Synthetic vs Human Hair: Which One is Better for You?

The Truth About Human Hair and Synthetic Wigs

You’ve heard the phrase, “You get what you pay for.” And if you’ve spent any amount of time with wigs, you've noticed that the ones made of human hair are generally more expensive than the ones made of synthetic fiber. But does that necessarily mean human hair wigs are better than synthetic fiber wigs?  How are you supposed to know which is the better choice for you? 

You’ve heard that old add-age “you get what you pay for”… this doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive option is always what is best for you. 

The truth?   Human hair and Synthetic hair both have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at the facts about human hair first:

Wigs Made With Human Hair

Advantages of Human Hair Wigs

Hands down, human hair looks and feels the most natural because…well…it is natural hair.  There is nothing exactly like the feel, weight, and movement of a good quality human hair wig. (however, quality being the operative word is important to factor in as poor quality human hair is not worth the money in the long run at all!) Remy human hair is considered a premium option because it is generally easier to style and tangles much less due to all the follicles being kept in the same direction during construction. Human hair is remarkably soft with a shine and movement not easily duplicated by synthetic hair. Its versatility allows you to style it like your own hair with curls or bone straight with a durability that can last over a year!

Disadvantages Of Human Hair

So as we all know, human hair wigs and extensions are definitely not inexpensive!  Good quality hair (which is the only human hair worth buying) is pricey.  But is it also takes much more time to style and care for.  Since it is natural hair, you have to style it each time you wear it just like you would your own natural hair.  The style doesn’t really hold like a synthetic wig would. If you have a busy lifestyle or a tight budget, this may not be the choice for you. And just like natural hair, human hair will react to weather conditions and will go flat or frizz if weather dictates;(

Synthetic Hair

Advantages of Synthetic Hair

Synthetic hair has come a long way in the past 10 years.  Because of the inconsistencies in the human hair market, the focus has been on perfecting synthetic hair fiber to look and behave just like human hair. And the results have been amazing.  The look is pretty indistinguishable from human hair wigs and the feel is pretty darn close!  The fact that most synthetic wigs can be worn right out of the box with minimal or no styling requirements makes it a more attractive choice. And, unlike human hair, synthetic hair will hold its style regardless of the climate. The curl pattern or style is basically baked right in to the wig and will not change no matter how terrible the weather is!  Bonus!

Disadvantages of Synthetic Hair

The only disadvantage we can come up with is what we feel is its biggest advantage… you don’t have to take time to style because the style or curl pattern is set right in and stays that way!  However, this means you can’t change it and so you don’t have the versatility of human hair.  Kind of a plus in my book.  As the prices are much more reasonable, it is easy to afford a straight and a wavy version and not have to put much styling effort in to either one. (but we had to find some kind of disadvantage so this is the closest we could find;)

There are heat-friendly synthetic options which allow styling more like human hair wigs. But styling is still a challenge due to the fiber’s natural resistance to change.  We are excited about the advancements in heat friendly synthetic fiber and look forward to this technology improving over time. 

The Best of Both Worlds!

Imagine all the benefits of human hair and all the benefits of synthetic hair got together and had a baby...The product of this union would be only the advantages of both human hair and synthetic hair and virtually none of the disadvantages!  Well... it does exist.  This is what is called in the industry "blended hair"  which is a varying blend of human hair to get the softness, style-ability, and perfect movement with a long lasting style hold and the most vibrant long lasting colors.   This is the best of both worlds and it is available for anyone who wants it.  It is very new to the market and not everywhere right now, but you will see it more and more.  

Bottom Line

Both human hair wigs and synthetic wigs have their pluses and minuses.   Only you know your needs, wants, and budget.  Optimally, if your budget allows, you would want to get a great human hair wig to suit your more important dates and looks, but always have a great synthetic wig or two for your daily needs or your more casual days.  Ideally, you want both types of hair on hand as both are great choices for different situations. You could actually have your cake and eat it too!

Regardless of which type of hair you choose, remember that it is always important to follow our care recommendations in order to get the optimal life span from your hair!

We would love to know your thoughts on Human Hair vs. Synthetic Hair wigs.  Give us your thoughts below!