Hair Types: Identifying Your Unique Hair Type and Texture

Ever had a tough time trying to determine and figure out what hair type you have so you can look after your hair properly?

Conquering your own strands can be such a hassle sometimes, I swear. And let’s not forget that you need to love and maintain them, groom, straighten, blow dry, and sometimes spend hours detangling and defrizzing it. Well, your nightmare ends here. It stops now.

We have some tips for how to style your hair the right way. We start by figuring out what your hair type is.

Different Hair Types

To understand it easily, you should know that there are 4 different hair categories. And under those 4 primary hair categories, there are always 3 sub-categories.

The best way to categorize your natural hair texture is to leave your hair to air-dry, using no styling products. Once you do, tell us, which of the following hair type do you most identify with?

1. Straight

Main features of straight hair are: lifeless, flat, frizzy, and often quite greasy. Straight hair doesn’t have a lot of bounce, and it can be quite thin.

1A

Women with fine hair, which doesn’t hold a curl well or who have an excessive amount of oils, have the 1A hair type. Your hair can look great but it usually takes some patience with a bit of dry shampoo and hairspray to add volume.

1B

Straight hair isn’t one size fits all, luckily. Women with 1B hair have fuller strands with a minimal bend at the ends, but not deep and defined curls. This hair needs some love and pamper with a dry texturizing spray around your roots.

1C

Particularly straight at the top with some hidden waves at the end is 1C hair. Usually, this hair is quite thick and strong, but prone to frizz. Your hair probably holds a curl well, and you look the best with some smoothing serums down your ends.

2. Wavy

Wavy hair looks natural, fluffy and can often sway either way. Also, it is very bouncy and has that ‘beach vibe’ texture.

2A

Well known as ‘bed head’. This hairstyle looks a bit wavy, but it does need some love and caring. You should emphasize your natural texture by air drying it and then get a curling iron to bend some pieces.

2B

Your hair has a lot of texture and is best described as beach wave hairdo. You probably look the best with finger-styled curls, along with some mousse and a lot of styling oils own the ends.

2C

If you have thicker curls throughout the entire head portion, you fall under this category. Women with 2C waves should do deep conditioning once a while and should always rock bouncy and healthy curls.

3. Curly

Curly hair has been coming back in fashion in the last decade. It is categorized as naturally texturized, fluffy, wavy, and attention-seeking.

3A

This hair can have different curl patterns, as well as wavy pieces. It looks best once styled with scrunch motions and soaks a lot of product in once it is wet. It looks best once air dried and has a lot of life.

3B

If you have stretched out spiral like curls that go super wavy towards the bottom, but not at the roots, this is your hair type. If you prefer volume at the roots use a lot of hair spray to add dimension. If you prefer your curls on their own, define them with a curl gel on the lower portion only.

3C

Your hair is super sticky, prone to frizz, looks crunchy, and has the best shape once washed with cold water? You can wear your hair retro and loose like that, or you can straighten some parts to maintain the shape, and to keep the shine.

4. Coily

Lastly, this kind is the kinkiest of them all, and has super dry and wavy texture. Your hair also probably shrinks down after you dry it and looks very frizzy on its own.

4A

You have a full set of small, miniature and tight ringlet curls which can be pen or pencil coils. Your hair shortens down to less than 50% of its length when completely dried down. For optimal results, your curls will look the best with a blow dryer + a diffuser.

4B

If your hair curls down by following a Z shape pattern this is your category. Women with Z curls prefer light gels as well as some styling creams to maintain and loosen their tight curls.

4C

Dramatic Afros with not that much of definition (just a lot of volume) are 4C hair kinds. If you lack some curl and you dislike your pattern, try to detangle your hair and do deep washing and conditioning as often as possible. This will help your dense texture and will bring back life to your curls.

The Four Hair Types