My Journey to become a Cosmetologist and Master Wig Maker:Twila Harvest
The idea of Hair by Milk and Honey is a result of my own struggle with hair loss and how I managed to cope with the stress and depression of losing hair.
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I was diagnosed with Alopecia -an auto-immune condition, at a very young age. My hair started thinning around my edges and soon at the crown as well as in the front of my head. Initially, I didn't take the disease seriously until my edges were completely gone.
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I consulted my dermatologist and found out that the constant stress on the hair follicles from pulling and tugging from braids and using glue from quick weaves and other styles had damaged my hair and stressed out my hair follicles.
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My condition of Alopecia was enough to cause me a lot of sadness. However, I didn’t lose hope and kept looking for a solution to help me with this condition. I switched to taking steroid injections to help regrow my hair. Unfortunately, it was not only ineffective but also an expensive and painful treatment that I couldn’t continue. After suffering this disappointment, I knew I needed a reliable and long-term solution.
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I have always been a person who is highly passionate about wearing the best extensions although I have had experienced purchasing low-quality extensions advertised as “human hair”. Despite investing hundreds of dollars on the wigs or extensions, they usually ended up becoming matted.
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Though I was disappointed, exhausted, and tired of investing in wigs or extensions, I decided to give it another shot. I started researching the business behind hair extensions. I wanted to find 100 percent human hair that looks natural and feels real.
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The idea worked as an inspiration for my business, and I came up with a vision to start my own venture. I made it my mission never to disappoint or turn away a client seeking "hair extensions created of 100 percent natural hair". I aimed to provide my clients with extensions from REAL donors. This mindset led me to establish a brand people like me can rely on getting the highest quality natural hair extensions.
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I started sourcing a variety of places to get the natural human hair that hasn't gone through any chemical process. I wanted to save my customers time searching for higher-quality, long-lasting extensions. I didn't want people to experience the disappointment that I suffered.
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2014 was the year I took the first step to turning my dream of offering 100 percent natural hair extensions into reality. I started my own brick and mortar business called “Milk and Honey Beautique” in Michigan City IN, which was also my hometown. It was one of the few small businesses in the city that made accessing and purchasing unprocessed virgin hair extensions from REAL donors possible
This led me to improve my knowledge and skills in the hair extension industry. I decided to attend “Regency Beauty Institute “in Merrillville IN, to attain my Cosmetology license in 2015. I wanted to solve the problems women like me faced in the beauty industry regarding the appearance of unnatural-looking hair pieces.
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I knew how important it was for women to get wigs or extensions that look like natural hair and creatively hide baldness or thin hair. Women look for wigs that mingle with their hair texture and don't exude an artificial feel.
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In pursuit of meeting the demands of my customers, I went to South London to master the skills of "Wig Making and Design" in 2018. I was fortunate to learn from the most professional and competent wig artists. They had a wealth of experience working with celebrity clients, magazine shoots, and large opera and theatre companies.
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I received hands-on training on everything from creating custom handmade units to developing high-quality wigs and extensions. I also had an opportunity to hone my skills in designing personalized wig caps tailoring the specific needs of an individual head shape. I also acquired skills of hand-tying hair strands in individual holes in the lace, called ventilation.
It added to my professional knowledge and expertise in making and customizing excellent natural-looking wigs made of 100 percent human hair. For years, I have been at the forefront of meeting the needs of my clients.
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Delivering what women are looking for is one of my fortes. My customers’ satisfaction matters the most to me. That keeps me motivated to provide them with luxurious, high-quality hair extensions.
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As a master wig maker, I know discerning quality hair is not less than art. It needs a unique sensibility. That is why I made sure to source hair that is handpicked, pure, and completely unprocessed.
I use my experience to provide my customers with premium quality hair units and extensions.
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If you're looking to buy hair extensions that don't become matted, use natural hair, and are long-lasting, rely on Hair by Milk and Honey.