• Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your legacy1
  • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence

Follow Us

Skip to content
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence
  • Celebrity
    • Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • Beauty News
  • Hair
    • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Lifestyle News
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Netflix’s Jingle Jangle Gift Guide
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your Legacy
  • News
    • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Essence 50th Anniversary
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
Home · News

Decode Your Coils: A Simple Guide to Curly Hair Types

If you're newly natural, chances are you've tried to identify your hair type using the hair typing system designed by hairstylist Andre Walker. If you're still confused about your hair type, here's an easy guide-to-understand guide on what you need to know about the most common Black hair curl textures.

By Nicole Marie Melton · March 27, 2013October 28, 2020
01
What Is Hair Typing?

The hair typing system was created by stylist Andre Walker to help decode the various curly textures most common among women with wavy and curly hair. The system can be helpful for women who are seeking to find regimens and products for their specific texture since several hair care brands, stylists and bloggers have implemented the system into their everyday curl-lingo and branding.

02
Type 3 Curls- Alicia Keys

Type 3 hair has a curl pattern with clearly defined spiral curls when the hair is wet. The hair tends to be springy and achieves natural, springy ringlets with wash-and-go’s. The loose curls of type 3 hair can either be as wide as a jumbo marker to as thin as a pencil. Larger curl sizes are most frequently identified as type 3A and 3B, while smaller curls are called 3C.

03
Type 3 Curls- Alicia Keys

If your curls are type 3, your hair responds well to curl-defining gels, mouses and creams. Your hair tends to have a natural slickness to it, and is easier to achieve styles that require sleek edges such as updos and topknots.

04
Type 3 Curls- Tanika Ray

Type 3 curls can range in hair thickness from coarse to fine.  It’s important to determine whether your hair has wide, thick strands or fine, fragile strands.  Most often, type 3 curls are fine, thus they should be handled with extreme care.

05
Type 3 Curls- Tanika Ray

Shampooing type 3 hair with a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo is highly recommended.  Your hair dries out very easily, so it’s important to use moisturizing conditioners after each wash. Since your curl is naturally looser, heavy creams and butters tend to weigh the hair down and make it feel greasy.  Instead, opt for lighter moisturizers with a serum-like formula to help maintain hydrated hair and shine.

06
Type 3 Curls- Tracee Ellis Ross

When wearing wash-and-go’s, type 3 curly girls may experience frizz.  This can be avoided by “plopping” the hair after you wash. Plopping is using a T-shirt instead of a towel to dry the hair which reduces friction because of the finer T-shirt fabric.  You can also use a diffuser to help dry your hair and add a bit of volume.

07
Type 3 Curls- Tracee Ellis Ross

Finger detangling is another secret that type 3 curly girls swear by. Instead of using a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair with conditioner, try using just your fingers.  This practice has been said to reduce the amount of breakage that can occur when combing the hair with plastic combs.

08
Type 4 Curls – Andy Allo

Type 4 curls are kinky, coily and tight.  The curls are not defined when the hair is wet, and when the hair dries, it has a lot of shrinkage and a thick, fluffy feel.  The tight coils of type 4 hair can either have an “S”  or a “Z” curl pattern. “S” curls are most frequently identified as type 4A whereas “Z” curls are called type 4B and 4C.

09
Type 4 Curls – Andy Allo

If your hair is more fluffy than curly, you probably have type 4 curls. Be careful not to confuse type 4 hair with coarse hair.  Most often, type 4 hair is actually very fine with lots of fragile hair strands densely packed together.

10
Type 4 Curls – Solange

Type 4 hair has fewer cuticle layers than any other hair texture, thus it has less natural protection from damage caused by excessive heat styling, too-tight styles and dryness.  The key to maintaining healthy type 4 hair is moisture, moisture, and more moisture!  Type 4 hair has been known to “drink” up moisturizer and responds well to sealing in moisture with oils, such as coconut and jojoba, and shea butter.

11
Type 4 Curls – Solange

Type 4 hair must be handled with extreme care since your individual hair strands are often thin and therefore delicate. When washing your hair, look for moisturizing, sulfate-free shampoos or products specifically designed as co-washes to cleanse the hair.  Deep conditioners are a must for maintaining moisture and occasional protein treatments can help strengthen fine strands.

12
Type 4 Curls – Teyonah Parris

Products for type 4 hair should be highly moisturizing and provide “slip” to the hair, meaning they help the hair stay detangled. When handling your hair, be sure to do in sections.  Since your hair is very dense, detangling and styling section-by-section with a wide-tooth comb will make your hair easier to manage.

13
Type 4 Curls – Teyonnah Parris

Twist-outs, braid-outs and updos work well on type 4 hair since it is more pliable and tends to hold styles more readily than looser curl types. Many women with type 4 hair also enjoy wearing protective styles, which are styles that conceal the ends of the hair in order to prevent breakage and aid in length retention.  Protective styles include mini-twists, pompadours and any low-manipulation style that keeps the hair moisturized and tucked away.

Read More

Money & Career
Boss Moves: Inside Issa Rae's Hollywood Empire
Black Celeb Couples
These Super Romantic Celebrity Couples Keep Us Believing In Love
News
Investigators Find Police Department and D.A. Failed Elijah ...
Beauty
Jada Pinkett-Smith Just Unveiled Her New Skincare Brand, Hey...
News
Tiger Woods Injured In Car Crash
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2021 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now