How to Turn a Wig into a Hair Topper
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Step-by-step guide to turn that not-so-great wig into a hair topper! Perfect for wigs that just aren’t working out—get creative and DIY your own hair piece! For more tutorials, see my Hair Toppers page.
Do you have a wig you might have bought but just couldn’t bring yourself to wear? Maybe you are not ready for them like me? Cutting the wig down could be a solution!
Thinking of trying to cut the base of a wig to make it into a hair topper, but are afraid you might mess it up? Here is how I took one of the wig lovers’ most coveted wigs and turned it into an incredible wig topper!
This post is somewhat long and detailed, so use the Table of Contents to skip around if needed.
Back in 2018, when I first started thinking about wearing hair toppers, I turned to YouTube videos to see if I could find the best wigs and ladies hair pieces that companies had to offer.
Two of the wigs that I found that I really liked were the Carlotta SF and Angelina Mono SF by Belle Madame Wigs.
The problem with these two wigs is that they are made by a company based in the UK. They seem to be random and in very limited supply with wig retailers in the US.
I could not wait for them to be back in stock in the US, so I ordered both of them straight from a UK company called Continental Wigs. (Psst.. in the video I say I bought them in London, I was wrong, it is Lutterworth, which is north of London.)
My favorite of the two wigs was the longer Angelina Mono SF seen above. The Mono is short for a sheer monofilament top. The SF is for super front, super fine welded mono front edge. The sheer top and fine lace front make this beauty almost undetectable on the scalp.
When I got Angelina in the mail, I was so excited. I tried her on and instantly fell in love with her.
The problem is, I still had a lot of my bio hair on the front hairline, and the lace front hairline on this wig just didn’t look right on my forehead. I concluded, I just am not ready for a full wig yet. So, back in the box, it went.
Now fast forward to almost two years later. I am actively wearing hair toppers. I got the idea to cut this amazing wig into a hair topper. I mean, “What the heck?”, it will be a while until I can wear it anyway. I threw caution to the wind and did it!
Oh my, how great she turned out! This wig topper hybrid came out so amazing! So much so, I made a video about it.
First, I would like to address some of the comments about this video.
In my YouTube video on How to Cut a lace Front Wig Down into a Hair Topper and in the tutorial images in this post, I am using the Carlotta wig (you can see it has a lace left part, not a full mono top) to show the sections on the elastic band wefts where you should make the cuts.
Some of you have commented that I did not use the same wig. I promise, was not trying to fool anyone! I was burned at the stake anyway. Trolls suck, lol.
I have cut down hundreds of stock hair pieces during my time as a hair replacement tech cutting and styling men’s and womens hair pieces. However, the construction of wigs it a bit different and not all of them are the same.
I decided to cut the Angelina wig before video taping it. It is a pretty expensive wig, and just like many of you who have concerns and fears of doing this, I wanted to see what would happen. That way I would know how to explain what to do and how not to make a mistake.
After making this video, I wrote this blog post with up-close images and more details to answer all of your questions so you would feel confident cutting down a wig.
With that being said, enjoy this wig topper tutorial!
How To Turn a Lace Front Wig into a Hair Topper
DISCLOSURE: Before you attempt to do anything drastic to a wig. Made in a Day and Wig Revival are not liable for any damages, injury, or loss resulting from any inspiration, ideas, directions, or information gained from this website. See my privacy policy and disclosure page for more info before trying any tutorials on this site.
A WORD OF CAUTION: Be careful not modify a wig that will be too short on the sides or back after you cut the wefts. Measure the wig hair length at the cut marks and base carefully before you cut. If it is shorter than you bio hair then it may not blend in with your hair.
I chose a lace front wig to turn into a topper because the base looks almost exactly like my all-time favorite topper, at the time, the Belle Tress Top Wave. I could tell before I cut the Angelina down to a topper that it would be a close match.
Measure your existing topper to get the correct dimensions for the new piece. If you only have a wig and no previous topper, measure the thin areas of the top of your head.
I put my topper 1 inch behind my hairline and use my bio hair fluffed up in front of it. If you wear your toppers this way, be sure to measure accordingly to accommodate that 1 inch.
Some of you may put your toppers all the way to the hairline, and that’s fine too. Most toppers go just beyond the edge of the crown in the back.
The Belle Tress Top Wave is 6.5 x 6 inches. I cut down my Angelina wig so it was a bit larger, and then tried it on to see how it fit. I then cut it down a weft or two more to fit the top of my head. Better to cut a little than too much at first.
Let’s get started.
Cutting Down a Wig into a Hair Piece
Supplies:
- Wig of your Choice
- Tape Measure
- Sharp fabric or hair-cutting scissors
- Hairpiece clips
- Needle and thread
Instructions:
- Figure out the correct size to cut down the wig by measuring your thinning areas on the top of your head or by comparing it with another hair topper.
