Difference between Virgin and Synthetic Hair

Virgin hair is 100% human hair that is unprocessed and completely natural. It is only available in the original color that it was harvested with, these hair brands have not been dyed and have the quality and texture of natural human hair in looks and feel with an impeccable shine and softness. They come in various types; Brazilian hair, Malaysian hair, Peruvian hair, Indonesian, Chinese, and Indian.

Synthetic hair is not natural in any way; they are made from artificial fibers that have been made into fine threads to replicate the human hair. They are made from monofilament or poly filament fiber, acrylic or polyester materials. The differences between the two hair types are derived from their physical attributes.

Colour. Virgin hair is mostly in the original color of the hair that it was cut from but can be dyed into any color of your choice. The shades of virgin hair can handle highlights and low lights. Synthetic hair cannot be dyed or colored, and they come in an extensive range of bold color for your choosing.

Appearance. Virgin hair is soft with a good bounce. They look more like human hair and have a shine and gloss to them. Synthetic hair has extra shine, gloss because of the processing treatment from the manufacturers. Human hair looks better with hair care products enhancing its human features while artificial hair looks stiff and cheap with less flow and bounce.

Washing. Virgin hair can be washed and blow dried as part of the care routine. Hair can be washed in cold and warm water with mild shampoo and conditioner. Synthetic hair can be washed with cold water only, with the commended hair care products. It can only be air dried without heat so that it does not get damaged.

Heat application. One very good quality of human hair is that it can be styled just like your hair. It can be curled with hot rods or in a salon dryer but synthetic hair will shrink under high heat, as the excessive heat can melt the fibers. They, however, can be changed from straight to curly and vice versa.

Cost. One of the biggest distinguishing factors between virgin hair and synthetic hair is the price. Virgin hair cost two or three times more than their synthetic counterpart even with the same attributes like length and size. European virgin hair cost 5 to 8 times more than synthetic hair.

Texture. Human hair has a softer and silkier texture than artificial hair. Although the hair texture depends on the origin, they usually have that human hair feel which gives them their signature look, unlike synthetic hair which is not as soft and glossy and is probably stretched to get that human hair texture.

The burn test. With advancement in hair technology, it is difficult to differentiate between these two brands of hair. The burn test is a sure way of knowing exactly what you are purchasing. When human hair is burnt, it smells like barbecue and the ashes produced can be twisted into powder, synthetic hair, however, smells like plastic when it is burning with its ashes stuck together.

With all these differences known, you can correctly make the right choice of hair to fit your style.