There’s a specific kind of horror that comes from pulling a matted, crispy, completely destroyed hair topper out of a bag and realising you did that. I did that. Once. Never again. And that is exactly why I got religious about learning how to deep condition hair toppers and wigs properly.
After that incident I got very serious about it, and I filmed a video showing exactly how I deep condition hair toppers and wigs, because a lot of people in the alt hair community are either over-conditioning (yes that’s a thing), under-conditioning, or using the wrong products entirely on their human hair pieces.
Why you need to deep condition hair toppers and wigs regularly
Your bio hair gets moisture from your scalp’s sebum. Constant, automatic, built-in. Your hair toppers and wigs get nothing. Zero. They’re completely cut off from any natural oil source the moment they’re made. Which means if you’re not actively putting moisture back into them, they dry out, go brittle, and eventually break.
Add heat styling on top of that, or hard water if you’re in the UK (and if you’re in London, congrats, you have some of the hardest water in the country), and the drying-out process accelerates considerably. Deep conditioning is genuinely the single most impactful thing you can do for the longevity of your pieces.
What I Used in the Video
I used the Bumble & Bumble Hairdressers Invisible Oil Mask as the base, mixed with a few drops of Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Hair Oil stirred through. The mask is thick and moisturising without being heavy or leaving a greasy residue. The oil adds slip and extra conditioning. Together they’re really good on processed or dry human hair.
I apply it to clean, damp hair (post-wash, not sopping wet), work it through from mid-lengths to ends, avoiding the base and any wefting if possible, and then leave it for anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours depending on how much time I have. The longer the better, honestly. Then rinse thoroughly with cool water.
A Few Things Worth Knowing When You Deep Condition Hair Toppers and Wigs
Don’t put a deep conditioning mask directly on the base of your topper, especially if it’s a mono top or silk top. You want to keep moisture away from the knots and the base material where possible. Work it into the hair itself.
Rinse with cool or cold water rather than hot. Hot water opens the cuticle and can cause frizz and tangling on already-processed hair. Cool water closes the cuticle and leaves the hair looking smoother.
And don’t do this too often. Once every 3-4 washes is plenty for most pieces. Over-conditioning is a thing. If your hair starts feeling limp, heavy, or unusually soft in a weird way, ease off on the conditioning treatments for a bit.
If you have any mask or treatment recommendations that have worked for your pieces, let me know in the comments. I’m always looking for things to try.
More on caring for your alternative hair
Deep conditioning is one piece of the puzzle. These cover the rest:
- Human Hair Topper and Wig Maintenance Routine: Complete Care Guide – the full routine, washing to storage
- The Hair Topper Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To – includes the storage mistakes that cost me a piece I loved
- Why Your Hair Topper Keeps Sliding (And What Actually Fixes It) – for the daily wear side of things
- How to Measure Your Hair Loss Area for a Hair Topper – if you’re still shopping for your next piece
- I’ve Been Wearing Alternative Hair for Years. Here’s What I’d Tell Myself at the Start.
