What Is My Hair Type?

Need some help figuring out your hair type and curl pattern? Hair type is broken down into 4 main hair type groups, Straight, Wavy, Curly and Kinky/Coily. It may seem confusing at first but here are some tips to help you answer that "What is my hair type?" question.

Type 1 - Straight

Type 1A is “stick” straight hair that has no natural curl or wave. It's hard for this type to hold a curl. It’s the rarest hair type and is common mostly among Asian culture.

Type 1B has extra body. When left unstyled it is generally straight, but it can hold curls with a little help from products.

Type 1C straight hair type is usually thick and coarse, which can cause frizziness depending on the climate or environment.

Natural oil from the scalp can easily travel down the hair shaft and hydrate each strand. This contributes to the shiny and smooth look of this hair type. However, the biggest issue among Type 1 hair is oiliness. It's recommended to wash your hair at least 3 times a week and use products like dry shampoo to help refresh your hair between washes.

Type 2 - Wavy

Type 2A is the flattest type of wavy hair and often lacks volume. It is flat at the roots before gently curling at eye or ear level. It’s also easily weighed down by heavy styling products.

Type 2B has distinct, cascading waves. It generally lies flat at the crown before rippling from the midpoint to the hair ends.

Type 2C is the waviest with clearly defined S-bends with volumizing curls starting from the hair roots.

Type 2 is the “in-between” hair type. It's not completely straight nor is it completely curly. Type 2 waves are bendable, can be fine to coarse, and have a definitive S pattern that lays closer to the head. It's recommended to wash your hair at least 2 times a week and use Volumizing styling products.

Type 3 - Curly

Type 3A curls have more of an S pattern as they tend to be looser and larger in size than other curl types. The size of each curl is similar to the circumference of a thick piece of sidewalk chalk.

Type 3B curls take on a ringlet shape and have a significant amount of volume. Each curl is about as wide as a sharpie.

Type 3C is the tightest and stiffest of all curl types. Their corkscrew shape is about the width of a pencil.

Type 3 hair is a unique type of curly hair that can have loose waves or tight corkscrews which needs moisture to thrive. It is recommended to wash twice a week and be sure to deep condition often to keep their hair clean and healthy. A protective style is also beneficial to this hair type. Avoid high heat blow drying.

Type 4 - Kinky/Coily

Type 4A has S-pattern coils that are as large as crochet needles. When these spirals are loosened, they can pass for type 3c hair.

Type 4B displays more of a zig-zag pattern with defined curls towards the end of their strands

Type 4C hair type is crimpy or Z-shaped from end to end, with lots of shrinkage

Type 4 hair is moisture deprived and will always need extra moisture care after washing. It is recommended to wash at least once a week with sulfate-free shampoo and wear protective styles or wraps at night. Stay far away from heat-styling and chemical treatments. Co washing is highly recommended for this hair type.