Hair Quality MODULE 2 HAIR GRADES, TEXTURES AND QUALITY

Overall

There are a large variety of hair extensions available

on the market.

Extension hair can vary from synthetic to virgin

human hair with a lot of stages in-between

It is crucial that you have an excellent

understanding of the different qualities of hair so

that you can provide your clients with the most

suitable type for their hair.

Synthetic Hair

Man made fiber that mimics human hair that is made in a variety of colours and textures

Synthetic hair does burn when heated to high and often can become quite frizzy after washing.

It is most commonly used in cheaper wigs, dreadlock extensions, ponytails etc

Not Suitable for everyday extension wear

Synthetic hair will look and feel a bit plasticky

When heat is applied the hair will melt together

Cheaper hair extensions can use a mixture of synthetic hair and low grade human hair, if a client tells you that they burned some of their extension hair, then you know its partially synthetic

Real Human Hair Structure

In order to understand why there are so many different types of human hair extensions available, it helps to start with an understanding of the structure of natural human hair.

The structure of human hair is made up of a number of layers. The outer layer, called the ‘cuticle’ is a formation of overlapping scales, with their free edges pointing downwards towards the tip of the hair strand. When viewed under a microscope the cuticle scales have an appearance similar to the tiles on a roof with each one lying on top of the other.

The purpose of the cuticle is to lock in essential moisture and to protect the hair against outside elements. It also gives hair its characteristic appearance. Hair without a cuticle would appear dull and lifeless, and would dry out and become brittle.

A healthy cuticle has smooth, flat scales, which reflect the light, making the hair look shiny and feel silky. Damaged hair has raised cuticle scales, making the hair’s surface feel rough and the hair will look dull and lack sheen.

Hair Cuticles

Damaged Cuticle Healthy Cuticle

Remy vs Non Remy Hair

Remy Hair refers to the

cuticle direction of the

hair. It means that all the

cuticles are aligned and

running in the same

direction

95% of hair on the

marketplace is NON

Remy Hair disguised as

Remy hair

Human Hair

Real hair is Asian, Oriental, or European hair

collected from India, China or European countries

It is gathered as fallen or brushed, gathered

together and then sold to hair factories that prepare

them for use in extensions, wigs or toupees

Real hair can also be donated at religious temples

and then sold to hair factories

Once the hair arrives at the factory it goes through

processing. This process varies from factory to

factory and can have a large impact on the quality

of the final product

Processed vs Virgin Hair

Real hair is available as processed hair or virgin hair

Virgin Hair is not chemically treated, therefore only comes in natural colour

Indian Virgin hair only comes in black, soft black and dark brown

European Virgin Hair typically comes in a light chestnut brown colour

Often see grey hairs

Can come in many different textures

Silky straight, soft wave, deep wave curly etc.

Processed Hair

Processed hair can come in a large variety of colours and textures

Processed hair is either dyed or permed

The first step in processing is cleaning the hair. This involves using a mild caustic soda

The second step is to lighten or perm the hair to the desired color level and/or texture required

The final step is tipping/wefting or sewing the extension hair into the desired type of extension

Eg. Fusion, Wefthair, Nano-tip hair

There are variations in the above steps that can cause lower quality hair or higher quality hair which we will cover next

Processed Remy vs Non Remy

Most hair is in fact non remy hair. Many cheaper suppliers (and cheap hair) actually strip the cuticle from the hair. The hair is put in an acid bath that completely dissolves the cuticle. The company then coats the hair in layers of silicone to make it appear soft

and shiny again

This hair will look and feel healthy but after a couple weeks of wear the silicone will be washed away leaving the dry, damaged hair apparent.

If you have ever worn extensions that feel great at first but then all of a sudden get extremely dry and tangle then you have fallen victim to this type of hair.

Processed Remy vs Non Remy

Actual Remy hair is available but their can be a large difference in the quality depending on how the hair is processed after collected.

Some companies will flash bleach the extension hair, taking it from black to platinum blonde in a couple hours. This results in damaged cuticles.

Other high quality companies dye the hair over a 2 week period, using the latest organic or cold water dye technology to ensure that there is absolutely no damage done to the cuticle.

So Remy hair can have anywhere from 10% of the cuticle left after processing to 100% (the best)

How do you tell?

