How to determine your hair type

Even though it is wonderful to be a Melanin Mona, it can be challenging at times. Our hair, for example, is a difficult blessing to have. It is stubborn, unpredictable and very demanding. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: JUST LIKE WE ARE! The best way to handle your curls (or coils) is to understand it thoroughly. Luckily there are different methods that can help you understand your curly crown. To know which method suits you best, you must be aware of your hair type and texture. This article can help determine your hair type. There are four main categories and three subcategories within each category. For some people it’s easy to determine their hair type and for others it can be quite confusing. It is possible to have different types of hair, so don’t be surprised if that’s the case.

Type 1 & Type 2

Hair type 1 & 2 are not very relevant to us, but we’ll discuss it anyway. The lack of relevance lies in the fact that most black women have hair type 3 or type 4. Hair type 1 is the only type with no curl pattern in it. The hair is straight, naturally oily and very shiny. Type 1A is the straightest hair type, 1B has a little bit more body and 1C slightly bends.

Type 2 is naturally wavy, but not curly. The wavy hair has a loose ‘S’ shape and isn’t as oily as type 1. The hair type is not dry either, but tends to frizz a bit. The waves in 2A are loose and have a beachy look. Type 2B waves are more defined and a little bit frizzy. Type 2C has the most defined and frizziest waves of all type 2 subcategories.

Type 3

Type 3 is the curly hair type. Curly hair is very diverse and ranges from loose to tight curls. This hair type is very dry, because of its texture. The natural oils aren’t heavy enough to reach the ends, unlike the ends of type 1 and 2. Type 3A, the shiniest within type 3, consists of loose and large curls. Type 3B curls are smaller, spiraled and quite springy. Type 3C curls are the tightest and driest of the bunch. Frizziness is a huge problem for this hair type, so it’s very important to keep the hair moisturized.    

Type 4

Hair type 4 is known for the tightly curled hair. This type is very dry and some subcategories are even completely dry. Type 4 needs a lot of added moisture and oils to grow healthy. Type 4A consists of perfectly defined tight curls. This hair type is kind of springy in nature. Type 4B hair and 4C are very similar. The only difference between the two hair types is the fact that 4B is clearly defined and 4C shows no defined sections of hair.