What’s the Difference Between Russian Hair and Indian Hair?
Unless you are a psychotic researcher like me then you probably don’t know much about the hair extension industry and why it matters where you get your hair from.
Personally, anytime I make a large monetary investment in something, I do tons of research, I think my husband’s first foray into learning about my obsessive researching was 16+ years ago when we got our beloved Yorkie. My neurotic research of hair extension installation methods lead to my endless research on hair brands after my first not so fantastic experience with a relatively unknown hair extension brand, and all that lead to the development for my previous company: HMF Hair Extensions. All of this at the end of the day leads back to my core belief that I would never take anyone’s money for something I didn’t 100% believe in and wouldn’t wear myself.
Why is hair extension quality so important?
I’ve heard a lot of people say that “your hair is the crown that you never take off”, and I 100% subscribe to this statement! Also, the fact that your hair can make a bad day better, and a good day not so great. Case in point being that while we are all cooped up for this Corona Virus Quarantine, I was fortunate enough to put in my new extensions before total lockdown, it completely brightened my mood and made me feel better.
Most of the hair on the market will say it is Remy hair or cuticle aligned hair, this is very important. After ensuring that the hair is in fact human hair, being cuticle aligned is the next most important thing. Remy or cuticle aligned means that the roots of the hair are kept together and the tips (bottom) of the hair are together and that all the strands are going in the same directions. If this is not the case, you have tangled and frizzy hair that turns into a total knotted mess. The hair will look good for a couple weeks/washes until it becomes a problem, and having been in situations where the hair “turns” from silky to ratty I can assure you that you do not want to take this risk.
The biggest difference between Indian Hair and Russian hair is the coloring process.
When you lighten hair and you are taking something away and affecting the integrity of the hair, while when you darken hair you are adding in, and doing less damage. All Indian hair is some level of brown or black, thus in order to get a lighter color, the hair has to be processed and lightened many times over to achieve lighter colors more specifically blondes, this affects the quality and longevity of the hair.
What sets quality Russian Hair extensions apart from so many others in the industry is that the makers color hair from like-colored donors. What does that mean exactly? Blonde hair extensions come from blonde color donor hair. Dark hair is colored to similar dark colors putting less stress on the hair making it a better-quality product that lasts longer.
I remember discussing hair extension companies with a hairstylist I knew a couple of years ago; I asked her why she personally chooses a specific brand over another, and she said it was because she preferred the blonde colors better because they were “icier.” I later found out in my research that this was because this company used Chinese hair from a region of China where the donors typically had lighter hair. This made it easier to achieve a “cooler” blonde color.
The color of the donor's hair does make a difference, not just in the colors offered, but in the treatment and processing of the hair before it is installed in your natural hair.
I personally wore 4 different prominent companies’ hair extensions before starting to develop my own brand. Every brand had pros and cons, but consistently they needed to be replaced within 3–4 months. This is so not the case with very high-quality hair extensions. I personally have worn my extensions for over 7 months and they are as silky and beautiful as the day they were installed, I’m happy to show them off to anyone who is interested because I 100% stand behind them. The only reason I changed out my hair was because I was lusting after some 22-inch-long Rapunzel hair. I’ll reinstall my “shorter” hair when I go to one row over the hot and sea-soaked summer months.
The next big difference is the texture.
Indian hair is the most readily available hair for extensions because culturally they donate their hair at temples. Indian hair texture varies by region, so depending on where the company you purchase from sources their hair you could end up with hair that is very coarse. Russian hair is a much better option for women with fine hair, which is a big reason why they get extensions in the first place. It gives a much better and more natural blend allowing you to add as much or a little hair density and length to achieve your desired look.
If you look at most hair extension wearers, they are blonde and/or have fine hair. Example A is writing this post as we speak! My hair is damaged from bleaching it over and over and while I have a good amount of hair, it is naturally fine. Russian hair has been the best fit for me personally and many women I know who have taken the hair extension plunge.
The last difference I would like to talk about regarding texture is manageability.
I know for me personally, it isn’t realistic that I will be able to get my hair professionally blown out multiple times a week, if it is for you, I’m jealous and you are super lucky! However, most of us need to be able to style our hair at home and have it look amazing, why else would you have invested in hair extensions?
The variants in coarseness of the Indian hair and the excessive treatment of the hair to get the desired color leave the hair less shiny, silky, and manageable. I ended up spending so much $$$$ having my hair extensions keratin-treated just so I could blow dry them myself without them looking like a frizzy disaster. Who wants to spend hundreds of dollars on hair extensions, and then hundreds more on keratin treatments and products to make them look nicer? This will never be a problem with very high-quality Russian hair extensions, because, at the beginning of the whole process, they look at the donor’s hair and most closely match it to the desired color the extension will be sold as. This eliminates so much damage and creates beautiful hair and blowouts for even those most inept wearers of hair extensions.
I try to regularly get my hair blown out professionally and after a while, the stylist who routinely blow-dries my hair said, “This hair blows out so smooth, I barely have to use a round brush!” It was music to my ears because that means I have achieved my goal! Beautiful quality hair extensions that last!
I know Hair Extensions are a big commitment with your time, your money, and your trust of putting something on your body that you will wear for months at a time. Save time, money, and aggravation by purchasing high-quality, single-donor hair! It’ll be worth it since you’ll be replacing them less than 1/2 as often as what is most available or budget-friendly - it will be worth it!
Any questions or comments, please feel free to email me anytime!
Peace, love, and longer fuller hair!
xx.
Jenna
