Remy,
Remi, or Virgin?
Remy
Hair or Remi Hair
Q: What
is Remi or Remy (which spelling is correct) hair and are there variations of
it? A: Both spellings are used, although the most common spelling
of the term is “Remy”. Remy hair is usually Indian in origin. Remy hair is a
term that refers to human hair that has been harvested from the scalp in such a
manner as to keep the cuticle pointed in the same direction as the hairs next
to it. In other common hair-harvesting methods for wig and extension making,
the hair is simply shorn from the head and bagged up with no regard for the way
the cuticle layers of the hair shafts are aligned. Since hair whose cuticle
layers are running in opposite directions tends to become tangled and knotted
together, this haphazardly harvested hair must be chemically processed to
remove the cuticle layer from the hair shaft in order to have fibers that can
be used in making extensions, wigs and hair-pieces. The result is an
inexpensive product, but one that lacks the strength and versatility of
unprocessed hair fibers. Remy hair is gathered from the head of
donors/producers in such a way as to keep the hair properly aligned in relation
to its neighboring hairs. This means the hair remains softer and silkier, and
is useful in producing higher-quality wigs, extensions and hair pieces. Remy
hair is not necessarily VIRGIN hair, since it may be colored or permed. Its defining
features are an intact cuticle and the manner in which it was harvested.
Remi hair, which is more commonly spelled “Remy hair,” is the
highest quality of hair available for hair extensions. It is made from human
hair and sewn into a “weft,” or a long strip of hair, in a way that most
naturally replicates the way hair grows on the head. Wefts of Remy hair are
then attached close to the scalp, and can be treated and styled just like
natural hair.
Cuticles
·
The biggest characteristic of Remy hair is that the cuticles are
kept intact. This means that all the roots are at one end of the weft, and all
the tips are at the other. Keeping the cuticles in the same direction not only
replicates the natural growth of hair, but also prevents tangling. In non-Remy hair,
tangling and frizz are common, because the cuticles rub against each other. The
sleek look of Remy hair is part of what makes it so desired, expensive and
natural-looking.
Virgin or Non-Virgin
·
Remy hair is divided into two initial categories: virgin and
non-virgin. Virgin Remy hair has never been colored, permed, straightened or
chemically treated in any way. This is the most desired type of hair, as it is
stronger and healthier. Non-virgin Remy hair has undergone some sort of
chemical treatment, usually coloring.
Single or Double Drawn
·
After being categorized as virgin or non-virgin, Remy hair is
divided into two further categories, based on how the wefts are made. A single
drawn weft of Remy hair has hairs of all different lengths. These wefts
replicate the natural growth of human hair and look very realistic. The hair in
double drawn wefts is all the same length. Because of the time and effort
required to sort hair into the same length, double drawn wefts are the most
expensive type of Remy hair.
Indian Hair
·
Remy hair is most commonly collected in India. The best Indian
hair is “temple hair.” Indian women cut off their hair as an offering to their
gods, and the hair is then purchased by extension-makers and turned into Remy
hair wefts. Indian hair is thicker than fine-stranded European hair, but
thinner than coarser Chinese hair, which is what makes it so popular for
extensions.
Other Locations
·
Remy hair is also available from Brazil, Europe, China and,
ostensibly, Russia. However, hair suppliers can easily lie about the origin (or
quality) of their hair. Hair can be dyed to resemble the hair of another race,
or coated with silicon to disguise damage. Ask for paper proof of the origin of
your hair extensions, and be suspicious of “Remy” hair that is considerably
cheaper than normal, or that feels rough when you run your fingers through it
(a sign that the cuticles aren’t aligned).
“Remy vs. non-Remy hair:
During the collecting and sorting of the donated hair it is
divided into two groups:
Remy hair: Hair that has been cut, and maintained with the roots
aligned and bound together at the top of the bundle. These bundles are
carefully preserved throughout the export process and arrive at the factory
still intact.
Non-Remy hair: Hair that does not have its roots aligned. It may
have been collected off the floor, or there may be some other reason they were
unable to keep the roots together and running in the same direction.
