Can you help me categorize my hair?

[Larki]

As you can tell from my own attempt to type my hair, I have no idea how to describe my hair. :p Help? Freshly washed and brushed. Sometimes it's slightly wavy, like the yellow shirt pictures, and sometimes it's pin-straight, like the gray shirt picture.

Also, tips on the best methods to care for whatever type I have, perhaps? Maybe the oils people with similar hair types have success with, the washing method that tends to work best, silicones or no silicones, etc?


http://i60.tinypic.com/11uyc1u.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/vowwtt.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/2dsepab.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/20ix3y0.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2iu2ngz.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/2hi9mxj.jpg

http://i59.tinypic.com/r0qmo9.jpg

[Wosie]

Have you ever tried to work with your waves? I.e. not brushing it much, trying CO? In the first few pictures it looks like your hair is wavy, but by the end of the picture series, it's virtually pin straight. It reminds me a little of my own hair (although I can't get my hair as straight as you). I have wavy hair, but the more I brush it the straighter it gets. The waves aren't decidedly strong, so it's possible to 'manipulate' its waviness to somewhat straight if I try.
I never even knew my hair was wavy until I started paying attention to it and stopped brushing it as much, maybe it's the same for you? :) In the first three pictures you actually look like a 1c!

I would advise you to try CO, brushing less (using a wide tooth horn- or wooden comb instead... if you don't already do that?) and I'm not sure about giving you any oil advice, as your hair is fine and mine is not... What have you tried, oil-wise?

[Ruzovy]

The best way to type your hair in my own experience, is to wash it, and just let it dry by itself down your back without touching it at all. No towel drying, no blowdrier and especially no brushing/combing since this would undo any curls or wurls that would naturally form.
There is a picture hair-typing thread somewhere, but I can't seem to find it right now.

Once you do know, and I get the feeling you are one of us wurlies ;) you could do like what Wosie said, try things out, CO, cones/no cones, never brushing it/combing it when its wet, avoid brushing at all even, I could go on forever, there's just so much for you to try lol

EDIT: here it is!! http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=116252

[ravenheather]

Can't type your hair until it is washed and dried with no touching. I am betting your are a wavy though.

[Jessleigh]

So how would you get out the excess water? Can you wring it out only once?

[Anje]

Agree, we need a washed and drip-dried photo if you really want an accurate typing.

That said, I'd guesstimate that you're a 1c or 2a when you do that. My hair tends to behave a lot like yours.

[Larki]

I don't brush my hair while it's wet, I wait until it has dried to brush it and remove any tangles. Do you mean you need completely unbrushed hair to be able to type it? Because once the hair has dried, brushing, brushing shouldn't remove waves, they'll have already set.

[DweamGoiL]

When you come out of the shower, bunch the towel around your length and squeeze out the excess (do not rub the towel into your hair), but after that, do not comb, brush, or apply product in order to get an accurate hair type. Waves and curls can be minimized by combing and leave in products.

[swearnsue]

So how would you get out the excess water? Can you wring it out only once?

Don't wring your hair. Press the towel onto your wet hair, gently.

[Wisé]

Because once the hair has dried, brushing, brushing shouldn't remove waves, they'll have already set.

In theory maybe. But some of us wavies and curlies have found this to be untrue in reality. I have 3a hair and can dry brush my hair down to 1c/2a if I take the time and haven't used any gel.
I sometimes wonder whether this is connected with thin hair being more disruptable or something.

[PamelaViktoria]

Your hair is quite similar to mine. If it's very well moisturized, with humid air, it looks lovely- wavy and smooth. But I've gone through periods of over washing, and super dry cold winters. It needs a lot more help. Coconut oil has been very good to me:)

[ravenheather]

I don't brush my hair while it's wet, I wait until it has dried to brush it and remove any tangles. Do you mean you need completely unbrushed hair to be able to type it? Because once the hair has dried, brushing, brushing shouldn't remove waves, they'll have already set.

Brushing totally removes my waves even after it's dried.

[Larki]

Interesting, thanks! I'll have to take a couple more pics the next time I wash it without brushing.

[Firefox7275]

I don't brush my hair while it's wet, I wait until it has dried to brush it and remove any tangles. Do you mean you need completely unbrushed hair to be able to type it? Because once the hair has dried, brushing, brushing shouldn't remove waves, they'll have already set.

Doesn't work like that with weak waves. That is partly why so many if us think we just have 'straight' frizz.


So how would you get out the excess water? Can you wring it out only once?

Water weigh pulls the hair straight so I think it is legitimate to scrunch out the excess water with your fist. Any wringing or wrapping can pull out wave: water breaks some of the protein bonds that create curl pattern.

[jeanniet]

In theory maybe. But some of us wavies and curlies have found this to be untrue in reality. I have 3a hair and can dry brush my hair down to 1c/2a if I take the time and haven't used any gel.
I sometimes wonder whether this is connected with thin hair being more disruptable or something.

Yep, same here. In fact, for many years I didn't even know I had curly hair because I brushed/combed them out.

[Jessleigh]

In high school and college I wore my hair curly quite often. I would comb it out and then get it sopping wet again and scrunch all the excess out while using hold gel. My hair would be curly for days (until I washed again). It also wouldn't get oily like it works when I wore it straight.

[Larki]

Alright, this is freshly washed and dried, sans brushing (I did brush before I showered, though).

http://i57.tinypic.com/1zczpsj.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/2mewkud.jpg

[Wosie]

Oh, your hair looks very nice when it's unbrushed. Pretty, soft waves. It looks 1c-2a to me; right in the middle somewhere. :)

You honestly remind me of my childhood best friend, her hair looked very much like yours. :D

ETA: The more I think of it the more my brain is saying "2a". %)

[Jessleigh]

I'm about to shower in a few and am going to attempt this. I'm going to drape a towel over myself while it dries so my shirt doesn't get soaked. I'm guessing that's ok?

[Larki]

Oh, your hair looks very nice when it's unbrushed. Pretty, soft waves. It looks 1c-2a to me; right in the middle somewhere. :)

You honestly remind me of my childhood best friend, her hair looked very much like yours. :D

ETA: The more I think of it the more my brain is saying "2a". %)
Thank you!! Interesting! Yeah, I never thought of my hair as wavy, although I've noticed wavy parts of my hair! I just always considered it straight.

Haha well thanks!

Jessleigh, that should work fine! All I did was squeeze out the extra water with my towel and wait. ;)

[Jessleigh]

I'm going to share pictures as soon as I get them uploaded. It's taking forever to dry. It's been just over three hours and it's still not completely dry. I'd say it's about 75% dry though. Would it be pretty accurate to share pics and classify my hair at this point, or should I wait for it to be completely dry?

[Firefox7275]

Completely dry.

[Jessleigh]

Completely dry.
I waited and took more pics. I'm about to start a new thread so I don't completely hijack here.

[Jessleigh]

Completely dry.
I waited and took more pics. I'm about to start a new thread so I don't completely hijack here.

[lapushka]

Larki, that looks like 1c to me. There's a body wave to it, but not enough individual waves to be 2a.

[Larki]

Thank you!!