WHAT THE HAIR??!

Synthetic Hair vs. Human Hair Blend vs. Virgin Unprocessed Human Hair vs. Virgin Remy Human Hair.

Today’s hair industry is more expansive and competitive than ever before.  With thousands of hair vendors, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and more, now more than ever it is vital that customers are well equipped to make informed choices about which hair to buy.  As the age-old saying goes, “knowledge is power!” This couldn’t be more relevant in our industry and particularly so, for individuals trying to comb through the ginormous amounts of stuff out there that’s in theory meant to help make the hair buying decision making process less complicated.   

Whether you are looking for some basic easy to wear clip-ins, or an everyday realistic enough kinda wig (you know one that’s quality enough to allow you the flexibility to keep your look versatile and that certainly does not look fake or worse feels like steel wool but that also won’t break the bank- you know what I mean?). Or maybe you want to spruce up your look and add some volume with some premium high end quality human hair extensions, or perhaps you are after a protective style for your hair and want to try on some sew-ins, or you just want to feel chic and sleek with your slayed edges in a high ponytail of luscious locks for a night out in town away from the kids. Or better still maybe you just want to buy some hair for the LOLs e.g. to scare the neighbours (jk… low-key not really joking?) or for a costume party, etc…  Or perhaps you are not even sure what you want or what is out there altogether.  

Well, whatever your reason(s) for going on this hair journey, in this blog I will provide you with some key distinctions between different categories of hair commonly sold online and in stores including synthetic hair, human hair blends, virgin unprocessed human hair, and virgin remy human hair. The information shared in today’s blog will hopefully form a small part of the foundational knowledge anyone looking to buy hair should know BEFORE purchasing anything.  And for our more seasoned hair extension, weave-on, wig- wearers, I hope this blog will perhaps help debunk some hair myths or if nothing else serve as an opportunity for you to ask some questions or leave some comments below that we can all learn from.

So first up, what is synthetic hair?

Synthetic hair comprises of fine plastic fibers, carefully curated to look like human hair. In its most basic form, synthetic hair is made from low quality acrylics that when heated can be separated into tiny strands of “hair”-like materials.  This process is rather inexpensive and particularly so now with technological advancements.  This has also given way to the advent of higher quality synthetic hair fibres being produced that now allow for greater durability and flexibility of synthetic hairs.  In today’s market you can now readily purchase synthetic hair brands that to some extent closely mimic human hairs.  And depending on the brand you can even manipulate the synthetic hairs with a curling rod or hot iron.  

The major advantage of using synthetic hair is that it is a great option for an inexpensive hair style.  However, on the downside it is not durable, does not last and tangles easily after only a couple of uses. Also, synthetic hair cannot be chemically processed and even the higher quality synthetic hairs can only withstand heating up to certain temperatures. Other cons of synthetic hair is that owing to its acrylic base and chemical processing involved in its manufacturing, when in contact with certain skin types can become a source of irritation therefor is not recommended for use in individuals with sensitive skin.

Second on the list is human hair blends.  What is human hair blend?

Human hair blend is a mixture of non-Remy human hair (i.e. hair collected from multiple sources that has been processed to remove parts of the cuticle) and synthetic hair.  Given that this hair blend (ie human hair blend) contains some human hair (although still not the best quality human hair), it lasts longer than synthetic hair alone. Human hair blend will look more natural and allows greater flexibility and versatility e.g. it can be washed, styled, curled, etc. That said, the probability of human hair blend tangling after a wash is very high owing to the synthetic hairs mixed in with it. Moreover, this type of hair often sheds and requires frequent brushing. Also noteworthy is that although, human hair blends contain human hair strands, because the human hair is in a non- Remy state and has been chemically processed, the hair is weakened hence the tangling and matting that often result after a couple of uses and any additional chemical processing (e.g. colouring, bleaching etc.).

What is Virgin Unprocessed Human Hair?

Virgin unprocessed human hair does not go through any chemical treatments, perming, or colouring nor does it contain any synthetic hair.  Virgin unprocessed  human hair is much softer and lasts longer than human hair blend. Virgin unprocessed hair can be coloured, bleached, curled, and straightened.

Although virgin unprocessed hair does not undergo any chemical processing, it does not necessarily mean that the hair cuticle is intact- this is very important to note because having intact cuticles prevents hair frizzing and tangling. Some virgin unprocessed hair cuticles are intact, but not all companies sell quality virgin unprocessed human hair.

Also, some vendors will use brush hair (which can comes from multiple donors) as the source of their virgin unprocessed hair. This hair, although by definition is unprocessed human hair, tends to be weaker than virgin Remy hair because the hair itself may not always be healthy particularly when it is coming from multiple donors with no way of guaranteeing how healthy each donor's hair is.  

Finally, what is Virgin Remy Human Hair?

Virgin Remy hair is chemically unprocessed human hair, obtained from a single donor. This is considered the highest quality hair type. Virgin Remy hair has not been altered by chemicals including dyes, bleaches, perms or harsh washes.  Virgin Remy hair tends to last at least 2 years depending on the care taken, and there should be minimal to no tangling with this type of hair.  Virgin Remy Hair is easy to wash and can be coloured, bleached, curled, and straightened as you would your own hair.

So there you have it folks! You and I made it to the end. As always, thank you for your time.  

Until next time...