Brazilian, Indian, Peruvian, Malaysian, and many more: Spotting the real from the fakes

At the moment the market is flooded with so many different hair extensions from different countries, Brazilian, Indian, Peruvian, Chinese, and so many more it’s hard to know which is which.  These hair extensions are known as virgin hair.  A lot of my clients have been coming to me with these so called virgin ‘Brazilian hair’ or virgin ‘Indian hair’, but as a hair stylist it’s clear to see the fakes from the genuine.  Below are two pictures of clients with hair extensions, which one is wearing 'Virgin Brazilian hair'?  Find out if you were right at the end of this post.

Client 1

Client 2

So in response to this I have put together a guide in order for you as buyers to spot the real virgin hair extensions from the fake virgin hair extensions before you part with your hard earned cash.   I have also broken down the main types of virgin hair extensions that you can buy on the market.

So ... what is virgin hair?

Virgin hair is hair that is free from being processed with all the cuticles intact.  Virgin hair is free from the following processes; chemical treatment, perming, dying, bleaching or colouring in any way.  The hair is usually single drawn, meaning that there are different lengths within the weft.  Virgin hair is the next level up from Remy hair, apart from being cuticle correct it has all the features stated above.

Where does virgin hair come from?

Virgin hair comes from a single donor (i.e. one person).  The hair is tied back into a ponytail and then the pony tail is then cut.  Each virgin hair ponytail should come from one person (i.e. one single donor).  The reason for the ponytail cutting in this way is to keep the hair cuticles in one direction (Remy) preventing tangling and shedding. 

What happens to the virgin hair after it has been cut?

The virgin hair after it has been cut is washed and disinfected and prepared into single drawn or double drawn wefts.

What is the difference between hand tied and machine wefted hair?

Hand tied wefts – are hair extensions that are wefted by hand.  The advantage is that the hair lies flat and gives more of a natural look.  The disadvantage of this is that the hair sheds and it is harder to sew the tracks onto the hair, aswell as needing a lot more than machine wefted hair.

Machine wefted – is hair extensions that are wefted by machine.  The advantage is that the hair is reinforced multiple times by stitching for durability.  The disadvantage of this is that it is difficult to cut the hair as it can cause shedding.

How much should come in a ponytail of virgin hair?

In a ponytail of virgin hair should be approximately 100g – 115g, some suppliers may give you more but be wary, as it may have fillers, synthetic fibres or other animal hair mixed in with it.

200g – 300g of virgin hair is needed to complete a full head weave.

300g – 400g of virgin hair is needed to make the weave look full and bouncy

400g – 500g of virgin hair is needed if you are going for lengths longer than 18 – 20 inches of hair to make the hair look full and not scanty.

So how do I tell whether the hair is real or fake virgin hair?

·         Ask what colour the hair comes in?

A way to find out whether the hair is real virgin hair is to ask the seller the colours that the hair is available in.  If the supplier lists to you a range of colours this is NOT virgin hair.  Virgin hair should come in a natural colour of that country of origin, unless you have specifically asked the supplier to custom dye the hair for you.

·         Ask for the origin of the hair (where it comes from)?

If you are buying for example, Peruvian hair and the supplier states that the hair is manufactured in China.  Be very careful and wary.   If your supplier tells you that the virgin hair is not from the country that relates to the hair, ask for the certificate of authencity (see below).

·         Ask for a ‘Certificate of authencity’?

A certificate of authencity should come with every single bundle of virgin hair that you purchase and supplier should be able to supply one at request.  This proves the origin of the hair, for example, Brazilian hair origin should be traced back to Brazil not made in China.  This certificate means that the hair is traceable, through a reference numbers and has undergone rigorous inspection.  This means you are buying the genuine article.  A certificate of authencity also should state the company's name as well as its contact information for it to be genuine.

Are there any other points to take into consideration when buying virgin hair?

There are a few other factors that you can take into consideration when buying virgin hair to tell the genuine from the fake.  These are as follows:

PRICE – Beware of cheaply priced virgin hair.  Virgin hair can cost into the £100’s just for a 12 inch bundle of 100g.  If the virgin hair is priced too cheaply it is NOT virgin hair or the genuine article.  Virgin hair is very time consuming and tiring process to harvest which is why it is reflected in the high prices that it sells for.

CHINESE PRODUCED ‘VIRIGN’ HAIR – Beware of Chinese produced so called ‘virgin hair’.  This tends to be Chinese hair or other cheap ethnic hair that has been mixed with fibres and fillers to make the ponytail full.  The hair is then treated in an acid bath and silicon is added to make the hair shine.  These hairs tend not to be Remy, aswell as tangle and lose their shine after a couple of weeks. 

