How to identify your curl pattern type
How to identify your curl pattern type.
It’s important to call out hair typing’s controversial history and note that the system still isn’t perfect, However categorizing your curl type is a good place to start learning more about your locks. Celebrity stylist Andre Walker invented today’s most widely used hair typing system in the ’90s. The curl pattern chart he created classifies hair into four types based on strand shape: straight, wavy, curly and coily.
There’s more to consider. Porosity, elasticity and thickness also impact how your hair behaves and the TLC it needs.
To get a better idea of your curl type, try this:
1. Cleanse your hair. Before you begin, make sure your hair is clean and free of any product, use a Clarifying Shampoo for best results.
2. Dry your hair. Your hair should be fully dry. This will help you accurately assess your true texture.
3. Section your hair. Part your hair into four sections so you can easily examine each area of your head.
4. Observe your curls. Get up close and personal with each section. Study the shape and pattern of your curls. Are they loose and wavy, or tight and coily? Are they uniform in shape, or do they vary?
5. Compare to the curl type chart. See how your observations match up with the curl type chart to figure out your curl pattern.
6. Consider porosity, elasticity and thickness, too. Remember: curl pattern is just one part of the picture. Beyond texture, examining porosity, elasticity and thickness can give you a better idea of how healthy and strong your hair is—a big part of establishing an effective care routine.
Porosity refers to how easily your hair sucks up moisture, and it’s a key indicator of hair health. Porosity is mainly genetic, but how you style and treat your hair can also factor in over time.
High porosity hair has a more open cuticle layer, making it easy for moisture to get in but hard for it to stay in. Low porosity hair has a more tightly bound cuticle layer, making it tricky for moisture to get in at all.
Medium porosity is—you guessed it—balanced in between. Elasticity is all about how well your locks stretch and bounce back, like a rubber band. It’s a good indicator of hair strength: if the rubber band’s too weak, it can break when stretched—and the same goes for your strands. Since low-elasticity hair is more prone to breakage, it needs products designed to deeply moisturize and strengthen the hair shaft.Thickness, aka diameter, is a measure of a single hair strand’s width: fine, medium or coarse. Like porosity, this one’s also pretty dependent on genetics, and a good indicator of how tough or fragile your tresses are.
Now that you’ve gotten nice and cozy with your curls, you can look for products that directly cater to their needs. For example, if you have coarse, high-porosity 4A coils, you might look for thick, deeply moisturizing products formulated for dry or damage-prone strands. If you have fine, low-porosity 2C hair, you’ll likely want something lightweight but still hydrating that won’t weigh down your waves. An easy way to get started? Book a “Revive Your Curls” session for help with determining your curl type and to get your perfect at home ritual that will save you time and money.
Here is a ritual for all curl types that will get you on the road to recovery quickly:
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Malibu C Un-Do- Goo Clarifying Shampoo - 1-2 X a month, weekly for 3 months if have been using silicone products and 2 x a week if you continue to use silicone products.
Malibu C Miracle Repair Conditioner. Use after clarifying. Can be used after every shampoo.
Malibu C Curl Wellness Kit. This is your go to every day shampoo and conditioner
Malibu C Leave-in Conditioning Mist. This goes on after conditioner is rinsed out, hair is soaking wet. It is a weightless moisturizer, UV protectant, Heat Protectant (9 days) and Detangling spray all in one. The holy grail of products.
Follow this ritual for one month. Take before and after photos and email me with your results for a special gift from me.