How to Find Out Your Hair Texture and Hair Type
Many people aren't aware that, for best results, they should base their hair care and styling routines on the type and texture of their hair. Do you know what type of hair you have? What about your hair texture? Why does it even matter?
It's important to understand how to determine the right hair care routine for your individual hair type or texture so that you can get the most out of your daily hairstyle.
There are a few factors that go into what makes each person's hair their own, making it important to consider things such as thickness and dryness while finding an appropriate haircare method tailored just for you.
Here are easy ways to find the best solution since there really is a different approach for everyone!
Hair Texture and Type Are Two Different Things
These two little pieces of information about your hair’s general make up can be crucial to an effective hair care routine.
Hair type and hair texture are two different things. While each of them applies to the overall quality of your hair, knowing both of them is crucial for achieving the results you want professionally. "Knowing your hair's type means that you'll know its general qualities and therefore what products will be used to keep it in good condition. It may also explain why your hair behaves in a certain manner," stated Dr. Alain Michon from Ottawa Skin Clinic.'
A lot of confusion surrounds the difference between type and texture. According to hair experts and hair stylists, when most people refer to their "hair type," they usually mean texture. Type has a lot more to do with how healthy one's hair is. To understand your hair better, it's important to first understand these two terms.
What Is Hair Texture?
When we talk about texture when it comes to hair, we’re talking about the size of individual strands (what some people may refer to as “shafts” if we were talking about another bodily element) and how this affects a strand of hair as a whole.
So when it comes to comparing textures, think about the difference between fine, medium and thick. The biggest thing that separates one texture from another is each strand’s size.
Fine hair is very thin and has few, tiny shafts whereas thick hair has wide-set shafts that are much fatter.
Since the structural differences are so important in the overall appearance of our locks, texture can be affected by various styling products like different shampoos or even treatments at salons during your next appointment!
#Fine Hair
Fine hair is typically often very soft and delicate. It's made up of two hair layers (the cortex and the cuticle), which can make it silky smooth and sleek, but it's also the most prone to breakage. The cortex, which basically keeps fine hair shiny and protected; and the cuticle, which is basically responsible for the fact fine hair can easily get split ends. What's more, the cortex can become damaged pretty quickly too.
#Medium Hair
Medium hair shafts are perhaps the most common category of hair, and they have a very unique composition to them. Medium hair strands are often coarser than fine strands and sometimes include a third layer called a medulla (originally it served to provide support for insects who had exoskeletons) that can make them more resistant to manipulation but also more prone to dryness.
#Thick (Coarse) Hair
A thick head of hair means that your hair has more strands on your head, including a medulla. A person with a thick hair texture will have more volume to their appearance, even when comparing it to someone that has the same number of hair follicles but also a finer textured head of hair.
Thick hair is the most resistant both to styling and chemical treatments and breaks down at some point in time due to excessive cuticle production. However, this type of textured hair tends to take up significantly more time for drying and frizzing as well as allowing for an individual's natural oils and moisture buildup.
To sum it up: “Fine hair tends to break easily, it’s hard to style and gets oily pretty quick. Medium hair covers the scalp well and is easy to style. Coarse hair has three layers and is the most resistant to damage,” said Nikki Goddard, certified cosmetologist and editor of The Right Hairstyles Magazine.
What Is Hair Type?
It's important to learn about your natural hair type. Hair types are generally classified into 4 categories including straight, wavy, curly and kinky hair. This classification is based on the texture of your hair, as most people's hair texture falls somewhere in between two of these groups!
A great way to determine what category you're under is by letting your natural, dry hair air-dry while avoiding any additional product or styling products. If it dries completely straight, you likely have Type 1 or straight hair. If it takes on any form of an s-style wave (or curling when drying), you likely have Type 2 or wavy hair. Bouncy curls indicate Type 3 or curly hair and if your strands tend to be extremely thick and tight with a zigzag pattern, you may have Type 4 or kinky hair.
To be more specific, each of these four types can be broken down into one of three additional categories — A, B, or C — based on texture.