DYED HAIR – You can usually tell the ethnicity of the virgin hair by the colour of the hair.  An example is Brazilian hair is usually brown in colour.  A lot of fake virgin hair will dye the extensions to the colour of the ethnic group and pass it off to you as virgin hair.  So be careful!!!

EUROPEAN – European hair does not necessarily have to come from a country within Europe.  It can come from a country with an Anglo or European descent.

DEAD PEOPLE – It is important to obtain a certificate of authencity for your hair, as a lot of virgin hair on the market is not ethically sourced.  Some of hair is cut from the hair of corpses (i.e. dead people) meaning that the hair can leave you the buyer with incurable head infections and diseases.  So always ask the origin, and the way the hair has been treated, most virgin hair needs to undergo a disinfection and rigorous washing treatment before it can be sold.

So now you have some background into the Virgin Hair, I am going to describe the differences between all the difference types of virgin hair on the market.

Brazilian Hair

LOCATION:- Brazil is located in the South America.

ORIGIN:- Brazilian hair is collected from small rural places within Brazil, where the donors are paid for the effort in growing strong and healthy hair.  Brazilians are of European, African and Indian heritage

FEATURES:- The features of Brazilian hair are determined by the region and genetics of the hair.  Brazil is very genetically diverse, so they are less consistent in features.  These diversities are categorised into 3 classes (grades) for Brazilian hair:

Grade A – this is the area of Brazil that is mostly of Anglo or European descent.  The texture of the hair is very fine, silky and is straight in nature.  This type of hair is good for making lace wigs and lace frontals.

Grade B – this is the most popular form of Brazilian hair seen on the market.  The hair is thicker than the grade A version, and slightly wavy in version.  In can come in a range of colours from dark brown to light copper, this hair is highly resistant to the sun.

Grade C – this hair comes from the Afro – Caribbean population of the Brazil.  This hair is commonly known as Muttalo or Molado (i.e. curly).  The hair is coarse, thick and curly.  The hair usually comes in colours of black to light brown and can either be in body wave or tight curls.

VERDICT: - Brazilian hair is the most sought after hair on the market, it is coarse in texture and heavy in density.  It comes in styles of naturally straight, wavy or curly.  The colours are usually in black or off black to rich brown.  Brazilian hair is good if you want thick, bouncy hair.  The hair is good for blending in with Afro-Caribbean and this is why a lot of Afro-Caribbean women go for this hair, not only that it comes in a variety of styles and is very versatile.  A point to note anything lighter than colour 2 or 4 at maximum in Brazilian hair is likely not to be Brazilian hair.

Indian Hair

LOCATION: - Located in Southern Asia.  It borders Pakistan, China, Nepal and Bangladesh.

ORIGIN: - Indian hair originates from the Tirupatu temples, where the women shave their hair as an offering to the gods.

FEATURES:- There are two forms of Indian hair that you can get.  The Indian Remy which has been lightly processed to modify the hair and textures.  The other is the Indian virgin hair which is unprocessed and comes in a natural form.  Indian hair is thick and straight.  The hair dries wavy.  Indian hair comes in very dark colours so be wary of lighter colours of Indian hair.

VERDICT:-  Indian hair is good if you want shiny, straight hair.  It is very easy to straighten Indian hair.  The hair is thick and coarse.  The virgin Indian hair comes in dark colours and can have extremely long lengths.  Indian hair is good if you want to do straight, sleek and shiny hair styles.  Do not use this hair if you want body or bounce.

Peruvian Hair

LOCATION:- Peru is located the West side of South America

ORIGIN: - Peruvian hair is collected from remote villages of Peru, where there are not a lot of donors.  The population of Peru is a mix of Indian and Spanish immigrant heritage.

FEATURES: - Peruvian hair is coarser and thicker than Brazilian hair.  It grows naturally straight, wavy or very curly.  But when washed becomes more curly in texture.  It comes in natural colours of dark or light brown, and sometimes in the less occurring slightly blonde shades.

VERDICT:- Peruvian hair is very difficult to source this is why it is more expensive than other hair on the market.  If you like extremely thick hair and lighter brown colours, then Peruvian hair is the hair for you.  It will provide you with the strength, body of Brazilian hair with the smoothness of European hair.  Be careful to not buy too many packs of Peruvian hair, as it will look overfull and square.  The hair lays thick so you will need less bundles to give the desire effect.

