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Home / how to determine what type of curls you have

how to determine what type of curls you have

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Determining your hair type will help yous figure out how to handle, cut and manner your hair more effectively. Hair type involves understanding different qualities of your hair, including density, texture, porosity (your pilus's ability to hold moisture), elasticity, and curl blueprint. A pilus stylist can use your pilus type results to recommend the best hair styles, colors, and styling products for your hair.

Hair Blazon Guide

  1. 1

    Await in a mirror and part your hair in the middle. Use your fingers or a comb to part your pilus. Separate it into ii sides. It might assistance to pin down i of the sides to keep it out of your way.

  2. ii

    Concord a chunk of hair on 1 side of the part. Move this chunk around a niggling bit and so yous can see the roots of your pilus from a few different angles.

    • Turn on a skilful light in your bathroom so you lot can get a good await at your hair. Alternately, have someone concur a lamp or flashlight higher up your head to requite you lot more than light.

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  3. 3

    Guess your hair density. Your pilus density is basically how many strands cover your head. Look at your hair roots and your scalp. How much of your scalp can you lot see in an area the size of a square inch?

    • You're not counting individual strands, but y'all can go a sense of how dumbo your hair is by how much peel you lot can see.
    • Thick density: If you don't meet much scalp at all, you have thick hair density.
    • Medium density: If you run into some scalp, y'all accept medium density.
    • Thin density: If y'all see a lot of scalp, you have thin hair density.

  4. 4

    Test some other spot on your scalp. Go through this same process at another spot on your scalp. Your hair density may exist dissimilar at other spots on your head.

    • Get a friend to assist you look at the back of your head. Ask them to take a picture and then y'all tin can encounter information technology more conspicuously.

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  1. 1

    Wash your hair. Using your regular shampoo and conditioner regimen, wash your hair as you normally would. Rinse your hair clean of shampoo and conditioner.

    • Choose a time when yous will not be exercising or creating a lot of extra sweat in your pilus, which can alter your results.

  2. 2

    Allow your hair air dry out. Using a hair dryer might change the way your pilus reacts in a certain amount of time, so using a towel and air to dry your pilus is the best method.

  3. three

    Cut a length of sewing thread well-nigh half dozen-8 inches long. Choose regular thread instead of a thicker thread intended for sewing heavy-duty fabrics.

  4. 4

    Pull out a strand of dry hair. Effort to get the total strand, rather than having it interruption in the heart. You want to encounter how thick your hair is, so cull a strand of hair that is most representative of your entire head of hair. The crown of your head is the all-time area to become the strand from.

    • Your hair should exist dry out, and have no styling products in information technology. It is best to leave styling products out of your hair while you're testing it to get the virtually authentic results.

  5. five

    Place the thread and hair strand side-past-side on white newspaper. Apply a canvas of white paper to help y'all conspicuously see the hair strand and the thread so that you lot can compare them more easily.[1]

  6. 6

    Compare the hair strand to the thread. Take a shut look at your pilus, such as by using a magnifying glass or magnifying mirror. If information technology is really curly, stretch it out a bit before you compare it to the thread. It might help to record downwardly the strand and thread ends so they stay put.

    • Sparse hair: If the pilus strand's thickness is thinner than the thread piece, you have thin pilus.
    • Medium hair: If your hair strand is about the same thickness as the thread, you take medium pilus texture.
    • Thick pilus: If the pilus strand is thicker than the piece of thread, you have thick hair.

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  1. ane

    Wash your pilus. Using your regular shampoo and conditioner regimen, wash your hair as you normally would. Rinse your hair clean of shampoo and conditioner. Brand sure all chemicals and products are rinsed thoroughly out of your hair.

  2. 2

    Use a towel to partially dry your pilus. Comb through your pilus start and so gently squeeze your hair using a make clean t-shirt or microfiber towel. Practise not dry it also much, or else you may non be able to determine the porosity, or how well your hair retains moisture, very well.

  3. 3

    Experience your hair in your easily. Take chunks of hair in your hands and experience them from the roots down to the ends. Gently clasp your hair to experience the wet.

    • Low porosity: If your hair feels about dry out, your hair has not retained much moisture and you accept depression porosity.[2]
    • Medium porosity: If your hair is pretty moisture but not gluey, then your hair retains a medium amount of wet and you accept medium porosity.
    • High porosity: If your hair feels gluey, as though the h2o will take a long fourth dimension to go out your hair, then you have high porosity. Your hair retains a lot of moisture.

  4. iv

    Float your hair in a large bowl of water. Pull out a strand of pilus and float it in a large basin of water. The bowl needs to be big enough so that the hair strand will not touch the sides. Observe what happens with the strand of hair.[iii]

    • Low porosity: If the strand floats and does not sink at all, you accept low porosity.
    • Medium porosity: A strand that sinks after a while volition point medium porosity.
    • High porosity: If the strand sinks to the bottom of the bowl chop-chop, you accept high porosity.

