Research (Remy, Remi, or Virgin extensions)

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?

	“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.
	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.
	“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!

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.