Here's How to Tell What Type of Curls You Have

curly hair type

To start, there are four types of curl types ranging from Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4. The number refers to the four main curl families, where the ABC’s of curls point to how tightly wound your curls are. So in turn, Type 1s are those who have naturally straight hair, while Type 2s are our wavy-haired ladies. 3s are those with spiral curls and 4s are the infamous kinks and coils.

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While this hair type is more receptive to staying in shape, the cuticle tends to break and frizz more easily because it doesn't lay flat. As a result, they'll require lots of moisture to prevent your hair from tangling. This hair type is the most prone to breakage, so constant moisturization is crucial. Nourish your hair with deep conditioners and hot oil treatments at least once per week. They are composed of a few more actual curls, as opposed to just waves.

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The best time to examine your follicles is when the hair is wet since water weighs down the hair, altering how it looks compared to dry strands. Tonanzi notes that it's important to remember that most people don't fall into a single curl category and actually have multiple patterns on their hair. "The hair on our head grows differently depending on where it is—hair on the back of the neck will have a looser pattern compared to the hair on the front and sides," she says. Styling curly hair is one thing—identifying your curl type is a whole other ball game.

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To emphasize 3A curls, you'll want to use a product that hydrates and adds definition. Conditioner benefits curly hair by providing hydration, reducing frizz, and promoting curl definition. It helps to detangle knots, making hair easier to manage and protects against damage by forming a barrier on the hair shaft. To style Type 2b curls, lightweight leave-in conditioners, airy sprays, and volume-boosting foams are recommended. To enhance the curls, scrunching the hair with a diffuser or air-drying is recommended.

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With a few well-wound ringlet curls to them, this type of hair is thicker with a frizzier texture. To best way to take care of 2C hair is by avoiding over-washing because it will dry out your hair, cause breakage, and it will not combat the infamous frizz. Try washing your hair 2-3 times a week with a lightweight shampoo and by adding a little leave-in conditioner into your routine will do wonders for this curl type, especially when using a diffuser. This classification system, originally created by Andre Walker breaks down curls into types and subtypes.

Type 2 Curls

Despite many misconceptions, this tightly coiled hair is quite fine and fragile. Coily hair grows at the same rate as other texture, however, if not treated properly it breaks more than other textures. Treat this hair type like a fine silk blouse – cleanse gently, detangle softly, and avoid harsh chemicals. Coily hair is the driest hair type, thus it is more prone to breakage and requires a gentle touch.

curly hair type

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Not all follicles on one head of hair will always follow the same shape; some might be round, resulting in straighter strands, while flat ovals can give you tumbling curls and tight corkscrews. Type 4 hair is coily and kinky textures, and is the type most prone to shrinkage. "This hair resembles tight coils that can look very short," Michelle confirms. "Type 3C curls look like tighter coils that have a stretch factor of 3 to 8 inches. These curls resemble that of a thick pencil," Michelle explains.

Use a volumizing mousse on freshly washed wet hair and let the waves air dry naturally while gently bouncing strands upwards with a flat palm of your hand. Try using lightweight leave-in conditioners, airy sprays, and volume-boosting foams. “You have very dense, tightly packed corkscrews curls that are the circumference of a pencil or a straw,” Breyer explains.

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Opt for a styling gel containing humectants to give definition and reduce frizz. It's best to use a hair brush like the Denman D3 Original Styler, which is considered the holy grail for curly hair. 2C hair has a texture that is getting thick, it's more likely to experience frizzing, and the S-bend starts right from the root and is very well-defined. It's important to keep this hair moisturized, so DiMeo recommends using a sulfate-free shampoo, which helps not strip natural oils and moisture away.

curly hair type

The subcategories from A to C are based on the width or diameter of your wave, curl or afro pattern. Further use gentle shampoos such as cleansing conditioners (co-washes), which clean and nourish simultaneously with higher ratios of conditioning ingredients. Curl type can be difficult to determine, because your natural curls are still hidden under a damaged or over-treated layer. If you think you might have type 4 hair, keep reading to see which subtype your coils fall under.

Taylor recommends using the Deeper Than Hair First Class to Morocco Shampoo ($24) and Conditioner ($28) for this curl type. Both products contain Moroccan oil, which is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that will really moisturize and bring life back to dry, brittle strands. If you have 3a curls, Taylor recommends using a curl cream such as Salwa Petersen's Chébé Buttercream Styling Cream ($22), to emphasize the curl texture, add weightless definition, and style the hair. The wave usually forms throughout the hair in the shape of an "S" like Type 2a, but the hair sticks closer to the head.

It's a lot to think about, sure, but we tapped three industry curl experts to break down some of the finer points of the typing categories. Whether you've got soft bends cascading down your back or tight coils blossoming towards the heavens, there's an easy way to identify exactly what's going on up top. Follow our easy tip sheet below (complete with recommendations for the best products for your curl type) so you can be well on your way to becoming a curl-typing pro. François recommends identifying curls by looking at their texture. "I define the characteristics of each hair type by its true texture," he says. "There's often some overlap with chart systems—like Type 4 may be both kinky and coily—so for me, being dyslexic, it makes much more sense to define by texture."

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