Hi my name is Brie!
One of the faces you see on @brie_bijouxwigs!
The other faces are normally fluffier & much cuter - if you’ve been around for awhile, you know I’m talking about my little kittens T&T who like to make an appearance in almost all of my videos and assist with consults!
My story with hair loss is a bit different than Danielle’s!
I actually started losing my hair when I was five years old: slowly - and then all at once.
It started out as Alopecia Areata which later turned to Alopecia Totalis when I was 13.
My Doctor believed it was due to starting my period and having hormones fluctuate but as I’m sure most of my fellow Alopecians can agree, there’s never really a rhyme or reason!
When I was little, I didn’t really let my hair loss bother me, kids could be mean, but then again, we were just kids!
I wore bandanas or hats to cover up the little spots that I wasn’t able to hide with my own hair, and apparently I even gave a presentation to my classmates on what Alopecia was so that I didn’t feel so “different”.
However, as I started into my early teens, my hair loss started becoming progressively noticeable, & my parents asked what I wanted to do. They said they would support whichever choice I made - which led me to the world of wigs!
(A very artsy photo from the archives)
The photo above ^ features my first wig - which I wore for two years - it was a 13” bob, with a deep side part. I don’t remember the brand, but I do remember that it was a human hair wig with open wefts, that often slipped from my head - and I spent many days walking down the halls of my junior high “adjusting” it by pulling at the sides, but I was too naïve to think people would notice!
As I mentioned, I wore that wig for two years - I called her “REBA” - don’t ask me why.
Surprisingly, when I was 15, my own hair grew back long enough that I was “ready” to take off my wig.
Which meant, that naturally decided to shave one side of my head - which was a bit dramatic if you ask me about it now, but at the time, I had realized that hair was “just hair” and I wanted to have fun with it while it “lasted”. My aunt even put sparkles in between the “steps” for my junior high prom!
See photo below:
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Despite trying to make the best of things by letting my brother’s best friend wear my wig while playing rock band, having competitions with friends to see who could throw my wig across the room and have it land on their head perfectly, or playing pranks on family friends, my hair loss did bother me, and played a huge factor in my self confidence and the way I negatively viewed myself.
This only amplified during my high school years, when a few girls who had been “friends” of mine in junior high, (whom were well aware of my struggle with hair loss), befriended a girl who was interested in my boyfriend at the time.
One day, out of the blue, this girl sent him a text saying “I just realized something… your girlfriend wears a wig”.
I remember panicking at the time, because I wasn’t open about my hair loss, and didn’t want them to have anything they could “use” against me.
However, aside from my “ex friends” word, the girl didn’t have any “evidence”, and my bf quickly denied it and told her that she didn’t know what she was talking about - & actually, at the time, I wasn’t wearing a wig, but my hair had recently started falling out again.
Whether the girls realized it or not, I immediately felt on edge whenever I was at school. I don’t think there was a day that went by after that incident, where I didn’t ask my best friends if my “hair looked okay”, or if “anything was showing” x1000.
(Thank you to my best friends who have supported and continue to support me since the good ol’ days. You know who you are!!)
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My bio hair stayed for just over a year, before falling out yet again, but thankfully this time I felt more confident about finding a solution, as it wasn’t my first rodeo.
I was actually lucky enough that a family friend recommended a place called Hair Club for Men, which provided free custom human hair “systems” to kids under 18, who were experiencing hair loss.
This program completely changed my life at the time, as the “systems” allowed me to participate and live a “normal” life without worrying about my hair blowing off in the wind, having it slip off my head in gym class, or having to skip “beach day” with friends. This was because the “systems” were glued to my head with waterproof adhesive, which allowed me to do all the same activities as my friends without the added stress.
I went to Hair Club for two and a half years, but then once I turned 18, I was back to the drawing board to try and find the “best of the best”.
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I have tried almost every wig on the market, have ordered from almost all continents, I have invested and have spent more time trying to make pieces “work”. I’ve shed blood, sweat (trying to sew in extensions or piece together different wigs) and I have cried many tears when the hair starts to shed, or when you spend $$ and receive something totally opposite of what I’ve ordered.
Flash forward, 7.5 years later, I found Bijoux Wigs & I can honestly say that I won’t be looking back anytime soon! 🎀 I am so grateful to be part of Danielle’s team, and can’t wait to see what’s in store!
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Now you know a “little” bit about my journey, and I am so happy to be here, finally sharing it with you!
