Not all human hair is the same; textures, strength and color can all vary greatly from one type of human hair to another. Below is a list of the most popular sources of human hair:
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European Hair - Is very fine; the manner in which this hair has been sourced has been challenged many times for being unethical. European hair, like hair found on Americans, has been exposed to all forms of beauty products therefore the hair cannot be considered "virgin".
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Russian Hair - Is very fine hair similar to European hair except that true Russian hair is only found in very light browns and blondes. Because of organized crime’s control over the hair industry in Russia, the ethics of the sourcing of the hair has come into question. The supply of Russian hair has also continued to become more and more scarce, leading to many "imitations" flooding the market.
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Brushed Indian Hair - Many hair dealers throughout India purchase hair from Indian women who have gathered it from their brushes. This method of collection results in piles of hair of varying lengths with cuticles pointing in various directions. These inverted cuticles cause massive tangling when used to make hair extensions. Therefore, manufacturers apply acid treatments to the hair for the purpose of stripping the cuticles from the hair to prevent tangling. This hair is passed off as Remy hair, which it obviously is not. Without a healthy cuticle, the hair cannot be colored nor retain any moisture, therefore it dries out and becomes a frizzy, burnt out looking mess within as little as a week's time.
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Brazilian Hair - Is any hair that originates from various regions throughout South America, not just Brazil! As a result of the various ancestries of the people of South America Brazilian hair comes in a wide variety of diverse textures. Brazilian hair is very similar to the highest grade of Indian Temple hair. In fact there is such similarity both in the range of colors (medium to very dark brown / black) as well as texture that much of the hair on the market today is actually Indian Temple hair that dealers call Brazilian hair so that they can charge a premium. True Brazilian hair (like true Russian hair) is much harder to come by and generally more expensive.
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Indian Temple Hair - Is similar to European hair in its basic structure, but is much thicker and stronger than its European and Russian counterparts. This highest grade of Indian Temple hair has not only avoided exposure to harsh chemical treatments, but has been cut from willing devotees through a process known as tonsure, ensuring mono-directional cuticles running from root to end while providing an ethical source for the hair.
- Chinese / Other Asian Hair - Is similar to Indian hair in its basic structure. This has become a popular source of human hair because its cuticle is much thicker which prevents it from being styled as easily as Indian hair but can withstand inferior coloring processes many companies use.