Burmese Hair

LOCATION:- Burma is located in south-east Asia.  It borders China, Bangladesh, Thailand and India

ORIGIN:-   Burmese hair is sourced from three of the Hindu temples within Burma, aswell as local Burmese women, who donate their hair.  Local Burmese women will sacrifice their hair in donation to the temple or to acquire money to pay for school or medical bills.  A lot of the hair from Burma is sent to China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand or India, for it to be packaged.

FEATURES: - Burmese hair is a cross between Chinese hair and Indian hair.  The hair is extremely healthy and resilient and takes heat extremely well compared to other hair extensions.  The hair is naturally straight with a slight curl at the end of the virgin hair.  The hair comes in dark colours of jet black to dark browns.

VERDICT: - If you like naturally straight hair this is the hair to go for.  It is extremely hard wearing and lasts for a long time compared to other hair.  The only down side is that it only comes straight with a slight curl and can sometimes be quite resilient to curling the hair, when it is curled the curls do not hold for very long.

Malaysian Hair

LOCATION:-  Malaysia is located in South-East Asia and shares a border with Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines

ORIGIN:-   This is from women of a Malaysian descent that have donated their hair at Malaysian temples in order to help themselves financially or as offering to the gods.

FEATURES:-   Malaysian hair comes in colours of darkest brown to near black.  The hair comes in styles of wavy, slight bends to loose body waves.  The hair is heavier, thicker and more, dense than Indian hair, aswell as being softer and silkier than Indian hair.  The hair dries straight with a slight wave.  Compared to Chinese hair the hair is thinner and softer.  The hair is extremely shiny and silky.

VERDICT:- Malaysian hair is good for relaxed Afro-Caribbean hair and blends in well.  If you like naturally wavy or curly hair, this is one to go for.  The only downfall is that is only available in the darker colours, but on saying that the hair is extremely soft and shiny.  The Malaysian hair is relatively new on the virgin hair market and is priced a bit more expensive than Chinese and Indian hair.

Mongolian Hair

LOCATION:- Mongolia is located East-central Asia.  It borders Russia, China and Kazakhstan.

ORIGIN:-  Mongolian hair comes from the poor Mongolian women, who sell their hair for a profit.   Mongolian hair is extremely rare due to a population of 2.6 million people in the country.

FEATURES:-  Mongolian hair is a cross between Chinese and Malaysian hair.  The hair is thinner than and not as coarse as Chinese hair, but not as soft as the Malaysian hair.  The hair is soft and shiny and comes in a range of different colours beyond the browns to the light blonde’s aswell as different styles, straight and wavy.

VERDICT:-   Mongolian hair is good if you like lighter colours than brown, due to its diversity.  The range of styles such as straight and wavy make the hair extremely versatile.  The hair is very expensive due to its rarity compared to other virgin hair extensions.  This is a good alternative to Indian or Chinese hair, if you can’t get hold of it.  The hair is relatively fine, so won’t give you the body that Brazilian or Peruvian hair will give you, but is slightly coarse and blends in well with Afro-Caribbean hair.  This hair is good if you like to interchange between straight and curly hair.

Chinese Hair

LOCATION:-  China is located in East Asia

ORIGIN: - Chinese hair is usually sold by Chinese women for a profit who need to support families financially.  China is such a diverse country, with a big divide between rich and more.  Meaning poorer Chinese families need to make ends meet and a way of doing this is by selling their hair.

FEATURES: - Chinese hair is naturally straight.  Very coarse and very shiny.  The hair comes in very dark colours.  If anyone offers you a colour light than colour 2, this is not virgin Chinese hair, it will usually come in jet black.  The hair is extremely hard to curl, but will curl after excessive heat.  The hair is extremely silky, smooth and glossy. 

VERDICT: - I would not recommend Chinese hair to customers to buy; it is usually the cheapest virgin hair on the market.  Most of the time Chinese hair is treated due to its coarseness to reduce the thickness and make it more manageable.  But on saying that virgin Chinese hair that has been well taken of can be very good for straight shiny hair styles.  The hair does not curl easily, so the hair is not as versatile as other virgin hair on the market.  Because China is the main manufacturer of  hair extensions, most virgin hair is actually Chinese hair that has been dyed to be made to look like Brazilian, Peruvian, etc hair.

Russian Hair

LOCATION: - Russia is located in the North – East of Europe.  It borders with many European countries aswell as China and Mongolia.

