Jack has a wig factory in Qingdao China and employs 80 people. He told me he supplies wigs to some well-known New York–based lines of sheitels. Honestly I took everything he said with a grain of salt but then again how would he know those company names? The wig came pretty quickly — around two weeks after I placed my order.

There’s no standard website for placing your order; you e-mail Jack and he creates a custom page for you to order from. There are several choices you need to make: color length style (all the same length or layered) hair texture density and cap size. All the information about options can be found on Jack’s AliExpress webpage and there are links to his website for more information.

I ordered a #6 in color which should have been a light brown but his #6 is more like a 2 or 4 a rich deep brown. I spoke to Naomi who’s ordered about ten wigs from him and she confirmed this experience. But there’s nothing a few added highlights (or the sun) can’t handle.

For an extra $10 to $20 you can have greater hair density. If you like a lot of hair and volume that’s a good option and price. Miri who has one sheitel from Jack opted not to get more density; though her sheitelmacher cousin said Miri’s sheitel is on the thinner side to Miri it’s perfect the way it is.

Hair texture is another choice you’ll have to make. On Jack’s website, you’ll see pictures of different hair textures ranging from stick-straight to tight curls. I ordered the straightest possible; others I spoke to ordered a range from straight to natural waves. We’re all happy with our s’choirah. Sorry, curly heads — I know you’re dying for a naturally curly sheitel, but I can’t vouch for them. One of you try them and let the world know.

One more thing to consider is cap size. Jack gives instructions on his website for measuring your head for the most accurate size. One person I spoke with has a very large head, and tight caps are always an issue. She asked Jack about the measurement and ended up ordering an XL cap, paying an extra $30 for it. “It’s one of first sheitels I’m fully comfortable in,” she says. It’s something to keep in mind for those of you who have extra room to store your brains.

My sheitel showed up in a small bag, folded up like a rag. I put it on, ran to the mirror, and discovered it was super flat. My sister Malky Fulda, a licensed cosmetologist, came to the rescue with instructions on how to dry it (upside down) and to make sure I parted the hair before it dried (preferably before I even washed it) so it would set the way I wanted.

I washed it and half expected the hair to melt with shampoo; it did not. Naomi, also skeptical with her first purchase, was sure the hair must be dyed, so she washed hers several times to see if any color would come out, but the waters ran clear. My sheitel dried beautifully. I could’ve worn it without doing a thing; it just needed a trim to freshen the edges. “A miracle wig,” Naomi calls hers. With the naturally wavy hair in her wig, she just washes and wears it.

After the sheitel dried, I noticed a few patches of hair along the front hairline that were way shorter than 16 inches. Before hyperventilation kicked in, I told myself I could just cut bangs that short. I considered returning it, but I didn’t want to because the hair was so nice, and the cap so comfortable. And like I would really send something back to China! I can barely return anything I ordered on Amazon Prime.

I e-mailed Jack, who responded, “Front short hair is baby hair!” I replied that I hadn’t ordered baby hair, and asked if he can do anything for me. He never responded, and I never pursued. Lesson learned: don’t order baby hair; he doesn’t know what it’s supposed to look like.

Also, I suspect he puts everything through Google translate. I tried doing a reverse translate, and discovered that the word “question” translates to “problem” according to Google, and if they botched on that, I can’t expect anything to come through clearly.

Another iffy option is the lace front. I know someone who ordered one through Jack and promptly removed it, but Miri and Naomi are happy with theirs; in both cases, it just needed to be taken in a little.

My sister cut my sheitel. So that was free; I just owed her lunch. Before cutting, she raked her fingers through the hair and gave her assessment: the hair felt great, silky, and fine. She did point out some issues with the hairline, a few errant hairs sewn in the wrong direction. For the style I wanted, it didn’t make any difference. And ultimately, she brilliantly cut and blew the sheitel to blend the shorter “baby” hairs into the style, so I did not get stuck with bangs ending in the middle of my forehead. Thank G-d!

Miri’s sheitelmacher cousin assessed the wig and deemed it to be on par with the $1,500 wigs she sells. She was pretty surprised, too, because she had seen other AliExpress wigs and pronounced them “plastic.” When Naomi asked other sheitelmachers to assess hers, she got a value range of $1,500 to $3,000. As for the price they actually paid, it ranged from $280 to $380!

I’ve been wearing mine a few weeks, and apart from getting used to the style, I’m loving it! The cap is super light and comfortable, and the hair hasn’t melted yet. (Just kidding.) It gets a little knotted at the ends sometimes, but nothing noticeable or bothersome. I’d do it all over again.