The 4 Types of Hair
Just like with skin, hair is categorized depending on certain characteristics. Hair types exist under four main groups and then subcategorized into three subgroups. Determining your hair type is very important as it defines what the best products for your hair care routine are.
This is the oiliest of all hair types and also the most resilient which means it doesn’t damage as easily. 1A: This hair type has none to very little body. It is extremely straight and vulnerable to knots because of its light structure. 1A type usually has a bright shine since the oils are very likely to reach the strands’ ends. 1B: Has a bit more body and could actually hold a curl. Another differentiation is that it could actually fold a bit on the ends. It’s in between light and thick structured hair. 1C: Represents a thicker strand, therefore, it adds more body. It’s the hardest to hold a curl because of its heaviness and thickness. Hair type 2 is somewhere between straight and curly. It has a somewhat defined “S” shape and even though it’s easy to transform, it returns to its original shape very quickly. 2A: It isn’t as oily as type 1 hair but it doesn’t get too frizzy in comparison to the following hair types 2B and 2C. Its main characteristic is that the strands are straight until the ear level and then it starts to wave. 2B: In this category the hair forms a clearer wave, but is still very close to the head, not giving the pumped up effect. The frizz starts to kick in here. 2C: The locks form waves all the way down and it’s the frizziest of the three categories. The texture is thick with a lot of volume and it has a very well-defined “S” shape. This hair type usually has a defined spiral shape. It’s also drier at the ends because the curly shape doesn’t allow the oils to reach the tips. This hair type is extremely climate-dependent as it can become very frizzy in humid places. 3A: The curls are well defined without having to use any products or chemicals. The curls are more open or wide and the strands are finer. 3B: The curls are well defined but it’s a bit more frizzy than type 3A. This hair type has a dense and rough structure. 3C: This type of hair has the most closed curls from the category. The strands are rich in texture making them compact. The 3C type is also referred to as “curly-coily” hair. Very fine, fragile, and delicate by nature, this is the driest of hair types; requiring better care. Each strand usually makes a zig-zag pattern, keeping its shape whether it’s dry or wet. 4A: The curls form a perfectly cylindrical shape, the strands are tightly coiled together creating a visible ‘S’ pattern. Unlike the other categories from this hair type, this one’s actually heavy enough to fall down. 4B: This category is often mistaken for 4C hair type. The main difference is that the strands don’t curl as much when close to the roots but they do at the ends. This represents more of a “crimp” pattern rather than cylindrical curls. 4C: The hair strands form zig zags with a greater range in hair texture. The strongest characteristic of this hair type is that the length of the strand is shrunk to half of its actual length. Type 4C is very delicate and has a super fine texture. Gently wash your hair and let it dry naturally, without applying any leave-in products. Use the description of hair types and take a close look at your strands. Remember you can have a mix of two types of hair that are consecutive in the hair type scale (i.e 2A & 2B). There's no hair type that’s better than the other. The key is to embrace the differences that make us unique. All of The Hair Routine's products are suitable for all hair types because they contain the essential ingredients for long-term healthy hair! Click here to shop! To get your free Hair Routine based on your hair type and situation, complete this test, and receive your personal routine and calendar. Hair Types
There are 4 different types of hair, and each type falls into 3 different categories, depending on the dimensions of the strands.
TYPE 1: STRAIGHT
TYPE 2: WAVY
TYPE 3: CURLY
TYPE 4: KINKY
How to identify my hair type?
