What Are Remy Hair Extensions?

Remy is a term that is often used in the hair extension industry, and to those who are new to the world of hair extensions it is just one of many terms that can be confusing to understand. Whether or not hair extensions are "remy" will have a huge affect on the quality and the longevity of the hair, which is why it is so important to understand the difference between remy and non remy products. Here we shall look at what it means for hair extensions to be classed as "remy", what to look out for, and why it is so important for the quality of the hair.

What Does Remy Hair Extensions Mean?

The term remy refers to human hair extensions that have been collected from a human hair donor, and has undergone minimal processing to ensure that the hair is soft, silky and tangle free. What makes remy hair extensions unique from hair extensions simply classed as "human hair", is that to ensure that the hair remains tangle free all of the cuticles have been aligned, ensuring that they are all facing in the same direction, as they would if they had grown naturally from your scalp.

What Does Aligned Cuticles Mean In Human Hair Extensions?

For hair extensions to be classed as remy, each strand of hair must be facing in the same direction that is would have been had it naturally grown from your scalp. As our hair grows naturally from our scalp, each of our cuticles will be facing in the same direction whereas if hair extensions are non remy, and the cuticles are facing in opposite directions (some facing up and some facing down), this will cause the hair to tangle, and the hair will become very difficult to keep smooth, especially when wet. Non remy hair extensions will also not feel as soft as remy hair extensions, due to friction from brushing the cuticle against its natural direction.

Stripped Remy Hair Extensions

One thing to be cautious of when purchasing any type of hair extension product is that not all remy hair extensions have been processed in the same way, and unfortunately there are some who will cut corners to keep the cost down which will affect the quality of the hair extensions. This method of producing remy hair extensions is known as "stripping", and it essentially means that each hair has had its cuticle stripped away completely, so that no matter which direction the hair is facing there are no cuticles to rub together and cause friction and tangling. This however is a very poor way of producing hair extension, as the cuticle is essential to the longevity of the hair extensions.

Why Is The Cuticle Important For Hair Extensions To Be High Quality?

One of the most important jobs of the hairs cuticle is to protect the hairs core, as well as to lock in moisture. Without the cuticle, the hair is much more likely to become damaged by any form of styling, including excessive brushing, heated tools, back combing etc. In hair extensions that have had the cuticles removed, the core of the hair is not protected, therefore any form of styling or washing will affect the quality of the hair extensions much more rapidly.

How Can I Tell The Difference Between Real Remy Hair Extensions & Hair Extensions That Have Had The Cuticle Stripped?

Unfortunately it can be very difficult to tell the difference, and to the naked eye it is near on impossible to tell. The main difference you will find however is in the cost of the hair extensions. If the hair is listed as remy, but the price is very cheap, there is a good possibility that this is stripped remy hair extensions. Remy hair extensions are fair more expensive to produce than non remy hair extensions or stripped hair extensions, which is why cheaper hair extensions are often a far poorer quality overall.

Why Is Remy so Important When It Comes To Hair Extensions?

Remy hair extensions are the only choice for anybody looking to wear hair extensions or set up a hair extension business as it will ensure that the hair is of the highest quality, and will therefore last the desired length of time. Through selecting remy hair you will be able to brush, wash, cut and curl your hair extensions as easily as you would your own natural hair. The hair will be smooth to touch, and will look incredibly shiny and healthy, the desired look for anybody looking to enhance their appearance with the use of hair extensions. Take a look at our full range of remy hair extensions here.

About SimplyHair Hair Extensions

All of our products are remy, with all cuticles retained and aligned in the correct direction to ensure that each and every bundle is silky soft, long lasting and smooth from root to tip. The quality of our hair is of the utmost importance to SimplyHair, which is why we pay close attention to the production of our hair extensions to ensure they are of the highest quality. We are one of the few companies to have had our hair assessed by an independent trichologist, which is why we are confident that you will love our hair. You can learn more about our hair here.