Types of curls: tips for you to understand and love your hair

If you have curly hair, you know that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for all types of curls. This makes finding the right product or the best way to handle your hair a difficult task. What can help you? Knowing your curl type will be a sure start on this journey.

So, how to identify your curl type? It takes a bit of exploration, and as our hair transforms over time, it also takes patience. Read on to learn more about what makes your hair curly and how to determine your curl type. This will allow you to finally understand and deal with your wavy or curly hair better.

types of curls

The degree of curl is based on the number of bonds between the keratin inside the hair. The more connecting links, the more textured your hair will be. On the other hand, the fewer links, the straighter it will be. Thus, curls are divided into 3 categories and 3 subcategories:

• Wavy: in this type, the curls curve and form an “S”;
• Curly: here, the hair strands are grouped and curled in a spiral or in the form of looser curls;
• Curly: this is when each of the strands form tight curls or form a Z.

Also in this classification, there is category 1, which is the absence of curls or straight hair. But none of this is an absolute rule that you have to live by. This division was made for you to know better the characteristics of your curly hair and to make it easier when deciding on hair care. Shall we explore each type of curl more? Check it out below:

Type 2 hair – wavy

Wave type 2 is classified as wavy hair. It’s not overly oily or dry, which allows for many styling options either curly or straight. This hair type is very resilient despite being the hair type most prone to frizz.

Type 2A wavy hair

It is the closest type to smooth with slight undulations. It is not bulky and tends to be quite thin.

Type 2B wavy hair

Here the waves are formed along the length of the hair from the scalp. It still doesn’t have a lot of volume and the waves come undone easily.

Type 2C wavy hair

Of the wavy ones, this one has the most defined waves. It can also be a mix of defined curls and S-shaped waves. It can have a lot of frizz and be dry at the ends.

Did you identify with any of the above types? We still have two more categories to go. Come on:

Type 3 hair – curly

The curl of curly hair is known as a spiral. We can clearly see the formation of the curl and the hair is very voluminous. It also has a lot of frizz and is naturally dry.

Type 3A curly hair

The pattern of this type of curl is well defined and elastic. They are bigger and more open. It’s very shiny and loose.

Type 3B curly hair

Type 3B curls are more voluminous and more defined than type 3A. It is a well-defined spiral with medium width.

Type 3C curly hair

This one has a lot of definition and is not very elastic. The curl has the smallest width in this category and is also the thickest and densest strand.

Even with the detailed descriptions it can still be difficult to identify your curl type. Some specialized hairdressers recommend analyzing it with wet hair because this way the texture is more evident.

Type 4 hair – curly

Curly or afro hair is the most sensitive of all types. Among the 3 subcategories there can be a wide variety of texture. The curl formation can have a zigzag pattern or no pattern at all.

Type 4A curly hair

This hair is full of tight whorls, and the strand is clearly shaped like a curl when stretched.

Type 4B curly hair

The strands are Z-shaped and have a less defined wavy pattern. This means that instead of curling, the hair has a frizzy shape.

Type 4C curly hair

This type is very delicate and curls do not form on their own, they need some modeling technique. They are also very dry.

If you’ve come this far and still haven’t been able to define your curl type, don’t panic. You can find a lot of cool content on the internet about this and for sure they will help you. It is also worth remembering that your hair can mix several types.

Learn more about types of curls

Now that you know everything about curly and curly hair, we have selected some videos on the topic. Press play!

Analyzing the types of curls

Blogger Luciellen has curly hair and made a video explaining in detail all types of curls. She even says that the same person can have two types of hair texture.

After all, what is my hair type?

The youtuber Ana Lídia Lopes talks in this video about the doubt of many girls: what type of hair do I have? Am I curly or curly? There is no single answer!

About the wavy curl type

Businesswoman and blogger Débora Alcântara tells all about her hair type, which is wavy.

About the curly curl type

Débora Ninja analyzes her own hair to explain the different textures of curls 4A, B and C.

Did you see that in addition to identifying your predominant curl type, you can also have more than one texture throughout your hair? The task doesn’t seem easy but it can be a lot of fun!

And then? Were you able to identify your curl type?