Hair toppers are designed to conceal hair loss and give your hair that extra oomph. As each person is unique, hair toppers come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colours in order to blend in with your existing hair and give you a more natural look.
Hair toppers are a great alternative to a full wig.
With so many options, it can be difficult to decipher how to best style a hair topper to achieve your desired look. In this guide, we’ll share our advice on how to style and wear your hair topper so you can achieve the most flattering and natural look, as well as some tips on how to attach your hair topper correctly!
Choose the Right Type of Hair
Just like with your natural hair, there are some hair types that style better than others. Hair toppers are similar in this respect, and so the style you are going for may be more or less achievable depending on the hair type of your hair topper. Just like regular wigs, hair toppers come in synthetic, human hair and heat-friendly synthetic hair options.
As a hair topper aims to blend in with your own natural hair, many women prefer heat-friendly synthetic hair or natural hair toppers. These topper types allow you to create textures that closely resemble your own hair with heated styling tools for a more cohesive look – ideal for those who are more confident with their styling abilities.
However, synthetic hair toppers are also a great option for those who want to avoid the extra styling while still looking fabulous! These toppers come in already styled curly, wavy and straight textures that you can either match with your own hairstyle or your desired look. The synthetic hair toppers are also very easy to maintain while offering a high-quality finish.
Don’t just take our word for it – to see how fabulously natural hair toppers can look, see our beautiful customers showing off their gorgeous toppers!
Different Coverage Areas and Different Styling Aims
Hair loss or thinning can occur over any part of the scalp, and therefore, for the best coverage, there are different types of hair toppers designed for specific parts of the head.
Part topper – Many women part their hair either to the left, right or straight down the middle. At the part, the skin of the scalp can be seen where the hairs separate. A topper is ideal for reducing the appearance of thinning hair and disguising the thinning hair around your parting.
Top topper – These toppers are worn at the top of the head and can cover multiple areas of hair loss depending on the circumference of the topper.
Crown topper – The crown is the area at the top back of the head where the skull begins to curve out and downwards; crown toppers cover a rectangular area. This area is ideal for adding extra volume to your hair and hairstyle as well as reducing the appearance of thinning hair.
Match or Experiment with the Colour of Your Hair Topper
The key to achieving the most fabulously natural look with your hair topper is to blend it with your existing hair. Whilst there is a wide range of colours available, you aren’t guaranteed to find a perfect match for your hair tone. To combat this and achieve the most natural look, choose the closest-matching colour and then have your natural hair professionally dyed to match the topper. Or, if a difference is barely noticeable, you might just be able to get away with it!
It’s also important to note that the addition of a hair topper can also offer an exciting opportunity to change up your looks completely. As hair toppers come in a very wide range of colours, particularly synthetic hair toppers, they can provide an opportunity to experiment with hair colours whilst keeping your natural hair intact and without having to wear a full wig.
How to Style a Hair Topper
Just like with natural hair, you need to take a few steps to best prepare your topper for styling.
1. Treat yourself to a professional trim – You may want to get your hair topper professionally trimmed, ensuring that it perfectly blends with your natural locks. After all, your hair topper could be a different length from your natural hair. This means that some professional TLC could be just what you need to prepare you for your fabulous new look.
2. Wash your hair topper – You may want to freshen up your hair topper with some specialised wig shampoo and wig conditioner. This is especially helpful if you have a human hair topper because these products will help remove bacteria and restore natural shine. After washing, remove the excess water from the topper by gently pressing it with a towel.
3. Place your hair topper on a wig stand or mannequin head to dry – Whilst your hair topper is still damp, place it on a wig stand or mannequin head. If you have a synthetic topper, you can leave it to air-dry here which will help to maintain the shape of the hair piece.
Top Tip: If your hair topper is tangled, gently brush through it with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers. For extra help, you could try a de-tangling wig spray. Just remember that wig fibres are more susceptible to damage when wet, just like natural hair.
Top Tip: If you have a human hair or heat-friendly hair topper, you can use a hair dryer on a low heat (no more than 135°C) to dry your topper and add some volume. Plus, using a nozzle attachment will help you to achieve a smooth finish, whereas a diffuser attachment will help to define curls.
4. Brush through your hair topper – Once your hair topper is dry, you may want to comb through it using a specialised wig brush. This will help to smoothen the topper and remove any tangles. It’s best to air-dry your hair topper on a mannequin head or wig stand, especially if you have a synthetic topper.
