Everything You Need to Know About the Three Hair Types

Here at Milano Wig Collection, every single one of our wigs and hair toppers are made of 100% premium grade Remy human hair, cuticle-intact and all in the same direction. This is a big part of why our wigs and toppers look so realistic, and it’s the reason they can typically be lightened, colored, washed, and styled with heat a lot like the hair growing out of someone’s head!

BUT, while all of our pieces may be real human hair, not all hair is created equal. When you think about purchasing a wig or hair topper, there are a lot of factors that seem obvious to consider. There’s color, length, hair texture, whether it’s lace top or silk top, cap construction, density of hair, whether it has hand-sewn wefts, and whether it requires personalized cut or color, for example. As if that’s not already enough to think about, there’s another factor that those who are new to wigs and hair toppers often don’t think to consider: hair type.

What the heck is “hair type”?

We carry three types of hair at Milano Collection: Virgin Euro, Processed Euro, and Premium Processed. And no, we’re not just making up new words to confuse you.

The main noticeable quality of a wig or topper that will vary by hair type is the look and feel of the hair itself.

Are the individual strands of hair thin or thick? Fine or coarse? If you rub the hair between your thumb and index finger, would it feel dry? Glossy? Springy? Wispy?

To the naked eye, wigs and hair toppers made out of our different hair types may not look any different from each other, but once you know the difference it’s impossible to un-see!

If you’re still lost, don’t worry—We’ve written this helpful guide to break down the three types of human hair we carry in our collection, the differences between them, and how to determine which one is right for you!

Virgin Euro

Virgin European hair (or just Virgin hair) is the highest quality human hair of the three options we offer. It’s sourced from Europe and hasn’t been colored, lightened, or otherwise chemically treated.

This results in a hair texture that is smoother, glossier, and softer to the touch than our other two hair types, which can be more desirable for some. As a result, Virgin hair tends to run at a higher price than processed alternatives, both in our collection and in general.

We carry a wide range of natural hair colors in Virgin hair, but because it is non-colored and non-processed, you won’t find Virgin alternatives to our most vibrant or non-natural hair colors, like Ice Blonde or Merlot. 

However, part of what makes Virgin hair a popular choice is that it responds to color and lightening more predictably than our processed hair types! Let’s say that you start with a Virgin hair wig that’s medium brown, and you want a color service to add blonde highlights throughout the hair to brighten it up and give the color some dimension. It would not only be a sure bet that our stylists would be able to successfully lift the hair to your desired color, but the resulting hair would also feel much healthier than if we were to try to perform the same color service on a processed wig.

Virgin hair can undergo any color service to make it darker (like all-over dye, toning, rooting, or lowlights), AND it can easily be colored lighter and lifted by multiple levels while still maintaining the health of the hair. This makes Virgin hair a great option for anyone seeking out very light blondes or other heavily lightened hair colors but who doesn’t want their wig to have the texture of a broom that’s been left out in the rain.

Virgin wigs and toppers that are lace-top are also eligible for our Scalp Illusion service, where our stylists bleach the knots (where the individual strands of hair are tied to the lace) to reduce their appearance and make the hair piece look more natural.  

 

Processed Euro

In our opinion, Processed Euro hair is the most underrated hair type, and we’re done gatekeeping it! It’s the next highest quality after Virgin hair, and shares its finer texture and its smoother, silkier feel than Premium Processed.

But unlike Virgin hair, Processed Euro hair has been colored and treated, and it’s almost always less expensive. 

Our Processed Euro wigs and hair toppers are pre-colored and available in a wide variety of black, brown, blonde, and red shades. They can be darkened with a rooting or color toning but are too delicate to be lifted to a lighter shade by bleaching. 

Many of our Processed Euro pieces come pre-highlighted, and we carry multiple shades in this collection that we don’t have in our Premium Processedor Virgin hair types, including Golden Strawberry, Warm Platinum Blonde, Icy Blonde W/ Lowlights, and Ashy Blonde W/ Highlights. 

We consider Processed Euro to be the perfect middle ground between our Virgin and Premium Processed hair types. It doesn’t have the same versatility of color treatment options that you have with Virgin hair, BUT, since many of our Processed Euro colors are pre-highlighted, it’s possible to have those lighter blonde shades, avoid the hair feeling like a dehydrated tumbleweed, AND pay less than you would for a Virgin piece!

Premium Processed

Premium Processed hair is the type of hair that is most popular with our clients and that makes up most of our collection of wigs and hair toppers! It’s hair that is sourced globally and then colored and treated.

PLUS, while still being premium quality (as reflected in its name), Premium Processed hair tends to be the least expensive option out of the three types that we carry. It may not have AS silky or glossy of a finish as our other two alternatives, but it’s still some of the best human hair money can buy, it’s available in a larger assortment of color and style options, and it won’t break the bank!

Between our three hair types, Premium Processed is available in the largest range of colors, spanning multiple shades of reds, browns, blondes, greys, and blacks. There are also several Premium Processed pieces in our collection that come pre-colored with balayage, reverse balayage, highlights, babylights, or rooting. 

While it’s available in the greatest range of colors, if you want a Premium Processed hair wig or topper but we don’t have the exact color you’re looking for, this hair type is still able to withstand some color and lightening services. It can be toned to darker colors, low lighted, and depending on the color, some pieces can even be highlighted! 

Which hair type should I choose?

Here are a few questions to think about if you’re having trouble deciding which hair type is right for you:

• What is your budget?
• If you’re getting a wig, is it for fashion, hair loss, religious reasons, or other? How important is it to you (if at all) that it looks realistic?
• If you’re getting a hair topper, which hair type most closely resembles the texture and consistency of your bio hair? Is it important to you that the texture of your hair topper is the same?
• Do you want to do any additional color or lightening services on your wig/topper?
• Do you anticipate wearing your wig/topper every day? How long do you hope for your wig/topper to last?
• Which qualities of your wig/topper are most important to you? Hair that feels healthy? Not looking “wiggy”? A spot on color match to your natural hair color or desired hair color? Something else?

If you have any further questions or need more personalized guidance to determine which hair type is right for you, you can schedule a virtual or in-person consultation with one of our specialists HERE!