There are many different grading systems out there, the hardest thing is that there is no governing body that regulates the grading. Making the grades completely meaningless.

There are some helpful hints to look for in choosing high quality hair

Does the company have a good reputation

Do they tell you the % of cuticle on the hair

How long do they say the hair will last?

True Remy hair with all its cuticles will last for a year or longer

Non Remy hair will only last for 1-4 months

Companies often refer to 100% cuticle hair as “Virgin Hair”

The Biggest Test of all…

Wear the hair!

Actually trying and wearing different brands of hair

will give you a good understanding of hair quality.

If you are personally wearing the hair quality you are

offering to your client, the client will be able to see

how the hair actually looks and feels and will make

them feel more confident.

Cheap Hair Extensions

Many hair extensions salons and technicians use lower quality hair because it is cheaper, and it allows them to offer hair extensions at relatively low prices to attract customers. However, the truth is that cheap hair extensions are a false economy, since not only do they lack quality but they simply do not last. At best they are only suitable for temporary clip-in hair extensions. They are certainly not suitable for permanent hair extensions, since the quality of the hair deteriorates so rapidly and needs replacing regularly.

It is important to be aware of hair extensions advertised at seemingly low prices, because without question the hair used will be of low quality. This is fine so long as you are not concerned with the longevity and condition of your hair extensions.

Many salons and technicians claim to use ‘the highest quality human hair at a fraction of the price’. However, the cost of human hair varies for a reason, and fundamentally you do get what you pay for. The best quality human hair is expensive but is well worth the investment as it looks and feels real, it is incredibly soft and beautiful, it lasts so much longer and therefore can be reused for multiple reapplications.

Good hair suppliers are also hard to find, which is another reason why so many hair extensions technicians use poor quality hair.

The Biggest Mistake of all…

The #1 biggest mistake when someone is trying to

start a hair extension business is using poor quality

hair

You might have a larger profit margin at first but

soon you will loose your clients and hear nothing but

complaints and people wanting their money back

Conversely, If you offer an excellent quality of hair

(especially better than your competitors) you will

keep clients for life, build a good reputation, and

hear nothing but good feedback

Non-Remy Hair

Normal Non-Remy Hair: POOREST QUALITY

Non-remy hair is the most common form of human hair available, and is usually collected in Asia. It is also known as 'fallen hair', 'brushed hair' or 'combings'. Many women in China and India literally gather hair from their hair brushes and sell it to hair collectors. Hair is also gathered from salon floors and sold. The roots and tips are all mixed up in non-remy hair, and therefore tangling is a problem

There are two types of non-remy hair:

Normal or unprocessed non-remy hair

With Normal Non-Remy Hair (left), the cuticles are still present, but because the hair is aligned in different directions, the hair is prone to constant tangling. It is extremely difficult to brush, and even after brushing the hair will continue to tangle. Ultimately, this is the cheapest and lowest grade of human hair.

Non Remy Processed Hair

Non-Remy Processed Hair: LOW QUALITY

The next grade up from Normal Non-Remy Hair is Processed Non-Remy Hair.

This hair is subjected to intense chemically processing to reduce friction and tangling. The hair is stripped of its cuticle by initially soaking it in an acid bath. Once the cuticle has been stripped, the hair loses its shine and vitality, so this is then replaced by coating the hair in silicon oil, which gives the hair a synthetic feel and an unnatural shine (rather like doll’s hair).

At first the hair feels soft and silky, but as soon as the hair is washed the silicon oil begins to wash out, and the hair quickly loses its sheen, and becomes dull, dry, rough and brittle. The hair is now exposed, revealing remnants of the destroyed cuticle, which inevitably causes the hair to tangle and mat constantly. Every wash will worsen this condition, and very quickly the hair begins to take on a consistency similar to horse hair. The hair doesn’t look real, it doesn’t move like real hair does, it remains quite stiff, and it tends to separate into strands making the hair extensions very apparent.

Caution should be taken as many companies say they have Remy hair but in fact it is Non Remy Processed Hair

Indian Remy Hair

Indian Remy Hair: MEDIUM QUALITY

Indian Remy Hair is considered medium grade hair. It still has its cuticles intact and the roots and tips are aligned in the same direction. Indian Remy hair is usually regarded as highly ethical as much of the hair is collected from Hindu Temples where woman, children and sometimes even men have their hair shaved in prayer or as a sacrifice to God. The Temple then sells the hair and the money that is made is funnelled back into the local community.