ORIGIN:- Russian hair comes from small rural communities of Russia, where they are sold by women for a profit.  The communities in which the hair comes from have a diet which is simple, high in nutrients and vitamins, and low in sugar, salt and processed animal fat. 

FEATURES:- The good diet greatly influences the growth and quality of the hair.  Russian hair is the purest and silkiest of all the virgin hair.  The hair is of European (Caucasian descent) it is thinnest and finest of virgin hair on the market.  The colours in which Russian hair comes in are a light blonde to a medium brown.  They tend not to go darker than brown.  The hair is extremely versatile and come in straight aswell as a deep or light body wave.

VERDICT:-  Russian hair is the Gold standard of virgin human hair extensions and is the rarest and hardest to find.  The hair is not widely known amongst Afro-Caribbean hair market because of its thin, fine texture that does not always blend well with Afro-Caribbean hair textures.  The hair lasts much longer than other hair on the market, and is extremely hard to source; this is why it is the most expensive on the market.

I hope this guide has been informative in allowing you to choose the virgin hair of your choice.  Depending on what texture or price range you want will depend on the virgin hair you will buy.  Remember to ask a lot of questions to your supplier before parting with your money, if a supplier can’t answer any simple question then the likelihood is what they are selling you is NOT the real deal and is just someone trying to sell you ‘Premium hair extensions’ at a high price.  Remember don’t be attracted by price, if the price is too cheap, you are not buying virgin hair.  So which client pictured earlier was wearing the 'Virgin Brazilian hair' at the beginning of the blog?  The answer is neither of the pictures show clients wearing 'Virgin Brazilian Hair'.  Client 1 was wearing 'Dream Girl' and Client 2 was wearing 'Premium Now'.  With both these clients this is their second time using the same weave, and it has been curled  from being straight using curling tongs.  This clearly illustrates how easy it is to get fooled into spending loads of money on virgin hair and what you may think is Brazilian hair, Indian hair or all these so called hair on the market.  Following this guide will make sure you never get cheated and conned out of your money again when buying virgin hair extensions.

Love

Kolours

xxx

Human hair extensions which brand is the best?

Whenever I book clients in for appointments they always seem confused to which human hair extensions to buy on the market.  When you walk into a hair shop there are so many brands with such a vast price range that it is difficult to tell which one is the best to suit your budget.  I have put together a guide of the 6 most popular human extensions that I have used and a price guide to buying these extensions.  Just to note there are so many other brands out there, and if you find a brand that suits you that’s great, but as a rule I always advise my clients to stick to one of these 6 brands, as you will always know 100% what they are getting.

A bit of ... background to human hair before we get started

Before I get started on the different brands I thought I would give a bit of background to human hair extensions.  Did you know that human hair extensions only have to be made up of 10% human hair to be labelled human hair?  I know I was just as shocked when I found this out aswell.  A lot of the human hair that you find on the market is actually made up of animal hair aswell as synthetic hair.  So you need to be very careful, when buying human hair extensions.  A lot of packets will state they are human hair, but you need to look for the ones that say 100% human hair, otherwise the likelihood is that you will be buying hair extensions that is mixed in with God knows what.  Here are some common terminologies that I have come across when buying human hair extensions.

Remy relates to the root and the tip of the human hair all going in one direction.  This causes the hair to tangle and shed less.  This means the cuticles are facing in the direction in which the hair grew.  Most cheap brands will be non-Remy, as the directions of the cuticles are all in different directions.  These are relatively inexpensive, and tend to be the cheaper brands.  Be careful of brands that have Remy in the title and are cheap, they are usually not the real thing.  Be prepared to pay a lot more for Remy hair extensions.

Cuticles refer to the outer most layers of the hair strands or the hair extensions.  This is the part of the hair that gives your hair extensions shine and allows you to wash your hair extensions without the hair changing shape.  A lot of hair extensions have the cuticles shaved or stripped off when undergoing chemical treatments.  This means that the hair is not shiny anymore, so manufacturers actually put a layer of silicone around the hair.  This is why when you wear inexpensive hair extensions, it is amazing, shiny and bouncy, at first but then after 2 weeks the shine has gone.  This is because the silicone reacts with the air, and diminishes on the hair cuticles. 

Drawn refers to the length of the hair extensions and there are two types of drawn hair extensions.  Single drawn means there are different lengths in the hair wefts.  This is why with inexpensive brands, the same lengths can seem shorter or slightly longer, there is no consistency in length.  Double drawn means that the hair in the weft is of all the same length, and there are no shorter strands.  Be careful when buying hair extensions, because you are paying for the length, so make sure you get the length you actually want, as some single drawn extensions can be up to 2 inches shorter than what is stated on the packaging.

