Where do you guys get your systems from? [NA]

[julezhoss]

Can someone please point to a good company I can order a system from. I got my first system from NWL but the stock pieces they had are too straight for my hair and they system doesnt have a lot of lift. Does anyone know of a place I can get good wavy pieces from.

Also when I ordered the first time I was told custom systems weren't a thing at the time because of covid. Is this still true or are there any places that make custom ones for a reasonable price?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[HairlessWhisper]

Most companies only offer wavy hair on custom orders. There are a few that offer stocks with curl or wave, but only in the darkest colors, and they tend not to be the most desirable base types.

Mist companies are still not taking custom orders afaik, I believe there are exceptions but I don't know who (sorry).

It's not that difficult to add more wave to a stock that's too straight, though. I've taken to perming stocks instead of ordering customs. If you don't want to perm it yourself, expect to pay around $50 for a perm from a stylist.

There are companies with in-house stylists who can do this for you before shipping out your stock order, but none that I would recommend.

 

[Blue eyes]

Several years ago I ordered a system from nwl and it was a bust. It actually looked like used hair put on a base. That was the end of that. For the last 11 years I've been ordering from hair Direct but their last several systems have look like s***. I'm hoping the system that I ordered from lavivid is worth the wait. I don't know I've never ordered from them. During covid systems are being made subpar because of the work clientele. And we're the ones that suffer.

 

[HairlessWhisper]

I think you'll find it's the food-insecure factory workers who suffer most, without the meager income this work provides.

Even the middlemen who've had their business decimated to 5% of what they usually sell, and on top of that had to take a loss on custom orders placed and paid for before the pandemic when the manufacturers upped the price.

Don't get me wrong, this has been a pain, but i don't think anyone else involved has suffered less.

 

[Blue eyes]

Everyone has suffered from this but the factory workers and "middle men" are not suffering from the embarrassment thats caused by wearing these unnatural and ridiculous systems.

 

[BaldBearded]

Quite a number of companies have returned to making custom systems. You can also get a stock system curled, but they need to properly treat the hair, afterward.

 

[notsohairymon]

I like NWL for their honesty. When I first explored DYI hair systems two years ago and explained my situation to NWL, Eric was quite honest and said I should spring money for the full service salon route and said I'd probably this early in the game do a crappy job on DYI, I've heard he's said that to others too. He does have a deal with a salon in Maine that has a national reputation (Wall Streeters supposedly make trips there from NY) that he will send pieces to to customize and send back to you, I have spoken with her and she seemed up and up but I felt I needed to actually be at the salon to do it right (and she was quite honest about a lot of that too).

COVID came and I put this off for awhile (I had been on Toppik and other concelears and their limitations for a long time), but this summer found a place near me (I live near NYC) similar to the Maine place and took the plunge and it has been fantastic so far. They are pretty expensive (and also get a lot of Wall Streeters as well as many out of towners just like the place in Maine) but it has been worth it, and they completely do custom.

Good luck on your own journey, just my two cents. If you live near here and want more info on where I go you can message me.

 

[Jake1979]

I ordered my first system from Lavivid (the Ares), I'm just over 2 months in, and pretty happy with it.
The hair quality is good, and shedding has been very minimal at this point, I'm thinking it may last me another 2-3 months.

I'll most likely order my next one from Lavivid.
But very curious to know if there is another company worth exploring.