  5. 5

    Test your hair again on a dissimilar day. The conditions may affect your hair; if it is very humid, for example, your pilus may react slightly differently than on a drier solar day.

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  1. 1

    Wash your hair. Using your regular shampoo and conditioner regimen, wash your pilus as you unremarkably would. Rinse your hair clean of shampoo and conditioner.

    • Cull a fourth dimension when you will non exist exercising or creating a lot of extra sweat in your hair, which can change your results.

  2. ii

    Let your pilus air dry out. Using a hair dryer might modify the fashion your hair reacts in a certain amount of time, and then using a towel and air to dry out your hair is the best method.

    • Practice not add whatever products to your hair, every bit this tin can alter your results.

  3. three

    Let your pilus sit overnight. Give your head and hair time (about eight-12 hours) to produce oils, which you will and so be able to check.

  4. 4

    Bank check for oiliness. In the forenoon, press a tissue to your scalp at the crown of your head. Do not rub the tissue around; only a gentle press confronting your scalp will suffice. Press information technology against your head behind your ears too.[4]

    • Oily hair: If at that place is oil residue on the tissue, and then you have oily hair.
    • Medium pilus: If you run into a trace of oil on the tissue, you accept medium pilus.
    • Dry pilus: If at that place is nothing at all on the tissue, then y'all take dry hair.
    • Combination hair: If there was no oil from one spot, but a lot of oil from another spot on your scalp, then you have combination hair.

  5. 5

    Exam your hair once again on a unlike mean solar day. The weather may bear on your pilus; if it is very humid, for case, your hair may react slightly differently than on a drier day.

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  1. 1

    Pull out a strand of dry hair. A strand of freshly washed, towel dried pilus will give you lot the best results. Try to get the full strand, rather than having information technology pause in the middle.

    • Your pilus should be dry out, and information technology can have styling products in it. It is best, nevertheless, to leave styling products out of your hair while you're testing it in order to get the almost authentic results.

  2. 2

    Stretch the strand of hair. Concur the strand of hair with your hands on both ends and pull. Stretch it gently.

    • Don't stretch it quickly or else it will break also soon. The strand of hair will snap eventually, but y'all want to come across how much it will stretch before it breaks.[5]

  3. 3

    Discover what happens to the strand of pilus when you stretch information technology out. Sentinel how information technology begins to stretch like a rubber band and pay close attention to when it breaks. Highly rubberband hair will stretch when information technology is wet past upwardly to 50% its original length earlier information technology snaps.

    • High elasticity: If you can stretch the strand a long way before it breaks, you have high elasticity and very strong hair.
    • Medium elasticity: If you can stretch the strand somewhat earlier information technology snaps, y'all have medium elasticity.
    • Low elasticity: If the strand breaks almost immediately when stretching it, you accept low elasticity and your hair may not exist very strong. The strand may also stretch similar bubbly gum, and when it breaks it may curl up.

  4. four

    Exam a strand of hair from another spot on your head. Your hair may take different elasticity on a unlike function of your caput. If you pulled a strand from the crown of your caput first, for example, try pulling out a strand from behind your ear or at the base of your scalp.

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  1. 1

    Wash your hair. Using your regular shampoo and conditioner regimen, wash your hair as y'all normally would. Rinse your hair clean of shampoo and conditioner.

  2. 2

    Let your hair air dry. Using a hair dryer might change the way your pilus reacts in a certain amount of time, so using a towel and air to dry your hair is the all-time method.

  3. three

    Determine your pilus'southward curl design. Andre Walker, hairstylist for Oprah Winfrey, created a organization for determining hair type primarily based on roll size and pattern.[6] This includes a range of hair types from straight to coily.

    • 1 (straight): Hair has no curve in it at all.
    • ii (wavy): Hair is wavy simply does not curl much.
    • three (curly): Hair is curly with an S shape and holds a definite curl pattern fifty-fifty when unstyled.
    • 4 (coily): Pilus is tightly coiled or kinky, frequently with a definite Z design. Information technology tin be stretched out and will return to its curled shape when released. Type 4 hair might shrink up to 75% of its actual length.

  4. 4

    Find your hair subcategory. Take a look at a representative chunk of your pilus. Detect the thickness and pattern of the ringlet (if you take curls). [vii] , [8] These are also based on the Andre Walker system that categorizes hair into iv types and 3 subcategories per type.

