Understanding Your Hair Type, Part 1 Straight and Wavy (2024)

FAQs

What is the hair type between straight and wavy? ›

Type 1C – Straight with Almost-Waves

It has a suggestion of waves without falling into the wavy category, and your strands will be relatively coarse. An attractive, tousled look comes naturally to 1C hair.

This can be something you are born with, or your hair texture and wave pattern can change due to hormones or certain illnesses and medications. It can be a challenging figuring out what to do with mix-textured hair.

Type 1 hair is generally straight with no visible curl pattern. However, some individuals with type 1 hair can experience a slight wave or bend to their hair, especially if it is longer.

Only around 2% of people worldwide have 1A hair. Type 1B is not completely flat and has more body than its Type 1A counterpart. Most straight-haired people will fall into this hair type category. Type 1B is distinguished from 1A by its ability to hold a curl.

A general observation across experiments was that straight hair was perceived as younger, healthier, and more attractive than wavy hair and darker shades (medium copper and brown) were perceived more positively than blonde hair.

It could be from chemical, which is kind of what we go to in our minds, of bleaching your hair using poor dyes, which would disrupt your curl pattern. But there's also mechanical damage from brushing. There's also heat damage from using hot tools.

Hair follicles that are round produce straight hair. The more a follicle's shape is flattened (or ellipsoid), the larger the wave, curl or kink, resulting in your hair displaying greater volume.

Identifying 1C Wavy Hair

2A hair has a more pronounced S-shaped pattern, whereas Type 1C, is typically straight, with some gentle and less defined waviness. Key identifying features of 1C hair include: A mostly straight appearance with a slight bend, especially towards the tips.

Type 1A hair is very straight and fine, with no waves or curls whatsoever. This hair type tends to get very oily and requires frequent shampooing. It is the rarest hair type and is common among women of Asian descent.

Which hair type is best? ›

Those with straight hair mostly have a balanced sebum production, which nourishes the strands and keeps them soft. You can categorise straight hair into: Type 1A is exceptionally silky, smooth, and lustrous. Although many people might consider this hair perfect, but it lacks volume.

1A HAIRSTYLES

Angular bobs are popular because the cut falls into place with little to no hair maintenance needed. Additionally, layering is one of the top go-to hairstyles for straight hair because of its versatility. Layers add movement, body, and texture to locks that might otherwise look limp or dull.

Caring for 1a Hair Type

It's recommended that those with 1a hair shampoo every 2-3 days for best results.

The least common hair type, 1A hair is extremely fine and perfectly straight. Consequently, it can look a bit flat and limp and might prove difficult to style. Dry shampoo can be your ally in the fight against excessive oil and thick hair products that might weigh your hair down are best avoided.

2B hair consists of 'S' shaped waves in the lengths, but sits relatively straight at the roots. 2C hair has even more defined 'S' shaped curls that start from the root and continue down the lengths of the hair. Once you've identified you have wavy hair, you should also explore your hair's porosity.

2C hair falls somewhere in the middle of the curly hair types and is characterized by the S-shaped curl. “2A and 2B hair are looser waves, while 2C hair starts to form more of an S-shaped curl,” says Matias. “You can begin to see the ribbon of curl in 2C. It will hold curl definition longer than 2A or 2B.”

A cross between a person with straight hair and a person with curly hair will produce a child with wavy hair.

If your hair has defined, corkscrew curls, then it's 3A type. If your hair has looser waves, then it's type 2.