iStylish Hair Type Guide: Identifying and Caring for Your Texture
Hair Type Guide: Identifying and Caring for Your Texture
Your hair type determines which products work, which techniques produce the best results, and which habits cause damage that stylists spend hours correcting. The widely used Andre Walker classification system assigns numbers and letters to hair textures, creating a framework that simplifies the overwhelming number of hair care options into manageable categories.
The Classification System
Type 1: Straight hair lies flat from root to tip without any natural curl or wave. It tends to be the oiliest hair type because sebum from the scalp travels down the hair shaft without interruption from bends or curves.
Type 2: Wavy hair falls between straight and curly, forming an S-shaped pattern. 2A is a loose, barely-there wave. 2B has more defined waves starting at the midshaft. 2C waves are thick, coarse, and prone to frizz.
Type 3: Curly hair forms distinct spiral curls. 3A curls are large and loose, about the diameter of sidewalk chalk. 3B curls are tighter, roughly pen-width. 3C curls are densely packed, pencil-sized corkscrews.
Type 4: Coily hair has the tightest curl pattern and the most fragile structure. 4A coils are S-shaped and clearly defined. 4B hair bends in sharp Z-shaped angles. 4C hair has a very tight, less-defined pattern with significant shrinkage, often appearing half to three-quarters shorter than its actual length when dry.
Porosity: The Hidden Variable
Curl pattern tells you what your hair looks like, but porosity determines how it absorbs and retains moisture. Low-porosity hair has tightly closed cuticles that resist moisture absorption. Products sit on top rather than sinking in, and buildup occurs easily. High-porosity hair has open, raised cuticles that absorb moisture quickly but lose it just as fast, resulting in dryness and frizz.
| Porosity | Characteristics | Best Products | Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Repels water, slow to dry, product buildup | Lightweight, liquid formulas | Use heat to help products penetrate |
| Medium | Absorbs and retains moisture well | Most products work | Maintain with regular conditioning |
| High | Absorbs quickly, dries fast, prone to frizz | Rich creams, butters, oils | Seal with heavier products |
Test your porosity by placing a clean, product-free strand of hair in a glass of room-temperature water. Hair that floats is low porosity. Hair that sinks slowly is medium. Hair that drops immediately is high porosity.
Care for Straight Hair (Type 1)
Straight hair needs volume and oil control. Wash every one to two days with a clarifying or volumizing shampoo. Use lightweight conditioner only on the ends, never the roots, to prevent flat, greasy-looking hair. Dry shampoo between washes absorbs excess oil and adds texture.
Avoid heavy oils, butters, and cream-based stylers that weigh straight hair down. Volumizing sprays and mousses applied at the roots create lift.
Care for Wavy Hair (Type 2)
Wavy hair benefits from the curly girl method principles but with modifications. Wash every two to three days with a gentle sulfate-free shampoo. Apply conditioner mid-length to ends and scrunch upward while rinsing to encourage wave formation.
Styling products in the mousse or light gel category define waves without creating crunch. Apply to damp hair, scrunch gently, and either diffuse on low heat or air dry. Touching wavy hair while it dries disrupts the pattern and creates frizz.
Care for Curly Hair (Type 3)
Curly hair requires moisture above all else. Wash every three to five days with a moisturizing, sulfate-free shampoo or a co-wash (conditioner-only wash). Deep condition weekly with a mask left on for twenty to thirty minutes under a shower cap.
Apply leave-in conditioner, then layer a curl cream or gel while hair is soaking wet. Raking products through sections and then scrunching upward encourages curl definition. Diffuse on medium heat with low airflow, or plop hair in a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to dry without disturbing the curl pattern.
Care for Coily Hair (Type 4)
Coily hair is the driest type because the tight curl pattern prevents sebum from traveling down the shaft. Wash every five to seven days, or less frequently, with a gentle cleansing conditioner. Heavy butters, oils, and cream-based stylers are not optional extras; they are necessities.
The LOC method (liquid, oil, cream) or LCO method (liquid, cream, oil) applied to soaking wet hair seals moisture into each strand. Protective styles like twists, braids, and bantu knots reduce manipulation and breakage. Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase, or wrap hair in a satin bonnet, to prevent friction damage overnight.
For more on specific styling techniques, see our Curly Hair Care Guide. To address scalp health regardless of hair type, our Hair Growth and Scalp Health guide covers the foundation.