Remy Hair 101 – What You Need to Know

If you’ve decided that you would like to give hair extensions a try, you probably have a few questions about what you can expect. Of the many questions that women ask stylists about hair extensions, there is one question that crops up quite often: What is Remy hair?

To begin with, you’ve probably heard that Remy hair is what you should be choosing for your extensions but what does this mean exactly?

When is Hair Considered Remy?

According to Emilly Hadrill Hair Extensions, here are the criteria that hair needs to meet in order for it to be considered Remy.

• Remy hair is human hair. When hair is labelled as Remy, it means that it is only made from real human hair, not a combination of human and synthetic hair.

• Remy and Virgin hair are not one and the same. Many people make the mistake of thinking that Remy and Virgin hair is the same thing. Virgin extensions are made with hair that hasn’t been processed or touched by chemicals but Virgin extensions aren’t necessarily Remy. The opposite applies too though, hair can be Remy and not be Virgin hair. Choosing Remy hair is far more important than having Virgin hair. In fact, most Remy hair extensions will need to be dyed to match your natural hair colour.

• Remy refers to the way the hair is collected and treated. Remy hair comes from one donor and consists of the full length of the strands. The cuticles of the hair will all run in the same direction and will remain intact. Depending on how extensions are treated, the cuticles can end up flowing in opposite directions, which is how Remy hair is different. When hair appears too shiny, it could be an indication that the extensions are not 100% Remy. Synthetic hair usually receives a shine coating, which is why it’s more susceptible to damage from heat styling.

• Remy hair is much easier to manage. Many people are put off by the fact that Remy hair is slightly more costly than combination and synthetic hair but there are downsides to saving a few dollars. When hair is not Remy, it’s much easier for your extensions to matt and knots because the cuticles run in different directions and the strands have different lengths. When the hair all runs in the same direction, it becomes much easier to manage your extensions.

At the end of the day, if you want to achieve longer hair that looks and feels natural and is as easy to manage as your real hair, Remy extensions are a much better choice. Cheaper hair extensions may seem appealing now but once they become harder to manage and start looking more like extensions than natural hair, you will quickly realise how beneficial it is to invest in Remy hair instead.

Speak to a reputable salon or hair extension technician when shopping for hair extensions to receive professional advice on colour and length.