What kind of curly hair do i have

Follow our easy tip sheet below complete with recommendations for your hair-care collection to help you better I. All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. When you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The flatter or more oval-shaped the follicle, the curlier your hair; the more circular the cross-section, the straighter your hair. Identifying your curl shape and pattern or patterns is best determined while your hair is sopping wet.

A simple breakdown: Type 1s are straight, Type 2s are wavy, Type 3s are curly, and Type 4s are coily. The sub-classifications of A to C are based on the width or diameter of your wave, curl, or coil pattern. Type 2 waves are bendable, can be fine to coarse, and have a definitive S pattern that lays closer to the head.

Those with hair type 2A have a fine, barely-there tousled texture that's very easy to straighten. People with this texture have to be wary of using heavy styling products that can easily weigh their strands down, rendering them limp and lifeless. Kinky hair has kinks in it, meaning the strands make a zigzag shape, not a curl or a wave. Coily hair is when each of the strands form tight coils. It's very versatile but can be fragile—especially if the strands are fine—because it usually has a thin external layer.

Curly hair strands cluster together and wind around themselves in a spiral or looser curl shape. This texture needs plenty of moisture to encourage a defined pattern, but a little frizz can give it personality.

Wavy hair is when strands curve or form an "S" shape. Straight is when strands go straight up and down. To make matters easier, Breyer's company created an online quiz to easily help women identify their natural curl type.

People can see at a glance what their hair type is and identify the best products from my collection for them. It's a universal visual language for hair: Just match the shape that your strands make with the shape on the icon: kinky, coily, curly, wavy, straight, or damaged. And if you're still stuck, Bailey has a slightly different tip. She recommends examining your curls while they're wet—the texture will be evident.

Turns out, the answer is unanimously yes. That's part of the fun of being a curly girl. All of us are in-between, and no two textures are alike. The diameter of the hair may be different, the density of the strands may vary, and the porosity and growth cycles of the strands will change.

Everyone has more than one hair type or texture. In the back it may be one texture, very curly, fine and fragile; the midsection may be dense with less curl and more frizz; and the front hairline may be softer and less curly and have more breakage. Breyer laid out her favorite, go-to products for each curl type :. Type 2: Make sure to use lighter products that won't weigh your hair down. Mousses, gels, and cream-gels work well for soft waves. To enhance your texture, sea salt sprays work especially well.

Type 3a to 3b: Use an anti-humectant humidity-blocking styling cream, cream gel, or styling milk for less frizz but more definition. Type 3c: Use styling creams or puddings that moisturize. Deep condition at least once a week to retain elasticity and moisture. A mix of symptoms is typically brought on by product and oil buildup due to infrequent or improper washing. In that case, we recommend adding both the oil control and soothe scalp hair goals to your formula as it will help limit excessive oil, remove buildup, and help calm scalp irritation.

Either way, having a thorough understanding of your hair type will make for better and easier hair care decisions to help ensure your strands always look and feel their best.

Ready to start properly caring for your hair type? Find your perfect hair care formula now by heading here to take the quiz! BY Alyssa Montemurro. Share on facebook. Share on twitter. Though for some this may already look like a typical curly hair, the 2C type does not form springs, a distinguishing feature between waves and curls.

Maintaining volume and keeping frizz at bay is a tricky task, but leave-in conditioners and hair serums have proven to be an excellent choice to balance the two. This category encompasses hair that curls into springs and corkscrew shapes. When hair is wet, curls usually look like waves but take on a three-dimensional swirl shape as they dry. Each strand of this hair type can be unique.

Look for products that are specially formulated for curls and to prevent frizz. This category is the one most likely to involve different hair types fine, medium, or thick and also combine wavy and coily strands. Curl type 3A features stretched spirals of curls that are large in diameter and roll down from the crown.

With large soft curls, this hair is usually not coarse to the touch, and springs are bouncy and full of life even when minimally styled. Look for light styling creams to help control strands when styling and drying. Though this curl type can be straightened with a flat iron or a blow-dry brush , prepare to add a little elbow grease to get your desired look; try our GH Beauty Award winner Drybar The Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush , which is proven to add volume while creating a smooth blowout.

Type 3B has well-defined medium size springs that resemble corkscrews. No need to boost volume for this curl type, as these spirals create fullness by bouncing off each other. Hair oils and serums that keep the frizz away and give shine may be all that is needed to keep 3B curls looking lush.

Type 3C hair has springs that are smaller and more tightly-packed than 3B, and they can vary from precisely defined to loose helixes.

To keep these curls full and soft, use gentle shampoos such as cleansing conditioners a. Hair gels generally can keep this type of curl in place and also provide frizz protection. We recommend alcohol-free Dove Amplified Textures Shine and Moisture Finishing Gel to enhance natural curly texture, made with softening jojoba and coconut oils.

It can also incorporate the two shapes.