The Kenyan government has been kind to us girls and not added taxes for the beauty industry.
Sadly for our Tanzanian counterparts this is not the case.
They will have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy that wig or hair extension.
Both synthetic and human hair wigs can cost anywhere from $15 to over $1000.
While no Tanzanian celebrity has spoken out about this, we know several who wear wigs. From Wema Sepetu, to Hamisa Mobetto, Vanessa Mdee and Ray C, these are amongst women who will have to break the bank to slay.
The Tanzania government has proposed new taxes on wigs, drivers’ license fees, and sanitary towels in its new budget.
The Tanzanian minister for Planning and Finance Philpo Mpango read the budget in Parliament in a move highly supported by MP’s.
Wigs manufactured locally will now attract a tax of 10 percent while the imported ones will face a 25 per cent tax.
The minister also reinstated tax on sanitary pads because as he argues previous measures to exempt the items from taxes has not been passed down to consumers as businessmen continued to benefit from lower taxes.
Here are several reasons why wigs are expensive
1. The Hair Quality
The quality of hair which was made for human hair wigs determined 80% of the wig cost.
2. Use or no use of a Lace Cap
3. If it’s a frontal, full lace, density of wigs determine cost
Lace front wigs and 360 lace wigs both made by lace frontals (or 360 frontals) and hair bundles, so they are hand tied plus machine made, take less time than full lace wigs. If you want to make a full lace wig, it needs about 40 hours (working all the 40 hours), and also if you want single knot hairline and silk base, it will need more than three times as long. If you want 150% density even 180% density will need long time because the manufacturers must knot more hair on the lace cap.
4. human hair vs synthetic hair
Synthetic hair is much cheaper than human hair, it can be made very straight texture. Synthetic hair is pressed, cut and predesignated, it is very straight, not easy to change the style. But it is not human hair, it is not soft and smooth, even though it has gloss. I just learn about synthetic hair cannot make other styles which you want, it cannot make by hair curler, it is not controlled by heat.
What’s worse, human hair is natural so far than synthetic hair, and the lifespan is longer. Synthetic wigs can only last less than 3 months, but human hair wigs can last more than 1 year with proper care.
Making a human hair wig need to spend lots of money and energy, so the selling price is higher than other hair products.