This hair is sold at a much cheaper price than Remy hair.
Once the hair arrives at the factory, it is treated in a
hydrochloric acid bath to remove the cuticle. A word of warning – hydrochloric
acid is extremely hazardous. Please do not put yourself at risk by
experimenting with this chemical! It’s not the Remy hair; Remy hair is
relatively easy to process and the damage inflicted during de-cuticalization is
slight.
(ACID PROCESSED Remy hair IS NOT VIRGIN!) Non-Remy hair is the
villain.
Non-Remy hair requires a higher concentration of acid since the
cuticle runs in both directions. This frequently results in hair with very low
moisture content that appears dry and straw-like. Moisture is critical to
good-looking hair. Human hair usually contains 10.5% – 11% moisture (measured
in a controlled environment of ISO 40% – 63% moisture). Non-remy hair has
trouble retaining this vital moisture.
Unfortunately, the problems do not stop here. The
de-cuticalization process itself is often conducted inefficiently. Some bundles
of hair are only partially processed. Others are over-treated or under-treated,
which contributes to tangling problems and limp or lifeless hair. Regrettably,
a lot of this lower grade Non-Remy hair can find its way into expensive
custom-made hairpieces. Your vendors usually have no way to tell whether the
hair in the units they sell is Remy, Non-Remy, or Non-Remy blended with Remy
hair. This doesn’t make things easy for them.
We have to understand that non-cuticle human hair means hair
that has been fundamentally damaged. I compare it to my hand losing its
protective layer of skin. I know this sound brutal, but mechanically it’s
similar. If your hand were damaged in this way, you would run to the hospital
where they would apply bandages and oil-based ointments not just isolate the
pain but to prevent chaffing that could cause additional damage. Well, the same
logic applies to non-cuticle hair – except it will never heal. Just like the
hospital, we try to isolate and protect the hair by applying special oil-based
liquids such as conditioners that (should be) designed specifically for non-cuticle
hair. If you use hair care products made for normal hair, you will be doing
your client a major disservice.
Regular conditioners are formulated to condition the cuticle
layer, a very durable layer that is over 30% protein. Instead, you should be using
a conditioner formulated for the under-layer without cuticle. This layer is
made up of only 3% protein (10 times less!) and requires a more powerful
lubricating system! But it doesn’t stop there.
The lack of a protective cuticle layer has other consequences.
It allows everything to be easily absorbed into the hair and lets vital
moisture out again. Non-Remy hair dries at a much more rapid rate and quickly
loses its luster and body. You would never consider cleaning your favorite fine
Italian cotton shirt with same detergent you use to clean your old cast iron
pot. And you would not clean your carpet with the same detergent you use to
clean your wood table. And yet many people do precisely this when it comes to
human hair. Let me repeat – cuticle and non-cuticle hair are different product
types with different maintenance needs. Each one requires its own specialist
product. ”
It can
be overwhelming to choose the right supplier in today’s growing Indian hair
market, especially as many retailers claim to offer “virgin”, “real”, “premium
remy” or “full cuticle” Indian hair. In reality, most suppliers are providing
their customers with Chinese or blended animal hair that has been processed and
is of “beauty supply store” quality. Some suppliers even chemically texture and
process their hair, selling it as “naturally” textured. At Indian Hair Company,
we believe in complete honesty and want our customers to be 100% satisfied
every time they wear our hair. We believe that when our customers get to
experience the unmatched quality of our hair they become our customers for
life. We are also happy to send out samples, so customers can see and feel the
difference before they buy our hair. What does ‘Remy/Remi’,
“Virgin” or “Full Cuticle” mean?
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“Remy” or “Full Cuticle
Hair” means that the hair has all cuticles healthy, intact and all cuticles
flow in the same direction from root to the tip. Typically hair is of “remy”
quality when it has been collected directly from a woman’s head and has been
cut while held in a ponytail, so none of the hair strands fall to the floor.
Because of the careful collection process, only “Remy” quality hair can
guarantee that all cuticles will stay aligned and the hair will be
tangle-free hair in its most natural form. True “remy” hair lasts for a long
time, can be reused several times, and can be colored or flat ironed with
heat just like one’s own natural hair.
