Human hair extensions quality is dependent on three main factors:

• The source of the raw hair – Secret Hair Extensions UK know a thing or two about that! Our hair is sourced from regions where only the finest hair is collected.
• The processing of the hair once harvested – We love to talk about how gentle our processing is!
• The integrity of the cuticle layer – which is affected by the processing stage mentioned above

The average individual loses between 40 and 200 strands of hair per day. That hair is part of the natural growth and shedding cycle. These hairs will fall to the ground, will collect in your hairbrush or may even be flushed away down the plug hole, and you will barely notice.

None of those strands will look quite as imposing as they do when examined under a microscope. A single human hair is made up of a hard natural protein called keratin. Each hair shaft consists of three layers which include the medulla, the cortex and the cuticle. These layers can break when they are miss-treated or over processed. The result can mean broken, strands that can become fragmented as seen in the image below.

Compare this to the image below of a healthy hair shaft with the cuticle layer intact. The cuticles lay flat. They are closed and smooth.

What Happens If The Hair Cuticle Is Not Maintained?

The hair will lack luster. It will be dull. But most importantly, it will become broken and prone to tangling.

By ensuring we harvest only healthy lustrous hair from reliable, ethical sources, we now that our virgin hair has a full healthy cuticle. By sourcing hair from regions where the diet is good, and the hair texture is some of the finest, we begin our journey to bringing you luxury hair extensions that will have longevity.

Why Do Hair Extensions Tangle?

The answer is, because the cuticle has become damaged or the hairs do not lie in the same direction.

Collecting our raw hair in complete ponytails ensures that the hair continues to lie in the same direction at all times. The term remy hair means that all cuticles must lie in the same direction. This prevents friction on the cuticles and prevents them from catching and dragging on other cuticles which causes frizzing and tangling.

Employing much slower, gentler processing techniques, without harsh pigments means that our virgin extension hair retains the health and vigour of its cuticle layer. Yes, it takes time, yes it is more expensive, yes it means that our production schedules are affected. But the wait is worth it! Luxury Virgin Cuticle Hair will serve our customers for many many months or years.

Having maintained the integrity of the cuticle layer throughout all of our production stages, what does this mean for the human hair extensions consumer?

• It results in hair extensions that will be soft to the touch
• Our extensions retain their strength for an extended period
• Our extensions will not break as easily or become brittle
• Extensions will show luster
• Extensions will not knot or tangle easily

Therefore it is essential to respect the hair and continue with the TLC this cuticle layer has been shown before it reaches the wearer.  Proper aftercare is essential. Human hair extensions must be nourished, since they no longer receiving nutrients from the diet as your own hair would.

To keep the cuticle layer smooth and closed:

• Apply a nourishing hair extensions conditioner from our aftercare range, such as our Hair Rehab Masque.
• Never rub the hair harshly with a towel and always comb gently with a wide tooth comb or a hair extensions detangling brush
• Blow dry the hair around a circular brush to smooth out the cuticles and finish on a cool setting to smooth down and close the cuticle
• Use our Hair Extensions Leave in Protein Spray morning and evening to re-hydrate the cuticle layer and keep it supple.

It is important to remember that with human hair extensions, you cannot build quality back into inferior hair. The quality of the ponytail that is collected will govern the quality at every other stage.  Secret Hair Extensions UK source only the finest raw hair for our Virgin Cuticle Hair Range