You are ready to buy somebundlesand you see “8A unprocessed Brazilian virgin hair”. What does it mean?
Well, the number “8A” is a hair grade. Hair extensions have different levels of qualities just like every other product in this world. You can usehair gradesto differentiate hair qualities.
But what does each grade mean? And what exactly defineshigh-quality hairand “low quality” hair? In this article, we will spill sometruths about hair grade. This will help you make a decision when you buyhuman hair extensionsnext time.
Better hair has higher hair grades
The hair’s origin, thickness, fullness, and longevity are all factors to consider when gradinghair bundles. The highest level israw hairandvirgin human hair.They have not gone through chemical processing and can last up to a few years with proper hair care. Raw hair and virgin hair is usually collected from single donors and is well preserved. This kind of hair can be colored or bleached without worries.
Lower grades such as 7A or 6A hair go through a lot of chemical processing. Hair extensions that are 7A and below might not have guaranteed quality and can last only for a few weeks or even less (These are what we call “scam hair”).
non-Remy hair
5A-7A grade hair extensions are the most popular hair type on Ali-express, eBay, and Amazon (You shouldn’t shop for high-quality hair on these shopping platforms anyways…). This low grade hair is called non-Remy hair. Non-Remy hair is collected from the floors and usually comes with cuticles facing different directions.
Non-Remy hair is usually acid bathed to be stripped so it can look smooth. Some hair is dyed to black and silicon-coated to make it appear healthier. This hair will become a mess after one wash.
If you don’t have the budget to purchase high-quality hair and have to shop on Ali-express, you should always go with bigger. That way, you may actually get a slightly less processed non-Remy hair that can last a bit longer. Some really cheap hair can even be synthetic mix or animal hair mix too (Yuck), you don’t want those on your head as it can cause skin problems and rashes.
If you don’t want to invest too much in hair extensions, it’s totally okay to buy from Ali-express! Just know that, no matter what they advertise, you shouldn’t expect “virgin hair” or unprocessed hair from Aliexpress.
Remy hair is a good choice on a budget
We always hear people say “Let people buy what they can afford”.8A Remy hairis a good choice for those on a budget. Remy hair has about 60%-80% cuticles intact. It is not the fullest hair from weft to tips and is definitely not virgin hair, however, it is still usable for quite a while ( 6 months to a year).
If you love to style your hair with heat and put a lot of products in it, you should invest in higher quality hair instead.
But if you are looking for a simple quick weave switch without spending too much, Remy hair should be good for you.
Be careful of companies that sell Remy hair as high-grade virgin hair. They look similar at first but Remy hair is NOT virgin hair. Some Remy hair is dyed to natural black (color 1b) so it appears healthy. You can’t bleach or color this kind of hair due to the black hair dye. If your hairstylist tells you that it’s hard to lift the knots on your closure, it could be the sign that the hair has been dyed.
Remy hair is a tricky case if you are buying from a company that you don’t really know. But one thing for sure is that if a company sells 100% unprocessed virgin hair but only charges $8 per bundle, something is definitely NOT right.
It’s pretty obvious to spot the fakes. For example, this is a real seller on Ebay. They are selling 3 bundles of “AAA” hair with closure, unprocessed virgin hair at only $10.49. This is definitely NOT virgin hair.
If you are a hairstylist or a hair business owner looking for areliable hair vendor, we suggest that you ask forsamples in every gradeto find your favorite quality.
virgin hair offers longevity and versatility
virgin hair definitely sit high on the hair grade ladder. 9A and 10A grade are usually virgin hair that hasn’t been through chemical processing. This hair has 100% cuticles that flow in the same directions. You can expect, thick, healthy and super soft hair with this grade.
The difference between 9A and 10A is only the thickness of the hair bundle. 10A bundles have mostly longer strands and fewer flyaways than 9A bundles. If two bundles have the same length, 9A hair will look thinner towards the ends than 10A hair. 9A’s weft is also longer meaning that you may need more tracks to achieve the same fullness than you would otherwise need with 10A hair.
Bundles are sold by weight. Each bundle is usually 3.2-3.5 oz or 100g. Longer hair strands are heavier. Longer hair will need fewer strands to achieve the same weight than shorter hair does. So higher the grade, the smaller the weft is.
If you are buying 9A hair already, we suggest that you just go for 10A because it’s the best virgin hair!
raw hair are the most luxurious hair
11A virginhair is the fullest hair. It is double drawn hair, meaning that the bundle contains 95% long strands. Branded Hair Extensions offers double drawn hair that is trimmed at the ends to achieve the most fullness. Our double drawn is is donor hair that’s folded in half so every strand is the same length. This means that a 10″ bundle is actually made with hair that’s 20″ or longer. Double drawn hair has absolutely no flyaways.
Have you ever gone to a salon with damaged scanty hair but after the stylisttrims off the hair ends, your hair looks full again? 11A hair virgin hair is similar to that. It is naturally full and without needing to trim the ends.
Raw hair is also known as donor hair. It is collected from single donor’s braids and later on selected into a bundle.
Donor hair is a rare material because the donor will have to purposely grow out their long hair for many years. Hair factories rarely make raw hair bundles too long. You shouldn’t expect to buy raw hair that’s 30 inches or 40 inches. It will take years and years for someone to grow 40-inch raw hair.
Raw hair is mostly sourced directly from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam or Law, etc. Hair vendors from these countries usually offer raw hair.
But raw hair is also different from virgin hair, some raw hair can be REALLY hard to manage and matt easily. This is because virgin hair is steam treated to ensure the cuticles are closed. But raw hair is not.
11A and raw hairare the best, purest hair out. Raw hair is a lot more coarse and untamed than virgin hair. The bundles may not match sometimes and there may be dry ends problems. Different people’s hair also reacts differently to heat, dyes, and bleach.
Raw hair has limited styles. You may only get straight, wavy and curly and that’s it. We still recommendBrazilian virgin hairover raw hair for its various styles, length, and versatility.
Hair grades are just references. Don’t make buying decisions based on hair grades.
You should always get hair extensions from reliable companies. Period.
Hair grade isn’t a regulated measure so hair companies can call their 6A hair “9A virgin unprocessed hair” if they want to cheat you.
Frankyl, our 8A hair may actually last longer than the “10A” hair from Aliexpress.
You should always do research, and see the hair yourself. This is why we always recommend sampling because you can actually see the hair yourself before placing a large order.
Sampling is even more important if you are dropshipping because you need to make sure that your customers are getting what you expect to send them.