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In contrast, non-Remy
or other hair types are made from hair collected from the floor of temples,
salons and door-to-door brush hair collection. Due to these types of
collection methods, cuticle directions are always mixed up, causing
inevitable tangling problems. To minimize tangling problems, many vendors
treat the hair with special chemicals to strip off the cuticles completely
and then apply layers of silicone coating over it to bring back the sheen.
Unfortunately, after such treatment the hair initially looks and feels good
and it is difficult for consumers to detect if it is non-remy hair just by
touching or feeling it. Because it is so difficult to detect, many vendors
unscrupulously labels this hair as “remy hair” and attracts customer through
aggressive pricing using ploys such as “factory direct”, “wholesale” “deep
discount” etc. However, after few washes the silicone coating wears off and
the hair feels very rough. Also, since the cuticles are stripped off, such
hair is unable to tolerate color treatment or heat. Such “non-remy hair”
(often labeled as “remy”) is available at a significantly cheaper price point
than real “remy” hair, but does not last beyond a few washes and cannot be
reused at all.
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“Virgin” means that the
hair is 100% natural human, true “remy” quality and has never been processed
with chemicals or colors. Since, “remy hair” (also called “virgin hair”),
retains all natural cuticles, it does not require any kind of additional
processing to make it look beautiful. It is beautiful and tangle free in its
most natural state and it is the best quality human hair available to hair
extension lovers!
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Why is
Virgin Remy Hair different from the “Remy” sold in stores?
The
hair sold at beauty supply stores, often labeled as “virgin”, “remy” etc. is never
really “virgin” or “remy” at all. As a matter of fact, around 90% of
all human hair (including commercial “remy”) available at beauty supply stores
is low quality, wiry and stiff hair from China. It is often mixed with animal
or synthetic “filler hair”. Most of those suppliers use non-remy hair (fallen
hair or brush hair) to begin with, then remove all cuticles by soaking the hair
in acid, chemically process it for texture, and color it with dyes. They also
coat the hair with silicone, which gives it a temporary ‘tangle free’ feel and
a shine, but the silicone washes off quickly and the hair becomes dry, stiff,
matted and hard to detangle. After all the processing, the hair is too damaged
and weak to handle any further styling such as application of heat and color
that the customer might desire to do at the salon. Extensions sold at beauty
supply stores look synthetic, unnatural, and last only for one service and need
to be disposed of afterwards. In addition to all that, hair sold at beauty
stores can cause skin irritation and scalp allergies to people sensitive to
chemically processed, synthetic or animal fibers.
Remy
Hair
Remy or Remi is not a brand name. The term refers to the
characteristics in the collection of the hair. Everything Wigs selects premium
quality un-damaged, healthy hair. The hair is shinier, softer, more durable and
has a longer life than non-Remy hair. Non-virgin Remy has been chemically
processed, typically for texture or color.
Virgin
Remy Hair
The best type of Remy hair is virgin, also called “cuticle”
hair. When hair is harvested from a donor, the cuticle remains intact. The
cuticle protects the hair from damage.
Virgin Remy is not chemically processed for color or texture.
This means the hair has not been permed, dyed, colored, bleached or chemically
processed in any way. Virgin Remy is very soft and 100% natural. The color of
virgin hair is called natural because it is not processed for color. The
natural hair color for virgin Indian, Asian, Brazilian, Mongolian and Malaysian
virgin hair ranges from very dark to medium brown in color.
The texture of virgin hair is generally straight, wavy or curly
in texture. However any hair that has been chemically processed for texture,
for example yaki, body wave or curls is no longer virgin. Sometimes, virgin
hair texture may be altered to make curls and waves using a high pressure and
heat method. The hair is still considered as virgin because no chemical
processing is used. If Remy hair has been altered in color, it is chemically
processed and no longer considered virgin.
Virgin Remy hair last longer and is much less likely to tangle
than non-virgin Remy hair In a nutshell, all virgin hair is Remy but not all
Remy hair is virgin.