Indian hair is often quite coarse in texture, and is naturally very dark in colour. Therefore the hair is often processed to soften the texture, and it is difficult to produce blonde colours without the hair deteriorating in quality. The minimal amount of processing the hair has, the better the quality.

Indian Virgin Remy Hair: MEDIUM-HIGH QUALITY

The hair isn’t processed or dyed so it has all its cuticles aligned and intact resulting in a higher quality of hair

It comes in a variety of textures from

straight, loose wave to deep wave

European Remy Hair

European Hair: HIGH QUALITY

European Hair is very high quality hair.

The hair is collected by taking raw ponytail cuttings, ensuring that the cuticles of the hair are correctly aligned. It is beautifully glossy, extremely soft and fine in texture

Besides colouring the hair to produce a wider range of colours, it is left unprocessed and remains in its natural, healthy condition. It usually has 100% of the cuticle intact

Has a lifespan of 1 year or more

Most closely resembles Caucasian hair

Virgin Russian Hair

Virgin Russian Hair : BEST QUALITY

Virgin Russian hair is undoubtedly the finest hair in the world. This is the 'creme-de-la-creme' of hair - the most exclusive type of hair extensions. Genetic and climatic factors contribute to this hair being the most beautiful hair in the world. It is incredibly soft and shiny, and when you feel it, it can only be described as silk. If you only want the very best, then this hair is the ultimate. The hair is collected by taking raw ponytail cuttings, ensuring that the cuticles of the hair are correctly aligned. The hair comes from the Cold Siberian regions and Northern territories of Russia and remains in its raw, purist state - it has never been coloured or chemically treated in any way. All the colours are natural and it is available straight or naturally wavy. This hair is rare but very sought after. Very few hair extension artists use it because genuine Russian hair is extremely difficult to source and very expensive.

Human Hair Characteristics

Remy Hair

Cuticles Aligned

Various degrees of quality

Lifespan depends on amount of cuticle left after processing

Lifespan 1-6months

Cheap to moderate

Mediocre customer satisfaction

Moderate Availability (Indian Suppliers, Online stores that specialize in Indian Hair)

Non Remy Hair

No Cuticles

Cuticles running in opposite direction

Usually coated in silicone

Tangles and Mattes

Dry and damaged

Requires constant brushing/styling

Lifespan: couple weeks-1 month

Very Cheap

Low customer satisfaction

Easily Available (Ebay,Chinasuppliers)

Virgin Hair/100% Cuticle Hair/European Hair

Cuticles Aligned

Extremely healthy and durable

Lifespan:1 Year or greater

Requires MINIMAL brushing/styling

Never tangles or matts

Moderate to expensive

Very High customer satisfaction

Scarce, Usually only accessible to large companies, have to order in bulk

Hair Textures

Silky straight

Yaki

Body Wave

Curly

Silky Straight

Suitable for: Caucasian

Women, Indian Women,

Asian Women

Can be used on African

American hair if it is

relaxed

Silky Straight Natural Straight Natural Wave

Copyright PinkLaceWigs.com

Yaki

Suitable for: African

American Hair

Thicker hair texture

Light Yaki Regular Yaki Kinky Yaki

Copyright PinkLaceWigs.com

Body Wave

Suitable for wavy hair

Body Wave Yaki Body WaveDeep Body

Wave

Copyright PinkLaceWigs.com

Kinky

African American Hair

Kinky Yaki Kinky Curl Afro Curl

Copyright PinkLaceWigs.com

Purchasing Hair

You can choose to either buy hair by the head (available in many online stores)

Lower startup cost

Less paperwork

Use your credit card/paypal etc

You can ask for a bulk discount

Or you can buy hair in bulk from a distributor

Need Import license/ import business number

Must purchase large quantities (minimum order is usually 10 full heads) in each colour

Requires bank transfer of funds

Must pay any duties/taxes that are applicable

Recommendation

When you are starting out your best option is usually

to purchase a couple heads of hair in each

common colour from a local supplier to avoid the

paperwork/import license etc.

Once your business is well established and you are

doing large volumes of hair then you might consider

ordering large bulk orders