Raw Hair Vs Virgin Hair: 8 Points That Make Them Different

Can you identify the differences between raw hair vs virgin hair? Why do they look almost the same but the price is varied? This blog will tell you.

If you’re newly entering the hair market, you might be confused when there are so many options for hair extensions with different styles, materials, and colors. Among them, many people mistake virgin and raw hair for one another. This article will highlight the similarities and differences between raw and virgin hair, while also suggesting which extensions you should choose.

What is raw hair extension?

Before understanding the difference between raw hair and virgin hair, you need to grasp the specific definitions and features of these two types: virgin hair and raw hair.

Raw hair, as its name suggests, is 100% natural human hair in its raw state. Raw hair is directly collected from single hair donors by factories, so they have not undergone any chemical treatments such as dyeing. This means that when you purchase raw hair extensions, you will feel like you are wearing your real natural hair.

Raw hair is considered the highest quality hair extensions, long-lasting, and the most expensive type of hair you should try at least once in your life. In its natural state, raw hair has cuticles aligned in the same direction.

The hair only undergoes the process of washing and conditioning to remove dirt, then it is packaged and sent directly to the end users. After the sanitization process, raw hair can extend its durability and last for many years without any problems. Raw hair is often used in popular hair extension types such as clip-ins, tip-ins, tape-ins, ponytails, and wigs.

What is virgin hair extension?

Virgin hair is the most common human hair sold on the hair market today. It is cost-effective, easy to find, and performs well when styling, coloring, and applying heat for curls. Even though virgin means untouched, most virgin hair gets the alternation to have a fuller and glossy appearance.

Generally, the majority of virgin hair extensions are sourced from Asian countries like China, India, Cambodia, Burma (Myanmar) and Vietnam. Virgin Hair is also referred to as “fallen hair” to the way it’s bunched together and then sold to some giant manufacturers.

Virgin hair begins with the cuticles not aligned, which is the reason why the hair would quickly tangle after a short time of use. Therefore, to fix the problem, the hair has to manipulate a minimal steam treatment to soften the hair and make the cuticle flexible. The cuticle is then realigned by a machine to get in the same direction.

What are the differences between raw hair vs virgin hair?

To differentiate between raw hair and virgin hair, it’s necessary to consider multiple criteria. In this section, we will discuss each characteristic in detail for easy recognition.

Difference of raw hair vs virgin hair in processing

One prominent and easily identifiable criterion to compare raw hair and virgin hair is the hair processing method.

Raw hair hasn’t undergone any form of processing such as perming or dyeing. Hair manufacturers strive to minimize hair care treatments to help maintain the hair’s most natural state. In other words, raw hair extensions are also considered true virgin hair.

Virgin hair, though marketed as completely untreated human hair, nowadays in the hair market, most virgin hair has been processed using steam and heat to achieve cuticle integrity and create different hair textures. For naturally curly hair bundles, the heat impact helps maintain curls longer. Therefore, virgin hair doesn’t always have the same quality as raw hair.

Raw Hair vs Virgin Hair: Number of Hair Donors

The second key criterion is the number of hair donors required to create a hair bundle. Raw hair is sourced and collected from a single donor, ensuring even hair quality and length consistency in each bundle. Virgin hair bundles are made from hair donated by multiple individuals. Factories are responsible for ensuring uniform quality from multiple donors. Thus, the shine of the hair in virgin hair is somewhat higher than that of raw hair. Since raw hair is collected from a single donor, the supply may not be abundant, and manufacturers may have to wait for new supplies every month, rather than virgin hair, which is always available in excess.

Raw Hair vs Virgin Hair: Hair Grades

Hair extensions are often classified based on three levels of grades: single drawn, double drawn, and super double drawn. Factories select raw hair of the highest quality, so, understandably, the texture of raw hair is double drawn, ensuring thick hair and even hair strands in terms of length compared to single drawn hair. Shorter hair strands than the standard are removed from raw hair. Virgin hair is usually composed of a bundle of many short hair strands, leading to the crown being thick and the end having fewer hairs, appearing sparse and less aesthetically pleasing.

