- Emily Cheney, known as the "Toupee Queen," transforms male cosmetics perceptions.
- Her toupee placements challenge masculinity norms, gaining positive reactions on social media.
- Cheney learned her techniques from her mother, offering classes in Bountiful and San Diego.
BOUNTIFUL — Emily Cheney says there is more to a toupee than meets the eye. And, if you're one of the several million people who have seen any of her toupee placements, you've likely taken a double-take, or two, believing it was completely natural.
Known in social media circles as the "Toupee Queen," Cheney, who lives in Ogden, has been changing the way people look at male cosmetics — particularly men.
"I think that we've allowed for things to evolve time and time again, and for some reason, in society, we've been resistant to evolve with some male cosmetics," Cheney said. "I feel really good about the reaction I get."
The reactions Cheney is talking about are two-fold. There are the initial reactions from the people on whom she places a toupee, and then, reactions from the general public when she shows one of her transformations on social media. She will often post videos containing interviews with clients, discussing their goals for a toupee. Then, of course, she posts the reveal.
She said she loves it when clients and viewers on social media start to change their perceptions, not just on the use of toupees, but on masculinity itself.
"Obviously, I have my own prejudices around this type of thing, and it's not actually about the toupees themselves," she said. "Our Founding Fathers wore makeup and they wore wigs. It's not technically feminine — but even if it was, it shouldn't be frowned upon for men to do feminine things."
Cheney has seen many ideas shift over the years, growing up in the world of male cosmetics.
"When I place a toupee on a client or see a positive comment, it makes me proud of people for being willing to deconstruct their ideas around femininity and cosmetics for men in general," she said.
Our Founding Fathers wore makeup and they wore wigs. It's not technically feminine — but even if it was, it shouldn't be frowned upon for men to do feminine things.
–Emily Cheney
The self-proclaimed monarch of toupees is quick to say that she learned her method from her mother.
"My mom was doing toupees before me, and she let me come to work with her for a little while at her salon in Bountiful," Cheney said. "Then, after high school, I decided to go to cosmetology school so that I could go back to work with her. I've kind of changed a few things, but I learned most of my methods from my mom."
The tried-and-true method involves the use of real hair that is dyed to match the client's natural hair color. The head is then shaved, eliminating most if not all of the thinning hair. The toupee is glued on, using a special adhesive, then cut and styled to the client's specifications. There is, of course, routine maintenance that is to be expected with any hair, whether or not it's a toupee.
Cheney said the toupees she uses — most of which are from her mom's Argyle Hair Solutions line — are designed not only to look like her clients' own hair, but also to feel and function much like it.
There is one thing she says that does take some adjustment.
"The first day is always hard for my clients, not because of how it feels, but how they are perceived by others," Cheney said. "As women, we go and get our hair done or we go get extensions or eyelashes or whatever and we're kind of used to looking different and it's exciting to us. Often, for men, it's very nerve-wracking. Masculinity is either the most important or one of the most important things to them, and they really feel like that's on the line when they're getting a toupee."
Cheney isn't just sharing her talent with her clients and a growing online following, but also offers toupee styling and placement classes at her studios in Bountiful and in San Diego, California.
