2c? 3a? What is my hair type?! (Pictures)

[Margeaux]

OK, I always thought I was hairtype 2c since my hair is very thick and is resistant to straighteners (the back part moreso than the front) and I have wavier bits and curlier bits in my hair (top layer curlier than bottom layer). But I've been browsing some hairsites now and the pics I come across of "2c hair" seems to be different from my own...it would almost make me start thinking I'm 3a.

I really want to know my hairtype to get the best out of my styling efforts...help a girl out and hairtype me? Pics below were taken last November. xxxx Margeaux

[Margeaux]

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/_houdinilogic_/P1000941.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/_houdinilogic_/P1000946.jpg

:D

[Elphie]

I would say 3A. You have quite a few spirals going on there. Beautiful hair, btw

[jojo]

3A without a doubt

[lapushka]

I think 2c because it is mostly wavy with a few spirals. But it might even be combined: 2c/3a. It happens.

[Margeaux]

My whole head is filled with loose spirals!

2c/3a combined might be the solution :) Merci!

[Curlsgirl]

Very pretty! Those big spirals are pretty uncommon I'd say without some kind of curling iron! I have a lot of spirals but they are tighter. I would say 2c/3a might be a good solution also.

[Addy]

Your hair type is GORGEOUS baby! :D I love it!

[Margeaux]

CurlsGirl: Thank you!! This is how my hair airdries. :) The ones in the back are especially tight, though - no way I can get them out even if I try.

[Pierre]

Your hair looks a lot like mine (except for the color). I have curls that curl two turns, flip around, and finally make a tight curl. I've been thinking I'm not really 3a but 2c/3a.

[viking_quest]

I love the spirals. I'd go for 2c/3a for your hairtype.

[NurseMama]

What gorgeous curls! It really is beautiful. I agree with the pp 2c/3a.

[suicides_eve]

oh it looks like mine too except for the color i claim title of 3a

[A'eorryn]

LOL, now I have to ask too :p I thought at first that my hair was 2a/2b because I got the impression that the typing system idea of curls was more of a tighter spiral/twist/s shape than mine is. But then after looking at the photo examples of hair types I identified more with some of the 2c's (which is what I rate myself right now), especially since MY idea of waves is more 2-dimensional (squiggles), and curls is more 3-dimensional (loops), which the typing system doesn't seem to accommodate for. I have spirals, but not TIGHT close spirals - what I have resembles what your hair would look like if you wrapped it around your forearm and let it dry: BIG, STRONG, loose (in a vertical, NOT horizontal sense - here's where all the trouble seems to lie!) spirals and waves that are well-defined - it's that looseness that made me think I was only a 2a/2b, because the typing system seemed to be based on LOOSE=waves and TIGHT=curls, so I couldn't qualify for curls, even though to me even really small close s-waves are just that, WAVES - not curls. Jeez, am I making any sense? It's only just getting long enough that it shows me how it wants to behave, which is causing part of my confusion - I see lots of you curlies who have just wavy hair until it gets to a certain length, THEN the curls kick in. Mine is just like that. My dad has such tight spirals (oh his hair back in the 70's was AMAZING!) that when he wore a tail some years ago it reached almost to his waist but sproinged up to look only about 4 inches long, so I think mine might have even stronger... swirls? as it gets longer. My sig picture is only a so-so example because it was still pretty damp at the time so the full retraction hadn't kicked in yet. I hope I am getting the idea across :p If I have to take pics I'll try to remember (not much of a photo-taker, most of the time I forget I even have a camera :D), but based on my description do I qualify as a 2c? Being a reformed hair-mutilator it never got long enough for me to know what it will do as it lengthens, and it's a LOT different now than it was when I was a kid and I could sit on it. help! :p

~A'eorryn

oh yeah, and I am rating it based on what it WANTS to do, because if I really want to I can force some of the loop out

and I just had a thought as I'm proofreading - in terms of DIAMETER of the spirals mine are like 3 inches and far apart, rather than say, 1 inch and close together. does that make sense or help with the visual?

[Just_Isabel]

Another vote for 2c/3a. :D

[Johanna64]

Your spirals are lovely :inlove:

[A'eorryn]

Another vote for 2c/3a. :D



Your spirals are lovely :inlove:


I am wondering which post these responses are for, me or the OP - because a) if I qualify for 3a that would just totally blow my mind (in a good way ;)), and b) I think the quality of my photo stinks and the OP's spirals ARE just gorgeous! I should have mentioned that in my response! :p

~A'eorryn

[Margeaux]

[...] based on my description do I qualify as a 2c?


Hullo A'eorryn, from the picture in your sig I'd say you qualify as 2b no matter whether your hair is wet or dry there. Why? Because you're definitely a wavy from your description, but I can see no clear S-pattern in the upper part of your hair. Regardless of whether my hair is dry or soaking wet and regardless of whether I comb it out or no I keep the S-pattern, and due to all the lovely replies I got here (thanks so much ;)!) I know now I'm a mixture of 2c and 3a. Hence, I'd say 2b for you.

If my assessment is wrong, please post more pictures! Perhaps that would help. xx M

[Just_Isabel]

I am wondering which post these responses are for, me or the OP

Mine was for the OP. I'd say that your hair is 2b, too.

The best way to get good hair typing info is to post pictures of your hair, but not just any picture, especially if you think your hair may be wavier/curlier than it looks in your signature: after you wash your hair, do not touch it - don't comb or brush your hair - and let it air dry. Don't use leave in. Take a picture when your hair is dry.
This will give the most accurate information about your hair's waves/curls.

What you do with your hair while it's drying can influence the curl, that's why you need to be careful.

HTH!

[A'eorryn]

hmm, I think I am just going to have to dispute the principle of the typing system (as I perceive it) if it's no matter that dimensionality plays a role, because I simply do not have flat waves, I have round curls - and like I said, that photo is not a good representation because my hair retracts a LOT when it's completely dry (being VERY heavy when even slightly damn), and without that visual getting in the way I can't see how my description could be interpreted as waves and not curls, no matter how loose. In fact, based on the explanation given here (which I just found): http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=5 I am definitely a 2c. And the top three photos on this page: http://http://homepage.mac.com/annsofie.henriksson/hairtyping/PhotoAlbum22.html all look exactly like my hair. I don't play with it or comb it while wet, nor do I (at present) use any styling products. Maybe we all just don't agree on what each denotation represents. In fact, based again on the article/pics I would say the OP is a 2c/3c because of the waves up top and the tight tight spirals at bottom, which is obviously a little out of the ordinary (and very beautiful, I'll say again!) :).

~A'eorryn

[NurseMama]

A'eorryn, if you want to be properly hair typed by the people here you need to wash your hair (usually a clarifying wash), not condition it, and let it air dry without doing anything to it (no comb, no fingers, nothing). Then, take a picture and we can type you! :)

[GeoCurl]

Margeaux, I would agree with 2c/3a - very pretty! I'd love some of your thickness.

I asked the same question of my hair over at NaturallyCurly.com, based on a larger version of my avatar, as well as as few additional photos. I had several 3a responses, several 2c responses, and several 2c/3a responses, so I spit the difference. :)

[kdm310911]

I definitely think it's 2C/3A more leaning to 3A. It has a lot of spiral curls. I think overall anyone would call it "curly hair" rather than "wavy hair". But everyone's perception differs. I think 2C/3A though.

[luluj]

Could someone please tell me what my hair type is?? My siggy picture was taken after a shampoo and air dry with no products in it at all. Thanks so much!