How to Tell If the Hair You're Buying is Cuticle Aligned

How to Tell If the Hair You're Buying is Cuticle Aligned

Cuticle aligned hair refers to all the hair strands in a human head being arranged in one direction. This gives it a more natural appearance and prevents the hair from tangling or matting when it grows. Many manufacturers use cuticle aligned raw hair to make wigs, extensions and bundles because it’s stronger and has a longer lifespan than other hair types. However, it isn’t a universal standard and some companies may use other hair that isn’t cuticle aligned to lower the price and still sell their product. So, how do you know whether the hair you’re buying is cuticle aligned?

The cuticles of hair are small protein shells that protect the hair strands and keep them in their natural state. This is why cuticle aligned hair (also known as Remy hair) doesn’t tangle or matt. It’s also considered to be of higher quality because it looks silky and has a smooth texture. This type of hair is collected directly from the donor and kept intact without being processed.

Non-Remy Hair

Generally, hair that isn’t collected from a donor is called floor hair and has cuticles in a different direction. The friction of this hair would cause it to tangle, so the cuticles need to be aligned to make it usable. The best way to do this is to put the hair in a machine that can align the cuticles, but it’s very expensive and the resulting hair isn’t as strong or long-lasting as remy hair.

To save money, some manufacturers will use floor hair to mix in with their remy hair and lower the price of their product. However, this causes the wigs, extensions or bundles to be less healthy and they won’t last as long. This is why it’s important to read the packaging and do a few simple tests to ensure that you’re getting genuine cuticle aligned hair.

One of the most basic tests you can do is to rub a few strands of hair between your fingers and see how much resistance you feel. The hair should have a great smell and be very soft and shiny, but if you notice that the hair has a corn chip or chemical scent it’s likely not true virgin cuticle aligned hair.

Another test you can do is to take a bit of hair and dip it in an acid bath. If the hair bleaches to a dark color, it’s not genuine remy cuticle aligned hair because it’s been dyed. However, if it bleaches to a lighter shade, then it’s remy hair because it hasn’t been dyed.

There are many ways to test if your hair is real or not, but the easiest is by checking the hair’s cuticles. You can do this by rubbing a strand of the hair between your thumb and index finger. If the hair feels rough, then it is not remy hair and has been processed. However, if the strand feels smooth, then it’s remy hair and is unprocessed.

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