Curl & Hair Type: How To Identify Yours + The Best Hair Care Products

For so long all curls were more or less treated the same by many mainstream hair care companies. Have any texture from S-waves to springy coils? You'd walk into the drugstore and there'd be a handful of collections available to you. And as those of us with curls know, that just won't do. There are not only a variety of types of hair and curl types out there, but most people have multiple curl types on their head!

"Each curl pattern is unique—you have to know your curl," says hairstylist Levi Monarch. "Understanding your hair is so important. Then from there you can figure out how to go about enhancing your curl."

There is no set, universally established definition of curl types, but the most widely accepted is this handy curl chart (made famous by Oprah's hairstylist Andre Walker, so we have another thing to thank Oprah for). It categorizes curls from 2a to 4c. (Pattern 1, you'll see, is straight, so for the purposes of this article, we'll be skipping that.) Type 2 is wavy, type 3 is curly, and type 4 is kinky; from there, these are broken down into three more subcategories. Being able to differentiate among these helps us talk about hair, understand the nuances, and ultimately be better able to style our own. Knowledge is power! 

"Start from scratch: Wet your hair in the shower, and let it dry naturally so you can see what your hair pattern wants to do without any manipulation," says Monarch. "From there, you can start playing with products."

But this isn't an exact science: Most people have a few patterns to deal with, or a patch or two that doesn't seem to fit in with the rest. So you might have to do different techniques for different areas, to make it all uniform. And there are other factors at play: Hair porosity (from high porosity to low prosity), density, and strand thickness. And, sure, these variables tend to be closely associated with certain curl types but not always. 

"I cannot stress studying your hair enough. A stylist can only give you recommendations, but essentially you go home with your hair," says Danielle Malary, owner of Lumiere Vive Salon. "Feel your hair out, document how it reacts. Essentially, keep a journal for your hair and learn to love it."

So read on for more info on the various curl patterns, what it means, and how best to style them with natural and clean hair care products. And since there's so much nuance with curls, you might consider mixing and layering products until you find the perfect cocktail for you.

Waves (or type 2 hair) range from slight bends to tight S-shapes. They are usually flatter at the root, stick closer to the head, and get larger on the bottom. "They also tend to lose the pattern easier," says Monarch. They can be frizz-prone but are usually less so than other curl types. The density can also range from fine to thick.

Consider your ringlets and spirals in this batch. Type 3s range from medium-barrel to tight, like you wrapped the strands around a pen. This type struggles with frizz, and should put some effort into defining the patterns to avoid puffiness. And unlike Type 2, these tend to have lots of volume, as the curl pattern starts at the root. They also tend to dehydrate easier but are not the driest of the bunch.

These curls should invest in moisturizing leave-ins, oils, moisturizing refreshers, and defining creams. "While it's wet, start setting the curls then," says Monarch. "You likely know what areas of your hair are flatter than the rest, so I like to tell women to target those first. The strands that have that natural spring will take care of themselves, but it's important to know what areas need a bit of extra attention." 

Kinks and coils (type 4) are the tightest of the curl patterns: They look like tight Z-patterns, with sharp twists and turns, or coils that could only fit a needle through. Kinks and coils look lush and dense; however, the actual texture can vary quite a bit: The strands range from fine to wiry. They are also the most fragile of the patterns, prone to breakage, tangling, shrinkage, and may have a harder time encouraging hair growth.