If you have relatively thin and sparse hair, then raw hair extensions are an excellent choice for you.

The Smell of Virgin Hair Vs Raw Hair

If the above criteria are a bit difficult for you to distinguish by sight, try distinguishing them by the smell of the hair. Raw hair is natural, so it has no chemical smell. Try smelling your natural hair first and then compare it to raw hair.

Virgin hair will have a distinctive smell due to steam treatment, but don’t worry, this smell will quickly fade after a period of washing and use.

The Texture Of Raw Hair Vs Virgin Hair

Raw hair is always more coarse and less silky compared to virgin hair. When users curl their hair with a styling tool, it’s more likely that the curls will hold their shape longer, even up to a week.

Virgin hair has a silky and shiny look because it has been provided with moisture to achieve certain straightness, so the maximum time curls can hold on this hair is only from 1 to 2 days. A wide array of textures such as kinky, deep curly, and body wave come from virgin hair, while raw hair is limited to three main textures: straight, natural wavy, and curly. Deep curly hair usually does not appear on raw hairstyles.

Dyeing And Bleaching Raw Hair And Virgin Hair

Raw hair possesses a primitive, healthy hair structure, so when you want to bleach and dye it, the hair can still take on color very well. Since a bundle of raw hair is expensive, hair stylists advise against dyeing hair at home and suggest seeking help from professional stylists. Many people think that because the hair is not tightly attached to their scalp, they may not need to pay much attention to hair care. Raw hair may lack some essential nutrients as it has been cut from the donor, so use good dyeing and hair care products to maintain its quality.

On the other hand, it reduces the ability of virgin hair to style and affects the coloring process. Virgin hair can become dry, brittle, and damaged after the dyeing process because the previous chemical processing has somewhat affected the hair quality and damaged the cuticle layer.

Lifespan Of Raw Hair Vs Virgin Hair

You often hear the saying “You get what you pay for.” This also applies to hair extensions. If you have a more comfortable budget and prioritize quality and durability, raw hair is very suitable for a long-term investment. With careful care, you can use these hair bundles for 3-5 years. For those with busy lifestyles who need to use hair frequently and don’t have much time for hair care, virgin hair may be suitable because it has a shorter lifespan than raw hair, typically around 1-2 years.

The Price Of Raw Hair Vs Virgin Hair

The final point in this category yet to gain the most attention, is the price of hair. The prices of raw hair and virgin hair are not fixed due to varying supply sources from different countries, based on inches, grade, and texture. Hair from India will be cheaper than hair from China or Vietnam. Overall, suppliers are selling raw hair at a higher price than virgin hair because raw hair is completely chemical-free and of top-notch quality.

This part has covered all categories that help you compare raw hair vs virgin hair.

Raw Hair Vs Virgin Hair: Which Hair Extension Is Best For Me?

Each hairstyle has its advantages, based on which you can identify whether virgin hair or raw hair will meet your needs. Below we will summarize the outstanding characteristics of each hair type.

Pros of raw hair

When wearing raw hair extensions, they easily blend with your natural hair, making it hard for others to notice you’re wearing extensions. Raw hair is very versatile and flexible, allowing you to change hairstyles. It can also hold fantastic curls for a long time.

The cuticles arranged in the same direction prevent tangling, ensuring a professional and youthful appearance. Your scalp will also feel comfortable and won’t be irritated compared to synthetic hair extensions, which are often softer but may cause discomfort.

Investing in unprocessed hair is worthwhile because it’s easy to care for and maintain with quality hair care products. Although you may pay a large amount at once, you can reuse the hair many times afterward. A set of natural hair extensions can last for more than five years. The current market for raw hair extensions is booming, with a limited supply, which is why they are highly sought after. When you wear raw hair extensions, you’ll receive respect and positive impressions from others.

Because each bundle of purest hair is sourced from different donors, every bundle is unique.

