Lace Top, French Top, and Voluminous Skin Top Wigs: Understanding the Differences

by Kat Rendon August 28, 2025

The world of wig buying is filled with words that may be unfamiliar to you. Sometimes, searching for a simple explanation of these terms can be frustrating. Instead of a straightforward answer, companies try to sell you something by giving you a vague idea of what a term means, leaving you confused and discouraged. Many people shopping for a wig today, especially first-time buyers, just want simple, honest answers.

At Daniel Alain, we provide an array of products for anyone dealing with hair loss, including alopecia. Importantly, one of those products is premium human hair wigs, made with ethically sourced European human hair rather than synthetic fiber, and they are worn over your own bio hair rather than in place of it.

All wigs have tops that the hair is attached to. There are different types of materials used for these tops. Depending on which material is used, a wig can have a more authentic look or have different styling capabilities or limitations. Understanding these differences ahead of time can help you weigh the benefits of each option before you buy.

In this guide, we're going to focus on three different types of tops. We'll compare these three types of tops and break down the key differences between lace top wigs, voluminous skin top wigs, and French top wigs. We'll mention which of our wigs features each top as a point of reference.

What is a lace top on a wig?

A lace top is a top made of lace. It has return hairs, which are like baby hairs, to achieve maximum volume at the root. Its transparency allows for your natural skin tone or hair underneath to be visible. A lace top is not the same as a lace front, which is a strip of lace along the front of the wig, 5 to 7 inches across depending on the collection, that creates a natural hairline.

What is a lace top made of?

lace top

Lace tops are made from lace and another material, such as spandex. The lace that we use at Daniel Alain is a fine and delicate Swiss lace, and despite its minuscule holes it is durable and strong.

How does a lace top wig feel and look?

The lightweight construction of a lace top wig allows for better breathability and may reduce warmth on the scalp. When the hair is parted, you can see that the top is made of lace, which does not mimic the look of a real scalp. If the lace is noticeably lighter or darker than your skin tone, the difference can be more apparent around the parting when viewed up close. For more information, read our How to Make a Lace Top Wig Look More Natural article.

Which Daniel Alain wigs have a lace top?

A lace top is found on the Pixie and René collections. Both are finished with a realistic hairline for a natural transition at the front.

What is a voluminous skin top On a Wig?

A voluminous skin top mimics the look of a scalp. It has return hairs to add volume to the root. The volume can be smoothed when styling but naturally will provide more lift and volume at the root.

What is a voluminous skin top made of?

skin top

At Daniel Alain, a voluminous skin top is made by sewing a layer of lace to a layer of monofilament. Monofilament is a meshy, thin fabric. The monofilament is the top layer, and the lace sits directly on the scalp. This combination accounts for the lift at the root.

A voluminous skin top is more expensive than a lace top wig because of the additional material, labor, and craftsmanship.

How does a voluminous skin top wig feel and look?

When the hair is parted, the skin top mimics the look of a natural scalp and natural hair growth, creating a realistic-looking part. The construction can also make the hair appear fuller and more voluminous at the top. The material is soft against the scalp, although it may feel slightly less breathable than a lace top wig.

Which Daniel Alain wigs have a voluminous skin top?

The Style and Gripper collections have a voluminous skin top. The Gripper Lite and Gripper Actif collections also feature a glueless cap design with a medical-grade silicone perimeter, so it stays securely in place without adhesive. The silicone perimeter offers maximum breathability and scalp comfort, and it stays gentle on sensitive scalps.

What’s a French top on a wig?

Just like a voluminous skin top, a French top provides a scalp-like illusion. It also has a monofilament layer. It has a sleeker and smoother finish near the root of the hair. A French top involves a similar level of labor, craftsmanship, and additional materials as a voluminous skin top, so the top itself is not what sets the price. Prices vary across our French top collections because the hair grade varies.

How does a French top compare to a voluminous skin top?

Unlike the voluminous skin top, a French top does not provide volume. The way the hair is tied to the top of the wig is different and produces this sleeker look.

Which Daniel Alain wigs have a French top?

The Grandeur and Chic collections feature a French top.

Which wig top is right for you?

A lace top may be right for you if you want….

Maximum volume
A more budget-friendly option

A voluminous skin top may be right for you if you want…

A more realistic-looking scalp
Maximum styling versatility
More volume and lift at the root

A French top may be right for you if you want…

A more realistic-looking scalp
Maximum styling versatility
An overall sleeker, smoother look

Choosing between these tops is part of the journey toward finding your perfect wig, and it's a personal decision you don't have to make alone. Whichever top you choose, the day-to-day experience should feel easy while giving you the natural look you want. A professional stylist can trim length or cut bangs so the finish is a perfect match for your own hair.

