information of the events and exhibitions we will be at near you, and / or the next SimiWeave™ party in your area. (23) How is SimiWeave™ 'far cheaper' than extensions and weaves?
Having extensions and weaves put in typically involves paying for the hair and the labour, each time. This all adds up. You only have to pay for a SimiWeave™ once. If you have your extensions or weave hair cut into style, you may not be able to use the hair again, meaning that you have to buy some more extension or weave hair the next time. You can use your SimiWeave™ repeatedly, and don't have to pay for it more than once, even if you have it cut into style! Think of all the time you will also save by opting for the SimiWeave™ instead of extensions or weaves! (24) Why are some styles 'limited edition' or 'available whilst stocks last only'?
We want to offer you as much choice as possible, but then we also have to keep our inventory to a manageable level (even we get confused when there are more than 50 different versions to choose from....we dread to think how you manage!!!!) So, alas, we sometimes have to operate a 'one in, one out' policy. This means that before we can add a new style to any of our ranges, we have to remove an existing style, even if that style is popular. This means that we stop ordering that particular style, so it is only available 'whilst stocks last', i.e. until we run out. Also, some styles are deliberately introduced as 'limited edition' styles, where only a certain quantity is ever made available. (25) Why are there more and / or different styles available in different parts of the world?
We do our best to ensure that the classic styles are available everywhere, but at anyone time, a territory (i.e. Africa, the Caribbean, UK/Europe, or US/Canada) may have more and / or different versions of each classic style, in response to the larger size of their market.
(26) How long does delivery take if I order online from SimiWeave.com?
We process and dispatch orders from the UK on working days only (Mondays to Fridays, excluding public holidays). All orders are sent by signed-for mail so please provide an address that is occupied during office hours (09.00 to 18.00 local time). The UK Royal Mail service will typically deliver it to you from 3 to 21 working days depending on your precise location. If your order is not in stock and not available for immediate dispatch, we will email you immediately to tell you so and offer a close alternative that is in stock. If you are based in the US or Canada although you have logged onto the official SimiWeave™ website, your online orders go through to Especially Yours who operate separately to us. Please visit www.EspeciallyYours.com or call 1.800.939.9447 for answers to this question.
(27) Why do the postage charges cost so much?
Experience has taught us that wigs can ‘disappear’ by ordinary post, so we only send packages out by signed-for mail, which is considerably more expensive. Please ensure that you provide an address that is occupied during office hours. All our delivery is charged at cost, i.e. we do not add a mark -up or margin, so you are paying exactly what it costs us to send your order, and not a penny extra. The costs include the handling and packaging charge we have to pay our distribution centre.
If you are based in the US or Canada, although you have logged onto the SimiWeave website, your online orders would go through Especially Yours who operate separately to us. Please visit www.EspeciallyYours.com or call 1.800.939.9447 for answers to this question. (28) Why are there only a few styles and / or colours to choose from?
We used to offer many styles (up to 20) and colours (18 to 23 colours), but that meant that our inventory consisted of 312 different versions on average! This was impossible to manage and when you bear in mind that most of our high street stockists only have the space to carry 5 to 10 versions, having such a large inventory did not in fact really offer customers more choice. Also our sales patterns revealed that regardless of the choice of styles and colours available, the plain, straight, human hair, generic styles (e.g. Dee and Lucy), which reminds most customers of the generic weave weft that they are used to; in colours 1, 01B and 2, consistently outsell everything else 10:1! We promise to monitor the demand for additional styles and different colours (including blended colours, two-tone effects, etc), and update our offering accordingly, so do keep an eye on this website!
(29) What do I do if my SimiWeave is faulty?
In the unlikely event that you have been sent / given a faulty SimiWeave™, please follow the Faults Proceedure of the retailer / point-of-purchase.
If you have purchased online here from SimiWeave.com, you have 30 days from the date of delivery to return the goods by signed-for postage in their original packaging and with a note containing your order number and clearly explaining the fault to SimiWeave.com, P O Box 67451, London, NW3 9PX, United Kingdom, for an assessment. We will notify you of the receipt of your goods once by email and the conclusion of the assessment once by email. Any correspondence in addition to these two emails will be at our discretion. The assessment can take up to several weeks as it may involve the need to send the goods to manufacturers for inspection. The conclusion will be either that (1) the goods were indeed faulty and alternatives or refunds will be offered and your postage for sending back the goods will refunded; or (2) the goods were not found to be faulty and will be returned to you.
(30) What is your response to the criticisms on some of the blogs / forums?
The criticim that we are aware of is inaccurate and therefore unfair.
(a) Clips hurt: some women complain that the clips hurt when they have not been using them correctly! We use ‘toupee clips’ in our products and they have a dual function: they have a slide comb part, plus a spring action clip part. If your hair is thinning or you don’t like clips in general, then just use the slide comb part only. You must press the clips to first open them up and reveal the comb part – the women who complain do not realize or do this! Once the clips are open you can just slide the comb part in. If you want to, then you can also press the clips to shut them. But you don't have to press the clips shut if you don't like using clips or your hair is delicate. This is explained in the instructions that come with each SimiWeave, and there has always been a video at www.SimiWeave.com demonstrating the clips. If only people would be bothered to read or watch! (b) Quality of hair: we use good quality hair but please be aware that our products range in price only from £35 to £150 ($49 to $179). Despite this, some women expect our pieces to feature premium quality Indian, Malaysian or Brazilian hair, i.e. the type of hair that they would normally buy by the ounce and pay $400+ for, and that excludes the costs of having the hair put in! (c) Yaki finish: women with relaxed and dead straight afro hair complain that our Yaki finish is too texturised / coarse. In general, women with natural afro hair who hot-comb / press their hair at the front (like Simi Belo) find the Yaki finish wonderful. We offer a Silky finish for women with relaxed hair (the 'Lucy'). Simi Belo has responded to the comments on these blogs and forums several times, but only some of her responses are ever published.....funny that! Do feel free to email her directly anytime at Simi at SimiWeave dot com. If you have any further questions not answered here, please email Customer Care at SimiWeave dot com. Thank you.
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