Toppik Review – The Facts on Hair Fibers
If you want the “instant” gratification of thicker and fuller looking hair, Toppik Hair Fibers may be just what you’re looking for. Before I was able to find a treatment method to finally re-grow and stabilize my thinning hair, I tried most of the available products out there for concealing hair loss. I’ve been down that road enough to provide an honest Toppik review, and I have useful insight on this product.
Toppik is among the best of concealers. It does not treat hair loss, nor does it provide any benefit or harm to hair follicles. It covers up hair loss, and does it very well.
If you’re considering Toppik, you may want to just hide your hair loss until you deal with it, or perhaps you simply want to add a little “umph” to those thinner areas. Maybe you’re waiting for satisfactory results from a hair loss treatment, or you plan to get a hair transplant down the road. Either way, Toppik will very likely provide the results you seek.
Toppik Review
In this Toppik review, I will explain what Toppik is, how it works, and how I use it.
How does Toppik Work?
Toppik Hair Building Fibers use colored keratin protein fibers, which blend in to your existing hair. Toppik instantly creates the appearance of full hair and when used correctly, it really is undetectable. These keratin fibers are made of the same protein that makes up human hair. This is one of the factors that separate Toppik from the cheaper, lower quality competing products.
The fibers are statically charged and this makes them cling to hair. Then they swell and make the hair look thicker. This is why Toppik works so well with thin hair.
Toppik works in all areas of the scalp, and it’s resistant to wind, rain and even perspiration. It lasts pretty much all day, and is easily washed out with shampoo. It’s also equally effective when applied to ALL hair types.
I don’t want to mislead anyone, so I’m going to make this clear – you must have enough hair for the Toppik fibers to cling to. Otherwise it will appear clumpy, and just look wrong. Trust me, I know, because I’ve been there. This is a temporary solution if you are not treating the cause of your hair loss as well. As long as you have some hair though, even if it’s thin, Toppik works like a charm.
How to apply Toppik
When my hair was noticeably thin enough to use concealers, I became a pro at applying Toppik. Using any product every day tends to make you an expert! For a few years, when my hair was thinnest, I used it regularly with either DermMatch Waterproof Hair Loss Concealer. Naturally Thicker Than Hair Fibers & Spray Concealers. (Dark Brown) or COUVRé Scalp Concealing Lotion. Since this is a Toppik review, I may cover that another time.
I have to mention that when using this with other topical treatments such as minoxidil, it was inconvenient. I had to wash Toppik out in the evenings, re-apply if I was heading out that night, etc. Hey, it’s all in the name of vanity right?
These days, I only use Toppik when I want to look extra spiffy for certain occasions, but I always have a container on hand. Why wouldn’t I want to soupe up the ol’ hair engine once in a while?
Here’s how I apply Toppik:
- Wash hair
- Style hair and apply any other products at this point EXCEPT hair spray. This includes scalp concealers, gels, or mousse. This also includes hair loss treatment products such as Lipogaine or Kirkland Minoxidil.
- Brush hair forward.
- Before opening the Toppik container, give it a little shake to aide in creating static electricity. This helps the fibers bond to your hair.
- Open the container and hold it upside down, gently tapping and shaking the fibers over your hair. I say gently, because you don’t want to accidentally apply too much at once. Begin with the thinnest areas first and work as naturally as you can into the areas you desire.
NOTE: Some people prefer the Toppik Hair Fibers Spray Applicator and/or the Toppik Hairline Optimizer for a more accurate application. I tried both these for a while, but preferred using just the shaker top container the fibers come in. - Gently pat the fibers into your hair. I would even lightly rub my fingers through the hair, dispersing the fibers as evenly as possible.
- If necessary, repeat the above with less fibers to touch up.
- Use a hair spray to finish, and fix the Toppik fibers in place for the longest lasting results. I have experimented with many hair sprays, but the Toppik FiberHold Spray, 4 Fl Oz did the best job. This spray has the perfect hold strength and adds a natural shine that I just could not get from the other sprays I tried.
