Indian hair is considered to be superior to other human hair mainly because it blends well with natural ethnic hair types. Remy and Virgin are words that are most commonly related to Indian hair although these words can be applied to other hair as well. Let's start with Remy.
Remy
"Remy" refers to the cuticle layer of the hair being intact and aligned in one direction. The cuticle is the outer layer of a strand of hair. They are an important factor to consider when buying hair extension. Intact, flat cuticles reflect light which gives the hair its shining appearance. When the cuticles are not aligned, the hair strands snag each other causing tangling. Hair that tangles is more likely to shed and break due to the friction caused by detangling. This greatly reduces the length of time the hair can be used. Pictured is a healthy hair strand with cuticle intact.
Misaligned Cuticles
Virgin Hair
Virgin hair is hair that has not been dyed, texturized or chemically treated in any way. Virgin hair is the highest quality hair because it behaves the most like the hair growing out of our heads. It is important to remember that just because the hair is said to be "virgin" does not automatically mean it is remy. This depends upon the manner of collection. If the hair is cut from a single braid, it is more likely to be sold as virgin because the cuticles are all aligned before donation. This hair can be expensive but is good for those who want to reuse the hair for years. If the hair is shaved off, or collected form what is swept up after donation, the cuticles are almost impossible to align and therefore are sold as human hair in local beauty supply stores.
Human Hair
This type of hair is real hair but the cuticles are not aligned due to the collection process. This hair is dipped in an acid bath to remove the cuticles. Since it is virtually impossible to remove all of the cuticles, A silicone is the applied to smooth the hair and give it a shiny look. This silicone is not permanent and is usually washed out within the first or second wash. Once the silicone is washed out, any remaining cuticles snag and create tangling. Without the silicone to smooth the cuticles, the hair can become impossible to detangle and useless very quickly. Human hair is good for those on a budget and that only need a temporary style.
