By now many are familiar with hair typing, yet are still are just as lost as to what their own hair type is! Even with the all visuals and diagrams available for determining hair type, it can still be a daunting process, here are some tips that will give you a more accurate assessment:
Not familiar with hair typing at all? Check this post out to cover all the basics: Hair Typing for Beginners
Judge what your hair type is on freshly washed air dried hair
In order to determine your hair type, you should be evaluating it in its raw state so there is no better way than starting with a clean slate. Does your hair curl up in spirals or coils? Or do you have a lack of curl definition? These are questions you should ask yourself as you are examining your hair, as your curl pattern plays a big role in determining your hair type.
Do not add any products to your hair when you are trying to determine your hair type
Products can drastically change the appearance of your hair, so this will not give you a clear view of what your hair is actually like. Especially if you have found that holy grail product, that brings out definition that you normally wouldn’t have own your own. I remember when I was in the process of removing my locs and I added a jelly product to a section of hair that I just unraveled and it curled up so beautifully. I was under the impression that I had 3C or 4A hair and I was oh so wrong! Without a lot of product and manipulation, I have very little curl definition in my hair’s most raw form.
In the beginning of transitioning? It’s probably best to wait until you have completed or are nearing the end of transitioning to evaluate
If you only have about an inch or two of natural hair and about 5 inches of relaxed ends for example, determining your hair type is going to be pretty hard. You will be able to get a better picture once most of your relaxer has grown out, you have a significant amount of natural growth or you have completed the transitioning process.
Avoid frequent heat usage & chemicals
In particular when you are transitioning you are already dealing with two textures as is: your natural roots and your relaxed ends. Using heat or using chemicals like permanent dye will only complicate the process as they both have the potential to alter your curl pattern, as well as make your transition potentially longer. Avoiding heat and chemicals is your best bet for seeing your hair in its true state.
It’s entirely possible to have two different hair types on one head of hair
It’s not uncommon to have a variation of hair types. I know personally what this like. The front of my hair retains moisture with more ease and has more curl to it than other sections of my hair seeming to be on more on the 4B side of things. Whereas the mid section of my hair is 4C through and through. It lacks curl definition, it’s more challenging to keep moisturized and easily prone to breakage.
Use hair typing as your starting point for understanding how your hair operates and what products are likely to work best for it. Hair typing is very helpful, but it is not the ultimate answer for everything. It’s not an exact science as everyone’s hair may have its own unique characteristics.
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