Raw Hair vs. Virgin Hair - What is the Difference?

It is easy to become overwhelmed by the many options on the market today if you are new to the world of human hair extensions. Many may think Raw Hair and Virgin Hair look the same and cannot tell the difference. So, what is the difference, you might ask? No need to worry, 50K Lashes and Hair is here to help answer this question!

Both Raw Hair and Virgin Hair have distinct characteristics. We hope after our explanation, you will be able to distinguish between the two and tell the difference as both can be great options depending on your hairstyle use.

Raw Hair

Raw Hair is 100% unprocessed hair. Which means it has never been chemically processed or had heat or steam applied to it. It is usually collected directly from a single donor, washed, conditioned, then sold to the end-user as clip-ins, wefts, tape-ins, tips, wigs and many other forms of hair. Raw Hair comes in its natural state, unlike Virgin Hair and is the highest quality hair on the market to date. It is natural-looking, the bundles are fuller and can last up to 5 years with proper care.

Raw Hair usually comes in three (3) hair textures – straight, wavy, and curly, just as collected from the donor. Raw Hair is usually more expensive than Virgin Hair.

Virgin Hair

Virgin Hair is also chemically unprocessed hair that has not been modified or altered with dyes, perms, bleach or harsh chemicals. The hair is collected from multiple donors, is 100% human hair and contains no synthetic fibers. All the hair cuticles are intact and move in the same direction.

However, Virgin Hair has been steamed processed to create more uniform curls or wave patterns to give it texture, including aligning the cuticles. An example of this is my most loved hair texture – the Body Wave. The steam process is used to create curls that look the same. It is how you get that perfect “S” shape on the body wave from the hair weft to the hair tip. The steam process is also used to get textures such as Deep Wave, Loose Wave, Kinky Straight, Kinky Curls, Water Wave, Spanish Wave, and other popular textures/patterns. These textures were made to imitate how one’s hair looks from a specific region, such as Indian and Brazilian hair.

Double Drawn

Raw Hair is usually double-drawn. Double drawn means that the shorter hair strands are removed by hand from the hair. Therefore, the hair is full and thick from the top at the weft to the tip.

Virgin Hair, on the other hand, is usually single-drawn. This means that there are many shorter hair strands at the top of the bundle, resulting in the top being thick and the ends thinner.

Bleaching/Colouring

Raw Hair takes colour very well and can be lifted to #613 Russian Blonde or #60 Platinum Blonde. However, it is recommended that bleaching or colouring is done by a professional who uses good quality colouring materials.

Virgin Hair can also be coloured and bleached. It usually lifts to #27 Honey Blonde. Again, we recommend consulting with a professional who will use good quality colouring materials.

Characteristics of Raw Hair

• Raw Hair is 100% human hair.
• The purest form of Virgin Hair on the market today.
• All the cuticles in this type of hair are aligned in the same direction.
• Raw Hair usually does not have uniform curls or wave patterns.
• Raw Hair usually has a higher price point than Virgin Hair.
• It is premium quality hair.
• Raw Hair has not been altered in any way by steam or chemical processing.
• Raw hair is double drawn.
• It is mainly sourced from one donor.
• The available hair textures are limited to natural hair patterns such as natural wave, curly, and straight.
• It can last up to 5 years with excellent care.
• Requires more maintenance.
• Available only in natural black, browns, grays, red (rare), and blondes (rare).

Characteristics of Virgin Hair

• Virgin hair is 100% human hair.
• The hair has not been dyed, permed, bleached or washed with harsh chemicals.
• It has been steamed to create a more uniform curl or wave pattern.
• Available hair textures are endless.
• It can last up to 2 years with proper care.
• Virgin Hair is single drawn.
• It is mainly sourced from multiple donors.
• Available in multiple colours.

Is Raw Hair better than Virgin Hair?

Determining which hair is better depends on the donors, sourcing and production. There is no absolute as you can have lower quality Raw Hair just as you can have higher quality Virgin Hair. The hair you get heavily depends on the vendor and or how the hair is sourced and produced.

50K Lashes and Hair’s Virgin Hair has not gone through any chemical processing. However, it has been streamed to create hair textures such as Body Wave, Loose Wave, Kinky Straight, Kinky Curly, among other popular textures.

Source of Raw Hair and Virgin Hair

These hairs can be sourced from anywhere in the world as it depends on the hair vendor. However, they are typically sourced from South Asian countries and can become scarce due to the supply and demand in the market.