A quality cap should also create a seamless fit. When you're not wearing it, store it on a stand away from direct heat or sunlight to help it last.

Now you know the differences between a lace, voluminous skin, and French top and how these different tops impact the cost and functionality of a wig. You have more information to make an informed purchase. Learning about the various terms used in the wig buying world will make you more comfortable and familiar with important factors to consider when choosing a wig.

It can be overwhelming to decide what you’d like on a wig. With so many options, you may be unsure where to start. Here at Daniel Alain, we know that asking questions and getting answers can make the unfamiliar territory more familiar. If you’re ready to learn more about what wigs we offer and take one step closer to your best self, schedule a consultation to learn more about which wig may be right for your needs.

Curly Hair wig LOVE IT

I think I have found my perfect wig. I have had many Follea wigs and loved them all but this is on another level. It’s a bit more work to get the perfect curls however it is worth it for sure!! JUST LOVE IT!!

Also thank you Carmen West for always being my support.

Thank you so much for your kind review, and we're delighted to hear you love your Curl Wig! Carmen will be thrilled to know she could support you. We appreciate your trust and look forward to serving you again.

Perfect kit

Perfect kit for someone starting out!

I had an amazing experience!

I had an amazing experience! Ashley was incredibly helpful! Love my new piece!

Hi Brittany! Thank you so much for your kind review. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We’re delighted to hear that you had such a lovely visit and that our FOLLEA Expert, Ashley was able to provide with exceptional service. We hope you continue to love your new FOLLEA Style wig, and we’re always here if you need anything in the future!

Amazing Company

I recently lost my hair in a horse accident, but Daniel Alain was quick to help me out. I bought 3 toppers and I love all of them. They suit me extremely well, and I will forever be grateful. Thank you very much.

Hi Samantha! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. We're truly honored to be part of your hair journey and so happy to hear that you love your Follea by Daniel Alain hair toppers. Knowing they help you feel confident and comfortable means everything to us. Thank you for trusting Daniel Alain!

Ashley is wonderful!

Very impressed with the quality of service and quality of the hair piece!! Five stars!! Don’t waste time anywhere else.

Hello Jessica,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Ashley. We strive to be apart of every step of your journey, to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Love, The Daniel Alain Team

Unbelievable Experience

I was new to alternative hair and hit my rock bottom and realized I couldn’t put off a wig any longer. Ashley is absolutely incredible. She’s patient, knowledgeable, and so accommodating. She knew how vulnerable I felt and allowed me to take my time and get a piece I would be happiest with.

I am so grateful for this experience and I’m glad I found follea before being too traumatized elsewhere!

Truly, stop looking and buy the wig.

Dear Jenna,
Thank you so much for sharing your consultation experience with Ashley. It brings us so much joy to know she was able to help you find a piece that is best for you. We strive to help women feel comfortable and confident during there hair journey.

Xoxo, The Daniel Alain Team

Very helpful

We’ve been seeing a lot of hair loss in our clients due to Covid. Intact has helped to significantly reduce the shed! Our clients love it and so does the salon plumbing!

Fear to FABULOUS!!

Ladies, if you’re asking yourself…”why is this so expensive in comparison to other options?”…don’t and take the plunge. You will know why INSTANTLY when you open it up! This purchase is for YOU to gain your confidence back, to feel pretty and to walk with pride so it’s worth it! We all spend so much on nothing, our kids, stupid things…We are worth investing in ourselves! I’m a first time buyer of a wig and I’m 51 yo. No current cancer or no chemo, just ruined my hair with extensions for many years. I experienced so much denial, fear, and much sadness but…Janet, what an angel…walked me through it, didn’t pressure me and was so incredibly patient with answering all my questions…she made me come to the realization how bad extensions are on your hair and if I’m going to try and see if I can regrow my hair, I need to take the extensions out, allow my head and follicles to breath naturally….all sounds like a good idea right? It was hard for me to realize this and knowing that I’d have to rely solely on a wig now at 51yo! But! As I mentioned above, it is worth it and I feel fabulous! It is so natural looking, it moves with you, it’s comfortable, and not crazy hot! You can style it however you want! I never write reviews but felt this was probably the most important one I could ever write in an effort to help someone else either like me who was afraid of needing a wig, or someone who is simply considering a new one from this company. And most of all, you are never alone through this journey. Janet is reachable and so helpful even after you receive it! I’m on the other side of the country from California and we went on this journey all via zoom and FaceTime! I’d you’re considering this, do it! They also graciously give you 7 days to decide, just keep it intact and no modifications and send it back for your money back or exchange! I didn’t mention that I purchased the “style” model and am extremely happy with it. I’ve only had it a week but wow, I’m me again and in minutes flat, I’m ready to go and look like I stepped out of the salon! If you’ve read this all, I wish you luck and congratulations on getting a new you…a gorgeous you, full of confidence!🤗

