What Curly Hair Type Are You?
The hair industry has been taking the curly wave by storm with an array of products on the market catering to the coils. With the rise in social media, many platforms have cultivated influential hair habits that have received a cult following from users. In fact, an estimated 65 percent of the U.S population has curly hair. But when it comes to certain styles, the best way to know if something works for you or not is by first identifying and getting to know your hair type. Every curl and coil is different, so it’s imperative to figure out your type before diving into products and styles that you think will work. The fun part happens when you really start to break down the artistry of the curl.
Out of the 12 types of hair textures, curly hair stays within the type 3 and type 4 categories. Here’s a breakdown to see if you fall under these curly classifications.
Type 3
Each hair type is broken down into three subcategories that highlight the particular patterns incorporated in curly hair. Depending on your curl type, it will make a huge difference in the products you buy. A recent study by online beauty platform Texture Media has revealed that women with curls spend 100% more on hair care items and are less likely to go to a salon, preferring to splurge on an array of products to tame their textured crowns. See if your hair falls in a Type 3 category based on these guidelines.
3A Wavy Wands: Each strand is fine, shiny, and falls with loose compared to deeper curl patterns. This type of curly thick hair is easily defined without the use of styling products and is prone to slight frizz.
3B S-Shaped Spirals: In this subcategory, the hair has curls that are medium to tight bounce, also known as springy curls. While this curl type is prone to exhibit multiple hair types together, it is also prone to frizz.
3C PigTail Patterns: As the tighter pattern in the category, this hair produces a quick bounce with thicker curls. The curls of this hair type normally have a lot of texture with a corkscrew-like spiral.
Type 4
Decoding your curls can be confusing, but it’s a necessary step that will allow you to make informed decisions when it comes to what type of products you need. For type 4 hair types, multiple subcategories fall along with a compact zigzag pattern or s-shape spiral.
4A Zig Zag Coils: Each coil is typically tight with springy coils with a delicate upward motion from root to tip. Hair strands of this type typically shrink to half their length when dry, creating this rainbow shape. This type of hair has the most definitive curl pattern of the Type 4 hair category.
4B Rainbow Ringlets: This hair incorporates a sea of Z coil (crimpy) curls. While it is less defined than Type 4A curls, it holds onto oils amazingly compared to other hair types.
4C Tight Bolts: As the tightest curl pattern, each strand is densely packed and coarse. The curl pattern of this hair type had more a freeing definition and more shrinkage.
Shop for products made for all curl types.
