1. The fingertip test
Hold one strand by the root end. Run your thumb and finger slowly from tip towards root. Hair with an intact cuticle feels slightly rougher in that direction than from root to tip.
If it feels equally smooth both ways, the cuticle is either stripped or covered in coating. That is the first warning sign, not the final answer.
2. The clarifying wash
Wash a section twice with a clarifying shampoo and no conditioner, then let it air-dry. Silicone comes off and the true fibre shows.
Healthy hair stays soft and moves freely. Acid-bathed hair turns straw-like, dull and starts to knot at the ends.
3. The wet stretch
Take a wet strand and pull it gently. Healthy hair stretches a little and returns. Hair weakened by acid or harsh bleaching stretches like gum or snaps quickly.
4. The seven-wash check
Install or simply wash a sample seven to eight times over a week, drying it the way a client would. This is the test that matters most, because it shows how the hair will behave in the client's second month — when complaints usually start.
This is also why we ask for a 1kg commercial trial rather than a 100g sample: you need enough hair to test on several real clients.
What to ask your supplier
Ask directly: is this hair processed in an acid bath? Is there any silicone coating on it? Will you put the answer in writing on the invoice?
A manufacturer who controls their own process can answer in one line. A trader who buys finished stock often cannot.
Buyer Questions
Can acid-bathed hair be fixed?
No. Once the cuticle is stripped it does not grow back. Conditioners only mask the damage for a few washes.
Does RemyPatra use acid baths?
No. Our hair keeps its cuticle and direction, and our highest-grade blondes are finished silicone-free so you see the real fibre.
How many washes show the truth?
Most coating is gone within five to ten washes. Test a sample through seven or eight washes before placing a large order.