Find Out Your Hair Type

One of the most widely used hair classification systems or hair typing chart was created by Oprah Winfrey’s hair stylist, Andre Walker known as the Andre Walker Hair Classification System. He talks about his system in his book “Andre Talks Hair”. His system is the original & the one we still refer to classify hair textures. See the hair type chart below.

But the truth about this hair classification is its purely aesthetic. It doesn’t speak to hair needs or make up.  This is why I have taken a deeper look at hair typing for beginners and how to make it work for your hair.

SEE ALSO:  What Hair Typing Doesn’t Tell You

 

 

Type #	Hair Texture	Hair Description
1a	Straight (Fine/Thin)	Very Soft, Shiny, Hard to hold a curl, hair tends to be oily, hard to damage.
1b	Straight (Medium)	Has lots of body. (i.e. more volume, more full)
1c	Straight (Coarse)	Hard to curl. (i.e. bone straight) Most Asian women fall into this category.
2a	Wavy (Fine/Thin)	Can accomplish various styles. Definite “S” pattern. Hair sticks close to the head.
2b	Wavy (Medium)	A bit resistant to styling. Hair tends to be frizzy.
2c	Wavy (Coarse)	Hair has thicker waves. Also resistant to styling. Hair tends to be frizzy.
3a	Curly (Loose Curls)	Thick & full with lots of body. Definite “S” pattern. Hair tends to be frizzy. Can have a combination texture.
3b	Curly (Tight Curls)	Medium amount of curl. Can have a combination texture.
3c	Curly (Tight Curls or Corkscrews)	Tight curls in corkscrews. The curls can be either kinky, or very tightly curled, with lots and lots of strands densely packed together. (3c not in book)
4a	Kinky (Soft)	Tightly coiled. Very Fragile. Has a more defined curly pattern
4b	Kinky (Wiry)	Tightly coiled. Very Fragile. Less defined curly pattern. Has more of a “Z” shaped pattern.
4c	Kinky (Zingy)	Some say 4c looks identical to 4b except that the curls are so tightly kinked, there is seemingly no definition.  (Also not in book) *From NaturallyCurly.com

 

 

Ok I know my hair type now what? I have a couple of post that will help answer that question by taking a deeper look into hair type & texture and finding products for your hair type.