5. Style your hair topper – Many wig wearers find it easier to style their hair pieces on a mannequin head or wig stand as it ensures you don’t miss any sections. Plus, it can help to protect your natural hair as it reduces the likelihood of pulling, snagging or breakage during the styling process. For added volume or texture, you can always use wig-friendly styling products, such as a wig styling mousse or cream.
If you have a heat-friendly hair topper, you can take your styling one step further with gentle heat. Whether you’re using straighteners for an extra-smooth finish or a curling tong for added texture, make sure your heat setting is no more than 135°C to prevent the fibres from burning and becoming damaged.
Once you’ve finished styling the hair topper, attach it to your head and start rocking your new look!
How to Correctly Apply a Hair Topper
Once you have your perfect hair topper you are ready to clip it in and strut your stuff! Follow our steps to attach your hair topper with ease:
1. Open all the clips on the underside of the topper.
2. Lightly tease your hair in the areas where the topper clips will attach to get a more secure hold.
3. Place the topper over the area of hair loss and secure the front clip.
4. Place light pressure over the top of the hairpiece and run your fingers over the length of the base to secure the back clips.
5. Keep the base pulled tightly across the top as you secure any remaining clips.
6. Style and blend hair as desired.
Watch this Jon Renau Tutorial for a demonstration of how to correctly apply and remove hair toppers correctly.
How to Attach a Hair Topper Securely
So, how does a hair topper stay on? Hair toppers should stay firmly in place on their own, however you may want to use additional methods to secure it in place more firmly. After all, you deserve to look and feel amazing all day long!
Wig clips can help with this, and can be found in various sizes and colours for a subtle finish. These comfortable clips can keep your worries at bay and offer you that extra security and confidence. Simply sew the clip or clips into the cap of your hair topper with some cotton. When you put your hair topper on, just slide the clips into your natural hair and snap shut with pressure.
If clips aren’t your thing, you could also try out specialised wig tape to keep your topper in place. Wig tape is available in a variety of strengths, and there are hypoallergenic tapes if you are more sensitive.
How to Wear a Hair Topper with Bangs/Fringe
Some hair toppers are perfect for adding volume to your fringe area. With a few pressure clips keeping it secure, you can easily blend a synthetic fringe with your natural hair. This is perfect for making your natural fringe look fuller, or if you just want to try rocking a fringe without the commitment of a new hair cut! To achieve this look, why not try the Fringe Flair hair topper from Amore Rene of Paris? It’s so gorgeous!
Can You Wear Your Hair Up with a Hair Topper?
Yes, you can certainly rock an updo with a hair topper. It’s easy to brush your natural locks over the topper’s hairline or blend your strands into a striking updo.
Can You Wear a Ponytail with a Hair Topper?
You can absolutely wear your favourite ponytail look with a hair topper! Simply take some of the topper’s hair and some of your natural strands and combine them to create a more realistic and blended look as you pull them back into a ponytail. Just ensure that you don’t pull the topper back too tightly, as this can create a distorted finish. For a more laid-back finish, you could always leave a few strands of hair over your ears and around your hairline.
How to Wear a Wig Topper for Thinning Hair
Thinning hair can easily be disguised with hair toppers – here are some of our top tips on how to do it best.
Go for a low ponytail – Since pulling your hair into a high pony can accentuate thin patches, you may want to opt for a low and loose pony with your hair topper.
Try out a bun – One way you can style your hair topper to disguise thinning is to try out a bun style. If your crown hair is thinning, you could simply style the bun directly on top to hide it! With this style, you might require some extra pressure clips to secure the topper’s position.
Fill in thin spots – If you still feel self-conscious about your thinning hair even with a hair topper, you could disguise thin areas even more by filling them in with makeup or a tinted dry shampoo.
The world of hair toppers can seem confusing with all the different types, shapes and colours available. However, we hope that this guide has helped to break it down and given you some ideas about how to wear and style your hair topper for a natural look. Check out our guide for choosing the right hair topper for further assistance when deciphering which hair topper is best for you!
Remember, it’s all down to personal preference. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different hairstyles using your hair topper. Make sure you keep up to date with our blog for more advice on anything wig- or hair topper-related!
I am new to wigs and have a topoper I bought a year ago, but the tips and instructions and explanations which integrate one’s face shape into the information are the very best I have found anywhere. Thank you very much. Too bad I am in Florida and can’t support you with more than words.
This is the best explanation of how to apply a hair topper to the crown of the head I’ve found. Thank you and best wishes from Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.
I wear a Rene of Paris hair topper..I have male pattern baldness..people are suprised when I tell them I wear one.. have put review on your page