How to choose your Toppik color

The five Toppik shades

Each shade is made to blend with a family of hair colors, and all five come in the Regular 12 g, Economy 27.5 g and Giant 55 g sizes.

• Black: the deepest shade, for black hair.
• Dark Brown: a deep, warm brown, for very dark brown hair and for black hair that looks brown in sunlight.
• Medium Brown: a balanced mid-tone brown.
• Light Brown: the lightest of the browns.
• Gray: for gray and silver hair.

Match the roots, not the ends

Fibers sit close to the scalp, among the roots, so the roots are what they need to match. The ends are often lighter, from years of summer sun, old color or highlights. Match the ends and the fibers will look too light at the scalp.

Check the color in daylight by a window, not under warm indoor lights, which make hair look warmer and lighter than it is. Part the hair where the fibers will go and look at the first centimeter of hair. That is the color to match.

Many people here have black or very dark brown hair, so the first choice is often between Black and Dark Brown. Hair that looks blue-black in daylight usually suits Black; hair that shows a warm brown glint in the sun often suits Dark Brown.

Between two shades, choose the darker

If the roots sit between two shades, choose the darker one. A slightly darker shade reads as depth and shadow, which is how dense hair looks close to the scalp. A shade that is too light catches the light and can look like a dusting on top of the hair rather than part of it.

For a closer match, two shades can be layered: apply the darker one first, then a little of the lighter one over it, and pat them in together. This suits hair with natural variation, and the area where darker roots meet lighter lengths. Our step-by-step guide to applying Toppik covers the rest of the routine.

Gray, salt-and-pepper and colored hair

For hair that is mostly gray or silver, Gray is the shade. Salt-and-pepper hair depends on which color dominates where the fibers go: mostly gray there suits Gray, and mostly dark with some gray suits the darker shade. For an even mix, apply the darker shade first and finish with a little Gray.

For highlights, balayage or ombré, the same rule applies: match the roots, where the fibers sit. For dyed hair, match the color the roots are now. If gray roots are growing out between salon visits and the aim is to blend them with the dyed color, match the dyed color instead.

There is no red or blonde shade in the range. For henna-toned or auburn hair, the brown closest in depth is usually the closest match, and if you are unsure, our team is happy to help you choose.

Men, women and the beard

The rules are the same for men and women; what changes is where the fibers go. Short hair shows the scalp more easily at the crown and hairline, but makes matching simpler, since the roots are close to the color of the whole hair. Longer hair often varies from root to tip, so judge it at the part.

A beard is often a different color from the hair on the head: darker, warmer or with more gray. Match the beard on its own, which may mean a second shade. Toppik fibers can be used on the beard as well as the hairline, part, crown and roots.

Which size to start with

When trying a shade for the first time, start with the Regular 12 g, which lasts about 30 days. Once the shade is right, the Economy 27.5 g lasts about 60 days or more and the Giant 55 g about 120 days or more, in the same five shades.

Once the shade is clear, choose a size: the 12 g is the easiest way to confirm a match, and the larger sizes come in the same five shades.