Type 3A hair is very shiny and loose. Type 3B hair has a medium amount of curls, ranging from bouncy ringlets (spiral-like loose curls of hair) to tight corkscrews (spiral-shaped corkscrew curls).
Type 3a hair is characterized by well-defined spiral curls that are typically the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. Although the circumference of 3a curls is wider than that of 3b and 3c hair, it can be difficult to tell the three curl types apart.
3C hair is made up of well-defined, tight corkscrews or coils with lots of strands densely packed together. Their circumference is the size of a pencil or straw. 3C curls have a fine to medium texture. This curl type is prone to dryness, tangles, and lack of curl definition.
Type 4a hair has medium-sized, loosely packed curls. The curls have a springy S-shape and are about the size of a crochet needle. If you look closely at the 4a hair type, you'll notice the curls are not as interlocked as 4b or 4c curls. Each 4a strand independently curls or spirals away from other neighboring strands.
3A curls are known as some of the easiest types of curls to manage and with the right products, might not even require much styling. Look for light styling creams to help control strands when styling and drying.
2c hair has “S” shaped waves that go down the whole strands. However, 3a hair has loosely wound spirals that start at the scalp itself. What is this? You might see that 2c hair appears straighter in a few places and curlier in others, but 3a hair has a consistent pattern of curls throughout.
If your curls easily wrap around the sidewalk chalk, then you have type 3A hair. If the permanent marker is the best fit, then your hair type is 3B. If your spiral curls are the size of a pencil, you have type 3C hair.
4c hair type has the tightest curl pattern of all the curly hair types. Strands are formed in tight, springy, ringlets. 4c hair tends to clump more at the ends and is even more prone to shrinkage than 4b hair. According to CURLS, 4c hair can shrink up to 75% of its length!
How do you know if you might be a Type 3C? You would have very curly hair that held on to its S or Z-curve shape even after being stretched out. You still retain a definite curl pattern and the texture isn't a frizzy coil.
"4D hair is the type of hair that poets have referenced whenever they spoke about 'coarse, African' hair. Many natural-hair women with 4D hair are mistaken for people with short hair, because of the extreme shrinkage their hair experiences. However, many times, their hair might be shoulder length or longer."
3C hair strands have larger curls than 4A hair, which are a bit more tightly coiled. 3C hair has a reputation for being tightly densely packed, but otherwise soft to touch.
Type 3 curly hair ranges from a light curl to tight, curly tendrils, and usually have a combination of textures. They are defined and springy, with more height and volume at the root than type 2s.
4D hair is extremely coarse and has a very tight curl pattern and cotton texture that may take on the shape of a Z (also referred to as a Z pattern), tight coils, or a combination of both. It tends to be very dry, and as such, this hair type requires a regimen that prioritizes deep moisture.
3a: This type of hair holds an "S" shape and has a definite pattern throughout. If you have type 1, 2a, 2b, or 2c hair, you may not be able to get the waves to work. You can try, but you'll have much better luck if your hair is at least a 3a.
Within the category of type 3 hair, 3b curls are a collection of bouncy ringlets. The circumference of each swirl is roughly that of a Sharpie marker. Because your curl type straddles the happy medium between 3a and 3c hair, you may also have some loose spirals and springy corkscrews in your locks.
Despite the density and elasticity of your coils, 3C strands tend to have a finer texture (although you may still have some coarse pieces), which means they're more prone to dryness, breakage, and loss of definition.
The 3-step curly girl method revolves around cleansing, conditioning, and then curling, all with great products.
Type 5 hair typically refers to natural, multi-textured hair with a mixture of frizz and curls within its fine strands. In its natural state, you'll find that type 5 hair ranges from loosely coiled to tightly coiled, usually with S or Z-shaped curls that would typically fall under the 3A to 4C hair type categories.
Type 2B. 2B hair lies flatter at the crown with defined S-shaped waves starting from the midlength, like Salma Hayek's here. Strands are thicker in diameter than a 2A, and you'll have to put a bit more elbow grease into getting it straight.
Compared to silkier hair African-American hair contains more lipids, or fats, but the lipids are less bonded which is why the hair loves oils so much. Along with that, the follicle size is much thicker and it has a flattened elliptical cross section causing it to be curlier than other hair types.
A wavy, relaxed “S” shape curl pattern. This curl type may be non-uniform—straighter at the crown, wavy in the middle, and drier on the ends, for example. Dehydration, damage, and heavy styling products can “straighten” out these curls. Wavy curls need lightweight, curl-amplifying moisture and hold.
The Curly Girl Method is an approach to hair care designed by author Lorraine Massey for natural hair (coils, waves and curls) that has not been chemically relaxed. This method discourages the daily use of sulfate shampoo, which is considered too harsh for curly hair.
Texture Type 2C
Type 2c hair is thicker, coarser wavy hair that is composed of a few more actual curls rather than just waves. Type 2c hair tends to be more resistant to styling and will frizz easily. Wavy whirlies tend to use a lot of gel to style and manage frizz.