How to Determine Your Natural Hair Curl Pattern
Get to know Your Natural Hair Curl Pattern
Everyone’s hair is different and has specific concerns, so figuring out your hair type is key to discovering what exactly it is that your hair needs. It can be difficult to determine what exactly your curl pattern and type is. you’re going to need more than a couple of YouTube videos to achieve your perfect curls!
Discovering your natural curl pattern can help you to determine which hairstyles work best, which products you should use, and even which natural hair care techniques will work for you.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT CURL PATTERNS?
“Can I have more than one hair type?” the answer is—absolutely yes! It is not uncommon to have looser curls in some areas and tighter curls in others. However, most people do have one dominant curl type, so if you’re unsure of your curl type, go with the texture that you see the most.”
There are a total of four types of hair： type 1， type 2， type 3 and type 4.
1 Hair
Type 1 hair would be straight hair, so if your hair is just completely straight down there's not any curl or any waves, you would have type 1 hair.
Now let's move on to a type 2 hair if you have type 2 hair which means you have wavy hair, within this wavy category there's 2a 2b and 2c. You will see that S actually turn into a curl sometime so that is the really defined wavy hair when it comes styling wavy hair it is best to scrunch it into your hair and that way you will get as many waves as possible so the scrunching motion is key.
While 2A Curls are flatter at the root, your wave starts to peek through at your mid-lengths and ends. Volume and lack of body is usually the biggest concern for this curl type.
Your 2B Curls likely have less definition than 2C curls but flaunt an equally stunning S-shaped pattern. 2B curls are often prone to frizz and less definition.
The most defined of the 2 curl types, 2C Hair has an S-shaped wave pattern that begins at the root. Unwanted frizz is the most common concern for this hair type.
This loosely curled hair type has a very defined S-shape. With 3A Hair, you might find yourself needing to scrunch your hair in order to emphasize your curls. The biggest concern for this hair type is typically frizz and curl definition.
This curl type has large and springy loose curls. If you have 3B Hair, you might notice that your hair needs plenty of moisture to obtain curl definition. The biggest concern for this hair type is typically frizz.
This curly hair texture has plenty of volume and curl definition. These pencil-sized ringlets are densely packed and don’t experience a lot of shrinkage. The biggest concerns for 3C Hair are typically frizz and avoiding tangles.
4A Hair
4A hair falls under the lovely “afro” category with tight, corkscrew curls. This coily texture experiences moderate shrinkage, but the curls can be elongated and defined rather easily with product or even a curl diffuser. The biggest concerns for 4A Hair are typically dryness, frizz, and avoiding tangles.
This curl type has tight zig-zag curls similar to 4C hair, with a little more curl elongation (think like a pen’s spring). This springy texture has a visible curl that’s no stranger to shrinkage, and it typically requires some product to really let the curls shine. The biggest concerns for 4B Hair are dryness and avoiding tangles.
Let’s start with the most coiled of them all—4C hair. These beautiful, densely packed coils are naturally more susceptible to shrinkage, giving them a spongier afro texture. You might notice that the strands appear to be a zig-zag or that the curl pattern is hard to follow. The biggest concerns for this curly hair type are typically dryness, curl definition, and avoiding tangles.
