Human hair is available in a variety of qualities (grades) and the choice can be bewildering if you are new to extensions, your choice of hair will depend on your budget and the length required.
Russian or Virgin hair is the finest hair you can buy, it is extremely smooth and silky and can with the correct care and attention last for up to a year, it is a rare commodity and the price tag reflects this. Russian hair is pure virgin hair, cut straight from a ponytail and is available only in natural colours.
Remy hair is premium young 100% natural human hair, it is root point correct – meaning that all the roots are pointing the same way the same as your own hair does. This makes it look and feel completely natural. It can be of Indian or European origin and your own hair texture should be taken into consideration (European has a finer hair shaft). Remy hair is not stripped of its colour this means the cuticle is intact, making it stronger, silkier and tangle free, true Remy hair is processed to exceedingly high quality control standards for consistency of colour, texture and length. (Also called Indian hair, temple hair, Bohyme hair). Remy hair can be purchased in loose bundles, on a hand tied weft, machine sewn weft and bulk. Remy hair comes in silky straight or wavy (usually referred to as body wave).
Chinese hair is cheaper than Remy hair because it has been processed to match European hair, because of the processing this hair has been subjected to it requires delicate handling and plenty of moisturising conditioner to keep it looking good, it is cheaper than Remy hair and is often available in longer lengths (up to 36” in some instances), it won’t last as long as Remy hair (which can be re-applied several times) but will be adequate for 3 months wear, best for darker colours. Again it comes in bundles, on wefts or bulk.
Yaki hair is human hair that has been processed, it’s usually straight and is primarily used for adding bulk, its texture makes Yaki an excellent choice for Afro Caribbean hair extensions.
I do not use Synthetic hair but to ensure that you have balanced information I have also included an explanation and description of this type of hair.
Synthetic or Fibre hair is cheaper and easier to maintain than human hair, but can look and feel just as good as your own hair providing it is applied and maintained well.
Just like human hair, synthetic also comes in a variety of grades, and whilst some synthetic hair is extremely “real” looking, you also get some that wouldn’t look out of place on a doll head. The best way to tell the difference is how it behaves – good quality synthetic hair should be light, and separate in the wind as natural hair would, you should check to see that reflected light doesn’t make the hair “sparkle” (think of the hair that certain fashion dolls have – not a good look), the hair should have a sheen (flat shine) to it. Synthetic hair reacts best (more realistic) when it is kept clean. Synthetic hair comes in every shade from natural blonde to vibrant blue.
Remember that like everything in life you get what you pay for and this includes hair.