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Lusta Hair. All rights reserved
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A guide to everything you need to know about toppers.
First of all, I wanted to say I'm SO GLAD you found us ❤️ If you're going through hair loss or your hair is thinning, you've definitely come to the right place. There is so much information out there, and I know how difficult it can be to find the answers you need.
I started losing my hair when I was 19, and I totally understand how hard it can be to find a solution- and then how confusing those solutions can be.
On this page, you're about to have all those nitty gritty questions answered. So get comfy, grab a coffee and let's chat through all those things you've been dying to know.
You've just found the hair world's best kept secret.
Topper? What's that?
Let's start with the basics...
Most people know what extensions are, but toppers- not so much. I like to think of toppers as a hair extension for the top of your head. Watch this video to find out exactly what a topper is.
So who wears toppers? The short answer, anyone! Our toppers are specially designed for ladies who have thinning hair or hair loss to cover the crown area of the head. But this doesn't mean toppers are just for women with hair loss! We find so many women just want to add more volume for that super model look, without having to style their own hair to achieve that! (Did I mention that you only need to style the piece ~once a month. Um, HELLO, lazy girls' dream!)
How do I choose the right topper?
Click on the images below to get more info on choosing the right topper for you.
STEP 1.
BOOK A CHAT
STEP 2.
COLOUR
STEP 3.
LENGTH
STEP 4.
CAP SIZE
Thicker, longer hair in seconds.
Or maybe a wig is more your style?
Everything You Need to Know
There are a few key differences between toppers and wigs.
Toppers are designed to blend with your own bio hair, whereas a wig will cover all of your hair.
Some women, with plenty of hair to blend with, will still opt for a wig because it means they can tuck their own hair up and not have to worry about blending at all!
This video goes through all the differences between wigs and toppers so you can figure out which is the better option for you!
Why is human hair so expensive?
Hair Quality, Type & Design: Explained
The hair world can be confusing, we're here to simplify it.
When you start diving into the hair-wearing world, it can feel like you've been hit by a tidal wave of information. There's a lot to consider when finding your perfect piece. We want to make it as easy as possible to weight up your options and decide what type of piece is right for you. Let's go through the basics (hint: you can find more information on our Instagram)
Synthetic Hair vs. Human Hair: Let's discuss the differences between synthetic and human hair. Synthetic hair is usually made out of a combination of different plastics to imitate the look of real hair. Synthetic hair is often less costly than human hair pieces. However, generally synthetic hair pieces will last from 3-12 months, meaning you'll have to replace them more often. Synthetic hair is usually coated with silicone to make it look more shiny. This silicone can come off after 1-2 washes. Synthetic hair is also unable to be styled with heat or coloured. Overall synthetic hair often looks less realistic than human hair, do not last as long and are unable to be styled or coloured. However, it's less of an upfront cost than human hair.
While human hair is usually priced higher than synthetic hair, they will last much longer, depending on the quality of hair. You can expect up to 2-3 years out of your human hair piece with daily wear. Human hair is also a lot more versatile than synthetic. You can style them with heat and colour them. Basically, anything you can do with regular hair, you can do with a human hair piece. Unlike synthetics, they are also easier to put into up-do styles such as ponytails and buns. Overall, you can expect to pay more up front for a human hair piece, but you'll have to replace it much less often. You also have a lot more versatility and realism with a human hair piece.
SYNTHETIC
HUMAN
Grade of Hair (aka quality): But does that mean that all human hair is the same? You might have come across terms such as 'Brazilian hair' or 'Euro hair' during your research. I hate to burst your bubble, but all you've learnt about these terms are marketing strategies used by companies to sell more hair. These terms suggest that the hair on the piece was all donated from one single location, where in reality, a combination of up to 4 different hair donors are needed to create a single piece. This hair is all sourced globally. And when you think about, is everyone's hair in Brazil exactly the same? Or in Europe? Of course not! We each have different hair, it doesn't matter what country we live in. Lusta Hair doesn't subscribe to these bogus terms.