Image Source: Adre Walker
#Type 1: Straight Hair
Straight hair tends to stand out from other types of hair because it looks sleek and smooth. Its ability to catch the eye may make it ideal for front-and-center glamour roles, but this hair type is better kept offstage or in a supporting role. Straight can be quite fragile and hard to style. Fine, straight hair is the most fragile, though medium and extra-fine straight succeeds best with upkeep by a high-turnover workforce. Thick and coarse straight hair is more frizzy, preventing stylists from achieving smooth results.
#Type 2: Wavy Hair
Wavy hair can be found on people who fall into the category of curlies, but behaves differently than curly hair. Wavy strands are sometimes "flat" in appearance because they tend to travel better throughout the whole length of a person's head - unlike curly hair which has a tendency to lock into curls when it uncomfortably nestles itself near other hairs. To look its best wavy hair typically needs attention via product and styling.
#Type 3: Curly Hair
The curly hair type usually goes from straight to wavy when wet and tends to grow in spiral-like curls. Though they will become curly even if they aren't styled in their natural curl pattern, the texture of this hair variety is often finer than other types. The bouncy curls are definitely a lot of work to maintain and to keep looking amazing because one wrong move could dismantle them entirely!
#Type 4: Coily/Kinky Hair
This hair type is defined by very tight curls, coils or kinks that can boast everything from s-shaped to z-shaped growth patterns (or a combination of both). Individuals with coily and kinky hair must also deal with all of the challenges posed by curly hair in general: frizz, shrinkage, curl definition, and dryness. This hair type also tends to be the most fragile and prone to breakage.
Hair Care Based On Texture and Type
So you’ve now got a good idea of what type of hair you have, what does that mean for you as a consumer when it comes to shampoo and conditioner? We asked professional hairstylists for their advice on how to choose the most suitable product.
#1 Hair Care Based on Texture
Fine hair: It's often difficult to style and care for. Your product choices may not be having the results you desire, especially when it comes to creating volume or body. One reason could be because you've been applying styling products on dry hair. After washing, try towel drying or blow drying your fine strands before applying your styling product. A lot of the time, this prevents excessive weight from building up on your locks while they're still wet which causes them to look limp and flat at the roots later on.
To be certain, take a look at what kind of products you're wearing on your fine hair! One way to remedy this problem is by using premium quality styling products formulated with keratin or ceramides - these will add volume as they help restore a damaged cuticle layer.
Medium and coarse hair: The perfect product is being frizz-free - after all, one of the biggest issues someone with this sort of hair will face on a bad day is that annoying flyaway. And while it's true that these products can often weigh your hair down too much to style it afterwards, we know you might want something to keep those extras in place naturally as you go about your day without spending any more time on your blow dry than absolutely necessary.
Curly and coily hair: People with curly and coily hair should definitely try out sleeping on a satin pillowcase. When your curls come out in the morning, you'll notice how much smoother it feels after you've slept on satin!"
Also, all hair types can benefit from sleeping on a pillowcase designed to decrease friction throughout the night.
*Note: Regardless of hair type or texture, always protect your hair when styling.
#2 Hair Care Based On Type
Straight hair: You may be prone to oiliness and getting greasy a little too quickly. However, if your hair is in good condition and well-maintained it shouldn't lose its shine or luster after only a few washes. The problem with washing your hair so often is that it strips away the natural oils that give it life and leave it feeling dull and dry instead. Moisturizing every day by using a pre-shampoo treatment on wet hair before applying conditioner when drying, can help prevent damage while keeping your blowout looking fresh and radiant week after week.
Wavy hair: Goddard states that reduced frizz gives your wavy hair a natural, effortless and cool style. Dry shampoos or texture sprays are the best way to have hand-tamed curls. Water-based gel or mousse gives your waves more volume and you should also take advantage of a diffuser to give this hairstyle an extra boost.
Curly- and coily-haired individuals: These hair types are likely to get the most benefit from using shampoos and conditioners that do not contain sulfates because these products are designed to strip the hair of its natural oils. "Curly or coily hair tends to break more easily, so it should be treated differently than straight hair." said Pugh. Additionally, Goddard encourages individuals with kinky/curly hair types not to comb or brush their hair regularly.
For those with oily scalps or flakes: consider a weekly scalp detoxifier to cleanse and clarify the scalp. For especially stressed out scalps, try serum with hemp to soothe your scalp and optimizing your dermal microbiome.
Image Source: Adre Walker
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