Help with Hair Typing

[Beesweet]

PHOTOS ARE IN FOURTH POST. Okay, so I did a clarifying shampoo with no oil, and let air dry with no product whatsoever. My hair is a hot mess.
It usually looks better than this, but I wanted The Truth to speak so I can actually have help typing my hair.
And the pictures show the truth. My hair is a little crazy.
Just an FYI: this was done the first day of warm weather and rain after a two week cold spell that had my hair tame and flat, rather as if it were on psych meds. We are not used to cold dry weather at all and it really affected my hair.http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0146.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3 Cimg%20src=%22http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/DSC_0146.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Hair%20T yping%20Photo%22%3E%3C/a%3E
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0147.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3 Cimg%20src=%22http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/DSC_0147.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Hair%20T yping%20Photo%22%3E%3C/a%3E
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0141.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3 Cimg%20src=%22http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/DSC_0141.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Hair%20T yping%20photo%22%3E%3C/a%3E

I hope the photos work.
I appreciate any input of any sort other than advice to "cut that mess off."
Thanks.

[Beesweet]

Will try again with the photos.

[coscass]

Hmm I don't see pictures. Perhaps visit the test forum?

[Beesweet]

Here are a few pics. Trying to get them right but might still be large. It says they might be clickable to enlarge.
Oh the outside ones it was very windy -- my hair is not that flyaway.
http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/th_DSC_0146.jpg (http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0146.jpg)

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/th_DSC_0147.jpg (http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0147.jpg)

http://i769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/th_DSC_0141.jpg (http://s769.photobucket.com/albums/xx339/dawnsioux/Hair%20Journey%20Jan%202010/?action=view&current=DSC_0141.jpg)

[klcqtee]

I'd say 2c/3a right now. Might be more curly as it gets longer.

[KarenSJ]

I have NO idea how to type my hair- can someone please help me understand how to do this? My hair is fine, naturally wavy, and I have a lot of it. It also tends to be oily at the scalp and dry at the ends. Frizz can also be a problem. I just uploaded my profile pic and hopefully it will show when I post this. I am totally new to all of this. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me with this.:)

[Sylvanas]

I don't know about the hair type, just wanted to say that I think your hair looks awesome like that :D

[Beesweet]

Thank you KLC...

I thought so but I wanted to make sure. It actually looks better when I have some aloe and such in it.....it tends to dry out, and of course I had those dumb highlights put in when I thought I was too weak-willed to grow again and expected to just keep the bob.

It is kinda whack when I don't condish/oil as you can see.

Not sure what to do with it when it is long -- I was surprised to hear that it would get curlier when it gets longer -- that's kind of cool. I thought the weight of the hair would straighten it out. I love curly ends. Thank you so much for your input. I have a LONG WAY TO GO huh?

[Yozhik]

What great curls! I looked at some of the other photos and in some your hair appears to be less curly -- is that product?
Or do you plop to help the curls? I realized I had been inadvertently plopping when I put my hair up in towels to dry, and it would turn out much curlier than if I just let it hang down to dry.

In any case, your hair is great! I'd probably call it a 2c, but I'm not very good at defining these things . . .

[Dars]

I'd say 2B, I don't see any spiral curls.

[AmericanWoman]

i'd say 2c/3a like me.

[Beesweet]

Thanks, you guys. And Sylvanis -- thanks for the compliment. I needed it right now, because I don't feel like my hair is in very good shape.

I have spirals under my hair -- in the back by the neck. They are big -- maybe 1/2 to 1 inch around. I used to have them at the hairline but they went away. But I am not sure if they count if you can't see them -- their only function is to make my hair look thicker! Maybe they spiral because they don't see sun or chemical color so they are really healthy.

Plopping -- the best way for my hair to dry is to wash it at night, oil then go to sleep with it layed out on the pillow once it is dampish. I think weight of being upright makes curls go away.

Question : I always have bailed and cut at APL because I don't know what to do with it. Anyone have specific place on this forum that addresses the bulk of 2C/3A hair? Mine is not fine at all and very thick.

If my hair could look like Mrs. Dugger's hair from that television show, I would be very happy, but I am not sure she has the bulk of hair that I have.

I'm going to have to start stalking people with my type hair and find out what works best for care.

I am determined this time to keep going at least until BSL so thanks to you all. It makes me feel good to know you took the time to chime in. :D

[Beesweet]

Yozhik -- I think it was less curly from the henna. It seemed to be a little straighter when I was using henna.

Also, those were very fresh post-henna and I always oiled a lot right after henna so it was weighted down.

The non-henna pics are more like what my hair does naturally.

[Loreley]

I'd say 2c/3a too. My hair is that type as well and it looks the same on my head. Maybe when your hair gets longer there will be spiral curls. :confused:
I have curls mostly on the ends.

[Beesweet]

Loreley,

Was your hair "huge" like a mushroom when short? Was it ever short?

I would love it if my hair looked like yours when long. Wow!

[rags]

I'd say 2c/3a also. I think it's very common for people with that hairtype to have "mushroom" or "triangle" hair when it's short!

[klcqtee]

Thanks, you guys. And Sylvanis -- thanks for the compliment. I needed it right now, because I don't feel like my hair is in very good shape.

I have spirals under my hair -- in the back by the neck. They are big -- maybe 1/2 to 1 inch around. I used to have them at the hairline but they went away. But I am not sure if they count if you can't see them -- their only function is to make my hair look thicker! Maybe they spiral because they don't see sun or chemical color so they are really healthy.

Plopping -- the best way for my hair to dry is to wash it at night, oil then go to sleep with it layed out on the pillow once it is dampish. I think weight of being upright makes curls go away.

Question : I always have bailed and cut at APL because I don't know what to do with it. Anyone have specific place on this forum that addresses the bulk of 2C/3A hair? Mine is not fine at all and very thick.

If my hair could look like Mrs. Dugger's hair from that television show, I would be very happy, but I am not sure she has the bulk of hair that I have.

I'm going to have to start stalking people with my type hair and find out what works best for care.

I am determined this time to keep going at least until BSL so thanks to you all. It makes me feel good to know you took the time to chime in. :D

Your hair sounds like mine! Only a bit curlier. I have a LOT of hair, and it drives me crazy at APL. It starts growing horizontally between shoulder and BSL, so I don't feel like I can really wear it down. Here's what works for my hair:
Cinnabun
twin buns
pigtails
braided pigtails
a single english braid (even though it's almost as fat as it is long)
a couple of the messy buns from the Article on messy buns on here.
Ponytail
claw clip peacock twist thing
French braid
upside down french braid

My default is a cinnabun, because it's easy, but some times I feel it's boring, so I'll do a lace braid across the front, and back into my bun. It keeps my fringe out of the way, and it's a little more interesting.

HTH!

[Beesweet]

Thanks for the great ideas. I can't wait for it to be long enough to try!

Right now: in snood all day yesterday, in bandanna today, because I was working and my chin length ends kept getting in my face.