Your Guide to Natural Hair Types

It is fundamental to understand or know natural hair types in order to adopt a good hair regimen. With so many products out there claiming to be a saviour for your hair, it's best to know what hair type and texture you have.

Now, keep in mind that even though hair texture can differ from 1A-4C hair, healthy hair is good hair. Here are six textured hair types that we'll cover from 3A-4C hair.

First off we have 3A hair type. 3A curls show a loopy "S" pattern that is well defined and usually springy if hair is healthy. Generally, this hair type can be easily re-texturized or straightened. Type 3A curls are more prone to frizz and losing definition.

3B hair type is more voluminous and has a smaller circumference than 3A curls. Think of them of roughly the size of a Sharpie marker. Type 3B hair is not as naturally shiny as 3A curls and the texture can be coarse and dense.

3C hair type resembles tight corkscrews and is approximately the circumference of a pencil or a straw. 3C hair tends to be higher in density and much coarser than type 2 or 3 hair, giving it more volume. Type 3C curls are finer in texture, though packed tightly together on the head.

4A hair type has an "S" pattern like 3A hair but is tightly coiled. It has more moisture than Type 4B/4C coils and has a visible curl pattern. The circumference of the spirals is close to that of a crochet needle.

The hair can be wiry or fine-textured and it is usually fragile with high density. Type 4A hair has fewer cuticle layers than other hair types, which means it has less natural protection from damage.

4B hair type has a distinct "Z" shape and a less defined curl pattern. Instead of curling or coiling, the hair bends in sharp angles. Type 4B hair is tightly coiled and can feel wiry to the touch. Type 4B hair can range from fine and thin to wiry and coarse with many strands packed densely together.

This hair type often experiences shrinkage up to 75% of its actual hair length when wet or washed. Type 4B coils can hold altered styles well in comparison to Types 3 or 4a hair.

4C hair type hair is composed of strands that will almost never clump without the use of styling techniques. Type 4C hair can range from fine, thin, soft to coarse with densely packed strands.

Some say that 4C coils look identical to 4B except that the curls are tightly kinked with less definition. 4C hair can shrink down to more than 75% of its actual hair length.