Dear Tara,

Your review closely touch all of our hearts and we can hope it does the same for others. We are pleased to know Janet was and is able to help you on your journey. Janet is a valuable asset here at Daniel Alain and to all the people she helps. Your kind words and review are the reason we strive to offer the absolute best quality human hair wigs and toppers. We are honored to be apart of your journey and re-gained self confidence.

Thank you for sharing your vulnerable and inspiring experience.

We would love to invite you to join our #FolleaFriend community on Instagram, Where you can share, learn and grow with other amazing Follea friends.

With Love, The Daniel Alain Team.

amazing customer service

I cant say enough good things about the customer service I received from Janet. I was nervous cause it was my first time ordering from you on top of that I was getting a custom color, not only was the color spot on, but Janet was sooo patient walking me thru the process
I never felt rushed or hurried to make a decision, honestly she was a dream to work with. Now I'm thinking about the next one I'm going to get;)

Dear Kelly,

Thank you so much for your kind and supportive words. We are glad to know Janet was able to be such a helpful and supportive part of your wig journey. Janet will always be glad to help with any and all questions and concerns you have.

We want to personally invite you to be apart of our @Follea Instagram community where you can Learn, Share, and Grow with other Follea Friends.

Thank you again!
With Love, The Daniel Alain Team

This is a great wig!

I absolutely love this wig and I wear it with tons of confidence! I purchased my Daniel Alain Follea Style wig on 12/24/20 and it still looks great! I wear wigs regularly due to hair loss and own other good quality wigs but once purchasing this one it has become my favorite wig and I have been wearing it about 5 days a week for over a year and a half. I wash and style it about once a week, use the best hair products available, style it with a T3 curling iron and even had it colored. I admit it is easier to style when on a stand but I have become pretty good at it and have not damaged it one bit, it still looks heathy and so soft. I wear it up, down, braided and even a pony tail, I do have to be a little creative when wearing it up but basically you can do with it whatever you would if it were your own natural hair.
I still love it so much and there is plenty of wear left but I thought it was time for a change and get a new one. When I went on line to look at styles again I realized I never reviewed it and that is why I am reviewing it now. Oh I almost forgot to mention how light and comfortable it is. I have worn it up to 18 hours, slept in it and even wear it on the beach without it feeling hot and sweaty, it really does not feel like you are wearing a wig. If you are on the fence about purchasing a Daniel Alain wig I can tell you it is a very good quality wig and you won't be sorry. Here are a few pics of me styling it and wearing it in different styles, the one of me in blue was last week and about 2 months after coloring it.

Simply the Best

I get so many compliments on this wig. The Cappuccino color is so beautiful! I feel so confident when I wear her. I’ve worn so many of the years and I finally feel like I’ve found the one.

Dear Stacy,

We couldn't be happier to hear how beautiful and confident you feel in your new Follea! It warms our hearts to be apart, and a positive affect during your hair loss journey.

We invite you to join our @Follea community on Instagram, to learn best practices for your new Follea. Thank you so much!

XOXO, The Daniel Alain Team

Beautiful wigs and the best customer service!!

Dear, Ruth
Thank you so much for your kind words! We take comfort in knowing you were pleased with the help and assistance you received during this process.
Xoxo, The Daniel Alain Team

Easy Beauty!

My Follea Style (6-11) is in all honesty the most comfortable wig I've ever worn - and I hate anything on my head! This wig just... goes where it's supposed to, no pulling it this way or that, no realizing your doggone wig is crooked.. AFTER you walk in to work. This success is in no small part to the Fit Kit I was sent to make sure of my size. 😊

Also, to say the hair is beautiful gives beauty a bad name. The hair is stunning. (I wear color Latte.) My consultant, Ashley, virtually took my hand to guide me through the process of buying my wig. Her help was and still is invaluable.

My hairdresser is very comfortable styling wigs. She created just the right "style" for my Style. That said, even straight from the box, Follea rocks!

