Making Your Investment Count: How to Spot Fake Virgin Brazilian Hair

The demand for virgin hair nowadays is profound, a claim backed by dealers such as Her Hair Company, Inc. and many others. Companies are following prospective customers on Twitter and taking over Instagram feeds, making the barrage of information quite overwhelming for many people. If you do get convinced to try them out, remember that you need to examine the product firsthand to be sure you’re getting your money’s worth.

So if you’re a rookie buyer considering the likes of authentic  Brazilian hair, you have to keep a sharp eye and an open mind. Why? There are fakes out there mixed with authentic ones, and all you’d want is the real thing. The latter is always the best choice—human hair extensions tend to be softer, shinier and longer-lasting than synthetic hair. Here are a few tips you can heed to tell the real ones from the knockoffs.

Check for Post-Processing

Pure human hair should neverhave any chemical processing—dyeing, perming and relaxing included. For instance, one giveaway that a hair bundle has been chemically processed is its color. No one is born with jet black hair, so if the bundle is a shade of deep, rich black, it’s been processed. You can also check for chemical processing by wetting the hair bundle and applying a small amount of neutralizing shampoo into it. If the shampoo’s foam turns pink, that’s a sign to move on.

Know the Hair You’re Looking For

Different types of weaves possess different physical characteristics. Brazilian straight hair weaves, for instance, are known for being usually thick, wavy, fine, soft and available in a variety of colors. All these properties come with excellent manageability, which makes them perfect for styling. They’re also typically expensive, which is the price you’ll have to pay for a high-quality weave. It’s also low-luster, which helps it blend easier with African-American hair.

Check for Cuticles

Since authentic virgin hair is not chemically processed, it should still have its cuticles intact. Absent cuticles explicitly indicate that they’ve been stripped using an acid bath (though you still have to take note that cuticle-less hair isn’t always bad, since these can last a long time—9 months is not unheard of). What’s certain is that they’re not virgin hair. Cuticles are quite difficult to see with the naked eye, but you can check for them by running your fingers down the length of a strand. It should feel smooth towards the direction of hair growth, but a bit of resistance which feels like a tiny ball should be felt in the opposite direction.