How Amy Armstrong is Redefining Confidence for Women with Hair Loss.

It was the kind of comment no woman wants to hear: “Have you had chemo?” Amy Armstrong had grown used to the whispers, the assumptions, and the well-meaning but cutting questions about her thinning hair. But as a hairdresser, the experience cut even deeper.

Amy has always had fine hair, but in her late teens and early 20s, her crown started to thin. “I felt like I was the only one my age going through this,” she says. “I’d try everything... backcombing, clever colouring, extensions, but nothing really helped.”

Then, a casual chat with her IT guy about online ads introduced Amy to something she’d never heard of, hair toppers. “The moment I saw them, I knew. That was it. Not just for me, for my clients, too.”

From Insecurity to Industry Icon

Amy didn’t launch Gold Hair Collection to go viral. In fact, the early days were slow. “Most people didn’t even know what a topper was,” she recalls. But she knew she was onto something special. Each night, she stayed up researching until midnight, figuring out how to source human hair toppers, customise colours, and bring something to Australia that had never existed here before.

“Synthetic wasn’t an option, I was a hairdresser. It had to look and feel like real hair.”

Over time, she developed her own range; lightweight, breathable, hand-tied pieces that blended seamlessly with clients’ natural hair. Foil blends with soft root shadows. Greys with dimension. Natural brunettes with subtle toning. All designed to reflect what women really wear — not just what factories produce.

The Debbie Effect

Amy’s first client, Debbie, remains one of her most treasured memories. “She had melanoma, scarring alopecia, health issues, and thought there was nothing left for her hair-wise,” Amy shares.

“Debbie was the first person I contacted when I found out about toppers - in fact Debbie got her topper before I got my own!”

After fitting Debbie with a customised topper, everything changed. “She smiled, wanted to be in family photos, felt professional again. Her husband even said she was happier, more confident. It was lifechanging, for her, and for me.”

It was a turning point. “I realised this isn’t about selling hair. It’s about giving women a part of themselves back.”

What Sets Gold Hair Apart

Gold Hair Collection isn’t just a brand. It’s a movement. Amy and her team — all qualified hairdressers, don’t just sell toppers; they offer expert consultations, fittings, custom cuts, colours, and aftercare advice.

Gold Hair Collection is no longer a one-woman mission. Amy is building a national team of passionate professionals to help expand access to toppers and fibres across Australia. The Brisbane salon serves as the flagship, while a growing network of stockists and educators brings expert support into more areas.

Clients can try pieces on, bring a friend, and take photos to compare styles. Even when Amy travels for pop-up fittings around the country, from Brisbane to Tassie to Perth and even regional areas, she makes time to experiment, listen, and educate and give women back the confidence they deserve.

“It’s not just about matching colour — it’s matching confidence. Some women want a piece no one can spot. Others want a full transformation. We help them choose what feels right.”

Real Hair. Real Women. Real Change.

Toppers are not wigs. They’re lighter, cooler, and more breathable, like a quarter wig or a clip-in for the crown. They sit at the balance point of the head, not behind the ears, and can be styled into updos or everyday looks without bulk or discomfort.

“A lot of people hold an outdated misconception they’re obvious or fake,” Amy explains. “But when they’re blended properly, cut in by a professional, and matched to the wearer’s lifestyle — they’re incredibly natural.”

And you don’t need hair loss to wear one. Many of Amy’s clients — including highprofile women and TV personalities — wear toppers for convenience, volume, or to skip the blow-dry.

“You’d be surprised how many women are quietly toppering,” she laughs.

Amy’s Own Tipping Point

Like many of her clients, Amy’s own journey with toppers didn’t start smoothly. “When I first popped one on, I took it off straight away,” she admits. “I was hyper-aware of it. But then I realised—I actually felt so much better with it on than off.”

She wore it quietly at first, unsure if others would notice. “But no one ever did. It was in my head. My family actually found out I was wearing a topper via a Facebook post!”

That moment changed everything. “If I could feel that different with just one clip, imagine how many other women could too?” she says. “That’s when I knew—this wasn’t a trend. This was a lifeline.”

Breaking the Stigma, One Clip at a Time

Amy is proudly open about her own journey. “At first, I was terrified to take my hair off in front of clients. Now, I do it all the time. It helps them feel safe. Like they’re not alone.”

That vulnerability has helped build a community. At pop-ups, women meet others on the same journey. Friendships form. Tears are shed. “It’s a shared experience — and it’s powerful.”

For the Industry: Why Salons Should Pay Attention

Hair loss affects more than 50% of women — and yet it’s still taboo. By offering toppers in salon, stylists can provide practical, non-medical solutions that restore confidence and build deep client loyalty.

“We’re now expanding into salon wholesale and training,” says Amy. “Because this isn’t just about retail. It’s about education. About helping stylists recognise different types of hair loss and know what to offer.”

Sales representative and technical advisor Mel plays a key role in supporting stockists and salons with topper education, — and as a topper wearer herself, she brings lived experience and genuine empathy to every client interaction.

Certified trichologist Sally provides hair fibre training and personalised hair loss advice through her role as a Thickin representative. Thickin — Amy’s sister brand to Gold Hair Collection, offers professional-grade hair fibres that instantly conceal thinning and complement toppers for clients wanting fuller coverage and a seamless blend...

“We’re always looking for like-minded hairdressers and salons to join us,” says Amy. “This is about more than hair — it’s about giving women real solutions and helping them feel like themselves again.”

“There’s no cost to try and no obligation to buy,” she says. “We want women to feel seen, supported, and celebrated — not sold to.”

Up to 50% of women will experience hair loss in their lives. If you aren’t helping your clients navigate the lifestyle change of hair thinning and hair loss, then who is?

As hairdressers we know how we feel when our hair is on point - It’s time to give every single client back that same feeling.

Gold Hair Collection offers trichology-informed support and education— another way salons can build trust with clients who may feel vulnerable or confused about what’s happening to their hair.

The Message Amy Wants Every Woman to Hear

“It’s never about what you wear. It’s how you wear it. And it’s never about how you look — it’s how you feel.”

That’s the heart of Gold Hair Collection — and the reason it’s become a quiet revolution in the hair world.

@gold_hair_collection