Hair extensions can make a unique and beautiful difference to your appearance but not all hair extensions are created equal.
There are some clear and distinct differences between human and synthetic hair extensions. While synthetic hair extensions are more affordable, the quality is not equal to human hair and they don’t last nearly as long.
Hair extensions should be viewed as an investment and not just another beauty product purchase, particularly if you want longer locks that look like your natural hair.
So, how do you tell whether you’re wearing real Russian hair extensions? There are three main things to look out for in hair extensions.
3 Signs those aren’t Real Russian Hair Extensions
Here’s how you can clearly tell whether you’re wearing real human hair extensions.
- They smell like chemicals
If you can smell chemicals when you’re washing your hair, it means that dye was used on the extensions. A professional stylist or hair extensions technician will be able to tell you whether a different colour was added to the natural colours of the hair. Remy or virgin hair from hair extensions suppliers such as Jadore is not treated with any chemicals, so if you come to find out that the hair was dyed, it means you were not sold real Russian hair.
- The weft is pre-made
If the weft is pre-made and is taken out of plastic packaging, there’s a very good chance that it’s not virgin hair. Real Russian hair from does not come with pre-made wefts, instead, the hair is in a raw, ponytail form because it was taken directly from the donor’s head and sent to the salon. Custom, handmade wefts take about 4 – 6 hours to produce.
- Cuticles are missing from the hair
Virgin hair extensions are only made up of hair from one donor, while factory hair is collected from multiple donors. If you had to compare factory hair with real Russian hair, you would notice that the cuticles on the factory hair are facing different directions, which means the hair will tangle very easily. To avoid this from happening, factories remove the cuticles, which is why you’ll clearly be able to tell the difference between real and factory hair extensions. Hair factories also tend to add a layer of silicone to the hair to smooth to down but unfortunately, this is only a temporary solution. If you’ve purchased factory hair, you will notice that it knots quite easily, particularly after you wash it. Real Russian hair, on the other hand, is smooth all of the time and will only knot if you don’t brush it on a regular basis.
As you can see, there are a few clear things to look out for when purchasing hair extensions but buying from a reputable supplier will eliminate the need to overanalyse the hair you’re purchasing. When researching hair extensions suppliers, make a point of looking at their refund policies and customer reviews as this will give you a clear indication of how reliable and trustworthy they are.