Type 2c hair is the apex of waviness. Its ultra-defined natural waves are not easily ignored or erased. Through wind, rain, or shine, it's wavy texture will not lose its shape— though it may experience a little frizz or excess volume. Even when your 2c hair is being unruly, don't take this hair type for granted.
Since 2C hair has more open waves, you can use rollers paired with a curl-defining product to enhance its texture. Instead of rubbing your hair dry with a terrycloth towel, pat it dry or scrunch it with a soft cotton or microfiber towel. This prevents breakage, frizz, and tangles.
Curly hair and wavy hair tend to get a lot more frizzier when compared to straight hair. Your hair type is determined by the shape of your hair follicle. If you have a rounded follicle, your hair grows straight. If you have flat hair follicles, your hair type becomes wavy or curly, making it more prone to frizz.
Like all type 2 hair, 2c hair is wavy, but that often feels like a technicality. Your S-bend hair is thick and the waves start at the roots. If you've ever been confused about whether your hair is wavy or curly, it's likely you have the 2c hair type.
Type 2C hair has defined waves that start at the roots, and is thicker than the other subcategories. This hair type starts to form loose spiral curls and has that “S” shape. Type 2C tends to be the most prone to frizz of the Type 2 category. With wavy hair, the biggest frustration is that it tends to frizz easily.
Type 2c hair is the apex of waviness. Its ultra-defined natural waves are not easily ignored or erased. Through wind, rain, or shine, it's wavy texture will not lose its shape— though it may experience a little frizz or excess volume. Even when your 2c hair is being unruly, don't take this hair type for granted.
Thick, coarse hair or tight curls and coils
With this hair type, shampooing can be the last thing on your mind, since you need to wash your hair no more than once a week, or once every 2-3 weeks if your hair does not feel dirty. Daily washing is a bad idea as this would be too drying for your hair.
On a more technical level, round or triangular shaped cuts look great on 2c curls. If you prefer waves, you're better off keeping length and weight to pull it lower. My personal favourite look is the shag cut right now on 2c curls. We can even get away with a fringe – YAY.
Should Hair Be Wet or Dry While It's Being Cut? This can depend on individual preference but generally, curly hair should be cut while it's dry. Each curl has its own individual pattern and one head of hair can even have multiple different curl patterns.
A general observation across experiments was that straight hair was perceived as younger, healthier, and more attractive than wavy hair and darker shades (medium copper and brown) were perceived more positively than blonde hair.
If you have curly hair and have ever brushed through it, you'll know it can really easily become a frizz ball. However, many women with looser curl patterns are just discovering that their hair isn't actually frizzy, it's curly and they've just been treating it wrong.
Type 1C hair is straight and is usually coarse and thick, which can result in frizzy hair depending on the environment or climate. When air-dried, this hair type can achieve a tousled look, while still lying flat on the scalp.
Type 2C waves are usually identified as small to medium size waves that form into a letter S shape as they grow. This shape borders between wavy and curly hair. Though for some this may already look like a typical curly hair, the 2C type does not form springs, a distinguishing feature between waves and curls.
Oiling your strands once a week can significantly improve their texture. As with any product, you'll want to use a lightweight oil and preferably something that will minimize frizz. Apply it to your scalp and strands (with your hair type, it's important to start at the root), then wash it out with a gentle shampoo.
The Best Type 2C Curly Hair Products
A great moisturizing conditioner keeps frizz under control while locking moisture into the strands. This helps to keep your hair healthy. You can add a leave-in conditioner to your hair routine, or you can opt for a deep-conditioning treatment once every few weeks.
Type 2C hair doesn't need to be washed often – As your scalp oils travel down your strands, they get stuck on your “S” shaped waves. As a result, type 2C hair doesn't get as oily as straighter hair. So, you can get away with washing your hair just once or twice a week.
2B hair consists of 'S' shaped waves in the lengths, but sits relatively straight at the roots. 2C hair has even more defined 'S' shaped curls that start from the root and continue down the lengths of the hair.
If you have medium wavy hair (2A or 2B), you should try to wash every 3 days since your hair won't get oily as fast. For curly hair with a medium texture (type 3A or 3B), you can go up to 4 days between washes.
The letter C– The letter, the latter part of the hair type, refers to the hair texture and compactness, putting 2C hair closer to curls than loose waves. 2C hair is more coarse than its A or B counterparts. The hair texture also takes on an S-shaped pattern of curls.
Frizzy, or coiled, hair wraps around itself forming tight corkscrew curls. Although the extremely tight curls add thickness and volume to the hair, they are also understandably extremely difficult to tame. Made up of multiple spirals, this hair type makes it hard for sebum to spread evenly.
Everyone can get frizzy hair regardless of your hair type or how well you look after your hair. However, some hair types are more prone to fizziness, or at least hair frizz tends to develop in some hair types earlier (when hair is shorter) than some other hair types.
Coily Curls
The last, but most rare type of curl is the coily curl. This curl type is similar to that of an afro and when observed carefully, looks like the angular letter 'Z'. These curls require the most amount of moisture, as the hair type is much thicker than the other curl types.