In addition to kind messages from her followers, Sharpe has developed bonds with other influencers on #WigTok, including Hamdi, who adorns wigs with stunning designs and paintings. \"She's only at around 26.7K [followers] right now, but I know her page is going to grow exponentially within the next few years,\" Sharpe says. \"Black women are truly so creative and talented.\"

Forming a community with other wig influencers can come in handy for collaborative efforts, but more importantly, this community shares tips for navigating the business side of content creation. \"When it comes to negotiating, I definitely figured it out on my own,\" Sharpe says. \"Companies will try to lowball you like crazy in this space. But as long as you stand your ground, they will pay your rate.\"

Kayla, who uploads on YouTube under the pseudonym Nugartzy, primarily uses YouTube to showcase her beauty and hair content, and she agrees that negotiation is an important skill to learn along the way. \"One tip I have learned is to not always accept every offer that is given to me,\" she says. \"Companies can go higher on their offer, [so] I negotiate prices for my work that I think is fair when introduced to a collaboration.\"

Ajeroh also believes that Black content creators still aren't treated with enough respect in the content creation space and often miss out on brand deals. \"It just seems like there's not really as big of an investment into hair for natural hair, because I see the white influencers, they have stuff for their hair [and] cute brand events and things for their hair,\" she says. \"I understand there's obviously a market for it, but maybe it's because the Black-owned businesses don't necessarily have the funding for those sorts of things.\"

Ajeroh's comments about the lack of events to celebrate Black influencers aren't surprising, but it's disheartening to know that this behavior affects a majority of Black influencers, regardless of their following or type of content. So much of pop culture originates in these communities, but content creators are rarely given the credit they deserve.

Regardless of TikTok's longevity, #WigTok exists because of the creative, curious Black women and hairstylists who have created hair catalogs and carved out supportive communities. \"I've received so many comments and messages over the years from people who have only ever worn one color or style their whole lives, until I inspired them to try something new,\" Sharpe says. \"That's probably what I enjoy the most.\"

Noella Williams is a Brooklyn-based freelance culture writer with words in Marie Claire, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, and more. Noella's reporting ranges from Black culture to queer identity, but it also includes intersectional veganism, internet culture, and more.
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