We love the beauty and bounce of curly hair, but finding a hair care and styling regime for your gorgeous curls can be a challenge. Curly-haired beauties know exactly what we are talking about! While there are tonnes of information on regimes for straight hair, there is comparatively lesser intel on the customised love curly hair deserves. No longer! We are taking down one outdated beauty stereotype at a time, and decoding the perfect haircare routine for your gorgeous curls.
The first and the most important step of curly hair care is recognizing that not all curls are the same. Curls can range from S-shaped waves to tight coils, and be wavy, shiny, or dry. Identifying your curl pattern is key for selecting the right care for your hair.
What Is Hair Type & Curl Classification?
Hair type is classified by an alphanumeric system, which means there is a number and a letter to describe your hair. Based on this system, your hair could belong to 12 types from 1A to 4C.
Type 1
This is straight hair, with virtually no wave. This hair is further classified as 1A, 1B, or 1C, depending on the thickness of the strand.
- 1A hair tends to be the finest and straightest.
- 1B hair has thicker strands and tends to have more volume than fine hair.
- 1C hair has strands as thick as a thread and can hold some waves, especially towards the ends.
Type 2
Hair which makes an S-shaped pattern is Type 2 or wavy, and this is where our curly hair story begins. Though Type 2 has a definite pattern, it lies close to the scalp.
- 2A is lightly wavy hair, which tends to be straighter at the scalp and crown. The hair strand is fine to thin and can look beautifully tousled, but can appear flat at the scalp and frizzy on the lengths.
- 2B is wavy hair that is straight at the crown but tends to make a more pronounced pattern from the ears down.
- 2C waves are thick and begin from the crown itself. The hair appears more voluminous than other wavy hair types, but can be prone to dryness and frizz.
Type 3
Type 3 is what is known as curly hair. Most Indian curly hair falls in Types 2 and 3. The hair strand in Type 3 twists around into curls, rather than a wave.
- 3A curls tend to be shiny and large, standing away from the scalp. The curls are large in diameter, and like all other curls, need hydration, but because they are looser, too much product can weigh down 3A strands.
- 3B curls, your hair will be springy and more tightly coiled. The curls will be smaller in diameter and prone to frizz and dryness.
- 3C curls are what are called corkscrew curls, with the strand coiling tight. Since the curls are so dense, 3C hair looks voluminous.
Type 4
Coily or kinky hair falls under Type 4. The biggest difference between Type 3 and Type 4 curls is that Type 4 curls tend to be so tight they make a sharp zig-zag pattern. This hair type also experiences “shrinkage”: long hair strands are shortened into dense coils.
- 4A curls are the diameter of a knitting needle or less, bouncy, and textured. They spring away from the scalp and look youthful.
- 4B curls are notable for their distinct z-shaped strands. If your curly hair strands make a sharp, pronounced zig-zag pattern, you probably have 4B curls.
- 4C hair type lends itself naturally to big, bold Afros and is also known as coils. The hair curls so tightly that the hair pattern can be indistinguishable and the width of the curl is extremely small.
How To Tell Your Hair Type At Home?
You don’t always need a salon consultation to tell your hair type! Now that you have the rough guide to decoding your hair type, let’s pluck out a few strands of hair to see which category you fit into!
- It is best to start with freshly washed and clean hair.
- Pluck out at least 4-5 full-length strands so you can get a more complete picture of your hair type.
- Lay out the strands against a white towel kept in a well lit area (if your hair is very light coloured, choose a darker towel.)
- If you see your strands have no visible pattern – you have Type 1 hair. Hair that tends to wave is Type 2. You can further make out the degree of waviness by seeing how much the strands wave.
- Strands that naturally fall into a curl pattern are Type 3. The tighter the curl and thicker the hair strand, the closer you are to 3C.
- If you see strands that are springy and densely coiled, you have Type 4 hair. Again, you can determine the sub-type by how much your hair coils and the diameter of the coils. Zig-zag patterned curls are 4 B, while kinky curls are 4C.
If you’re still confused about your hair curl pattern, you can seek expert help. Also, it is important to remember that you can have a mixture of curl types, with your hair containing both 3A and BB curls, for example. In beginning to understand your hair type, you’re already helping out your gorgeous hair.
For more specifics on caring for your specific hair type, keep reading our blog!
