We all know what curly hair looks like, but did you know there are three main different kinds of curls with 9 subtypes? Yeah, it's a lot, but we're here to help you through the morse code that is curl type. 

Accurately identifying your curl type is an adventure. It takes a lot of exploring. Your curl type is essentially the shape of the actual hair follicle + the shape of the hair strand (i.e. wavy, spiraled, curvy, coiled, etc.) On the more scientific end, the shape of the hair is also determined by the number of disulfide bonds found between the hair proteins in the hair shaft. The fewer links the hair has, the straighter the hair and the more links the hair has, the curlier the hair will be. 

Type 2: Wavy Hair

2A: Type 2A hair is mildly wavy and tends to lay closer to the head and be finer in overall density. This hair tends to be easier to style and will hold for longer. For our wavy girls, we like to recommend lighter hair products since you don't want to weight the hair down.

For our 2As, we like to recommend our Blossom & Bloom ginseng + biotin volumizing spray to immediately enhance hair fullness and provides long-term hair health benefits. If you want to enhance your natural waves, we recommend using our Curl Charisma rice amino + avocado leave-in defining creme after showering to hydrate, define and weather-proof the wavey locks while maintaining touchable movement and a light hold. 

2B: 2B type hair still lays flatter against the crown of the head. The hair density tends to be a little thicker on the actual hair shaft, but still not a coarse texture. It also retains an S shape that usually starts towards the mid-length of the hair.

We like to recommend our Curl Charisma rice amino + avocado hydrating shampoo and then our Don't Despair, Repair! strength + moisture leave-in mask for this gorgeous hair type. The curl charisma shampoo uses rice amino aids and avocado to defrizz, nourish and define the curls, while the leave-in mask contains lightweight and unique micro-encapsulated argan oil that adheres to the surface of the hair and closes structural gaps on the hair shaft for stronger and healthier hair. 

2C: 2C curls are when we start to see thicker, coarse hair. This type also tends to be more susceptible to frizziness. 2Cs also retain a very defined S shape that tends to start right at the crown of the head.

A 2C hair type would be BFFs with our Curl Charisma rice amino + shea curl defining conditioner and the Farewell Frizz rosarco milk leave-in conditioning spray. To give your thick and coarse hair some extra nourishment, the curl charisma conditioner uses ultra-hydrating shea butter and sweet almond oils to increase hair softness and enhance the body of curls without weighing them down. Post-shower-conditioning, the Farewell frizz leave-in conditioning spray is fortified with a unique blend to effectively tame frizz and detangle your locks for the perfect luxurious waves. 

Hair Type 3: Curly

3A: 3A hair types are looser curls that almost look like a springy S shape and won't lay flat against the scalp and has more body. The diameter of the curl is around the circumference of sidewalk chalk.

For our 3A peeps, we know you'll be obsessed with our Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Leave-In Defining Crème & our Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel together. For a soft and bouncy curl finish, we recommend starting with the leave-in crème. The key ingredient of avocado oil works as an antioxidant-rich moisturizer that softens and hydrates those curls and coils. Lastly, apply the frizz control gel to lock in the curl shape. The quinoa extract and keratin amino acids in the gel fortify the hair strands and increase elasticity to hold its shape and protect against damage. 

3B: 3B hair is usually a coarser spiral ringlet shape that can almost form into a corkscrew shape. These curls usually have around the circumference of a sharpie marker.

To keep the curls luscious and hydrated, we recommend our Curl Charisma rice amino + avocado hydrating shampoo & the rice amino + shea curl defining conditioner. This ultra-nourishing duo harnesses the magical hair powers of rice amino acids to seal the hair cuticle to combat frizz, avocado oil for a healthy-looking shine, shea butter for an antioxidant-rich moisturizer and quinoa extract to define those curls.  

3C: 3C hair is shaped into tighter and defined corkscrews and has the circumference of a pencil. These curls tend to have more volume since the curls are more closely packed together on the head. The strands are the most dense and coarse out of the 2 & 3 hair types. 

After using the Curl Charisma shampoo and conditioner to define and hydrate, you'll want to smooth and nourish that 3C hair. We recommend using a little bit of our B. Well organic + cold-pressed 100% castor oil. This cold-pressed, organic castor oil works to deeply nourish and hydrate while taming flyaways to promote healthy hair. Bonus: this oil is also amazing for nourishing the eyebrows, eyelashes and promote glowy skin.  

Type 4: Coily Hair 

4A: Type 4 is when the coils start showing! Coily, also known as kinky hair, is naturally drier coil shape. The shape is in extremely tight curls that can sometimes form a zig-zag shaped follicle that starts right at the beginning of the scalp. 4A can tend to still retain a tight and spiraled form along with the zig-zag shape.

For a 4A, using our Curl Charisma rice amino + quinoa frizz control gel or the Chia + Flax Seed Coil Custard is essential. Formulated with rice amino acids and quinoa extract, the gel seals the hair cuticle to block out environmental moisture that causes frizz + forms a barrier around the cuticle to enhance its definition. The coil custard is more of a nurturing and creamy curl definer with light hold! We recommend the custard if your drier side since it's formulated with ultra-nourishing shea butter, flax seed oil and chia seed. 

4B: Type 4 is when the coils really start showin'! Coily, also known as kinky hair, is in a tight coil shape and can also form sharp Z-like formations as well. This hair type tends to be on the drier side, so it's essential to keep the coils hydrated. 

Since 4Bs can be on the drier side, the Curl Charisma rice amino + quinoa leave-in defining crème + the Chia + Flax Seed Coil Custard are a perfect match. This silky crème hydrates, defines and weather-proofs curls while maintaining touchable movement and a light, flexible hold. After applying the crème, we recommend massaging the coil custard into small sections of damp hair for an extra boost of hydration while still maintaining a flexible hold of the curls!

4C: 4C is extremely similar to 4B. The hair is shaped into a tight coil and can sometimes form into a zig-zag shape that is so tight that it can be difficult for the naked eye to see. This hair type also experiences the most breakage as the hair shaft is extremely dry and fragile. 4Cs also require a lot of extra hydration. 

Last, but definitely not least, our 4Cs deserve some hair love. Our Curl Charisma chia + flax seed coil custard is a rich and creamy leave-in styler for curly and coily hair textures that hydrates, defines and enhances curls and coils.

There are two aspects of curly hair that we'd like to acknowledge: 1. Mixed curl patterns and 2. The transitioning phase. 

1. Having mixed curl patterns is extremely common for people with curly hair. Mixed curl patterns are just as they sound - it's essentially having multiple curl patterns throughout your head of hair. For example, someone with 4A curls can also have typical 4C curls mixed within the 4A strands. If this resonates with you, it's always best to do a trial and error with different products to see what works best with your unique curl type. 
2. Transitioning hair is also another common hair stage that many curly-haired people experience. This is when someone with curly hair has put their hair through chemical treatments to manipulate the curl formation. A very popular treatment for curly hair is getting the hair relaxed. Relaxing curls essentially breaks down the hair shape and chemically changing its natural texture. When you decide to transition your relaxed hair to growing it out naturally, growing pains can definitely be involved. The hair growing from the scalp will go back to its original curly shape, while the grown out hairs remain in their relaxed state. This can cause, for lack of better words, a pretty awkward hairdo. If you're dealing with the growing pains of transitional hair, we feel for you. However, there are some ways to ease the pain. To manipulate those damaged + chemically-treated pieces, here are some of our favorite options: 

• Braids
• Braid Outs 
• Twist Outs
• Flexi Rods
• Spiral Rods 

Want to know more about your mane? Drop your hair type inquiries in the comments below!