California Woman Battling Alopecia Launches Online Wig, Hair Accessories Store
The Californer/10234474

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- About 55% of women experience some hair loss by the age of 70, according to the Mayo Clinic. Nicole Renee Marshall, a young, working professional in Los Angeles, never thought that statistic would include her—at least anytime soon. However, following her daughter's 2014 birth, she developed an aggressive form of postpartum alopecia.

"My battle with alopecia affected me emotionally and not to mention destroyed my confidence," Marshall explained. "While it's easy to quote India Arie's song, 'I am not my hair,' it took me a LONG time to believe that.  At first, I was affected emotionally for vanity reasons. I also felt like I lost control, which is a part of my type A personality creeping through."

With the support of family, friends and life partner, Marshall exposed her vulnerability to the world by documenting her condition on social media early on when discovering her diagnosis. Last year, just six days before giving birth to her second child (it's a boy!), she also launched her very first blog, Awakening Your Roots (https://awakeningyourroots.com/), to motivate and inspire other women struggling with hair loss.

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She also launched Awakening Luxe Couture. Her online store, which celebrated its grand opening Feb. 7, caters to women of all ages struggling with hair loss, with an emphasis on African American women.

"It is no secret that weaves, wigs, and braids are popular in the African American community," she said. "No one will bat an eye if we have short hair on Friday and return to work on Monday with a 22-inch weave."

Black celebrities like Jada Pinkett Smith, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Tyra Banks and Viola Davis are among those who've publicly admitted to battling alopecia. All of them have been known to sport wigs from time to time.

Awakening Luxe Couture offers fun crochet and ponytail extensions.  It also offers synthetic and human hair wigs, giving different hair types and price points for all budget ranges. Synthetic wigs start at $60 and human hair wigs start at $100 and up depending on length and color chosen.

"What differentiates my online store from other online hair and wig retailers? It would be me! My experience, my journey, and my perseverance make the difference," she said. "My alopecia has taught me no matter what is happening on the outside, the beauty within will always prevail."

To learn more about the products available on Awakening Luxe Couture, visit www.awakeningluxecouture.com.