Yaki hair extensions refer to human hair extensions that have been relaxed or processed to feel and look like Afro-Caribbean hair in its relaxed state.  If you want a more natural look especially if you are doing tracks go for Yaki hair extensions.

European hair extensions refer to human hair extensions that have been processed to look and feel like European hair in its natural state.  If you like your hair extensions bouncy and shiny go for this version.  Personally I prefer European hair as it tends to have better bouncy, shine and last much longer than the Yaki version.

Ok now you are all clued up on all the main terminology in human hair extensions.  I am going to go into detail on the six different brands of human hair extensions that I have used that are available currently on the market.

Premium Too

Premium Too is the cheapest good quality human hair extension that you can get on the market.  An 8 inch premium too can start from £5.99 and 18 inches can be around £20.  It comes in a Yaki form if so desired.  Its packaging is a turquoise green with yellowish/gold writing (as seen to the right).  This brand is available in different lengths from 8 inches to 18 inches and all the lengths in between in intervals of 2 inches.  Premium Too is also available in many colours.  If you want a crazy colour in your weave then Premium Too is a good brand to go for.   There are many different styles with Premium Too, straight, body wave and curly.  So in relation to styles it is a great brand to get.

ADVANTAGES: 

Wide range of lengths, Wide range of colours and styles, Very cheap, Comes in Yaki form for easy blending, Can be washed, Hair products can be used, Can be styled using heating appliances such as Straighteners and curling tongs, Can be dyed, The shorter lengths tend to come with a lot in the packet

DISADVANTAGES:

Sheds easily, Single drawn, Not Remy so tangles easily, No cuticles so loses its shine after a couple of days, When washed shrinks in length, Does not dye easily, The longer lengths tend to have less in the packets

VERDICT:

I love using Premium Too for those times I am really strapped for money.  But I never leave it in for more than 3 weeks, as the floor of my room is just full of hair extensions from the excessive shedding.  The hair tangles very easily, so I usually end up with a birds nest on my head.  If you like low maintenance hair this is not the hair for you as you constantly have to brush it.  When I washed the hair extensions it seems to shrink about a couple of cm shorter than the original length.  The shine also wears off after 2 weeks of wearing.  I usually use this hair for fringes as it easy to change and relatively inexpensive.  This hair is also excellent for cap weave, and also if you want to use bonding glue on your hair.

Premium Now

Premium now is very similar to Premium Too, and slightly more expensive, about £1 more expensive.  There are some differences between Premium now and Premium Too.  The main one is that it is slightly silkier than Premium Too and blends in better with European hair.    The same product profile applies to Premium Now as applies to Premium Too.  Premium Now comes in a yellow packaging with gold writing.

ADVANTAGES:

Very cheap, Shinier hair, Good for blending with European hair, wide range of colours, styles and lengths, does not shrink when washed, more consistency in length than premium too

DISADVANTAGES:

Tangle like premium too, shine wears off, harder to dye than premium too, harder to curl initially than Premium Too

VERDICT:

For me personally I prefer Premium Too compared to Premium Now as I find when I am doing a whole head of weave with the extensions it blends in better than the Premium Now.  But on saying that Premium Now blends in better with high end Remy extensions, better than the Premium Too.  If you are going for a whole head weave go for Premium Too, if you want a fringe that you can mix with high end extensions go for Premium Now.

Dream Girl

Dream Girl can be anywhere from £2 to £10 more expensive than Premium hair extensions, and are of better quality than the Premium brand.  Dream Girl comes in a gold packaging with black writing (as seen to the right).   The thing that I love about Dream Girl that not only does it come in the standard colours 1, 1B, 2 and 4, they also have extra brown hair colours such as 5, 6, 8,9,10,12, which other brands do not have.  Dream Girl is available in a wide range of lengths aswell from 8 inches to 26 inches.  8 inches is around £5.99 and around £60 - £70 for 26 inches, but prices may vary.  Another good quality about dream girl is that the extensions come very thick and full in the packet so you definitely do not need more than 2 packets.

