Hair Type
Hair Type
There are many factors that contribute to determining what products suit your hair and what you need in your routine! Simply buying products based on your hair pattern (Ex. 3A) is incorrect. Think of it the same way you would think of skin types: oily, combination or dry. You choose your skin products based on your skin type not based on your skin color or face shape right? The same concept should be applied to your hair! Shopping based on your hair's characteristics is much smarter than shopping according to how your hair pattern looks.
Grab a pen and paper and write down your hair texture, density, porosity and pattern before proceeding to the next sections!
Hair Texture
One of the most important factors in determining hair products suitable for your hair type. Texture refers to the width or thickness of a single hair strand.
Fine
Characteristics:
- A single hair strand thickness is fine or thin
- Weak, fragile and easily damaged
- Can't handle heavy products as the hair gets weighed down easily
- Can't handle layering products
- Sometimes is soft & can't hold blowdries long
Adjustments to your routine:
- Needs protein for strength and protection
- Use lightweight products
- Avoid layering products
- Experiment with deep conditioning as a prepoo
Medium
Characteristics:
- A single hair strand thickness is medium, not fine and not coarse, just in between
- Has good elasticity
Adjustments to your routine:
- Needs protein but not often as fine strands
- Layering products is alright, hair can handle it
Coarse
Characteristics:
- A single hair strand thickness is coarse or thick
- The strongest texture
- Can handle heavy weight products without getting weighed down
- Blowdries tend to hold & last longer
Adjustments to your routine:
- Needs more moisture as hair is more prone to dryness
- Doesn't need much protein
- Heavier products will help retain moisture
Still can't tell what your hair texture is? Try this.
* Hold 1 single hair strand (1 piece of hair) between 2 fingers, close your eyes then start rolling it between your fingers. Did you feel the hair strand? (Not at all > fine) (Somewhat felt it > Medium) (Felt it very well > Coarse)
Hair Density
Density refers to your overall hair thickness. How much hair do you have on your head? How tightly are your hair strand packed together?
Low
Characteristics:
- Scalp can easily be seen
- Sometimes is referred as thin hair
- You have a less amount of hair
Adjustments to your routine:
- Use volumizing products like mousses
- Avoid heavy products to avoid flat hair & roots
- Use less amount of any product
Medium
Characteristics:
- Scalp can be seen, but not easily
- Hair is not too thin or not too thick
Adjustments to your routine:
High
Characteristics:
- Scalp almost does not show at all or barely shows
- Sometimes is referred as thick hair
- You have a lot of hair
Adjustments to your routine:
Still can't tell what your hair density is? Try this.
* Part your hair in different sections, down the middle, on the side, etc. how much of your scalp can you see?
(I can see my scalp very clearly > Low) (I can see some of my scalp > Medium) (I see very little of my scalp > High)
Hair Porosity
Hair Porosity refers to the ability for your hair to absorb & maintain moisture. Different parts of your hair can have different porosities. Your porosity can change overtime. If you damage low or medium porosity hair with heat or color, it can go to medium or high. You can have high porosity hair, hair damaged from heat or color, and have healthy hair growth that is not touched by heat or color and is lower in porosity.
Low
Hair cuticles are compact and lie flat. Hair does not allow moisture to easily enter and exit the hair strand.
Characteristics:
- Hair feels dry - very dry
- Build up is a major issue as the cuticle layers are tightly packed making the products sit on the hair strand instead of being absorbed
- Can't handle heavy products
- Takes a very long time to dry (4+ hours) without any styling products
- Does not need protein often (once a month)
- Can be resistant to chemical treatments
Adjustments to your routine:
- Use less protein, more moisture
- Clarify 2 - 4 times a month
- Experiment with appyling products on slightly wet / damp hair
- Use a hot head or indirect hair when deep conditioning
- Use lightweight products
- Use products that contain humectants like glycerin, honey
- Avoid heavy oils & heavy butters.
Medium
Hair cuticles open and close easily.
Characteristics:
- Considered the optimum, hair is healthy
- Moisture is easily absorbed and retained
- Has good shine and fullness
- Has good elasticity and bounce
- Holds styles well
- Can be colored with good results
Adjustments to your routine:
- Weekly deep conditioning to maintain hair health
- Balance between protein and moisture in all your products
High
Hair cuticles are highly raised - Moisture enters the hair easily and leaves the hair easily (Hair can't hold onto moisture).
Characteristics:
- Considered damaged from heat, color, bleach or other chemical treatments
- Very dry, frizzy, dull and tangles easily
- Hair air dries quickly (Almost 2 hours or less) without any styling products or buildup
- Feels like the hair absorbs the moisture but is not moisturized after
- Easily feels over moisturized when protein is not part of the routine
- Prone to split ends and breakage
Adjustments to your routine:
- Protein should always be part of your routine for strength and repair
- Layer different products to help retain moisture
- Seal products in with an oil, heavy or light
- Make sure your final hair rinse is with cold water
Please do not do the cup test, it is not accurate!
Hair Pattern
Your hair pattern can help determine the dryness level of your hair. The hair naturally gets drier as the curl gets tighter as natural oils from the scalp have a harder time traveling down the hair strand to moisturize. Your hair can have multiple patterns and your pattern can change from time to time as hair gets healthier. You pattern is also affected by your styling routine and styling products. This is why determining your hair pattern is not important, the corresponding letter to your hair type A,B,C is not important either.
Type 2: Wavy
Adjustments to your routine:
- Style with a gel or mousse for more hold
- Use curl activators for curlier waves & bounce
- Scrunch, scrunch and scrunch again for curlier waves
- Plop your hair for more definition & waves
- Diffuse your hair for more fullness & waves
Type 3: Curly
Adjustments to your routine:
- Figure out how much moisture your hair needs, too much moisture isn't always a good idea
- Experiment with keeping some of your conditioner in hair and not rinsing it all off
- Keep spraying your hair with more water while styling to encourage curl clumps
- Finger Coil while deep conditioning and/or styling to train your curls to curl back and to reduce frizz
- Experiment with styling with the Denman Brush
Type 4: Coily / Kinky
Adjustments to your routine:
- Wash less often and use creamy shampoos or co washes
- Always section your hair when washing, conditioning and styling
- Experiment with keeping most of the conditioner in your hair
- Prepoo with a blend of oils to prep hair for washing
- Seal hair with an oil when styling
- Detangle with your fingers as its much gentler on your knots