HAIR EXTENSIONS 101
2.Can I color AVERA hair extensions?
3.What is authentic human virgin hair?
4.How do I tell if I have virgin human virgin hair?
5.Why do I want authentic virgin hair?
6.What is “remy” hair?
7.What is Single Donor hair?
8.What is the difference between the grades of hair?
9.How are textures made with AVERA's extensions?
10.What is Brazilian, Malaysian, Peruvian, and Mongolian hair?
11.Where does virgin hair come from?
12.How to differentiate authentic human virgin hair from the imitations?
13.Are there different kinds of authentic virgin hair?
14.Why should I purchase authentic virgin hair when imitation virgin hair works similarly?
15.Why does my hair have such as strong odor?
16.Why is my authentic virgin hair not completely black and/or have different colored strands?
17.What about those website and vendors that claim to sell virgin hair under $50 for 18”?
1.How many bundles of hair do I need?
One bundle contains 3.5 oz. For a full weave we recommend (2) bundles if the length is 18 inches and shorter. For 20” - 24” we recommend (3) bundles. For 26” and over we recommend 4 bundles. Keep in mind it’s always better to have more hair than not enough. You will also need a closure to completely enclose the top so that none of your natural hair is left out.
2.Can I color AVERA hair extensions?
AVERA hair extensions are made from authentic virgin human hair, so you can dye or bleach the hair. Please check the product description before coloring your hair extensions. Keep in mind that chemically treating hair extensions may alter the original texture.
3.What is authentic virgin human hair?
Authentic virgin hair refers to hair that is unprocessed, meaning it has not been permed, dyed, colored, bleached, and/or chemically processed in any way. The other added bonus is that the hair retains its natural color from the original donor. The hair has all its cuticles intact and flowing in one direction.
4.How do I tell if I have virgin human hair?
Non-authentic virgin hair is typically acid washed to give it a shiny and silky feeling, and it typically comes with a strong odor. The odor may not be apparent at first, but becomes significantly apparent after the first wash.
5.Why should I purchase virgin hair?
Virgin human virgin hair is stronger and thicker. It can also last for a long time which will save you money in the long run.
6.What is “remy” hair?
Remy hair and virgin hair mean the same thing. "Remy" is just an older terminology.
7.What is Single Donor hair?
Single donor hair means that the hair came from a single donor. The volume and density of the hair is consistent throughout the bundle from top to bottom. The cuticles are also guaranteed to flow in one direction. Once you feel a single donor’s hair, you'll immediately notice the difference! Single donor hair will last for years to come if taken care of properly.
8.What is the difference between the grades of hair?
Grading systems such as 7A or 8A are found on many websites domestically and internationally. In reality, there's no universal guideline to these grading systems. This is why sometimes you buy the same grade from one vendor and one from another, and they look and feel completely different. It's a marketing strategy many use to promote their products. Often times these "lower" grades are actually non-authentic virgin hair that the vendor sells at a much lower price.
AT AVERA WE ONLY USE PREMIUM VIRGIN HAIR FOR ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS.
9.How are textures made with AVERA's extensions?
We use a steaming process with long curling rods. This is a longer and more expensive process to make the textures of the hair, but it's currently the best way to make the textures with little damage to the hair.
10.What is Brazilian, Malaysian, Peruvian, and Mongolian hair?
Brazilian hair is very popular term being thrown around in the industry. There are many websites and companies that market their products as “Brazilian” hair. The truth is, there isn't a hair collecting culture in Brazil to meet the huge demand in today's market. Brazilian along with Malaysian, Peruvian and Mongolian are used by companies as a marketing strategy. With all this use of misleading terms, how does one truly know what exactly they are buying. With every product at AVERA, we’re going to tell you the source of the hair.
11.Where does virgin hair come from?
Authentic human virgin hair mainly comes from South to Southwest Asia, such as China, Burma (Myanmar) and India. AVERA uses Burmese virgin hair for our products.
12.How can I differentiate virgin hair from non virgin hair?
- You should be able to feel the cuticles on the hair. Pinch a few strands of hair and run your fingers from top to the bottom of the hair. It should feel smooth. Now run your fingers back in the opposite direction. You should feel the small ridges of the hair. You should be able to feel a difference. If you can’t, it’s likely then it's not authentic virgin hair.
- Human hair is not usually jet black throughout.
- Authentic human virgin hair should be smooth however, it shouldn’t have a shiny sheen to the hair. Manufacturers are known to put a large amount of silicone coating on non-authentic human hair to improve the feel of a lower quality hair they used.
13.Are there different kinds of authentic virgin hair?
Yes, people are unique just like the regions they're from. Even hair collected from the same region can be different. Texture, color, and quality of hair can all vary even from the same region. Because of this, no two bundles are completely identical. At AVERA, we do our best to make the hair consistent as possible with each and every bundle.
Chinese virgin hair tends to be thicker, coarser, and straighter. Because of the thickness of Chinese hair, it’s more durable and versatile. It tends to retain the texture much better over time. Most blonde hair extensions out in the market today are made from Chinese hair. Chinese virgin hair is considered one of the best due to it’s versatility.
Indian virgin hair tends to be finer and a slightly wavy. A lot of companies will label their hair as “Indian”, and because of the wide use of the name, it’s becoming very difficult to tell what is true Indian hair. Real Indian virgin hair is also really good. Because it’s finer, it’s typically not used to make blonde hair, making it a little less versatile.
Burmese virgin hair takes a blend of the two. It’s a good all-round hair. You can bleach it, curl it, flat-iron it, and all different kinds of textures can be made with this hair.
There are other virgin hairs out there, but these are the most common ones.
14.Why should I purchase authentic virgin hair when imitation virgin hair works similarly?
Authentic virgin hair lasts much longer than imitation hair. Manufacturers use chemical processes such as acid washing to make the hair shiny. Chemicals reduce the integrity of the hair, and the hair becomes more prone to breaking, tangling, and shedding. Manufacturers use a coating to makes it feels like it virgin hair, but usually after the first wash, you can notice a significant change in the texture and feel of the hair. And it also will leave a strong odor.
15.Why does my hair have such a strong odor?
This is a telltale sign that the hair you purchased is not virgin hair. The chemical process used to make the hair, stays with the hair.
16.Why is my authentic virgin hair not completely black and/or have different colored strands?
Most people in this world don’t have jet black hair that is consistent from top to bottom. Since virgin hair mainly comes from South to Southwest Asia, most people in these regions have light black hair such as a color #1B or #2. People normally don't have complete uniformly colored hair. We all have a few mixed strands of lighter colored hair. If you purchased hair extensions that are completely black throughout, it's most likely not virgin hair.
17.What about those website and vendors that claim to sell virgin hair under $50 for 18”?
With a market saturated with companies claiming they sell virgin hair extensions for $50, it's confusing at times to determine what is real and what is not. With the amount of labor hours and processing time as well as the cost of sourcing authentic virgin hair. Hair marketed for at 18” for $50, it’s most likely not virgin hair. It's like the old saying. "If it's too good to be true, it usually is."