    • 1A: Pilus is soft and cannot concur a whorl.
    • 1B: Hair does non scroll merely has more volume.
    • 1C: Pilus does not curl and is rather coarse.
    • 2A: Hair is wavy, resembling the letter Southward, and is coarse.
    • 2B: Hair is often frizzy with a definite wave.
    • 2C: Hair is very frizzy with thick waves, and is the coarsest of this category.
    • 3A: Curls are about the same diameter as sidewalk chalk, or pretty loose curls.
    • 3B: Curls are about the aforementioned bore as a sharpie, or medium-sized curls.
    • 3C: Curls are well-nigh the same diameter equally a pencil, or corkscrew curls.
    • 4A: Curls are very tight, nigh the aforementioned diameter as a needle.
    • 4B: Curls resemble a zigzag pattern, looking like the letter Z.
    • 4C: At that place might not be a curlicue pattern to this hair blazon. It has a tight zigzag with an uneven pattern, so it is harder to ascertain.

  5. v

    Compare your hair to the LOIS system. The LOIS system is a whorl typing system that considers strand texture and thickness as well. It compares a strand of your hair to the messages L (Curve), O (Curl), I (Straight) and S (Moving ridge).[nine] Have a single strand and hold information technology upwards with i hand. Compare your hair to the shapes of the messages L, O, I and S.

    • L: Your strand looks like the letter L, with correct angles, bends and folds. This is kinky, zigzag pattern pilus.
    • O: Your strand resembles the letter of the alphabet O or spirals into several Os.
    • I: Your strand is straight with petty to no curves or waves, resembling the letter of the alphabet I.
    • S: Your strand is wavy and curves back and along like the letter of the alphabet S.
    • Combination: Your strand might have a combination of 2 or more of these messages. If this is the case, bank check a few more strands of hair from all over your head to meet if one of the letters is more dominant.

    Expert TIP

    Bianca Cox is a Hair Stylist, Licensed Cosmetologist, Possessor of The Hair Throne, and Co-Owner of Bianchi Salon. Her salons pride themselves on their modernity, individuality, art, and professional services. Yous can check out The Hair Throne and more of Bianca'south hairstyling on Instagram @hairthrone and on her personal Instagram @biancajcox.

    Bianca Cox

    Bianca Cox
    Professional Hair Stylist

    If you're still not certain what type of hair you have, talk to your stylist. It tin can be really difficult for someone to determine their hair type themselves, so it can exist helpful to make an date with a stylist. Then, they can assess your hair, and they can as well propose you on the types of products to utilize, how to manner your hair, and what kind of haircut will accommodate your hair type.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    What is kinky hair?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Practiced Reply

  • Question

    What are the different hair types?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a pilus stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Expert Respond

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this practiced answer.

    There are a number of different factors that make upwards your hair type. These include density (the number of hairs on your caput), texture (how thick your individual strands are), and curl pattern (how directly or curly your hair is).

  • Question

    Do I have thick or thin hair?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Expert Respond

  • Question

    What is Blazon 2 hair?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Expert Answer

    Back up wikiHow by unlocking this proficient answer.

    According to Hair Rules, a method of identifying scroll type devised by a professional stylist, type two hair is wavy hair. This is hair that has natural movement but is also easy to straighten.

  • Question

    I really don't know what hair type I have. my hair looks straight when I comb information technology out into an afro but when I look closer, its actually curly. What type is this?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Expert Answer

  • Question

    My hair appears healthy and information technology is 50-shaped. If you pull downwardly one strand it Kinks upwards like a Z l and goes in different directions. Why is this?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a pilus stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Good Respond

  • Question

    I have thin hair density, medium pilus texture, medium-low porosity, dry pilus, highly elastic and O resembling. How do I choose a shampoo?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Good Reply

  • Question

    My hair is very frizzy and little curly or wavy. I want to grow my hair long, just it gets very frizzy and oily when I abound it for 1-two months

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Skilful Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this good respond.

    If your hair seems oilier when its longer, it may be that your shampoo isn't reaching your scalp when you lot wash. Massage shampoo directly into scalp, working in from the hairlines: elevation, sides, and underneath.

  • Question

    I even so can't figure out my hair type, considering it is always soft, thick, and wavy. What tin can I do?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Good Reply

  • Question

    My hair is medium, but I want to know if my pilus was coarse or oily, wavy, curly or straight. What exercise I do?

    Laura Martin

    Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

    Laura Martin

    Licensed Cosmetologist

    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Medium hair means that you have lots of options. Most haircuts and styling products will work on your hair. You lot may want to schedule a consultation with a professional stylist who tin requite you a professional assessment.

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Article Summary X

To decide pilus type, start by looking at your roots and scalp to decide hair density. Compare a strand of your hair to a slice of string to decide texture, then use touch to make up one's mind your pilus'due south porosity while it's damp. Determine oiliness by checking how oily your roots are the morning later washing your hair. Stretch a strand of dry hair to make up one's mind elasticity, then discover your whorl design to make up one's mind how curly your hair is. To learn about specific tests you can use to determine your hair type, read on!

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