Warpaint caught up with co-founder and designer of HYH product range Johnny to find out more about the brand, the inspiration behind their work and their place in industry.
Howsyourheadwigs supplies high quality synthetic wigs that are ethical and eco-friendly, offering both trade prices and student discount. The HYH team create beautifully styled wigs to purchase and often share their styling tips and tricks on their Instagram, encouraging other wig artists to experiment with different hairstyles. HYH wigs have also featured across Film and TV and can be seen in Wicked, Wonka and Matilda the Musical.
How did Howsyourheadwigs start?
J. It began initially as Give Head Wigs in 2016, it was a sub brand of my successful business Give Face Cosmetics where I designed theatrical quality pigments and cosmetics formulas for professional make up artists. As a result of the UK leaving the EU and the pandemic, the future of cosmetics was looking uncertain and around the same time the wigs were being discovered by film companies. I received a phone call for an extremely large wig order for a major production, it felt like the call to focus on the wigs. As the wigs fell into the right hands, demand continued to grow and I searched for some wig stylists to collaborate with. I met (my now business partner) Ben and offered him an opportunity to join me and we rebranded, creating How’s Your Head Wigs Ltd.
What is your background with working with hair and wigs?
J. I’ve always had a passion for fashion, cosmetic artistry and hair. When I was very young I would play with makeup and hair, I absolutely loved it. I bought fashion magazines, joined art classes and I became a photographer, working with hair stylists, makeup artists and fashion designers. I became obsessive about colour and as we struggled to get the blackest and whitest eyeshadows I went on a mission to source raw pigments and I began formulating my own makeup. The same happened with hair, we needed to use wigs and it was so hard to get great colours, textures and realistic sheens. I began playing with fibre formulations and that’s how I began designing wigs, I was able to design a structure with great densities and avoiding the typical manufacturer cuts, layers and flat shiny wig shades and dip dye roots.
Can you tell me about the different kinds of wigs you stock?
J. We offer great wig structures, we have the HD lace front which is our best seller, we have two hard front structures – one value option with a skin top disc and pre cut fringe and the other is a revisit of the 70s perma-tease front which is completely customisable with no pre cut layers or front. We have a more ‘au natural’ lace top which is our latest addition and we have a couple of ideas on the table right now which we hope to begin putting into production during 2027. We also offer wefts and bulk hair for adding to our existing wigs or wig making.
You have an incredible shade range of wigs. Can you tell me how you achieve such depth of colour on your wigs?
J. I am so happy with our shade range, I love that each shade was inspired as part of a collection so that stylists can choose complimentary or contrasting shades in absolutely any depth of colour. As a buyer myself I found consistent shades so difficult to source for projects that needed to tell a colour story.
I took time to design each collection as an artist. The collections were inspired by colours which I had seen throughout my photographic career, for example the Pastellic collection was inspired by bouquets I had photographed for bridal magazines. I sourced my favourite flowers and worked with a hair colourist to translate those pastel shades into a metallic elevation. Each human hair shade was replicated on synthetic fibre blends to enhance each colour.
The inspiration set the depth of each collection and it focused me in creating 8-12 consistent shades that worked beautifully together.
Your brand also supplies wigs for Tv and Film, most notably Wicked. How was that experience for you?
J. I was over the moon to be contacted by the team at Wicked. We have supplied to many TV companies and film production companies and it’s always so exciting to be a part of them and go see them at the cinema. We offer colour matching, so some productions will share with me what they are working on so I can help them tell a colour story with wigs. For example with Munchkinland was a beautiful sea of our reds, coppers and burgundy shades. In Wonka the Kandi collection was pretty much pre made for that production as those shades were inspired by my favourite childhood sweets.
When Wicked was released and we got to see it, we were blown away! I hadn’t ever seen the stage production and after watching the film, I have become a super fan. I think it is an amazing story, I am always playing the soundtrack and the visuals of the film are just magical.
