I’d been eyeing Highline Wigs for a while. Long enough that it was getting embarrassing, honestly. I’d go to the site, read the specs, close the tab, reopen the tab three days later. You know the drill. Eventually I just bought the thing. So here’s my Highline Wigs hair topper review, fresh first impressions, no sugarcoating.
The short version
- My rating: 4 out of 5, on first impressions
- The piece: Light Lexie Dark Root, silk top base, 7×8, 18-19 inches
- Best bit: the silk top genuinely reads as scalp, and the dark root takes most of the stress out of blending
- Worth knowing: silk tops sit slightly higher than mono tops, so the parting is not as flat
- UK buyers: this ships from the US and I paid £158.20 in import duty before DHL would deliver it. That was 2020 and rates have changed, but budget for something real
- How I paid: my own money. Not gifted, no affiliate link, no discount code
This is my honest first impressions of the Highline Wigs Light Lexie Dark Root hair topper – silk top base, 7×8 size, 18-19 inches in length. I tried to keep the video short. It was almost 20 minutes. I have no self-control when it comes to talking about toppers apparently. Before I ordered, I made sure to measure my hair loss area properly first – if you haven’t done this yet, here’s exactly how to measure your hair loss area for a topper before spending serious money.
About Highline Wigs
Highline Wigs is a well-regarded retailer in the alternative hair space, available through highlinewigs.com. They stock human hair toppers and wigs across a range of styles, base sizes and lengths. Their silk top pieces in particular get talked about a lot in the hair loss community, which is partly why I ended up here.
The Piece I Bought
Style: Light Lexie Dark Root
Base: Silk top
Base size: 7×8
Length: 18-19 inches
The silk top base is the big sell here. It mimics the look of a natural scalp, which matters a lot when you’ve got thinning at the crown. The 7×8 base covers a decent amount of area without going so big it becomes hard to blend. And the length – 18-19 inches – is long enough to actually style but not so long it becomes a whole thing every morning.
How a 7×8 base compares to my other toppers
For context, because base measurements mean very little in the abstract until you line them up: my Uniwigs Claire and my Lusta are both 7×7, the smallest I own. This Highline is a 7×8, the same footprint as my Uniwigs Courtney. My Uniwigs Melanie is the biggest at 8.5×9. So this sits in the middle of my collection – enough coverage for real crown thinning, not so much that you’re fighting to blend the edges into your own hair.
What it actually cost to get it into the UK
Nobody warns you about this bit and I wish someone had warned me, so here it is.
Highline ship to the UK from the US via DHL Express, and the price on the website is not the price you end up paying. The parcel gets held at customs on arrival, DHL email you a demand for import duty and VAT, and you have to pay it before they will release it for delivery.
Mine was £158.20. On top of the price of the topper. I still have the DHL email.
Important caveat on that number: my order was December 2020, and the rules, rates and thresholds have moved since. So treat £158.20 as proof that the charge is real and substantial, not as a quote for what you’ll pay. Work out roughly what yours will be before you order rather than after, and check the current rules on the gov.uk guidance for goods coming into the UK. The charge is calculated on the value of the piece plus shipping, so on something in topper territory it adds up fast.
This isn’t a Highline problem specifically. It’s an importing-alternative-hair problem, and it applies to any brand shipping into the UK from outside it – Highline from the US, Lusta from Australia, and plenty of others. It’s just that almost nobody writing about toppers mentions it, and then it turns up as a surprise bill while you’re waiting excitedly by the door.
First Impressions
Watch the video for the full ramble (and my face when I first put it on). But the short version: the quality is immediately obvious. It doesn’t feel cheap. The hair has movement. The dark root adds depth and makes blending feel much less stressful than a flat color topper would. If color matching is something you struggle with, dark root pieces are genuinely an easier starting point – my post on how to colour match a hair topper explains exactly why.
One thing worth understanding before you buy, because the two terms get used almost interchangeably and they shouldn’t be: a silk top and a mono top are not the same construction. A mono top has the hair knotted straight into a fine mesh, so the knots are faintly visible up close but the hair lies very flat. A silk top adds a layer of silk over those knots to hide them completely, and that layer sits above them, which adds a little height at the base. Neither is better. It’s a trade: silk tops generally read more convincingly as scalp, mono tops generally give you a flatter parting.
Is it perfect? I cover that in the video. But if you’ve been sitting on the fence about Highline the same way I was – hopefully this helps.
Where to Buy
Highline Wigs – direct from their site. Worth checking their current stock as styles and lengths can vary, and factor in UK import charges on top if you’re ordering from here. No discount code – this is a personal purchase, not an affiliate relationship.
FAQ
Are Highline Wigs hair toppers good quality?
Yes. Highline Wigs hair toppers are well-regarded in the hair loss community. The quality is immediately noticeable – the hair has movement, the construction feels solid, and the silk top pieces in particular create a very natural-looking scalp appearance.
How much is customs on a hair topper shipped to the UK?
It depends on the value of the piece plus shipping, so it scales with what you spent. On my own Highline order from the US in December 2020 the DHL import duty and VAT demand came to £158.20, payable before delivery. Rates and thresholds have changed since then, so use that as an indication of scale rather than a quote, and check the current gov.uk guidance before you order.
Do you pay customs on a hair topper shipped to the UK?
Yes, if it is shipping from outside the UK, which most alternative hair does. My Highline order came from the US via DHL Express and was held at customs until I paid the import duty and VAT demanded before delivery. The charge is based on the value of the piece plus shipping, so on something as expensive as a topper it is significant rather than token. Work out the likely cost before you order and check the current gov.uk guidance, since rates and thresholds change.
What is a silk top hair topper?
A silk top hair topper has an additional layer of silk fabric under the monofilament base that hides the knots completely, creating the most natural-looking scalp illusion of any base type. The hair appears to grow directly from the scalp rather than being visible as knots on a mesh.
What is the difference between a silk top and a mono top topper?
A mono top has hair knotted directly into a fine mesh, so the knots are faintly visible up close but the hair lies very flat. A silk top adds a layer of silk over those knots, hiding them completely for a more convincing scalp look, at the cost of a little extra height at the base. Silk tops generally look more natural in photos and close up. Mono tops generally give a flatter parting.
Why choose a dark root hair topper?
A dark root hair topper has a deliberately darker color at the roots that gradually lightens through the length. This mimics how natural hair grows and makes blending with your own hair much easier because the root color can match your darker roots even if the rest of the piece is slightly different.
What size base should I get for a hair topper?
The right base size depends on your hair loss area. You need to measure your thinning area before ordering – the base needs to cover it properly without extending too far past your own hair. A 7×8 base is a good size for moderate to more advanced crown thinning. For comparison across pieces I own, a 7×7 is the smallest, 7×8 sits in the middle, and 8.5×9 covers considerably more.
Is there a Highline Wigs discount code?
There is no Highline Wigs discount code available through this site. Highline is a personal purchase and non-affiliate recommendation.
More Hair Topper Help
- Hair Topper vs Wig: Which One Do You Actually Need?
- How to Measure Your Hair Loss Area for a Hair Topper
- How to Colour Match a Hair Topper or Wig
- The Hair Topper Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To
- Human Hair Topper and Wig Maintenance Routine
- Lusta Hair Topper Review: My Honest Take After 6 Months of Wear
- Uniwigs Claire Mono Hair Topper Review: First Impressions
- Wildflower Hair UK Topper Review
- Androgenic Alopecia in Women: What It Is, What to Expect and What Helps