I’ve just outlined the steps I personally use for this Toppik review. You may also want to watch the Toppik application video from Toppik to see Toppik instantly transform thinning hair.
How Long Does a Container of Toppik Last?
When I used Toppik daily, I always purchased the giant-sized container and it lasted between 3 and 4 months. These days I only use it now and again, and the giant size easily lasts over a year. I have an empty travel-sized container that I still use. I pour Toppik from the large container into it. It’s great for travelling!
Below are the guidelines for how long each size of Toppik lasts. This is directly from Toppik themselves.
- Hair Building Fibers – Travel (3g): Approximately 7 days
- Hair Building Fibers – Regular (12g): Approximately 30 days
- Hair Building Fibers – Economy (27.5g): Approximately 60 or more days
- Hair Building Fibers – Giant (55g): Approximately 120 or more days
As with any product applied regularly, the length of time you get out of it varies with each individual. It depends on how much you use, how often you use it, and how often you need to remove and re-apply it.
Toppik is for Both Men and Women
Thin hair and hair loss is not selective to any one gender, and Toppik Hair Building Fibers are designed to be equally effective for both men and women. It works on any hair type and comes in a wide selection of colors. Many users will even mix colors to get the perfect blend to match their natural shade.
Many women (and men) who color their hair will also use Toppik to cover both gray roots and the re-growth of color-treated hair. This comes in quite handy when in need of a quick root touch-up. I can’t speak from experience on this, but no Toppik review would be complete without mentioning all useful applications.
Women who use Toppik often take advantage of the Toppik Hair Fibers Spray Applicator to apply the hair building fibers to thinning hair around their part lines. This is a narrower area, and the spray allows for a more accurate application. The Hairline Optimizer is also very useful to create a natural looking blend into the hairline.
Toppik Fibers are Nearly Identical to Human Hair
As I mentioned earlier, one of the things that make Toppik stand out from other similar products, is the natural source of the Keratin used in its fibers.
The fibers are nearly identical to human hair and this lets them blend naturally without being detected. Competitors use Keratin fibers from lower-grade sources (fish bones, nails, hooves, etc.), and it shows in the appearance.
Toppik Keratin also has an innate static charge that won’t be found in imitating products which use cotton, plant-based materials and rayon. It’s this charge that makes sure the fibers stick.
I’ve tried other products that use fibers. Some companies have even provided free samples, so I figured why not give it a shot? I just wasn’t able to get the same results, and found the fibers didn’t stay in place. They would clump and even smear on to the skin. After 5 minutes in any wind or light rain and you’ll see the difference in Toppik and its competitors. Toppik holds strong and that alone was enough reason for me to stick with the product.
Toppik Side Effects – Is Toppik Safe?
Toppik is a product applied externally to thinning hair and is not absorbed or taken orally. The only possible Toppik side effect would be a mild skin irritation or a rash. Clearly, you should keep the fibers from getting into your eyes or mouth when applying, but I think that’s a given. Is Toppik safe? Yes.
I have noticed people asking online if Toppik hair fibers can “suffocate” the follicles. I totally understand how one could think this might be a concern, but there’s a fact that can be easily overlooked. Hair is by definition dead, and follicles don’t “breathe” air. Follicles are fed from the bottom, under the skin and get their oxygen from the blood supply.
If you found this Toppik review while searching for an answer to the question “is Toppik safe?”, rest assured that Toppik hair fibers have NO effect on hair follicles. The product doesn’t help hair loss, but it doesn’t make it any worse either.
Where to Purchase Toppik?
I quickly found the best way to purchase Toppik products was from Amazon. They offer the full variety of sizes and colors, and of course the peace of mind of shopping from a trusted online source.