But this doesn't mean that there isn't different qualities of hair. You may have seen the word 'remy' thrown around during your google searches. When people say 'remy human hair' that means that the cuticle of the hair on the piece all goes the same direction (just like your own hair does). Non-remy pieces are more prone to knotting and matting. But it doesn't just stop at remy! There are many different 'grades' of hair, some will last you longer than others. Some lower grade human hair pieces may only last you 6 months! Some companies coat their hair in silicone, which gives a shinier, glossier look to the hair, but after a few washes this silicone comes off which may create issues with matting and knotting. If you're buying a human hair piece, be sure to ask what quality the hair is. When considering lower cost human hair pieces keep in mind that low cost usually means either quality suffers, or people suffer.
At Lusta, we use the finest quality human hair possible. The quality of our hair is incredibly important to us because we want you to love your piece for years to come.
Silk Top vs. Lace Top vs. Mono Top: Let's go through the three most common cap constructions when it comes to alternative hair.
First up, silk tops. Silk tops are constructed by using multiple layers of material to conceal 'return hairs' and the knots. The silk top is all sewn by hand, meaning the other side of the tied knot is visible creating 'return hairs'. A silk top conceals these hairs and knots to create a flatter cap and ultra realistic part line. Lusta toppers have a 4 inch x 4 inch silk top, meaning you can change the part line wherever you'd like within this area. Silk tops generally are the most durable piece and will last 2-3 years with excellent care (again, this varies company to company). Silk tops are fantastic for an everyday piece and look super realistic.
Lace tops are constructed with a single layer of lace which the hair is tied into. This means the cap is super light and breathable. Lace tops are also fantastic for styling super sleek looks or voluminous styles. However, the 'return hairs' are more visible (but this is usually fixed by blowdrying down flat to conceal them). As lace tops are more delicate, they tend to last about 1-1.5 years with daily wear. For this reason, some people opt to have a lace top as their 'special occasions' piece, and a silk top as their everyday piece.
Mono tops have all the hair sewn into one layer of fabric. As this fabric isn’t as delicate as lace tops, they tend to last longer. However, they generally don't look as realistic as lace and you do still have the return hair ‘problem’. For some people this isn’t a problem at all! If you like having a high volume on the top of your head, mono tops are a good option for you! Mono tops don’t usually sit very flat or flush against your head, they sit higher than your own head. With some mono tops you can change the part-line and others you can’t. Lusta prefers a more flat and realistic piece which is why we don't opt to stock any mono top pieces.
SILK TOP
LACE TOP
MONO TOP
How to get the perfect blend.
How do I blend my hair with a topper?
Ready in 7 seconds? Yes please.
Blending your topper in with your own hair seems a little scary at first. How are you going to make that blend look completely undetectable?
Once you get the hang of blending, it is seriously going to cut down the amount of time you spend doing your hair each morning! Click HERE to watch a video of me putting mine on in 10 seconds!
We are the experts when it comes to getting that perfect blend! Watch this video to get all our top tips!
No one's going to know.
Will people know my hair is fake?
Spolier alert: Probably not
This is a question we get asked ALL THE TIME! Will people know I'm wearing a topper? Are hair toppers noticeable? Can hair toppers actually look real?
Watch this video to find out my opinion on this. Spoiler alert: People hardly ever notice unless you tell them.
Whilst you're at it, click HERE to find out our top tips for wearing hair for the first time, and click HERE for our tips on telling people that you're wearing hair.
Blonde? Brunette?
Surely I can't choose the right colour online?
I don't mean to brag, but we're the experts at this.
This is the question that I was most fearful of when I bought my first piece. How am I going to get the right colour ONLINE?! I didn't think it was possible to match my super unique hair colour to something on a website.
