Decoding Remy Vs Virgin Hair: What You Need to Know

Virgin Hair Extensions is a term often used when purchasing hair extensions, and most of our customers have no idea what Virgin hair is. Most assume Virgin hair has never been processed, but this is not the case. Although the processing of this hair is minimal, there is processing involved to create perfect color consistency from dye lot to dye lot. But the main difference is the hair is carefully collected from a single donor, ensuring the highest quality and consistency. This means that the hair has not been processed or altered in any way, making it the most natural and pure form of human hair. Our Veila Hair Extensions are made of Virgin hair from a single donor and will give you the most natural human hair extensions with the best color match.

Below is the same color, the lightest blonde, the left (virgin hair) is true to the shade without hues of gold. The color and density are consistent from roots to ends.

What is One Donor Virgin Hair?

Collecting hair from one person (donor) is not a simple task in an industry where kilos of hair are shipped from all over the world. The hair is collected from the donor in the exact direction as it grows and then carefully shipped to factories for processing.  Virgin European hair, sourced primarily from countries like China, India, Vietnam, and Russia, is particularly important for creating numerous amount of blonde tones. Multiple donor hair can not create this consistency since it is collected from people with different pigments in their hair, often from combs, shower drains, and barbershop floors. Virgin hair is impervious to matting and tangling unlike hair extensions purchased from online vendors coated with silicone. Once the silicone washes out while wearing then the matting begins.

How Are Virgin Hair Extensions Colored?

Decolorizing virgin hair is a slow process, no acid baths! An acid bath is just like it sounds hair is placed in a vat full of acid which quickly strips the color and the cuticle from the hair and then hair color is added along with so much silicone that makes the hair smell like Barbie doll hair! Virgin Hair Decolorization takes approximately 2 weeks to 1 month, hair is placed in a solution similar to Coke a cola (even less caustic), and once the color is removed the colorization process is ready to begin. This ensures the cuticle of the hair is intact and ready for an amazing customer experience.

Should You Color Virgin Hair Extensions?

The short answer is "no," because many confuse coloring hair with bleaching (stripping) hair. Stripping hair with bleach will destroy most hair extensions.  

It is best to match your hair with hair extensions, since there is so much variety of color and color transitions, matching should be easy. In some cases, using a semi-permanent hair dye is okay to tone blonde extensions or slightly darken lighter (not blonde) hair extensions to a deeper shade

What Are Remy Hair Extensions?

Remy hair means the cuticles of the hair are aligned in the same direction but can be taken from multiple donors. Remy hair is of high quality, specifically the highest quality of human hair, as it is the most natural-looking and the most durable. However, it may not have consistent color and may not last as long as Virgin hair in terms of hair quality. When purchasing Virgin hair, you will feel its soft and supple quality, which may not be as noticeable in Remy hair. If you compare the two in person, you will see the difference and the experience for your customer will be one of delight. Virgin hair feels healthy and resilient, making it a superior type of human hair for hair extensions. Virgin hair is cut from a single donor, ensuring that the cuticles remain intact and aligned in the same direction from root to tip. This results in a more natural and long-lasting extension. Since many methods of hair extensions are reusable, investing in Virgin hair at an affordable price is well worth it.

Is There A Weight Difference Between Remy and Virgin Hair?

No, if you purchase by the gram or ounce the weight is the same. Although Virgin hair has more strands of finer hair it may appear that you are purchasing more hair.

What is the Price Difference between Remy and Virgin Hair?

There is a price difference between Remy and Virgin hair which may vary from salon to salon. You should expect to pay between 10 to 20 percent more for Virgin hair. In my opinion, this is a small price to pay for the benefit you receive when purchasing Virgin hair, mainly because it looks nicer, the color is consistent and it lasts longer.

What Is Most Important When Selecting Virgin Hair?

Over my 25-year tenure, the most important reason to select Virgin hair is when your hair is light; between dark blonde to lightest blonde. Many darker colors certainly look better in virgin hair (color & quality), but Remy hair can work well with darker colors from black to medium brown. Every strand of Remy hair is a bit thicker than Virgin hair and may match well with darker hair which may also be naturally thick. However, when it comes to overall quality and longevity, virgin hair is often considered the best option for its natural, unprocessed state.

How To Know If You Are Getting Virgin Hair?

The best answer is to ask your stylist that you trust with a great reputation. You can also ask if they have hair in stock to show you the difference. Only experienced salon stylists can look through hair extensions of natural hair and tell the difference due to the many hours they spend with hair extensions. Additionally, if you are looking for a human hair wig, make sure to ask for virgin hair or synthetic wigs. Synthetic wigs are a more affordable option and are made from man-made fibers. However, if you want the highest quality and most natural-looking wig, make sure to ask for virgin hair wigs. These wigs are made from real human hair that has not been chemically processed or altered in any way. So, when shopping for a human hair wig, make sure to ask for virgin hair or synthetic wigs to ensure you are getting the top spot in terms of quality.

Russian Slavic Hair

Russian hair extensions are known as the gold standard in hair extensions. Our ethically sourced Slavic hair is supple, long-lasting, and durable. The hair undergoes gentle chemical processing to achieve an array of hair colors, and textures. Veila Hair takes pride in stocking reusable hair extensions that will last over one year with proper care. The hair industry has many inferior hair quality options, with the cuticles arranged in different directions. Albeit, this is real hair, it is not a great option since this hair type will matte quickly and be impossible to brush. Don't be surprised if you find that synthetic hair is mixed into the hair extensions from the hair factory to cut back on hair costs.

Hair Extensions remy vs. virgin hair

The method of applying hair extensions counts. Sourcing hair extensions from the likes of Bellami hair with tape-in extensions might get you close to the natural look you are after. Tape-in hair extensions or clip-in hair extensions can leave you with tension on the scalp, and when dealing with rapid hair growth the maintenance required can take longer and can damage your natural hair. At Noelle Salon, we work with your natural hair journey, look at the maintenance and the styling you are looking for with either 100% Remy human hair or Virgin human hair. If you are looking for full head coverage and over 24 inches of hair extensions, both types of hair extensions will work, but for comfort and ease of maintenance, the pull-thru method with silicon-covered microbeads are what Veila Hair Extensions will deliver amazing results in a variety of styles you are looking for.

I hope this information helps you to understand the differences and origins between Remy vs. Virgin hair. I would like to hear from you, your opinion counts!