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silverthread
February 11th, 2013, 01:16 PM
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2570&d=1360613677

This has probably been posted on LHC before, but it's very helpful, so I'm posting it again.

rtree721
February 11th, 2013, 01:20 PM
Hmmm there's no 1b or 1c. Guess I am a 2a.

Kyaatje
February 11th, 2013, 01:29 PM
based on this chart (and my non brushing today) I'm more of a 2c (bordering on 3a) !
But I have problems believing this ;)

henné
February 11th, 2013, 01:34 PM
Yay! 2a! But I already knew it ... I'd also be interested in what 1b and 1c look like.

silverthread
February 11th, 2013, 01:41 PM
Unfortunately, it doesn't show any of the 1 category. My understanding is that 1a is stick straight, 1b is straight with body, and 1c has a bend??? Not positive on that, though.

silverthread
February 11th, 2013, 01:43 PM
Hmmm there's no 1b or 1c. Guess I am a 2a.

IMO you're 2a/2b.

Sharysa
February 11th, 2013, 02:00 PM
So according to this, I hover between 1 and 2a normally but I'm a 2b when I bring out the waves.

millyaulait
February 11th, 2013, 02:02 PM
Unfortunately, it doesn't show any of the 1 category. My understanding is that 1a is stick straight, 1b is straight with body, and 1c has a bend??? Not positive on that, though.

I thought this too. :)

silverthread
February 11th, 2013, 02:17 PM
So according to this, I hover between 1 and 2a normally but I'm a 2b when I bring out the waves.

Sharysa, how do you "bring out the waves?" I'm always looking for tips on that.

jacqueline101
February 11th, 2013, 04:10 PM
I think it's neat but it's missing some hair types.

mzBANGBANG
February 11th, 2013, 04:43 PM
It's really hard to determine 2a with a single strand...

torrilin
February 11th, 2013, 04:46 PM
Unfortunately, it doesn't show any of the 1 category. My understanding is that 1a is stick straight, 1b is straight with body, and 1c has a bend??? Not positive on that, though.

A chart like this wouldn't really be able to address the 1s. It's actually scaled pretty well. A 1c is someone with at least 1 S wave pattern on their head, and typically the S waves would be long enough that you'd have a tough time seeing the wave pattern clearly before BSL, so 20-30" of hair. If it's kind of stupid to count the number of waves at BSL or waist, you're looking at type 2 or higher. If you're looking at 1c, you might have 5 visible wavelengths at BSL.

Body seems to mean really different things to different people. I find the easiest way to tell 1a from 1b is when you're looking at BSL or longer hair. Some people really do have hair that air dries like a ruler. A 1b will have hints of veering and wiggling, but they never hit actual visible S waves.

As a rough guide, if you think you have cowlicks, frizz or flicks, you're probably not a 1. If you think using a straightener is useful for producing straighter hair, you're probably not a 1. If you've ever had a perm fall out of your hair the day after it was done, you're probably a 1. If you can't figure out how a single strand knot would form, you're probably a 1.

lovinglocks
February 11th, 2013, 04:50 PM
Ooh this helps! I think I'd be a 2C

biogirl87
February 11th, 2013, 04:54 PM
If all I to go by, my hair would be a 2a. However, from the hair typing article on here and at naturallycurly.com, I'm closer to 2b if not outright 2b.

katiebeans
February 11th, 2013, 06:31 PM
Thanks for posting, according to this I am a 2a. I haven't been able to access TLHC article on hair typing. They're all down, right? Or is it just me?

silverthread
February 11th, 2013, 09:51 PM
If all I to go by, my hair would be a 2a. However, from the hair typing article on here and at naturallycurly.com, I'm closer to 2b if not outright 2b.

Biogirl87, you're a solid 2b.

rtree721
February 12th, 2013, 06:44 AM
IMO you're 2a/2b.

I wish! I don't have any pictures of how my hair naturally looks (I am always rockin' the braid waves).

