In the beauty, film, and music industries, when you need head-turning, break-the-internet hair, you hope Kim Kimble is available. Let’s just say the talented celebrity hairstylist, whose A-list clients include Halle Berry, Mary J. Blige, and Zendaya, created Beyoncé’s iconic “Crazy in Love” waves and 30-foot-long braids for “Black Is King.”
And, in 2013, when Oprah’s hairstylist Andre Walker was envisioning a major look for our hair-themed O, The Oprah Magazine cover, he called his friend Kimble. “He described what he wanted, and I said, ‘I’ll make something and send it to you.’ It took me a couple of days; it was pounds and pounds of human hair,” Kimble says. “I still have it as a keepsake. I won’t let anyone wear it.”
Cutting, coloring, and styling wigs—whether larger-than-life or short and sleek—is a big part of Kimble’s work, and something she and some celebrities (like Oprah) have become more open to discussing. “The stigma is really starting to go away. And, listen, when you see celebrities on different red carpets with different looks, you know that hair doesn’t grow that much in a day,” Kimble says. “Sometimes they’re wearing wigs that we’ve spent hours and hours to get just right.” She’d explain this to people who came into her salon asking to look like Beyoncé, or Tyra, or Mary—which made her want to collaborate with HairUWear, a company that specializes in wigs, hairpieces, and extensions, on a line of high-quality, synthetic wigs inspired by her celebrity clients. “Now I can just say, ‘Here you go!’ and hand them one of my wigs,” Kimble says. “I designed this collection for women of color because a lot of the wigs out there looked so wig-y. I wanted us to have great options.”
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The eight styles, which come in 14 shades, can give you shorter or longer hair, straighter or curlier hair, lighter or darker hair in less time than it would take to heat up a flat iron. “I spent a year and a half to make sure that each wig is something I would wear and at the quality of what my clients would wear. They have the same natural-looking roots, lowlights, highlights, and shine that I would do in the salon,” Kimble says. “Plus, they’re already cut and styled.” To ensure that none of the styles screamed, This is a wig!, Kimble made sure every wig can be parted; it has a sheer, skin-toned lace front that blends in seamlessly. Because the unique synthetic strands are high-quality, you can use a hot tool at a low heat setting to straighten or curl.
Wigs serve many purposes. They’re not just a fun accessory that changes up your look; they’re also functional. “Use them as a protective style to save your natural hair from damage,” Kimble suggests. They’re a great option for women dealing with hair loss, too. (If you don’t have hair to attach a wig to, a wig grip band or double-sided wig tape around the edges can help hold it in place.)
How to choose your wig’s style and color
Kimble says you really can’t go wrong; the beauty of a wig is that it’s a short-term commitment. “Yes, you can choose a shade based on your skin’s undertone or your eye color, but this is also a chance to have fun. I’ll wear a wig that’s much lighter than what I would be able to do to my own hair,” says Kimble, who shares that the Laila wig (at right) is very similar to Beyoncé’s hair. “I wear her when I want to be glamorous.” Her other favorite? “My go-to is Jordan [at left] in the Espresso Martini shade.”
How to put on your wig
First, part your natural hair in the same place you want to part the wig. Then, braid it. “I do cornrows, which are fantastic for that, but you can also make two braids and pin them crisscrossed at the back against your head,” Kimble says.
“Next, I like to pop on the included wig cap to protect my natural hair.” Place it one-half inch back from your hairline, so it won’t be seen, and then secure with a few pins.
Use a rattail comb to make a part in your wig. “You can pretty much part it wherever you want,” Kimble says. Then pull it on, and adjust until it lines up with your part and hairline. Comb attachments hold it in place.
Then, “this is optional, but I like to blend a bit of matte shadow that matches my skin tone across the part line with an eyeshadow brush to enhance it,” Kimble says.
When you’re not wearing the wig, turn it inside out and store it in a plastic or silk bag to keep it protected. Occasionally, Kimble washes her wigs with lukewarm water and a shampoo made for hair extensions, then lets them air-dry on a wig stand. “This won’t ruin the texture; the wave or curl comes right back,” she says. “After it’s dry, I may add a bit of shine serum.”
We Tried Them
Kimble sent us all eight of the new wigs, then jumped on a zoom to help our senior producer, J’nelle Agee, choose the right style for her. Agee shared that she isn’t really a wig person; she has one that she’ll throw on to run to the grocery store, but that’s it. Then she tried a few of these on, and well, you’ll see!
“All of the wigs feel silky and light. Jordan is my favorite. It’s very similar to my current hairstyle and something I’d wear out and about everyday. But I’m feeling Laila, too, especially once I broke up the curls a bit. It’s giving Beyoncé.” -J’nelle Agee, senior producer
Kate Sandoval Box (she/her) is the Beauty Director at Oprah Daily. She has over 18 years of experience at national women’s media brands; and, in fact, started her publishing career at O, The Oprah Magazine. She’s also held beauty editor roles at Shape, Self, Latina, and Cosmopolitan. Kate tests hundreds and hundreds of beauty products that cross her desk each year and interviews many top experts, celebrities, and indie brand founders to bring you the best in beauty. Follow her on Instagram.