Howsyourheadwigs feature fibre hair. How do your wigs differ from other synthetic wigs on the market?
J. Our wigs differ because every single shade has been meticulously designed by me with professional hair colourists right here in the UK. The fibre blends are unique to every shade and each one has its own custom shadow root for the rooted options. They are custom made to order, every single fibre is dyed and blended precisely with several others to achieve consistency in the finished result. We employ skilled craftsman in specialist counties to hand make each wig. With all the processes and different people playing their part, our wigs can take up to 5 months to make, but quality is always the priority for consistency in every shade and product.
Your team shares lot’s of amazing tips on instagram for working with fibre hair. What would you say your top three tips are?
J. The team are amazing and we try to make it accessible – we love what we do – we want others to love what they want to do. I’m actually going to take the opportunity to share 3 tips for the art rather than wig tips as we’ve already shared so many.
1 – Invest in yourself! Ask questions, research, book on that course and take time to understand how other professionals you admire have done it.
2 – Invest in your art. You deserve resources and supplies that help to elevate you and your craft, cutting corners on quality and penny pinching will cost you dearly in the future.
3 – Believe in yourself. If you have limiting beliefs or you doubt yourself, people will take advantage of you. It’s your responsibility to command respect and set your own value
You cater to students, offering discount with student beans. Can you tell me why your wigs are good for students to choose whilst training?
J. I consider our wigs vital for students who have a desire to become the future generation of stylists. They need to be prepared for the professional world of wig artistry. It’s not just about playing with wigs and making an avant garde style to show creativity. You need to understand where to source professional supplies, how to negotiate a budget plus deliver outstanding and realistic work to a director who has hired artists to collaborate on a masterpiece. Production companies don’t have time to waste, gambling on mail ordering wigs or popping into wig shops and hoping they can be worked on enough to make something passable. Thousands, even millions of pounds has been invested and they need the right people who are capable of sourcing trade wigs and turning them into spectacular, award worthy masterpieces without delay or excuse. Our wigs are designed for professionals and the professional needs the right tools.
You supply lots of drag wigs. Is there one particular drag artists you’ve worked with that sticks out to you?
J. The Vivienne. I met Viv over 15 years ago on the Liverpool scene, we instantly bonded and became friends over the years. We both had a burning desire to create something different and special in our own lanes, we believed in each other and cheered the other on. We were picky, we could see how things could be elevated in our own fields and that drive was the common thing that made us click. I wanted to make amazing makeup and wigs… Viv wanted to wear amazing makeup and wigs. Viv wanted to be a drag superstar, I wanted a drag superstar to wear my things. We pushed each other in our careers, they were going on drag race, I had to hurry up and finish the wigs so she could be crowned in it. We always celebrated each other’s wins and we pointed out opportunities for each other.
Wicked was our joint celebration, Viv was over the moon screaming when i was allowed to tell them about the wigs – being a Wicked super fan – they got to attend the premier and of course the perfect wig shade was chosen for the outfit to create the most amazing Ozian red carpet look. It was just a special moment for both of us, we had both ‘made it’ and it’s one of the last and most fondest memories of us screaming and celebrating together. I have a big photo of Viv on my warehouse workstation and I’ll talk to them, I still share the wins and if ever I doubt myself… they remind me that I can do anything! Viv cared about others and wanted to share so everyone could win in their own way.
Finally, if you were to wear one of your wigs, which colour and style would you choose?
J. My favourite shade is rooted Flaxen. I remember watching Sharon Stone in Casino and I just fell in love with her. I could never find a beautiful honey blonde with a soft brown salon foiled root that looked like her hair. Every wig I bought had a weird yellow tinge or dish watery green undertone and the roots… always harsh jet black. That search gave me the idea… I’ll just have to contact a wig factory and make one. It was the first shade on my list to design and it was the first one I made as a sample. The style can be anything… rooted Flaxen is just that girl!