By Judith Dorato O’Gara

Heather Cohen has always loved making women feel beautiful, but the owner of B.LUXE Hair and Makeup Studio lights up when she talks about her latest professional focus, making high-quality realistic wigs for women with hair loss and not only helping them feel beautiful, but whole, again.

“There’s nothing I would rather do than be here working on the wigs. I loved my business as a whole since the day I opened it,” says Cohen, “but the impact I make on hair loss clients far exceeds anything I thought I would be able to do for people.”

The stylist herself felt the upheaval of hair loss four years ago, when a medication she was on caused her own hair to fall out. Not only was it personally devastating, but since her career centered around beautiful hair, succumbing to baldness was simply not an option. That was when she began her several years-long research process.

Cohen estimates she’s spent thousands of dollars researching different vendors and materials for her specialized wigs. Since her salon caters primarily to Caucasian women, her wigs are created for that demographic, although, she explains, she learned a lot from a huge black women’s hair industry, where wigs are accepted as mainstream. She also learned how to find ethically-sourced hair.

“I don’t want to get involved with anyone who is taking advantage of somebody who economically might be struggling, and they’re paying them $2 for their thick, beautiful ponytail. If you see a wig that’s inexpensive, the hair is not being ethically sourced or, it did not come from a human head, or they’re getting what we call ‘drain hair,’” she says.

Cohen is upfront about the cost. “A custom human hair wig can be anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000, and it really does depend on the length,” she says. That’s why Cohen undertook training to receive the correct credentials for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number, so her clients can use insurance and health savings accounts (HSA). 

“There are reasons for hair loss where your health insurance will actually help pay for a cranial prosthetic, which is a really cool word for a wig,” she explains.

The entrepreneur spends a lot of time networking with health care providers to build her client base. Others have discovered her through social media support groups and word-of-mouth. 

Krista Sirignano found Cohen through a friend, after struggling for decades with alopecia. 

“Heather really knows her stuff when it comes to wearing wigs or any type of hairpiece. She took so much time and care with me until we found the perfect fit that made me feel comfortable and really good about myself,” she says.

Rhonda Parker, whose hair had also thinned due to medications, had tried synthetic wigs, but “after seeing how really beautiful and natural the human hair toppers and wigs looked on, I decided to go that route. On my way home from B. LUXE I stopped by my daughter’s house, and she thought my hair looked beautiful, not even realizing it was a topper. As I am always self-conscious, that was the best feeling ever!”

“I always tell people when you first wear alternative hair, it’s like exercising a muscle. The more you do it, the easier it gets,” says Cohen. “And nobody knows, because nobody is as critical of you as you.”

This niche takes commitment, however.

“You can’t dabble in wigs,” says Cohen, “It’s all or nothing, because my wig clients truly need a partner. They need to be able to call me on Friday morning and say, ‘I can’t get this wig on right. It’s crooked. I need to come in today,’ and I have to be available to them. You really need to make the decision that you’re going to leave the chair behind.”

Someday, though, Cohen hopes to train stylists, and by 2026, she envisions her own brand of wigs, noting, “I feel like I’ve definitely cracked the code on like what feels comfortable, what feels good, what looks natural, and what stays on, and I want to be able to create that line and be able to give it to everybody.”

Cohen has employed her new skills for breast cancer organizations such as the Susan B. Komen Foundation (www.komen.org), and the Gloria Gemma (www.gloriagemma.org). 

This month, she’ll work with Runway for a Cause (https://runwayforacause.org) , currently planning its annual NYC fashion show. 

Cohen feels immense reward from her new career focus, receiving a sense of giving back.

 “Working with hair loss clients and giving them back that level of self-confidence makes me feel like I’m paying the universe back for all of the good that has happened to me,” she says, “It’s really amazing to help people just feel better and know they don’t have to hide.”