Toppers 101: Part Two of Three
Gillian Fetters, Executive Director of Marketing at Luxy Hair, explains toppers and why they're so popular
Hello Gorgeous!
August is Hair Loss Awareness Month and it’s a topic that hits hard for many women over the age of 40. One of the questions I’m frequently asked is to explain toppers — clip in hair alternatives to wigs or hair extensions.
I’ve gotten so many questions on the topic that I’m doing an ongoing series. Here’s the intro to that series if you want to catch up.
Gillian Fetters, the Executive Director of Marketing at Luxy Hair spills all on toppers
Clip-in hair extension brand Luxy Hair recently launched hair toppers (The grand dame of aging gracefully, Andie MacDowell, was spotted wearing their hair extensions if a gorgeous shade of grey). Luxy Hair toppers are on the affordable side, at a few hundred dollars for a clip in hair piece made of beautiful Remy hair (all will be explained below).
In the intro to my series on toppers, I mentioned that Luxy Hair sent me a chocolate brown human hair topper to try out. Spoiler alert - I love it. I trimmed the hair to create long whispy bangs and weave my own hair in with the topper to create a French braid or random twists. It’s not an over-the-top Hollywood red carpet effect, but more like the ability to simply enjoy a good hair day when you need it most.
Gillian Fetters, the Executive Director of Marketing at Luxy Hair, graciously answered some questions posed by my wonderful readers. The interview has been gently edited for brevity and clarity.
Stay tuned for an interview on toppers from luxury brand Milano Wigs.
Opening up about hair loss
If you noticed a normalization about discussing hair loss in women, you’re noticing part of a welcome trend.
Fetters said:
The conversation around hair loss, in general, has opened as more and more brands are developing products to help with the issues (from topicals to supplements to hair extensions) – so more and more people are speaking on the subject. The popularity of social media (and podcasts) and increasing awareness of body positivity and self-acceptance have fostered open conversations online about all types of hair extensions and pieces. People now openly discuss personal struggles with naturally fine hair, hair loss, alopecia, and other conditions affecting hair growth. This transparency has led to a wider range of specialized and improved products aimed at addressing these concerns. This has more people interested in trying them out and sharing their thoughts.
Except for celebrities. They still pretend they were born this way.
In the same way celebrities deny plastic surgery or use of semaglutides like Ozempic, they tend to pretend their hair is naturally growing out of their heads. Often, that’s not the case.
Fetters said:
It's common for celebrities to maintain secrecy about their use of hair extensions, often presenting as their natural hair because of their role in the public eye or their role attached to certain projects. Like anyone else, celebrities have personal reasons for wearing extensions or are asked to by the industry but may choose not to speak about it so that it’s not a topic up for public discussion.
Increased celebrity openness could help normalize extensions further and dispel the notion that perfect hair is innate, despite growing open discussions online surrounding extensions.
Who’s wearing toppers now and why?
Unlike hair trends that are often specific to an age group or life stage, toppers seem to have universal appeal across ages and stages.
Fetters said:
Women are wearing toppers from age 30s to 60+ and across life stages. There are many reasons why someone might be experiencing hair loss – hormonal changes such as post-partum, menopause, medical conditions, etc.
Toppers are worn by diverse individuals for various reasons, including medical conditions like androgenetic alopecia or alopecia areata or aging-related hair thinning. They’re worn to boost confidence and enhance your natural hair for everyday wear or special occasions – Toppers are truly meant for hair loss at the top of the head where someone needs instant coverage and subtle volume.
A topper is not a full wig, so it is more breathable, lightweight and some say more comfortable that blends in with your natural hair so visually your hair becomes part of the topper.
Choosing between human hair and synthetic hair depends on factors like budget, maintenance preferences, and desired look. Human hair offers a premium, natural look and feel but requires more upkeep. Synthetic hair is more affordable, though it may appear less natural.
Worth noting, The Wig Company is starting a new campaign educating consumers about synthetic toppers. Since human hair toppers can be incredibly pricey, they’re offering quality synthetic toppers as an entry point for women curious about trying one out. Stay tuned, I’ll probably test one out and will let you know my thoughts.
When do you tell your love interest that the hair you wear isn't growing out of your head?
Fetters said:
Choose a comfortable setting and moment to share this information. It will come down to you if you want to communicate this on the first date or after some time has passed.
It might be better to bring it up sooner if comfortable just so it is off your mind. Remember that your choice to wear extensions or clip in hair is valid so don’t feel that you are obligated to speak on something until you are ready (considering most methods are worn as a solution to combat things out of your control like hair loss). Be confident and embrace your personal choice, and it can be helpful to come prepared with any answers to questions you think they may have. Do you wear one every day? Is it comfortable? Do you take it off? etc. You can try to work it into a conversation naturally if you start talking about related subjects (hair loss, health, changes in identity, etc.).
Fetters offered step-by-step instructions on choosing, wearing, and caring for your topper
Choosing a Topper
Set Your Goals: Define what you want from your topper whether it's volume, length, coverage, or all three.
Select Your Style: Decide between human or synthetic hair and choose a base design (lace, monofilament, silk, or hybrid which is a combination of multiple) based on your lifestyle, budget, and personal preferences (all have their pros and cons).
Determine Length: Measure the length of your hair from the center point of the top of your head to see where the ends of the topper will sit. The Luxy Hair Topper is 14 inches, and the ends are tapered so that it blends in more naturally (mimicking natural hair growth), especially for those whose hair is slightly longer than the topper.
Determine Coverage: Understand what stage of hair loss you are experiencing and what area it's in. The Luxy Hair Topper is for someone with late beginning to early advanced hair loss (stages 1-3) and will provide coverage for the front/fringe, part, and throughout the top of the head.
Measure Your Hair Loss: With a fabric measuring tape, record the measurements of the widest points of your hair loss (in inches), from front to back and side to side across the area where you are experiencing hair loss. You can use a mirror or ask someone to help you for the best results. You will want to add an inch to those measurements to determine if the topper size will be a good fit to ensure it covers the hair loss area and so that you have enough hair for the clips to latch onto (to prevent damage to your natural hair (also referred to as “bio hair”) from clipping the topper onto sparse hair).
Color Matching: Ensure the color matches your natural hair as closely as possible. Since the topper sits over top of your natural hair, you’ll want to match the mid-lengths to the ends of your hair.
Care Instructions
Storage – To maintain its shape, clip the topper onto the insert and store it in the box it comes with (or a storage container) away from direct sunlight in a cool space. You can also store it by clipping it to a mannequin or by placing it on a wig stand.
Washing – If you wear the topper daily, you should wash it every 30+ wears, or when there is major product build-up to the point where it becomes unmanageable to style. If you aren’t wearing the hair topper every day, we recommend washing it every 6-8 weeks. Ensure to wash the cap very gently and let it air-dry to maintain its quality.
Brushing – Use a suitable brush to detangle your topper gently, avoiding rough handling that could damage the base or hair.
Stay tuned for the final part in the series, an interview with Certified Trichologist & Wig/Topper ExpertJudy Judy Geisinsky, Founder of luxury brand, Milano Collection Wigs.
Rachel, Your beauty concierge 💋
Do you wear clip in hair? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic in the comments below!