Depending on what they’re made out of, hairpieces come in two types: human hair hairpieces and synthetic hair hairpieces. But which ones were invented first? Well, human hair ones were. In fact, synthetic hairpieces are relatively new considering human hair hairpieces go back to ancient Egypt.

That’s right, have you ever seen one of those Egyptian murals where every character is depicted with straight black hair? Turns out they shaved their hair as a sacrifice to the gods, and in order to protect their shaved heads from the relentless sun, they ended up making wigs out of that same shaved hair. They used beeswax and resin to keep the wigs in place, so you could say they were the inventors of the hairpiece.

Now that we know that human hair hairpieces are nothing new, what makes them special? Why choose them over a synthetic hair hairpiece?

Long story short, they just look better than synthetic hair:

They are made out of actual human hair, so they end up offering a natural look and feel that synthetic hair just can’t quite match.

Human hair hairpieces are incredibly soft and shiny compared to synthetic pieces. And softness isn't the only thing they are better at. There’s also the movement of the hair: long hair tends to move and flow in a specific way, and when a hairpiece does not move in the same way that human hair would, it becomes quite apparent and jarring.

Another pro of human hair over synthetic hair is versatility. Human hair can be styled and trimmed to the specific needs of the wearer, whereas synthetic hairpieces can’t in most scenarios.

Human hair hairpieces do come with one drawback though, which is their price.

Human hair hairpieces are usually more expensive than synthetic hair ones. But with the bigger price also comes more durability. When properly cared for, they can last twice as long as synthetic pieces. And when they're custom made and of high-quality, the hairpiece's hair is selected to match your own hair's color, texture, length and density. All of this is possible thanks to the use of human hair, and that hair usually comes in one of four types:  Indonesian, Chinese, Indian and Caucasian (also known as European) hair.

Each type comes with its set of pros and cons:

• Indonesian hair is usually thicker, less expensive than the rest and more easily found. This type of hair is mostly used for hairpieces and wigs for people of color due to it's natural curls and shape.

• Chinese hair tends to be thicker and straighter. Due to its straightness, it’s kinda difficult to curl and style, but it’s great for straight hair hairpieces. Most of the hairpieces and wigs you see all over the internet, hair salons and hair clubs are made out of this type of hair.

• Indian hair is fine and thin, but still offers great texture and styling capabilities similar to those of Caucasian hair. If you’re looking for hair with quality similar to caucasian hair, but you don’t want to spend tons of money, indian hair is the way to go.
• Caucasian hair is usually the most sought after due to it being finer and great for styling. Caucasian hair can be colored, textured and trimmed to fit almost any hairstyle wanted. This is why it comes as no surprise that it’s also the most expensive.

The type of human hair used to make a hairpiece isn’t the only thing that determines the quality of the piece. The process and way in which it was manufactured also play a huge role when it comes to the quality and durability of a hairpiece. A lot of chemicals are used to clean, style and color the human hair that will be used for a hairpiece, and the strength and quality of those chemicals dictate the quality level of the end product.

The more care and better quality chemicals are used when processing a batch of hair for a hair piece, the better looking and more expensive that hairpiece will be. A bad process and cheap, overly concentrated chemicals will lead to dull and brittle-looking hairpieces.

Some of the best human hairpieces around are made from Remy human hair. The word “Remy” means that the hair was collected in such a way that all the hair strands remain aligned to the natural direction they grew in when still attached to the hair follicles. This method makes sure that the hairpiece maintains the natural cuticle direction and texture pattern the hair originally had, which in turn leads to less tangling and silkier, better-looking hair.

When caring for a human hair hairpiece, two factors are hugely important: cleaning and hydration. The cleaning part sounds easy enough right? Just like natural hair, a human hairpiece needs to be cleaned every so often. The catch is that you can’t just clean them with any regular shampoo you find in any store, they have to be cleaned with specialized products made for highly processed human hair. Human hairpieces should be treated as a long-term investment, and they should be cared for as such. There’s nothing worse than brittle and dull looking strands on a human hair hairpiece.

The second factor, hydration, is key because human hair hairpieces don’t count with the natural oils produced by your scalp. So make sure to hydrate and condition your hairpieces on a regular basis. Feel free to check out our selection of shampoos and conditioners, they’re all specially made for hairpieces.

When quality and good looks are the main factors, a human hair hairpiece is the way to go. They might be more expensive and require more maintenance than synthetic hairpieces, but the natural shine, movement, and styling capabilities they offer can’t be matched. Human hair hairpieces should be treated as a serious purchase, and as such, you should make all the questions you feel like asking to an expert before spending your hard-earned money. Feel free to call our toll-free number: 1-800-756-8585, we’ll be more than happy to answer all of your questions and give you all the advice you need!