If you are a newbie to the world of Human Hair Extensions, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the options on today’s market. Truth is, becoming well versed on what to expect from all types of Human Hair Extensions offered will help you make the best decision and leave you stress-free!
In this article, let us break down the RAW facts to you. Yes, class is in session, and we will be answering frequently asked questions (FAQ) about these popular hair extension types with UNFILTERED information. What are Virgin Hair Extensions? The true definition of Virgin Hair is 100% Natural Human Hair that has never been manipulated or processed in any way. However, in the world of human hair extensions, Virgin Hair is human hair that has been chemically altered or mechanically manipulated to achieve desired textures and/or colors and usually sourced from multiple donors. This means that most ‘Virgin Hair’ sold today has actually adopted former ‘Remy Hair’ characteristics. Remy Hair Extensions is typically the hair ‘left over’ from 100% Virgin Hair donors and processed to market which lowers the quality. But now, we are seeing this trend into our virgin hair market, lowering industry standard on what used to be known as the Gold Standard. Note: At YUMMY Extensions our Virgin Hair is only steamed processed to maintain the integrity of the hair and cuticles. This collection has not been chemically processed in any way. What are RAW Hair Extensions? Raw Hair is … *drum roll* … True Virgin Human Hair by definition. In the world of Human Hair Extensions, Raw Hair is 100% Natural Human Hair that is chemically unprocessed in any way and usually sourced from single donors. The term ‘Raw’ was utilized to differentiate between True Virgin Hair and Processed Virgin Hair, making Raw Hair Extensions the ‘Best Virgin Hair’ on todays market. What are Hair Grades? You will see on the market today that some hair extensions are ‘graded’ for quality; however, this should raise a red flag because it implies that hair has been mixed, may have fillers, and/or is processed which alters the integrity of the hair. Hair grades are a false way to categorize Human Hair Extensions developed by Chinese Manufacturers many years ago. The hair grading system is not regulated and was developed as a way to market product to consumers. The grading system first started off as 1A-3A and gradually progressed to 10A in today’s market. Grades are used to determine the percentage of human hair in a bundle as well as the integrity of its cuticles. If you see hair that is ‘graded’… run! You will be wasting your money. 100% Raw or Virgin Hair extensions should not be graded as their cuticles remain intact and there should not be mixed with fillers. What are the main differences between RAW hair and Virgin Hair in today’s market? Raw hair texture is naturally derived whereas Virgin hair has been processed to achieve the texture pattern in efforts to mimic a particular hair style or pattern. Virgin hair on the market is typically silky, medium to high luster, and sourced from multiple donors.Raw hair varies in pattern and tone, typically featuring lower to medium luster because it is unprocessed and sourced from multiple donors. This makes Raw Hair Extensions harder to maintain than Virgin Hair Extensions. Raw hair responds to elements, manipulation, and care just like your own hair.
Features of RAW Hair Extensions: – Purest form of Virgin Hair on the market – Rare (sells out fast) – Every bundle has a unique appearance – Full cuticle hair – Mainly sourced from one donor – Available textures limited to natural patterns (e.g., natural wave, curly, straight) – Lasts longer (5+ years) and improves with each wash – Typically requires more maintenance – Available only in natural colors like black, brown, gray, red (rare), and blonde (rare) Features of Virgin Hair Extensions: – Quality varies by distributor, with more potential for false advertising – Every bundle is uniform due to processing – Available textures are “endless” – Lasts up to one year with exceptional care – Cuticles may not always be intact – Hair feels good initially but may harden after 4-5 washes, especially with poor quality hair – Available in an array of colors Texture Differences: Raw Hair typically comes in Straight, Natural Wave, and Curly patterns as it is unaltered. Virgin Hair offers options like Body Wave, Loose Wave, Kinky Curls, Kinky Straight, Water Wave, Spanish Wave, and other patterns mimicking regional styles (e.g., Indian or Brazilian hair). A fun fact: “Brazilian hair” is often not sourced from Brazil; it’s a marketing tactic, as genuine Brazilian hair is rare. Which Quality Is Better? Quality depends on donors, sourcing, and production. Lower-quality Raw Hair and higher-quality Virgin Hair exist, influenced by vendors and sourcing practices. For example, some Virgin collections are heat-processed without chemicals to achieve patterns like Body Wave from Raw hair. Sourcing of RAW and Virgin Hair: Both can be sourced globally, including from individuals. In the market, they typically come from South Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and India, and are rare due to supply and demand. The key difference lies in processing methods.Raw hair is hair that is cut in the same direction as it grows from a single donor, then hackled, cleansed, and sold. It has absolutely no processing done to it, making it the purest hair available. Before the market saw an influx of hair companies, raw hair was often called ‘virgin hair.’
To create market demarcation, the meaning of ‘virgin hair’ changed. Now, virgin hair refers to any hair that is not raw hair. Virgin hair consists of human hair extensions (or not) that are processed to achieve patterns like body wave, yaki, or kinky curl. It’s important to note that not all virgin hair is created equal, as the quality depends on the authenticity of the raw hair used and the processing methods. At Yummy Hair Extensions, all virgin hair starts with raw human hair and is steam-processed to develop the pattern, offering customers more style and texture options than raw hair alone. Many popular textures for virgin hair extensions, such as Brazilian, Malaysian, and Peruvian, are essentially ‘made up’ for marketing purposes. These textures are sourced and processed into specific wave patterns, then sold under disguised names after chemical processing. This highlights the importance of knowing where your hair is sourced from, and having single donors helps ensure overall hair quality. You should avoid hair that is ‘leftovers’ from high-quality raw or virgin hair. Note: At YUMMY Extensions, our Virgin collection is not sourced from China or India, but from undisclosed countries where sourcing is more difficult and rare. Our steam patterns are unique, as we are essentially our ‘own vendor.’ Is YUMMY Extensions ethically sourced? At YUMMY Extensions, we take pride in ethically sourcing our hair from multiple regions, providing financial gain to the communities we work with. All our donors are volunteers and receive compensation. We do not sell hair that has been cut from temples or for religious purposes that have been exploited. Which RAW and Virgin Textures does YUMMY Extensions Offer? Our Virgin Collection includes the YUMMY Collection and Body Wave products. Our RAW Collection features the Cambodian collection, LAO collection, SEA collection, and Burmese collection. All our RAW and Virgin products are clearly classified in the title or product description. With proper maintenance, both RAW and Virgin hair can last up to 3-5 years. Which human hair extensions is best for me? The best way to find your favorite texture is to try them! For first-time YUMMY customers, we recommend our RAW Cambodian Natural Wave or the Raw LAO Wavy. Be warned: Yummy Hair Extensions is highly addictive—once you start, you won’t stop!If you have any more questions about our Raw Hair or Virgin Hair collections, please feel free to email us at support@yummyextensions.com