Reading your Follea experience warms our hearts, our goal and mission is to help women all over the world feel beautiful, confident and like their best self. Ashley is an amazing and knowlegable guide, that will continue to be with you on your hair journey!

We invite you to join our @Follea community on Instagram, to learn best practices for your new Follea.

Thank you very much!

Love,

Daniel Alain Team

Wig #6

The ready to wear wig I received from Daniel Alain is beautiful. The packaging was so respectful of the wig. So impressed. I called with questions before purchasing and the staff was very kind and respectful as Loosing my hair was so unexpected and stressful. Thank you for wonderful customer service and a beautiful wig. So many compliments on how it makes me look. Thank you.

We are honored and so glad to hear you had a pleasant experience! Thank you or trusting us to help you during your hair-loss journey.

Follea René

Ive had my follea Rene, 12 inch in the color Vienna, for almost a week and I love it more every day. I feel like a new woman, so confident and beautiful again. This wig has given me a bounce in my step again. It’s so soft, silky, doesn’t matte like my other wigs and feels like it is coming right out of my own head. Cynthia at follea did a virtual visit explaining everything, answering all my questions and sent me samples of wig caps and color swatches to try on. The process was stress free and exciting. Will definitely purchase another follea for sure.

Hi Nikki,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write this review for us. We are so glad to know that you are loving our René wig and more importantly, feeling like confident and beautiful again! Please tag us #danielalain in any photos we'd love to share your amazing look on our website and/or social media platforms.

Style 10 Inch Color 5005 Macchiato (comes with a soft rooting)

This is my first wig but not my first attempt with alternative hair. Its been a journey and one I knew I wanted to take with Follea. I was not wrong. The hair is silky soft and beautifully shiny. The staff is great and wonderful to work with. Their online consultation process is just what I needed. I received sample caps to try on to determine which size is the right size for me. I received color swatches as well to make the color selection process was a breeze. It does make a difference to see to the colors in person, dont be afraid to ask for color swatches. To see them against the light or while your home is worth it. All this happened after the online consultation, which was simple and fun. The rep provided samples of everything, explained the differences with each one. This helped me make a decision on what was right for me. Getting the samples of the wig caps and color swatches was a fun part of the experience but it also made me feel good about my decisions. I often worry about getting the wrong size and color. Once I was set ( and yes I changed my mind a bit) we went forward with the order. After I received my wig and cut the lace, the team was still there to help me with any questions I had.

Overall a great online purchasing experience. Once I received my Follea, I instantly knew this was it for me. I loved it and I was confident to wear it out.

Feeling Myself and Happy with a beautiful Follea Style, 10", Irish Cream

There are no words to fully express how grateful I am for finding Follea and meeting Janet. Her kindness combined with a professional, yet so gentle, advice helped me to find my beautiful natural looking European hair. Janet patiently showed me different styles and sizes (my head is so small!). She has never pushed me to anything. Only offered support and help on the way to my decision, and eventually ordered (incredibly urgently) the right size. I wish all patients to meet someone like Janet on their way! Before I found Follea, I faced a few horrible pushy people who wanted to make money of my sensitive, fragile situation of suddenly losing hair.
Today, I can face the Universe with a smile, again. I am back to work and normal life, interacting with people, attending important business meetings. Letting my health recover in calm confident state.
Thank You to Follea and Janet. May the Blessing and Kindness come back to You Multiplied Million Times.
I am already thinking of ordering a second Follea Style (bit longer this time). Every girl needs a special occasion HAIR! I have found mine.

Looooove me some FOLLEA!!!

Girl I love my new wig!!!!!! I feel like Beyoncé wearing it, you can’t even tell that it’s a wig! My confidence is an all new high and I feel fierce. Thanks to Janet for making my hair dreams come true. Xoxoxo

Follea's Petite

Recently, I bought the Petite in Chai Latte blonde with a natural-looking darker root and customized my piece by adding a few wispy bangs. If you are like me and try to stretch the length of time between washes to prevent an itchy scalp and breakage, this little priceless gem is a quick four clips away from a good hair day.

Great Customer Services

Great customer services! Received in a timely manner. Very happy with my topper, especially after I trimmed bangs and length to fix my own hair.

Hello Diane,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write this review for us. We are very happy to receive your feedback. Please tag us #danielalain in any photos we'd love to share your amazing look on our website and/or social media platforms.
Feel free to contact us at 1.949.706.9880 or reviews@danielalain.com.