How to find the best human hair topper

In this blog I'm going to teach you how to find the best human hair topper for you. I will explain which materials will suit all various circumstances. I am making the assumtion that you already understand the basic materials that go into making real hair toppers. If not don't worry, my next blog will explain the various materials in detail. 

Best human hair topper for light colours

Good news, all human hair toppers and wigs look amazing in light colours. However, if you prefer the properties of monofilament and lace they look particularly good in the light blondes. 

Best real hair topper for dark colours

As each hair is individually hand knotted onto a base, on very close inspection the tiny knots on dark hair are visible. 

If perfection is what you’re looking for, a silk top could be the answer. The hair is injected through the silk and knotted underneath, which means that no knots are visible and it doesn’t matter if you have your own growing hair!

Best real hair topper for styling off face

Lace moulds perfectly to the shape of the head and lays very flat because the material clings to the scalp. This creates a  look that is absolutely flawless, as the lace becomes part of your scalp and hair will appear to be growing straight out of it.

It is also possible to use a thin PU which gives a fantastic front hairline. The benefit of this is that adhesion is easier but as it’s more delicate than lace, you’d need to replace your units quicker, so lace is usually the preferred option. 

Hair toppers for women that have hair hair on their crown

The hairs on mono and lace bases are knotted onto transparent materials, which means you can see your own scalp underneath. If you have lots of your own growing hair on the crown it won’t have the same effect. 

If you have dark natural hair and are wearing a light coloured hair topper, you would need to stitch a flesh coloured wig cap underneath. Lots of celebrities wear their hair this way. However, as the crown is not transparent, wth  silk based toppers it doesn’t matter what’s going on with your hair underneath and this is possibly your easiest option. 

Most durable

Silk topper bases contain a higher density of hair so will last longer than monofilament toppers or lace toppers. The hair can also be triple knotted underneath which means it will cope with shedding better. A lace topper is the most delicate option of the three choices, however with proper care it will still last a long time. 

Easiest hair topper

All toppers are easy to wear however, if you are wearing a lace front topper because you want to tie your hair back off your face then it’s essential that the lace lays completely flat. When pulling the hair back off your face, to style, you will need to ensure that the lace harlines stay completely flat to the scalp. So there’s a little extra work to do. Don’t worry, it’s not very complicated, just a bit of sock glue or strong hold hair spray or tape designed for lace front toppers will work perfectly. 

Best human hair topper to dye

All real hair toppers can be coloured. It’s best to darken rather than lighten the hair. If you’d like to colour the whole topper from the root you need to be particularly careful with the silk base toppers as you can’t remove any accidental colour run out of the silk.  The silk base is more difficult to protect during the colouring process.

Highest density & low density toppers for women (the amount of hair in the hair piece)

Getting the hair density right is one of the most important factors in making your human hair topper look natural. Too much hair, on the wrong person, can look very “wiggy” and there are a lot of toppers with too much hair around the crown.

The benefit of extra hair is that it will last much longer in terms of shedding so it’s a bit of a balancing act. As a rule of thumb 100% is very low density. Please note you must be extremely careful with the topper base construction if want low density hair as it may be visible as the materials change e.g as the monofilament area transitons to PU. 

130% density is medium and the most common density used. 

180% is extremely high density. You wouldn’t be able to achieve such high density on swiss or french lace.

Manufacturers vary considerably in what they consider the densities are. Many 130% density toppers have too much hair on the crown. 

Best human hair topper for heat and sweating

The most breathable topper base is lace. If you struggle with perspiration or live in a hot country I would always recommend a full lace topper. If you plan to clip in your topper it can be made entirely from lace. If you are bonding you should use a PU edging for longevity. If you want to wear your hair off your face (for lace fronts toppers) you will need to purchase tapes and/or glues designed for this purpose.

Best curly human hair topper

Any base is fine with wavy hair but for curly hair it always flows more naturally on a lace base topper. 

Curly hair is quite risky on light coloured real hair toppers (unless the hair is virgin) as the hair has already been processed to lighten. Curling this hair can leave it very dry and damaged. That’s why you won’t find many blonde hair, curly, real hair toppers available. It’s best to use curling tools to curl blonde hair. 

Hair toppers for women with no partings

Multidirectional lace is best suited for hair styles with no partings. 

Best womens hair toppers for changing partings

It’s always a good idea to check your topper has multidirectional hair so you can part it where you like. It also helps prolong the longevity of your hair pieces as you can move the parting if you develop thin or balding patches from hair shedding. Silk base toppers do not move as freely as monofilament or lace toppers. 

How much do real hair toppers cost?

The price is determined by the size of the topper, (a larger sized topper will cost more than a smaller sized one), length of hair and the density of hair. If you’d like more than the standard 130% topper the prices increase. Obviously the quality of hair is an important factor too. Virgin hair is the best quality but European virgin hair is the most expensive. 

Still have some questions? I'd love to hear from you: rebecca@hairnecessity.co.uk