Choosing the right colour for you can be so stressful. You want it to be absolutely perfect. That's why we have Georgia, the colour mathing GENIUS!
Watch this video to find out how to take the best photos to send to us to match your bio hair to a topper PERFECTLY!
CARE & STYLING
Looking after your topper is super easy! With excellent care, you can expect 2-3 years from your silk top piece or 1 year from your lace top piece. You only need to wash and restyle your piece about once every month, depending on your level of activity. Click on the images below for more info on caring for your piece.
WASHING
PARTING
BLOWDRY
CURLING
Can I customise my piece?
Get a piece that's made for you.
Sometimes straight off the rack doesn't work for everyone. Maybe you have bangs/a fringe, or maybe your roots are a little darker. We totally get that everyone's different and that's why we offer customisations to your piece by the best alternative hair stylists in the WORLD! We can achieve the hair you've been dreaming of. These videos go through the custom colour and cut options we offer!
FAQ's
What quality is your hair? I've heard of different 'grades' of hair, what's yours?
So here's the tea... 'Brazillian grade', 'Euro hair' and other words like this you may have heard, are actually just fancy marketing terms that were made up by the hair industry and don't refer to the origin of the hair at all. What this really refers to is the coarseness/texture of the hair. It's a little complicated and so many voices say different things. At Lusta Hair, we have the highest quality 100% remy human hair. "Remy" means that the cuticle of the hair is in tact and is all going the same direction in your piece. This is crucial for the hair to remain smooth and tangle free and last a long time. Our hair is sourced globally, is strong and healthy and the texture is smooth and silky. The hair strands are quite fine but not the finest, whispiest hair grade as we prefer our hair to be able to hold a style.
Wearing a topper with a widow's peak?
Having a widow's peak is actually a HUGE advantage when blending your topper. Click HERE to watch our video all about blending with a widow's peak.
How is the cap constructed?
Click HERE to watch our video all about the construction of our topper caps!
Can you go swimming in a topper?
This is a question we get asked a lot! You can definitely wear your piece in the water, but do note that this may shorten the life span of your piece (especially in chlorinated water). Some people opt to wear an older or inexpensive piece when going in the water, so as to preserve the longevity of their everyday piece. You may also want to wear a headband to prevent the force of the water from pulling on the clips. Click HERE to watch this video of our wig expert, Holly, going to the beach in her wig.
Do you have curly/wavy hair?
Naturally curly hair is very difficult to source, so we don't commonly stock naturally curly pieces. Our curly girl customers will either straighten their hair to match the topper, or curl the topper to match their hair. Click HERE to watch our curly hair tutorial. Another option is to have the piece permed to match your bio hair.
I've heard you can get more hair loss from clipping in a piece? Is this true?
This is called traction alopecia and it is caused by harshly clipping something into the same spot every day. We avoid this in two ways. Firstly, we suggest if you are experiencing sensitivity when clipping in a piece, rotate the clips you use each time you wear your topper. This means you aren't putting pressure on the same bit of hair day in and day out! Secondly, our Lusta clips are better than other clips on the market as they've been specifically designed with this issue in mind. They're the softest clips you can possibly get! Watch THIS video to learn more.
Are hair toppers hot?
Of course wearing a piece is hotter than wearing nothing at all, but it's not as noticeable as you'd think. Wearing a topper is similar to wearing a light cap or hat. As long as you can tie the piece up to get it off your neck (which you can definitely do with our pieces), you probably won't even notice you're wearing it!
How long do hair toppers last?
With excellent care, our pieces will generally last 2 years. Actually, some of our customers have been wearing them much longer than this. But do not fear, the hair will not just spontaneously combust haha BUT you may notice the texture of the hair will slightly change. Around the 1-2 year mark, many of our customers look at purchasing their second piece and use their previous piece for beach outings or cutting some fun bangs! What a luxury to have more than one hair option!
How do I care for the piece?
Click HERE to read our full care guide!
