What hair type do you have?

Finding your right hair type can be confusing. You may have different types of textures making it harder for you to identify your hair type. Well don’t you worry, we got you!

Your Hair texture

The natural form or pattern of your strands is referred to as hair texture. If you're not sure which group you belong in, don't use any products and let your hair air dry the next time you wash it. Your hair is straight if it dries straight without bending or curling (or type 1, as it is commonly referred to). It's termed wavy if it dries with a small curve or "S" form (type 2). Curly (type 3) hair dries with a definite curl or loop pattern, whereas coily hair dries with tight curls, spirals, or zig-zag patterns (type 4).

The structure of your hair

A hair shaft and a hair root are found on each strand of hair. The visible section of the hair shaft that protrudes from the skin is called the shaft. The hair root is located under the surface of the skin and extends to the deeper layers of the epidermis. The hair follicle (a sheath of skin and connective tissue that is also related to a sebaceous gland) surrounds it.

Your hair may be classified into three types: fine, medium, and coarse (or thick). Take a single strand from your hairbrush and place it down on a simple, level surface to see which group your hair belongs to. Next, cut a six-inch piece of sewing thread (in a color that matches your hair if possible) and lay it next to your strand of hair. If your hair is fine, it is thinner than a sewing thread, and if it is thicker, it is most likely coarse. Anything in the middle would be considered middling.

Another good way to tell the structure of your hair is by how well it maintains a hair style. Fine hair is prone to breakage and has a hard time holding curls. Medium hair is simple to style and maintains its shape for a longer amount of time. Thick hair, on the other hand, may hold curls beautifully but is generally difficult to style due to its lack of suppleness.

Hair porosity

The capacity of your hair to absorb moisture and product is referred to as porosity. Knowing how porous your hair is might help you identify what kind of products you should use on your hair, however it isn't as well-known as hair type and structure. Placing a single strand of hair in a bowl of water is a simple technique to determine the porosity of your hair. If your strand sinks to the bottom, it has a high porosity, meaning it absorbs all of the moisture. Your hair is well-balanced and of "average" porosity if the strand remains below the surface but hovers above the bowl's bottom. Finally, if a strand of hair floats above the water's surface, your hair has low porosity, which indicates that it is dense.

(we did an article going in depth talking about (hair porosity click here to read)

Scalp Moisture

We all know that if your scalp isn't in excellent form, neither will your strands, which is why caring for it isn't just a nice idea—a it's need. However, determining the health of your scalp might be more difficult than it appears, since you may have both an oily scalp and dry, split ends. We recommend evaluating your hair and scalp on the second day after a wash to evaluate how oily or not your scalp is. You most likely have an oily scalp if your roots seem flat and greasy.

If your scalp is flaking, it's likely that it's dry and in need of a gentler, moisturizing shampoo like one of our personalized formulations. They're not only devoid of sulfates and parabens, but they can also be tailored to a dry scalp, ensuring that your hair is thoroughly cleansed without being robbed of its natural oils.

But what if your scalp is greasy and flaky at the same time? Product and oil accumulation caused by infrequent or incorrect cleaning can cause a variety of symptoms. In such scenario, we propose include the oil control and soothe scalp hair objectives in your recipe to help regulate excess oil, reduce buildup, and soothe scalp irritation.

The size of your hair strand

When we talk about hair structure or strand size, we're referring to the thickness of your strands, which has an impact on how well your hair holds styles and reacts to different products. Fine, medium, and coarse/thick are the three main types. A strand may be compared to a sewing thread – is your hair thinner, broader, or the same width as a sewing thread? You should also consider how well it keeps a style - fine hair holds curls poorly. Medium is a reasonably simple level. Thicker hair can keep curls, but it's harder to style since it's less pliable.

Now that you’ve understood the different factors. Let’s identify your hair type!

Type 1

Straight hair which can be thick, poofy to smooth and silky.  

1A: the flattest, thinnest, and silkiest of the straight hair types; bobby pins will be difficult to stay in.

1B: still straight, but with a few bends and coarser strands; oily roots are possible.

1C: thicker and coarser, which implies frizz, poofiness, and dryness are more likely.

Type 2

Wavy hair tends to have S – patterns and can range from large wavys to summertime beachy waves.

2A: a delicate, barely-there touseled texture that straightens easily.

2B: hair is flatter at the crown and has pronounced S-shaped waves that start at the midlength. Strands have a larger diameter.

Waves are thicker and more prone to frizzing in 2C. S-bends start at the root and are well-defined.

Type 3

Curly hair has a range of types from tight, springy, loose, loops, etc.

 3A: big, loose curls the size of a sidewalk chalk.

3B: spring ringlets with a circumference close to that of a marker.

3C: corkscrews with a diameter ranging from a straw to a pencil; firmly packed together, allowing for plenty of natural volume; frizziness can be a desirable attribute.

Type 4

Coiled hair and has bunch of textures that range from tightly coils, spring-like S-patters, to zig-zag patterns 

4A: a knitting needle's circle of thick, spring S-patterned coils.

4B: tightly packed with Z-patterns that may bend in extreme angles.

4C: identical to 4B, but the tightly coiled strands are more brittle and feature a very tight zig-zag pattern; can shrink more than any other texture.

 

Try our recommended routines suitable for all hair types: Magic Cactus routine and Detox Routine