Personally, I need peace of mind when ordering anything online. Amazon is established, with an excellent supply of high quality products. Their vendors provide useful tips, and quite a few have a Toppik review on the product listing.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why anyone with thin hair would want to use Toppik. For me, it was the perfect way to feel comfortable out and about, while waiting for results from my hair loss treatment. Now that I have the results, I keep Toppik on hand for an occasional boost in hair thickness.
To me, it’s no different than coloring grey hair, wearing heels, or using makeup. It’s aesthetic improvement, something we do every day in a wide variety of ways. It doesn’t harm the hair and it’s easy to apply and to remove.
When my hair was noticeably thin, I tried a lot of concealing products. Toppik is easily the best of the lot. Just keep in mind that Toppik is not a solution for treating hair loss and the thinner your hair becomes, the less effective Toppik becomes. I’d advise making sure you have a plan to combat thinning hair, and use Toppik to enjoy the appearance of thick hair along the way.
I hope you found this Toppik review useful, and any comments are welcome. Have you used Toppik? Do you plan to and have a question?
Hey thanks for this info. This is what I was looking for. I wanted to know though can I leave this in overnight or would it look all worn out next day? And does it get on pillows and sheets if so?
Thanks!
Hi Jerard,
You could leave it in overnight, and I have in the past. When I used Toppik daily, I would often leave it in overnight when dealing with time constraints. I didn’t like ever trying to get through the entire next day though. After sleeping with it in, it loses it’s natural bind and can become a little clumpy. I would wash it out with the next morning’s shower. Once I started regularly applying minoxidil, I needed any concealer product out of my hair every night.
Yes, it can leave a little dark color on pillow sheets, but only sleeping with it in once in a while is not a big deal.
I hope that answers your question!
JB – Hair for Keeps
Great review about the hair fibers. But that is a bold statement though saying Toppik is the KING of hair fibers! You mentioned that you’ve used hair fibers from other brands before… May I know what they were? I know Caboki is a competition of Toppik as well as Gofybr. Have you tried Gofybr? That one is based on cotton. I ordered Gofybr because it is the most affordable with free shipping to my country and it looks like a legit product. Waiting for the product to arrive and see how it works.. As of now, I am using a cheap hair fiber that I bought from eBay and it was obviously an imitation product because the quality is not that good… It doesn’t seem to really stick to the hair and it smudge easily on the skin, especially on the forehead. It also makes my scalp itch sometimes, so hoping Gofybr will be a better alternative. Toppik is a bit expensive for me so I can’t afford it with my current budget.
Talking about Toppik, when it gets to the forehead, does it not smudge? Will it be easily removed just by wiping it? And does it really stick to the hair? Also, is it necessary to spray our hair after we use the hair fibers? Because there are days I don’t want to use spray and make my hair look as natural as possible. Because when we use sprays, it will make our hair stiff and we can’t mess with our hair afterwards as well..
Hey Danni,
I say King of hair fibers because it’s been around since the beginning, uses a much better, natural source of Keratin, lasts much longer, binds better and looks better in my opinion.
I have used Caboki and quite a few others, but not Gofybr. They all do a decent enough job, but Toppik is ahead of the others for the reason listed. It also lasts a long time which makes up for any extra expense in the long term.
No, Toppik doesn’t smudge, and if applied right (you get the hang of it the more you use it), it should not get on your forehead. In the event that some gets on your skin while applying it though, it wipes off very easily with a damp cloth!
Spraying the Toppik fibers helps them stay in place for a long time, although they bind very nicely without it. The Toppik spray looks a lot more natural than some of those hard holding drug store brands. The stiff hold ones make the hair look kind of shiny and I don’t like that look personally.
I hope the info helps!
Thanks,
JB – HFK
Great article for someone considering Toppik. I like the line: “To me, it’s no different than coloring grey hair, wearing heels, or using makeup.” As always, with hair building fibre products, the question is whether you’re looking for something truly cosmetic. If so, Toppik is perfect. If you want to treat hair loss, however, stopping at a cover up won’t (unfortunately!) cut it in the long run.
Exactly John!! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
HFK