There is a lot of mis-information going around regarding remy lace wigs and non-remy lace wigs. This article will attempt to clear up the confusion. First of all a remy lace wig is one that is made with remy hair. Remy hair is simply human hair that has not been stripped of its cuticles and the roots of each strand of the hair are aligned in the same direction. A non-remy lace wig is one that is made using non-remy hair. Non-remy hair is obviously the exact opposite of remy hair. The cuticles have been stripped or cut and the hair tips and roots are all mixed up. Remy hair does not automatically mean that the hair is virgin hair. Virgin hair is a separate issue that we will discuss in a future article.
The benefit of a remy lace wig is that because the roots are all aligned in their natural direction the hair will not tangle or matt. However, the majority of hair used in lace wigs, hair wefts or hair extensions is non-remy hair. This is because non-remy hair is in more abundance and therefore cheaper to obtain than remy hair. So hair vendors use non-remy hair and put it through a process called a bleach or acid-bath to strip it clean and then apply a silicone coating. This silicone coating makes the hair smooth and manageable and gives it a faux shine. These wigs look good when you first get them but the problem is the silicone coating does not last long. It will eventually wash off and then the hair will become unruly and start to tangle and matt.
To avoid having a wig that will not turn into a rat’s nest after a few washings it is best to invest in a remy lace wig even if it is a little more expensive. In the long run you will actually save money as you will not have to replace the wig as often. Unfortunately, many merchants will advertise their wigs as “remy lace wigs” when in actuality they are not. It can be hard for the average consumer to initially tell the difference between remy hair and non-remy hair because of the silicone coating. So how do you know if you are really buying a remy lace wig? The first indicator should be the price. Remy hair is more expensive than non-remy hair so if the price is too low to be true then run for the border! As a guideline you should be leery of any 100% human hair full lace wig advertised as a remy lace wig that cost less than $275 and any 100% human hair lace front wig advertised as remy hair that cost less than $175. Another indicator is past experience…if you have ever bought a “remy lace wig” from a merchant and the wig turned into a rat’s nest soon after washing it then you should probably received a non-remy lace wig and you may want to avoid that vendor for future purchases!
Penelope Remy Lace Wig
Levetta Rivera has written 4 articles on this blog.