Nedertane
February 12th, 2013, 07:54 AM
As a rough guide, if you think you have cowlicks, frizz or flicks, you're probably not a 1. If you think using a straightener is useful for producing straighter hair, you're probably not a 1. If you've ever had a perm fall out of your hair the day after it was done, you're probably a 1. If you can't figure out how a single strand knot would form, you're probably a 1.

This doesn't quite make sense to me. I know I have a cowlick (inherited from my dear old mum), and I do get some frizz, though very minimal, and probably nothing compared to what wurlies and curlies get. Curls and waves do fall out of my hair pretty easily, too (never had a perm, though, lol). All that said, I'm a 1, through and through; without any manipulation like bun or braid waves, the closest I ever come to wavy is 1c. Do you mean that very large amounts of perceived frizz or cowlicks means you're not a 1? Like I said, I'm confused, given the state of my hair.

maborosi
February 12th, 2013, 08:03 AM
I'm not a 1, but 2a is way, way too wavy to be my hair.

Someone ought to add in 1b and 1c for those of us who aren't completely poker-straight, but not near the 2's, either.

~maborosi~

Naiadryade
February 12th, 2013, 10:08 AM
My canopy is 2a. My under-layers are definitely 2b when I treat them right.


Sharysa, how do you "bring out the waves?" I'm always looking for tips on that.

For me, olive oil brings out my waves a little bit. This is especially true on the 2b under-layers... they tend to get dryer than the canopy, and if I don't oil them they get just kind of frizzy, lank and tangly. Being more generous with oil there makes the waves really pop and shine... but if I put that much oil on the 2a canopy hair it looks greasy. :shrug:

But I too am always looking for tips on bringing out my waves! Yes, Sharysa, what do you do?

Naiadryade
February 12th, 2013, 10:10 AM
It's really hard to determine 2a with a single strand...

Not for me. Almost every hair that falls out has a distinct, if sometimes slight, wave pattern in it. I think this is part of why I'm convinced it's 2a and not 1c.

imaroo
February 12th, 2013, 10:17 AM
A chart like this wouldn't really be able to address the 1s. It's actually scaled pretty well. A 1c is someone with at least 1 S wave pattern on their head, and typically the S waves would be long enough that you'd have a tough time seeing the wave pattern clearly before BSL, so 20-30" of hair. If it's kind of stupid to count the number of waves at BSL or waist, you're looking at type 2 or higher. If you're looking at 1c, you might have 5 visible wavelengths at BSL.

Body seems to mean really different things to different people. I find the easiest way to tell 1a from 1b is when you're looking at BSL or longer hair. Some people really do have hair that air dries like a ruler. A 1b will have hints of veering and wiggling, but they never hit actual visible S waves.

As a rough guide, if you think you have cowlicks, frizz or flicks, you're probably not a 1. If you think using a straightener is useful for producing straighter hair, you're probably not a 1. If you've ever had a perm fall out of your hair the day after it was done, you're probably a 1. If you can't figure out how a single strand knot would form, you're probably a 1.

I think this has me more confused than ever. I thought I was a 1b, but according to the chart on the first page, the right side of my head is about a 2b or 2c, while the left side seems to be a 2a. My hair is FULL of cowlicks along my hairline, and some of it really does lay "like a ruler" when it air dries. I do have to use a flatiron to get rid of cowlicks in my bangs, and my hair takes to a perm like mad and the curls hang around until they are cut off. But, I've never been able to get any kind of uniform waves out of my natural hair no matter what I do.

Maybe you're right that I have to wait until my hair is at least BSL to be able to tell.

In the meantime, I'll try to just enjoy the schizophrenic mess. :D

tigereye
February 12th, 2013, 10:17 AM
I, too am a bit miffed at 1b and 1c missing. :( The rest is good though :)
I'm 1c/2a - as in my hair is mostly straight, with a body wave, but it gets less straight the further down the length it gets, and turns into proper (like 2a/occasionally 2b) waves over the last few inches.
When I got layers before, all my hair looked kind of wavy, because the end-flicks were spread out up the length.

Sharysa
February 12th, 2013, 10:49 AM
Sharysa, how do you "bring out the waves?" I'm always looking for tips on that.