ADVANTAGES:

Good range of brown colours, Goes up to lengths of 26 inches, Thick and full in the packet, Easy to dye, No more than 2 packets needed, very soft, Black hair extensions can easily be changed to brown

DISADVANTAGES:

Does not tangle as much, Single drawn, so tapered ends, expands when washed, and takes a long time to dry compared to other hair extension, not as shiny in the packet as other hair extensions

VERDICT:

Dream Girl is such a good product to use that is a bit more expensive than Premium, but relatively cheaper than other brands.  It is very thick and soft in the packet and closely matches to Yaki hair, even though the manufacturers have not stated this on the packet.  The product does tangle and shed but not near as much as premium.  The only downfall I have with this product is that you tend to find it only in straight styles and the hair extensions seem to absorb water when washed, taking a long time to dry the hair.  Apart from that I found it very easy to dye the hair from black colour to brown and I love the fact they have an extra range of brown colours which other brands do not offer.

Milky Way
Milky Way is very comparable to Dream girl hair extensions in price.  The only difference is that it comes in Yaki and European versions.  The range of length is much more limited than other brands ranging from about 10 inches to 18 inches.  Also the colours are limited aswell, with most hair shops only stocking the darker colours.  Milky Way extensions are usually found in a navy blue, yellow and white packaging.  The only advantage of Milky Way over Dream Girl is that it is much shinier and the shine tends to last a lot more than other brands. 

ADVANTAGES:

Silkier, Tapered ends for lighter ends, Easy to wash, Dries quickly

DISADVANTAGES:

Not a wide range of colours and lengths available, single drawn, not easy to colour, expensive compared to other brands, very little in the packets, hair sheds more than Dream Girl

VERDICT:

Milky Way is a good human hair extension to use, but for what it is I find it a bit on the expensive side, compared to other cheaper brands on the market that do the same job.  Not only that the packets tend to come with very little in them, and I find clients using more than 2 packets of hair which can be quite costly.  The one good thing that I like about Milky Way is the tapered ends, so you have a layered effect much easier than other brands of hair extensions.  It also tends to shed a lot at the same rate as Premium.

Sleek

Sleek in my eyes is the second best human hair extensions you can get on the market.  It is smooth, soft and shiny.  Most of all doesnt shed, as the wefts are sewn using a special stich from the manufacturers.  The only thing that lets sleek down is the fact that it does tangle, but is still better compared to previous brands on the market.  The lengths can range anything from 8 inches to 18 inches.  8 inches can cost around £8.99 and 18 inches can cost around £45 - £50.  It is avaialble in many colours aswell.  The extensions is double drawn, but the weft and the stitiching does not make it easy to bond to the hair.  It tends to come in European straight style and is very limited in other styles

ADVANTAGES:

Soft, Silky, can easily be brushed, special stiching in wefts to reduce shedding,  same length consistent, can be washed

DISADVANTAGES:

Difficult to dye the hair, tangles, limited range of lengths, only available in European weave makes it harder to blend.

VERDICT:

Sleek is one of my favourite human hair brands to use and you do get your money’s worth out of the hair extensions.  The texture in the hair is very nice, and the length is always consistent with the Sleek brand.  It is not very easy to dye this hair and the shedding is minimal.  The only difficulty I had with this hair is that it is not very good for use with hair bonding glue.  Overall if you want an upmarket extension that looks good but don’t want to pay over the odds, this human hair is your best bet.

Remi Goddess

Remi Goddess is the most expensive hair for Afro-Caribbean women that you will find in hair shops or on the market in general.  Prices can range from £30 to £150.   Lengths for Remi Goddess start from 12 inches and can range up to 26 inches retrospectively.  Sometimes you can find 10 inches but very rare.  Remi Goddess comes in a range of colours.  The thing I love the most about Remi Goddess is all the cuticles are still intact so the hair is extremely shiny.  Another important factor is the fact that the hair does not tangle and shedding is so minimal it is unbelievable.  The packaging of Remi Goddess is in a yellow and reddish packet with flowers imprinted on the red part.  Remi Goddess is one of the only hair extensions that is double drawn, so you actually get the length you pay for.  It is so easy to wash and dry and very versatile hair extensions.  It comes in two styles straight and body wave.

 

ADVANTAGES:

Shiny, Thick, Cuticle correct hair extensions, tangle free, takes hair products very easily, easy to brush, minimal shedding due to weft stitching

DISADVANTAGE:

Heavy ends, ends straight not tapered, extremely expensive, need about 3 packets for a full head.

VERDICT:

Remi Goddess is definitely my extension of choice and I love it over any other human hair extension on the market.  You definitely get what you pay for.  I have had my Remi Goddess for 3 years now and it’s still going strong.  It’s the most versatile hair on the market and no matter how much you wash it; it always remains shiny and smooth.  The hair does not tangle and the shedding is so small compared to other hair extensions.  The only downfall of the extensions is that it can be quite heavy at the ends due to the double drawn extensions, meaning that you need a good stylist in order to layer those ends.  Apart from that it takes heat very well and can be styled with the greatest of ease.  If you have money to burn this is definitely the brand of extension on the market that I would suggest, not only that it is a good investment as the extensions can be used over and over again.