Pros of virgin hair

Hair merchants nowadays always try to attract customers with virgin hair extensions. They come in various textures from loose to deep wavy, curly, and are divided into two categories: high quality and low quality. Therefore, when buying virgin hair, you need to pay attention to the details of the hair. Virgin hair is very popular because of its lustrous shine and less frizz from the first use.

When buying virgin hair, you don’t need to worry about supply issues as it’s never out of stock and readily available on the market. All virgin hair products must undergo a steaming process to maintain humidity, ensuring uniformity in length and quality for every set. Virgin hair is available in different colors like gray, red, and orange, so if you prefer colorful hair sets, virgin hair is the best choice. Although the quality of virgin hair is not comparable to raw hair, it still has a lifespan of 1-2 years.

Both virgin hair and raw hair help you achieve a glamorous and confident look. The cuticles of both types of hair have the same direction, and both are worth the price. The quality of the hair also depends on the supplier and the quality of the hair provided. Many suppliers intentionally advertise unethically and offer low-quality raw and virgin hair products. If you’re hesitant to frequently maintain your hair with conditioner, or moisturizer, or if you’re a conscious-budget buyer, then virgin hair may be more suitable for you.

See more:
Top 10 Best Raw Hair Vendors Worldwide 2024 Latest Updated

Top Best Destinations For Vietnamese Virgin Hair 2024 Updated

The main origin of raw hair vs virgin hair

Countries with abundant hair resources are the main markets for exporting raw hair and virgin hair.

Raw hair is primarily obtained from Indian temples. Indian women willingly donate their long hair for religious or materialistic reasons, and then the hair is sold to wholesalers and factories to create bundles, wigs, and other hair extension products. The revenue generated from hair donated to temples is so significant in India that it is often referred to as “black gold.” When paying close attention to Indian raw hair, the hair shaft tends to be coarse with a slight natural curl.

• Vietnam is also a significant source of raw hair, directly obtained from Vietnamese ethnic minority women. Vietnamese raw hair is incredibly smooth, shiny, tangle-free, strong, and highly durable.
• China also collects a considerable amount of human hair from its population. However, many people are concerned about the quality of Chinese hair due to the prevalence of fake and mixed products. Sometimes, consumers may refuse to buy hair labeled as “Made in China” because of word-of-mouth bad quality. To sell the hair, hair merchants often disguise it under different names such as Peruvian or Brazilian.
• Despite people claiming to wear Brazilian hair, it often originates from somewhere in Asia. The hair donated by Brazilians is soft, smooth from the roots, and slightly wavy in the middle.
• Peru is also a minor exporter. Peruvian hair is known for its natural bounce and silky texture.
• Burmese hair (from Myanmar) is very durable and easy to style or color but generally not as good in quality as Vietnamese hair.

Each country has different advantages and constantly improves the product quality of raw hair vs virgin hair. You should do some research to find out which country’s hair source is the most reliable.

Is 2V Hair ethically sourced Best Raw and Virgin hair extensions?

If you’re unsure about which country produces the best virgin vs raw hair and which factories are the most reputable in that country, take a look at 2V Hair.

2V Hair Factory is one of the factories whose vision and mission are to provide customers with the highest quality raw hair and virgin hair products. We take pride in the transparent process of selecting, processing, and inspecting the hair rigorously before it reaches the customers. At 2V Hair, our products are 100% real human hair, and we guarantee not to import hair from other countries or sell low-quality hair products.

• Raw hair vs virgin hair is available in many 2V hair products such as hair weft, hair bulk, tip-ins, tape-ins, and clip-ins.
• The prices of our products are competitive with those of other large factories because 2V Hair owns a large factory located in Vietnam, ensuring that customers receive factory prices without going through intermediaries. Continuous promotional campaigns are launched, and large orders even come with complimentary products at no extra cost.

If you want to avoid any negative shopping experiences, then 2V Hair is the go-to choice for hair extension lovers.

Contact 2V Hair at:

WhatsApp Number: (+84)348558031
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2vhairfactory/
Email: [email protected]

Conclusion

This article has provided you with useful knowledge to identify what are the differences between raw hair and virgin hair. Find more interesting articles related to hair care and trading hair extensions at 2V Hair website.