How to tell if it’s real human hair – Interview with Eunice Kiarie, popular hair stylist

For anyone who’s never used human hair extensions before, knowing what to buy can be an overwhelming process. With the demand for human hair products in Kenya increasing greatly over the years, many unqualified people have flooded the market looking for a quick buck. One should be extra careful when buying hair products and ensure they’re getting value for money.

So how can you tell if the human hair weave is 100% virgin unprocessed hair? What’s the difference between synthetic hair and human hair? If you are looking for human hair bundles that haven’t been chemically processed, you need to perform a few quick tests.

We spoke to one of our featured hairstylists, Eunice Kiarie and she was able to highlight some major differences between virgin human hair weaves and synthetic hair. She describes clearly how 100% virgin human hair weaves should not look like.

What’s the difference between virgin hair and synthetic hair?

In very simple terms, virgin hair is the kind that hasn’t undergone any form of chemical processing or treatment. It is the purest form of hair available. Human hair bundles are more durable and can last for over a year with frequent styling.

On the other hand, synthetic hair has undergone processing and chemical treatments to mimic natural hair. Most synthetic hair cannot be styled to look in different ways because the synthetic fibers used in processing are not heat friendly.  Even the highest quality synthetic hair prices last for only 1-3 months.

Are there any tests that you can perform to differentiate the two?

The first test that you can perform to tell if the hair is unprocessed is to check the color. Virgin human hair will have the donor’s hair color (colors may range from natural blacks to dark brown). Look at the color of the entire bundle since it’s not likely to be uniform.

Secondly, feel the texture of the hair before you buy. Virgin human hair will be soft and silky. Run your fingers 

through the hair and ensure its grade and texture is fine. Synthetic hair tends to be coarser due to the chemical treatments it is subjected to.

The third test is the flame test, where you take a small strand of hair and place it directly above a small flame. Synthetic hair is nonresistant to heat. It will always produce a big flame when exposed to a lighter or candle. Virgin human hair will produce smoke but not a huge flame when burnt.

Some synthetic hair pieces can pass the tests above so one final test you may want to conduct is the wet test. Synthetic hair becomes heavy and hard to detangle when wet. Virgin human hair will retain its waves or curls even when wet. It remains soft even when naturally dried (No additional heat is needed to straighten human hair).

Do you consider virgin human hair a worthy investment?

Certainly yes! Virgin hair has a natural look and feel. It’s more durable than synthetic hair and blends perfectly with almost all hair types. If you are looking for quality and versatility, virgin human hair is the perfect choice.

Any important reminders to anyone buying human hair for the first time?

Choose, BeautyClick, the only brand that offers a 30-day return policy. You can never be sure about the authenticity of human hair you buy if you rush to the nearest store to get one. The only reason I recommend BeautyClick Hair to my customers is because I’ve used it before and can attest to it. Make sure you are buying virgin human hair from a reliable supplier like BeautyClick before going ahead with the investment.

So there you have it, hope this helps you find the best human hair extensions with ease.