Every time you go online, you are bombarded with pictures of men with their silky and bouncy hair. What makes it even more intriguing is that they are men in your class and they are able to achieve this with relative ease – or so it seems.
You desire to join the league of sleek hair owners, but unfortunately, no matter your efforts, it just seems impossible to achieve this hair goal. You begin to wonder what the problem is and why your hair is not cooperating.
To take a step closer to your goal, you develop a hair care regimen that you strictly follow. Also, you have spent a fortune getting the best hair care products in the market, but you’re not getting the exceptional results you envisioned.
Before you give up finally, have you stopped to consider whether the hair care routine and treatments you are undergoing is ideal for your hair type?
Knowing your hair type is the number one thing to do if you want Instagram-worthy locks. When you know your hair type, it would be easier to make the right choices for your hair instead of just getting the ‘best product’ in the market.
To help you with this, we’ve compiled a straight-to-the-point guide that would educate you on important facts about identifying and grooming your hair.
What Determines Your Hair Type
The type of hair you have is determined by the curl pattern of your hair and the degree of curling is influenced by the shape of your hair follicle. Asymmetrical and oval follicles produce curlier hair.
Basically, there are 4 types of hair namely:
- Straight – also known as Type 1 hair
- Wavy – Type 2 hair
- Curly – Type 3 hair
- Kinky – Type 4 hair
What Type Of Hair Do You Have?
Straight
Type 1 or straight hair has fine or coarse strands. They have no natural curl and can either be thick or thin. The strands are straight from the root to the tip and there is no form of waving whatsoever.
Care
Straight hair tends to be oily, so avoid heavy butters or serums and instead opt for products that won’t add more oil to your hair. Additionally, avoid frequent washing of hair as this can make your scalp to produce excess oil. Instead, introduce occasional dry shampooing into your hair care regime.
Wavy Hair
Hair of this nature lies somewhere between curly and straight and they tend to be thicker in texture than straight hair. From the roots to about 1/3 of the hair length, the strands are fairly straight.
From there to the tip or end, the strands take on a loose, slightly curl pattern.
Care
Under no circumstance is damp weather friendly to wavy hair. It makes the hair more prone to frizzing. To tame the frizz, use a diffuser.
Since the wavy pattern is the beauty of the hair, stay away from creamy or oil-based products that will flatten out the wave. Instead, use hair products like a gel or light mouse as they would give your waves more definition.
Curly Hair
Curly hair is relatively easy to identify. Simply check if your strands are in an ‘S’ shape. This hair type is resistant to straightening processes and remains stubbornly curly even after your treatment.
It frizzes and tangles easily which is why you shouldn’t use a brush on this hair type since doing that will lead to a frizzier mane.
Care
If your hair type is curly, you should steer clear of any hairstyle or cut that has to do with ponytails. Constant buns or ponytail styles will destroy the formation of your curls. They also cause thinning and hair loss along your hairline.
Due to how hard it is to tame curly hair, the best styles and products for this hair type are the ones that define your natural curl.
Kinky or Very Curly Hair
Of all the four hair types, kinky hair is the most delicate of them all. It has very tight (and occasionally well-defined) curls and is fairly coarse to the touch.
The delicate nature of the hair also makes it easily predisposed to damage by hair products and heat.
Care
The fragility of kinky hair requires that you have to be extremely gentle with it. The hair needs constant moisture but that doesn’t mean you have to drench your hair oil.
Butters, creams, and deep conditioning masques are other good options you can use to maintain good hair health.