I hope this guide has been very useful in choosing your brand of hair extensions, and like I said before, there are many other brands on the market, that I am not familiar with.  But if you stick to one of these six brands you can never go wrong really!!!

Love

Kolours

xxx

Choosing the right hair extensions for you - where to start?

I always find when I go to the hair shop, that choosing the right hair extension for me such a difficult task.  When you are met with a mass of different hair extensions, in length, colour and styles, it can be a bit overwhelming to know the right one.  So I have answered the most common questions that I get from clients on choosing the right hair extensions for you.

Should I get human hair or synthetic hair?

 Depending on your budget there are two types of extensions that you can choose from.  Human hair and synthetic hair.    Kolours hair stylists prefer human hair to synthetic hair as human hair is much easier to work with, stylable and can be reused again and again.  Synthetic hair is good if you are really strapped for money, but I would advise to not leave it in for more than 2 weeks, as it can look tacky, static and frizzy.  There are some good quality synthetic hair extensions on the market that act like human hair.  A good example is the Futura fibre, which acts exactly like human hair, but can only be styled at certain temperatures.  It is important when buying synthetic hair to read the packaging and make sure it suits your needs.  If you are the kind of person that likes styling their hair and want the weave to last a long time, they go for human hair.  But if you are the type of person that changes hair styles frequently, and likes a low maintenance weave then go for synthetic weaves.   Another thing to note is that some synthetic hair extensions cannot be cut, this is because they work against the blade of the scissors.  So again be very careful, when picking your hair extensions.  Another point to note is that synthetic hair is very good for if you want tight curly hair styles, as the curls will be maintained much better than with human hair. 

It is preferable to buy human hair extensions for your weaves, but good synthetic hair extensions such as Futura fibre are a good alternative, and relatively inexpensive.

How many packets of hair extensions should I buy?

As a rule of thumb I always advise clients to buy at least 2 packets of hair extensions, never 1 packet. Depending on the style of the hair you may need more or less than this.

Short hair extensions – short lengths in hair extensions such as 8 inches and 10 inches have a lot more in the packet than other lengths and if you are going for a short hair style don’t go for more than 2, as you will probably use one and a half at the most.

Middle parting hairstyles – I find with my clients that 2 packets of hair extensions for middle partings is just about enough for a weave.  If you want it very full then I suggest getting a third packet, you will usually use 2 and half packets for middle parting hair styles

Side parting hairstyles  - 2 packets is usually enough for side partings, but again if you want fullness and body then get a third packet.

Full fringes – usually when doing a full fringe for my clients I use 1 packet and a half.  Maximum 2 packets, but on very rare occasions.  When doing full fringed hair you don’t want the hair to be full, but flat and sleek, so no more than 2 packs of hair extensions should be used.

Virgin hair – this is all the Brazilian, Indian, Peruvian, etc hair that is currently on the market.  Usually a pack should be a minimum of 100g in weight.  The longer the hair the less weft you are going to get in the pack.  I suggest with virgin hair to get at least 3 packets and if you want really full hair use 4 – 5 packets of hair – 400g to 500g.

Curly hair extensions (body waves) – with curly hair extensions I suggest 2 packets, the hair will lie thick anyway because of the curls, if you try and make the hair too full, the hair can tend to look square and overfull, and you want the hair extensions to look as natural as possible.

When buying hair extensions you are always going to need a minimum of 2 packets for the weave.  This can vary depending on the style of the weave.

What colour hair extensions should I get?

I find a lot of my clients picking the wrong type of hair colour for their hair extensions; I think it is important to pick a colour that suits your skin tone and the time of year.  I find that with clients if you have a lighter skin tone go for lighter shades of brown such as Colour 2 or 4, and if you have a darker skin tone go for darker colours such as Colour 1 or 1B.  These hair colours will compliment your skin tone and look much more natural.  Also in terms of the time of year, in winter I suggest having darker colours such as Colour 1 or 1B, as they absorb the heat and keep you warmer, in spring  and autumn having light brown shades such as colour 2, 4 or 6, then in summer having blonde highlighted tones such as colour 4/27, as it keeps you cooler by reflecting the heat.   By changing your hair colour according to the time of year, this will always give you a new and exciting look.  Here are some more colour advice tips into buying hair extensions:

Natural Hair colours – for Afro-Caribbean women your natural hair colour will be colour 1B if you are darker in complexion, and for people who have a lighter skin tone colour 2.

