Know Your Curl Type

The Andre Walker HAIR Typing System, also known as the Hair Chart is a classification system for hair types created by Andre Walker, which is Oprah stylist. The hair typing system classifies various hair textures and breaks each hair type down into four types with added subcategories. Identifying your curl shape and patterns is best determined while your hair is sopping wet.

A simple breakdown is Type 1s are straight; Type 2s are wavy; Type 3s are curly; 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.

CURLY HAIR

Type 2A is wavier than straight hair but not curly. It’s a very loosely defined wave. There’s no strong S shape. You’ll notice an even shorter distance between waves than types 2A and 2B hair, as well as a more defined S shape.

Type 2B wavy texture is not quite straight and not completely curly, with the spectrum of hair ranging from loose loops to coarse, thick S-shaped waves combined with curls. Type 2C hair consists of S-shaped waves mixed with ringlets. These waves and curls begin at the roots, unlike their 2B wave sisters, which start around eye level.

CURLY HAIR

3A hair is made up of well-defined and springy curls that have a loopy, “S” shaped pattern. Their circumference is the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. 3A ringlets have a fine to medium texture. This curl type benefits from lots of body and movement, but is prone to frizzing and dryness.

Type 3B. Hair type 3Bs have springy ringlets with a circumference similar to a Sharpie marker. This hair texture can get dry, so look for styling gels that have humectants in them to attract moisture to strands.

3C curls are tight corkscrews that range in circumference from a straw to a pencil, like you see her on Yara Shahidi. Strands are densely packed together, giving way to lots of natural volume.

Kinky-Coily Hair

4a hair consists of tightly coiled curls that have the circumference of a crochet needle. Slightly prone to breakage, Type 4 hair can be fragile, highly porous, and can be very fine and wiry. No need to fret though, as type 4a coilies tend to hold more moisture in their strands than their 4b and 4c counterparts.

Type 4B: Instead of coiling or curling, you have hair that bends in sharp angles. They look quite a bit like the letter Z. The curl is tighter and far less defined, having the circumference of an ink-pen. … The hair texture, which is tightly coiled like all Type 4s, ranges from super fine and soft to coarse and wiry.

4C textures are similar to 4B textures, but the tightly coiled strands are more fragile and have a very tight zig-zag pattern that is sometimes indiscernible to the eye. This hair type experiences the greatest amount of shrinkage.