Factors to Consider When Shopping for Raw or Virgin Hair Extensions

Description	What to Look For
Wefts	Is it single or double-stitched? Double stitch wefts are better at reducing shedding.
Weight	The standard weight for sew-in bundles is 100 grams or 3.5 oz. Is the bundle cheaper because it has less hair and weighs less?
100% Human Hair	50K Lashes and Hair only sells 100% human hair and have reason to believe this is what our customers prefer. You should consider using synthetic hair if you are looking for really cheap hair that will not last, colour, or style.
Raw Hair or Virgin Hair	In general, there are two types of hair quality on the market. Raw Hair, which is natural, and Virgin Hair, has had some processing, including aligning the cuticles. Both can be great options depending on your hairstyle use.
Single Donor or Multiple Donors	Single donor hair only matters for a few hair types, including Indian Temple hair or possibly unique gray hair.
Single Donor Drawn	Most human hair sold in the USA market is single-drawn hair. The cost to produce a double-drawn bundle is much higher because the shackling process of removing shorter hairs is much more expensive during manufacturing. This is why most Raw Hair extensions are more expensive than Virgin Hair, as the shorter strands of hair are removed to ensure the hair is full from the weft to the tip. You should expect to pay more for a bundle of human hair with long hairs from the weft to the tip.
Colour	Can you colour the hair? Virgin Hair will usually colour up to a #27 - Honey Blonde, while Raw Hair can be coloured to a #613 Blonde or #60 Platinum Blonde.
Styling	Generally, you should not have an issue styling Virgin Hair extensions. However, Raw Hair extensions will always give you the best results.

Raw and Virgin Human Hair Options Offered by 50K Lashes and Hair Inc

Malaysian Hair Extensions

The Malaysian Body Wave and Malaysian Straight hair extensions provide optimum value for the price.

The natural 1b colour blends very well with any hair type and styles easily.

Features of the Malaysian Body Wave and Malaysian Straight Hair

• The hair is 100% Human Hair.
• Double stitch wefts.
• Hair is “Virgin Remy” with cuticles facing the same direction.
• Malaysian Hair can be coloured to a #27 Honey Blonde.
• Single drawn but still not thin at the tips.
• All bundles are standard 100 grams - 3.5 oz.

Our customers have benefited from and are happy with the price and quality of our Malaysian hair. The construction of the matching closures and frontals is excellent!

Brazilian Hair Extensions

Are you ready to take it up a notch?

Features of the Brazilian Hair Extension

• The hair is 100% Human Hair.
• Double stitch wefts.
• Hair is “Virgin Remy” with cuticles facing the same direction.
• Brazilian hair can be coloured to a #27 Honey Blonde.
• Single drawn but still not thin at the tips.
• All bundles are standard 100 grams - 3.5 oz.

The main difference between Brazilian Hair and Malaysian Hair is the longer hair strands within the bundles.

If you are looking for excellent quality hair extensions at an affordable price, then Brazilian Hair is it!

Vietnamese Hair Extensions

The Vietnamese Human Hair is simply extraordinary! This hair is “Raw Hair” that is sourced from the countryside of Vietnam.

The Vietnamese hair extension is thick from the weft to the end. The texture is not silky smooth like the Brazilian but a little coarse. It is perfect for women like me who has course hair and wears sew-in extensions all the time.

Features of the Vietnamese Hair Extension

• The hair is 100% Human Hair.
• Double stitch wefts.
• Hair is “Remy” with cuticles facing the same direction.
• Vietnamese Hair can be coloured up to a #613 Russian Blonde or #60 Platinum Blonde.
• Double drawn and full to the tips.
• All bundles are standard 100 grams - 3.5 oz.

Vietnamese hair is some of the best quality hair you will ever find on the market. You will not find many sellers of Vietnamese hair as it is not common in the marketplace. It is usually scarce and takes longer to get from suppliers than other hair textures.

Indian Hair Extensions

The Wavy and Curly Indian hair textures are some of the most sought-after in the hair industry. These are beautiful and long-lasting hair extensions.

Features of the Indian Hair Extension

• 100% Human Hair.
• Double stitch wefts.
• Hair is “Remy” with the cuticles facing the same direction.
• Indian Hair can be coloured to #613 Russian Blonde or #60 Platinum Blonde.
• Full bundles.
• All bundles are standard 100 grams - 3.5 oz.

The popularity of Indian hair has stayed consistent over the past ten years. Indian hair is not abundant as other hair extensions, so the prices for natural raw Indian hair that has been donated at Temples will generally be higher.

Our Indian hair is 100% Raw Hair with no mixing of processed hair. You may find “cheap” Indian hair, but it will not match the quality of the bundles 50K Lashes and Hair sells to customers. Our vendor’s goal is to source the best possible raw Indian hair that is available from India.

Which Human Hair Extension Should I Choose?

The best way to determine the hair texture that you love is to try each of them. If you are new to the world of hair extensions, we suggest trying the Vietnamese hair extension or the Indian hair extension. 

WARNING! 50K Lashes and Hair extensions are highly addictive - once you try them, you will want to remain high - you'll never stop!