Kaboom!  Imagine an explosion in a broom factory.  A whirling commotion with bristles of every size and shape lying everywhere, making it impossible to restore the brooms to their original condition.  Harvesting human hair has some of the same challenges.  If not processed correctly, like Humpty Dumpty, it becomes almost impossible to put the hair back together again.

So how do you know if the hair extensions that you order lay natural, just as they do on your own head, or whether they have been haphazardly arranged like a game of Pick-Up-Sticks?  Your only assurance comes from buying authentic Remy human hair.

Remy hair, sometimes spelled Remi, is human hair harvested directly from the donor from top of the hair to the bottom or “root-to-end”.  In other words, the natural cuticle remains intact and runs in the same direction as it did before the hair was cut.  The Remy hair is tagged and coded, and in the case of an Indian temple donor, she leaves the room somewhat balding but happy that their donation was accepted as a “thanks” offering.

Remy hair is processed in a way that preserves not only the cuticles but also the body, strength, and bounce of the hair.  With cuticles intact and aligned, the hair resists matting and tangling, making Remy is world’s premium commercial hair.

You would think that all human hair sold in the beauty industry would be classified Remy hair.  Not so.  Non-remy hair is cheaper to acquire, is more readily available, and makes up the greatest percentage of the hair in the market today.  Non-remy hair is not harvested, stored, and processed with the same care that is taken with Remy quality hair.

Here are four guidelines to use when buying Remy hair.

Buy From A Known And Credible Extension Company

A manufacturer’s reputation is critical within the beauty industry.  Look for a company that proudly displays and label’s their hair extensions as Remy hair.  Using terms like “Remy quality” is misleading.  If a company is willing to print Remy on the package, then it’s probably the real thing.

Ask Your Supplier Where The Hair Originates

The amount of human hair that is sold worldwide is staggering.  But quantities are limited. The vast majority of true Remy hair is purchased in India and Asia mainly because of large populations and ethnic traditions. Very little hair comes from Europe or South America.  So if a manufacturer sells lots of hair and claims that the hair originates in Europe, North or South America, or Africa, then be wary.

Compare Pricing

Premium quality hair demands premium pricing.  If the regular price of the hair is so low that it doesn’t reasonably compare with other legitimate manufacturers, then question whether you are really buying Remy quality hair.  Remember that sourcing, shipping, and processing hair from halfway round the world is expensive although high sales-volume from Donna Bella helps drive down the costs.

Feel The Hair

Remy hair should feel smooth, sleek and have the touch of newly shampooed natural hair.  At a trade show, ask the supplier if you can feel an entire bundle of hair or color ring.  That way, you grasp enough volume of hair to really sense the quality.  Make sure that silicon or other chemical products have not been applied to camouflage the hair extension’s poor quality.