Do you have curly hair? Would you like to take better care of your curls? Knowing your exact curl type can be confusing, and one head can have several different types of curls altogether. Identifying your curl type can be overwhelming at best, but thanks to hair stylist Andre Walker, we have a list of curl patterns we can refer to which is extremely helpful when wanting to know where to start in terms of proper hair care.
The type of your curl is determined by the profile of your hair follicles. The more oval or flatter your hair follicles are, the curlier your hair is. If your hair follicles are cross-section shaped, you will have more straighter hair.
Hair porosity is also very important in terms of hair care, as this will determine what kind of hair care products are best suited for your hair type. It simply refers to how well your hair can absorb and hold moisture. The flexible outer layer, called the cuticle, determines how your hair allows oils and moisture to pass through each hair follicle. You can test how porous your hair follicles are by taking a few strands of hair from your comb or brush and dropping them into a bowl of water. After 2 – 3 minutes, if your hair floats, you have low hair porosity. If your hair sinks, you have high hair porosity.
How to determine your curl type?
Hair stylists utilize a number and letter classification system. It may seem complicated, but read along and you will easily figure it out.
1s are straight, 2s are wavy, 3s are curly, and 4s are coily.
Then the sub-classifications of A to C are determined by the width of the diameter of the curls. As have a wide coil size, comparable to a thumb, Bs a medium coil size, similar to a Sharpie, and Cs are the smallest coil size, like a pencil in terms of diameter size.
Examples.
2As are the least curly of all the curl types. With a tousled style with barely-there S shaped curls. This hair type is the easiest to straighten. While 2Bs are a bit more aggressively curled, this hair type can still be straightened well.
3As will have spiral curls that are wide in diameter, as described above, thumb sized loops. 3Bs will have smaller spirals, like a Sharpie’s diameter, and 3Cs’ diameters as small as straws or pencils.
4 classification curls are commonly called afro-textured or kinky hair. They are spongy and naturally very dry in texture. 4As have coils with the same circumference as a crochet needle. 4Bs are densely packed and can be styled easily as they can be formed and shaped in many different ways. 4Cs are coiled the most tight, and experiences the most shrinkage and dryness, which requires constant care.
The main advantage of knowing your curl type is that you will better understand how to care for your hair type properly so you can style your hair with more confidence.
Greetings, dear readers! I am Rohini. As a proud contributor to the Worthview blog, I am excited to bring you insights into the realms of fashion, beauty, and health. Let’s embark on this adventure together, where my words become a bridge between my world and yours. I look forward to our shared journey of discovery and connection.
