Your next hairstyle might cost a whole lot more than you bargained for.
In a twist that few saw coming, the latest round of U.S. tariffs is hitting the beauty world — specifically, the hair industry — hard. A massive 145% tariff on Chinese imports is leaving beauty supply owners scrambling and customers bracing for sticker shock on everything from synthetic extensions to high-end human hair wigs.
While tech giants like Apple got a pass on some of their key products, many other goods coming in from China weren’t so lucky — including a large share of the world’s hair products. With the U.S. and China locked in a trade war, beauty business owners say the fallout is already beginning.
“We’re expecting prices on synthetic wigs to jump at least 25 to 30%,” said one wig store owner in Atlanta. “And for human hair? You could be looking at an extra $100 or more.”
For customers, this means the next trip to the beauty supply shop might feel more like luxury shopping. For store owners, it’s a mad dash to find alternatives — turning to suppliers in countries like Vietnam and India. But switching vendors takes time, and with that comes potential changes in product quality and availability.
So if you’ve been thinking about switching up your look, now might be the time — before those prices go up with no end in sight.
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