Virgin Hair vs. Remy Hair vs. Non-Remy Hair: What are the Differences?

Among the three types of hair we mentioned above, virgin hair is the highest quality.

• Comes from a single donor

A set of virgin human hair comes from a single donor and the cuticles must be intact and must all lie in the same direction. 

• Unprocessed

Virgin hair is 100% human hair that has never been chemically treated. That is, it has never been relaxed, bleached, permed, or dyed. Virgin human hair must meet strict standards since it needs to be totally natural and unaltered in any way. 

• Most expensive

It is considered the holy grail of human hair and is the most expensive of all types of human hair because it is very hard to come by.

Its unaltered state makes virgin hair very precious and the texture of the hair is very consistent since it belonged to a single individual.

• How long will virgin human hair last

With proper hair care, a hair system made from 100% virgin human hair should last you no less than a year.

Remy hair is also a type of 100% human hair.

The term “Remy” refers to hair cuticles aligned in the same direction.

Remy hair is collected by placing the hair into a ponytail with all the hair flowing in the same direction, before the hair is cut. This is also the collection method for virgin hair and is something virgin and Remy human hair have in common. Though similar to virgin human hair, Remy hair may be dyed or otherwise treated, therefore would not be virgin hair.

• Comes from one donor or several donors

It is 100% human hair, and usually comes from one donor. However, because of demand, sometimes a hair system made from Remy hair may include hair from a small number of different donors.

When it comes from a single donor, Remy human hair has a texture that is very consistent. Because Remy hair is real hair, it is safe to wash, dye, cut, and style it as you would style your own.

• Most are dyed, bleached, permed, or go through acid treatment

Remy hair is sometimes slightly treated with acid to minimize knots and tangles. This treatment is applied when the hair comes from more than one donor, and it also has the benefit of making Remy human hair shiny, silky and soft.

• High price-value point, most popular

Remy human hair is considered the second-best human hair. It is similar to virgin hair in several ways, but due to its more affordable price, it has become the most popular type of human hair from which human hair, hair systems are made.

• How long will Remy human hair last

The acid treatment makes Remy human hair less durable than it would have been if it were untreated. A hair system made from good quality Remy human hair will last you anywhere from 6-12 months. They may even last longer, depending on how often you wear them and how well you take care of them.

Another type of human hair is non-Remy hair, also called normal hair.

Unlike virgin human hair and even Remy human hair, non-Remy hair undergoes a lot of chemical processing. The processing is necessary to overcome the problems that arise from the way non-Remy hair is collected and the inconsistencies in the different hairs.

• Collected from many donors

Non-Remy human hair is collected from many sources and comes from many donors. It is usually obtained from the floors of salons and temples as well as random donors and suppliers. Because of this, the cuticles are aligned in different directions, which makes the hair prone to a lot of knots and tangles.

• Chemically-processed

To minimize these knots and tangles, the cuticles are clipped and the hair is chemically treated so that it appears tangle-free, shiny, and silky. A heavy layer of silicone is also allowed to coat the hair strands, which contributes to the shine. 

• Most affordable

Hairpieces made from non-Remy human hair are the least expensive because they are of the lowest quality and have the shortest lifespan.

• Hong long will non-Remy hair last?

Non-Remy hair has the shortest span of 4-6 months if used daily.

Hair breakage is common with non-Remy and though non-Remy human hair will initially feel soft and silky, after a few washes, the silicone coating wears off.

Once the coating wears off, the hair loses its silky feel and shine and the tangling and matting start. Since non-Remy hair has no cuticles, the hair cannot be dyed and does not handle heat styling well.

Non-Remy hair is more often used on those disposable men’s hair systems, which are one-time use, and will be thrown away after getting off.

• If you are looking to invest in a 100% human hair system, Remy human hair is a great option and will give you great value for money.  Hair systems made from 100% Remy human hair are definitely recommended.

• If your budget allows, purchasing hairpieces made from virgin hair is definitely recommended. These types of human hair systems provide all the benefits of a Remy hair system, with the added bonus of a longer lifespan.

• Non-Remy hair is a good choice for men’s hair systems with a shorter lifespan of only 1-3 months. However, we do not recommend you choose human hair wigs and hair extensions using non-Remy hair.