- Using sharp scissors, start by cutting the vertical elastic bands (purple bands) right below the weft at the length you measured the topper. If you are worried, go larger for a larger measurement and then cut more off after trying it on.
DO NOT cut through the horizontal wefts of hair, or they will unravel. If you accidentally do this. Use a needle and thread to carefully sew them back together. See below.
IMPORTANT!! READ BEFORE CUTTING
- On the sides where there is solid, heavy fabric, flip the wig over and separate and part the hair where you plan to cut. Do not skip this step and just cut through the fabric, or you will cut through the hair on the other side of the wig you need to use to cover your bio hair.
- Slide the scissors on the parted area between the hairs, against the base, and gently cut through the fabric.
- Trim the lace front on the side corners so they are curved and not pointed.
- If you find there are loose wefts hanging off the fabric on the side temple area after cutting, sew them down to the base, or you can use fabric glue to adhere them to the fabric.
TIP: Wigs can be made of several thick, layered materials. Sharp hair-cutting scissors or fabric scissors work best when cutting them down.
If you accidentally cut through a weft, just take a thin needle and thread and sew it back together.
- Sew 4-6 large hairpiece clips evenly around the piece with a needle and thread. This will help keep the wefts and base sturdy since there will be no outer band to keep it secure.
If you find your wig/topper is too big, just trim it down to the next layer of wefts until you get the right length.
You can see above that when the Angelina Wig (left) is cut down and the clips are added, it looks very similar to the Belle Tress Top Wave hair topper (right). Minus the outer fabric band, of course.
Cutting Down Wigs with Fabric Bases:
You can also cut down regular wigs without mono tops and lace fronts.
Inspect the wig base thoroughly before you start cutting. Make sure when you cut the area away that the length of the hair is going to cover your bio-hair.
How to Make Clip-on Hairpiece Extensions or Clip-on Weft Extensions:
I had a nice big section of the bottom layers of the wig with wefts left over after I cut the Angelina down.
You can add 10-14 clips to this piece and use it as a clip-in hairpiece for the back of your hair. Or if you prefer, you can cut the wefts apart and make clip-in hair extensions as well.
Look how beautiful those beachy waves are. They would make great extensions or maybe cut the wefts apart and then sew them together to make a Halo-type hairpiece. The back part of your wig doesn’t have to go to waste!
I hope I have empowered and inspired you! It is tough to start wearing helper hair. Believe me, I know.
This could be an easy solution, and inexpensive if you already have a wig you aren’t using, to get started with hair toppers! Check out the video above, and if you like what you see, I would love it if you would subscribe to my YouTube channel!
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Do you have a wig you didn’t wear or just didn’t like the color? Join my FB group and sell or trade it with a wig sister! See ya there!
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Thank you so much for providing such a clear and concise instruction for this process. I have pretty severe hair loss since my last child, but I still have much bio hair…too much to wear a wig without boiling over. I have been painting my scalp with eye shadow, sprays and anything brown and matte I can find however, the loss is too much to hide like that anymore. When I started looking at hair toppers, I was so so excited to have found a solution to my problem, until I found how expensive everything is. Then I had no idea where to begin. I have four children and my husband is on disability, so spending $300-$600 on a topper isn’t in my future. I could never justify spending that much on myself when I have little ones that need so much…all the time! Ive let this go for about 5 years now just using the makeups and sprays, but its getting to the point where I freak out when people stand behind me at work, and feel like I am appearing much older than I am. I am more hopeful about finding a wig that is affordable though. It seems like there are many more options in wigs than toppers, and much more of a price variation. Thanks to your instructions and courage, I feel like I can create my own topper as well. Thank you again, for being brave enough to try this in the first place and then for writing such great instructions. Maybe when I find a lace front wig I can wrap my price range around and chop it up I will send a pic of my results!! Thanks so much and much happiness to you 😀
Thank you Annie for the kind words. Try looking in my FB buy-sell trade group for a less expensive gently used topper or wig. There are some lower-priced (synthetic) wig business sellers in there you can look at.
I have been researching the various aspects of wigs and hair toppers for quite some time now. This blog provides a deeper insight on the subject by not only explaining what wigs and toppers are but also mentions the unique tricks to turn lace front wigs into hair toppers with ease. I would highly recommend all my peers to take a look at this blog to understand the subject a lot better.
I I have a wig I love but to much bio hair and cannot wear it. when you cut it down to a topper, do you loose hair from the wig. i am afraid to attempt this. i guess im still not clear. would it be possible to send you a pic? I feel if I cut it, the hair will fall away .
thank you
Hi Marian, Before cutting the back section of the wig off you need to mark where you will be cutting the wefts and then measure the length of the weft/hair on that edge. If the length is shorter than your hair on the back and sides do not cut down the wig. It it will not work. To answer your question, yes, you will loose hair from the bottom part of the wig you cut off. You say you have too much hair to wear the wig. Have you looked online at ways to minimize your hair when prepping your hair for wearing a wig?