Subtle highlights - subtle highlights through your hair can give your hair bounce, shine and different dimensions.  For Afro-Caribbean women I personally feel that buying a pack of colour 2 and colour 4 for lighter skin tones, gives a very nice but subtle highlight, and for darker skin tones buying a pack of colour 1B and colour 2 gives you the same effect.

Highlighted hair extensions – a lot of girls seem to buying hair extensions that already highlighted or a mix of two colours, but are buying them incorrectly, by buying 2 packs of the highlighted hair extensions.  If you wanted blonde Beyonce highlights through your hair the highlighted hair extension pack to pick is colour 4/27, but I would advice to also buy a colour 4 pack aswell.  This makes the hair look much more natural, as the blonde colour 27 can be quite overpowering.  So whenever buying highlighted hair extensions always buy the pack o f highlighted extension, then a pack of the darker colour aswell.

Red hair extensions – a lot of my clients want to have Rhianna red hair extensions, but find it difficult getting the exact red colour that they want.  The red hair extensions on the market seem to be more burgundy than anything else.   If you want really red hair extensions the same way Rhianna has it I suggest buying platinum blonde hair extensions or blonde extensions, as close to white as possible, then dying the hair extensions red using hair dye.  Ask your Kolours stylist on more advice for dying your hair extensions red.

When picking hair extension colour take into consideration your skin tone and time of year and pick to suit this.

What length should I go for?

The longer the hair extensions the harder it is to maintain.  I advise clients to not go beyond 20 inches in hair extensions, beyond this looks unnatural and you end up with hair that is ratty, and hard to maintain.  For those girls that want to go beyond 20 inches I would advise to go for two packets of that length, as one packet will make the ends look thin and scanty.    If you want your hair to look natural a common length is 16 or 14 inches.

Fringes – If you want a side fringe I would suggest to go for an 8 inch hair extension on top of your normal packets of hair extension, this will give a natural looking fringe and is better than cutting the fringe.

Full fringes – If you want a full fringe get packets of hair extensions that are the same length as this will give a better dimension of the hair, and be better when cutting the fringe.  You don’t want the hair to be layered when doing full fringed weaves and you dont need to get a shorter hair extension for the full fringe as it looks odd and does not blend in with the hair properly.

Layers – If you want layers in your hair don’t buy all the same length and then ask your Kolours hairstylist to cut it.  This is a waste of your money and hair extension, just buy different lengths.  For the layered effect I advise to buy 4 inches apart in hair extensions.  For example if you are buying 3 packs of extensions and you want a layered effect  an example would to go for 16 inches, 12 inches and 8 inches, so whatever your longest length is, go 4 inches lower than this.

The longer the hair extensions the harder to maintain.  If you want  layered hair buy different lengths of extensions 4 inches apart.

Which style hair extensions should I choose?

There are 3 main styles of hair extensions that you can choose from.  These are straight, body waves and curly.  Straight hair extensions usually comes in yaki or European hair.  Yaki blends in better with Afro-Caribbean hair, whereas European hair is much silkier than yaki hair.  There is not much difference between the two but I always advise to go for European hair extensions as they seem to be easier to maintain, shed less and last longer than the yaki hair extensions.  They also take hair products much better than yaki hair extensions.

Straight hair – this is good style to get for middle partings and full fringes.   Try to go for the longer lengths as it is more flattering to your body, especially for middle partings.  This is also good for bobs and short hair cuts as well, as it gives a sleek and polished look to the hair.

Body waves - these are good for side partings and middle partings.  For the side parting go for the longer lengths or shoulder lengths hair extensions for middle partings go for long lengths of hair extensions.

Curly hair – with curly hair I tend to advise to not go for very long lengths as it is too hard to maintain.  Go for shoulder or just below the shoulder lengths with curly hair, it will look much more natural and be easier for you as a client to maintain.  With curly hair it  is best to go for side partings, and use mixture of weave and single braids at the parting to make the hair look as natural as possible.

Knowing the style you want for your hair is important when choosing the style of the hair extensions you want.  If in any doubt always go for straight hair extensions as it is much more versatile than any other style and are easier for your Kolours hair stylist to manipulate.

Following this guide above is important for when choosing the right extensions for you.  Always make sure you consider length, colour, style and skin tone.  With this winning formula you can never have a bad weave again.

Kolours

xxx