Usually by braiding or bunning. I like experimenting to see the different kinds of waves that different braids give me.

rtree721
February 12th, 2013, 05:59 PM
My sad attempt at adding to this chart:

http://i48.tinypic.com/350ksp5.png

Buddaphlyy
February 12th, 2013, 09:53 PM
Oh the irony of this thread.

I'm not sure the exact person or site this chart originated from, but it was for newly natural AA woman who "don't believe in hair typing" but still apparently wanted some sort of visual aide to categorize their hair. Quite a few new naturals (women who stopped relaxing in the past 2-3 years) believe that the original hair typing system thought of by Andre Walker is hierarchical and doesn't include all possible hair types that AA women could have. So many decided to make their own charts that included expanded Type 3 and 4 category. The irony is that while they complained they weren't originally apart of the type chart, they themselves excluded other people from their new chart. Hence the reason there is only one Type 1 on their chart.

I have a controversial personal opinion on why I feel some naturals claim to have a problem with the original chart, but I'll keep it to myself for now. I never had a problem identifying myself (or other naturals) on the chart. I do think there are some limitations of it, but it's still a helpful guide and shouldn't have been dismissed or changed to suit an agenda. I think if you feel you typed your hair correctly on LHC, you don't need this new chart.

spirals
February 13th, 2013, 01:04 AM
All I know is that by the description at naturallycurly.com and this chart, I am a textbook 2c/3a.

silverthread
February 13th, 2013, 10:35 AM
My sad attempt at adding to this chart:

http://i48.tinypic.com/350ksp5.png

Hey, rtree, I like your addition to the 1 category. :cool: The chart is now complete, or at least as complete as categories ever are.

rtree721
February 13th, 2013, 02:07 PM
Hey, rtree, I like your addition to the 1 category. :cool: The chart is now complete, or at least as complete as categories ever are.

Thanks. I tried. :]

browneyedsusan
February 14th, 2013, 05:44 AM
My sad attempt at adding to this chart:

http://i48.tinypic.com/350ksp5.png

Thank you!!! Not a sad attempt! A nice, clear illustration!

I've barely grown enough hair to hairtype, and think I"m a 1C. (I asked members to classify me.) The picture makes it much clearer. THANKS!

Achlys
February 14th, 2013, 05:05 PM
I'm now a bit confused. I have mostly quite straight hair that I have typed as 1b, but some of my ends do an S shape that sticks out.
Here, two photos:

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1095&d=1356667398http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2569&d=1360611337

They usually are not as pronounced as on the left picture, but there is definitely this slanted wave pattern at the ends (left side has just the ends sticking only slightly outwards, right side does an S). I think you can see the same pattern higher at around shoulders on the right picture. I haven't noticed this before and I think it doesn't always show itself. My outgrown bangs that are armpit length have one slight S along the entire length.

So am I a 1c? 1b/c?

Edit: I checked my hair now and there is no such slanted pattern on ends, I guess the right picture is more accurate. All ends just do a slight S that sticks out. The waves on the left picture might have been due to a bun.

Still confused, though.

silverthread
February 15th, 2013, 04:31 PM
Ashlys, I understand your confusion. My hair's "pattern"seems to change from day to day. That's why my profile says 2a/2b. Truth is, I have 1b/1c/2a/2b/2c hair. It could be that your pattern changes depending on the weather, your routine, your hormones. Lots of variables. As for me, It would be nice -maybe- to have one definitive descriptor for all the hairs on my head every day, but I don't know of one.

rowie
February 15th, 2013, 07:13 PM
Ashlys, I understand your confusion. My hair's "pattern"seems to change from day to day. That's why my profile says 2a/2b. Truth is, I have 1b/1c/2a/2b/2c hair. It could be that your pattern changes depending on the weather, your routine, your hormones. Lots of variables. As for me, It would be nice -maybe- to have one definitive descriptor for all the hairs on my head every day, but I don't know of one.

This! I have multi-textured hair and have a good mix of them. That is why I only use C for coarse because a majority of my hair strands are thick.

Sharysa
February 15th, 2013, 07:38 PM
As I suspected with the newly expanded chart: I'm a 1c/2a normally, and a 2b whenever I have braid-waves.