What classification is my hair? +question about straightening/frizz

[crystalkiss]

So, I have been considering myself a 1c, but after taking a true hair classification picture I'm not sure. I always say my hair is "wavy enough to be annoying but not wavy enough to be wavy." Every day it gets THOROUGHLY conditioned and carefully pulled straight with a wide-tined paddle brush and blow dryer (I'm very careful to get the tangles out first with conditioner, and then I let it air dry for a little while first, I don't brush it while it's wet). It straightens easily like this except for one annoying wave on the very end. It also seems that despite how easily it straightens and no matter how careful I am not to cause breakage (+I use smoothing/hydrating cream), it's always frizzier than all the "true" straight hair I see on other girls I know on a regular basis. It's so annoying. So those are my frizz woes... on to wave:

I decided to take a proper hair classification picture, since I almost never see my "natural" hair (it's always conditioned/product-ed/straightened) and was surprised at just how wavy it is. So I'm thinking maybe sometimes it would be worth it to, instead of fighting the frizz with straightening, leave it wavy... but then when I BRUSH it, the waves go away and look horrible and just unkempt/unstyled instead of "oh, what pretty wavy hair." What do the rest of you wavy haired people do? =\

Pictures, please excuse the dorky shirts, they're the old ones I sleep in or wipe makeup on before I actually get dressed:

Here is my hair on an everyday basis, demonstrating that one wave that refuses to go away unless I use a flat iron:
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/55e164665ec5dec99bec7e19181bfd9c1cae409b_r.jpg

My hair classification picture - is this 1c or 2a?
http://images.yuku.com/image/jpg/cf026a96205dccfddb7c1692f1b284d58cae9010_r.jpg

Sorry for the rambling wall of text / thanks for reading!

[jesis]

I think 2a but I can't really tell. I think your natural hair is gorgeous!

To get my frizz to go away while keeping my wave/curl I use a BBB :)

[crystalkiss]

Thank you <3

I have a BBB but ANY brushing AT ALL smoothes the waves out until they don't really look like waves anymore, and then my hair gets piecey and stringy... completely natural like that, they look like curls at the bottom, which I like, and I wish I could keep it that way... just without the tangles and the frizz :( you know? But I feel like I have to brush it... ugh...

[pepperminttea]

I'd say 2a/2b on the length, some gorgeous waves you've got there. :) On wearing it wavy and then brushing and getting attack of the frizz, honestly I don't know. I fight that battle too, and I still haven't found a good solution besides wearing my hair up so no-one can see the brushed out wave pattern. Combing instead of brushing helps, though.

[Avital88]

i think its a 2a ,and really pretty. too bad you wear it straight most of the times

[Amber_Maiden]

2a I'd say. I also agree, it's too bad you straighten it. Actually, straightening it is probably one of the reasons why its frizzy- most hair doesn't like heat, even if its from a blowdryer and not a straight iron.

[coffinhert]

I think your waves are really pretty. Your hair is just a little wavier than mine. I never brush my hair when it's dry, I finger-comb to detangle it. You're right that brushing it messes up the pattern. Have you tried a wide-toothed comb or finger-combing? Or brushing it while it's wet, then letting it dry? You should check out the curly girl method if you're interested in experimenting with your waves. They are so pretty!

ETA: What works for me is rubbing a bit of coconut oil on the length of my hair (for your hair, maybe a pea size amount?) below the ears only. I do this while it's wet then brush it in with a boar-bristle brush to spread it evenly throughout the length. I do this when ti's almost dripping wet, just after I take the towel off my head. Then I let it dry without any more brushing. That would reduce your frizz a ton and let the curls dry in their natural pattern.

If you try anything with interesting results, please post more pics! I love before/afters with different methods.

[crystalkiss]

It's WAY frizzier when I DON'T straighten it, though! ;______;

peppermint and Avital, you guys both have, like, my dream hair. I wish mine were darker, my eyebrows are too light to pull of dyeing it well without using a pencil.

I just brushed it and it turns solidly 1c after it's brushed, definitely. Hmmm. peppermint, maybe I can try just combing it while it's wet and seeing if it still dries wavy. I'm not sure if the conditioner would weigh it down straighter, too?

I just don't want it to be slightly/eh-wavy... I want it either STRAIGHT or WAVY, you know? I just wish it were easier to get one or the other, hah!

Thanks for the classification input, everyone... interesting. I'm going to TRY to find ways to straighten it less, lol.

[crystalkiss]

I think your waves are really pretty. Your hair is just a little wavier than mine. I never brush my hair when it's dry, I finger-comb to detangle it. You're right that brushing it messes up the pattern. Have you tried a wide-toothed comb or finger-combing? Or brushing it while it's wet, then letting it dry? You should check out the curly girl method if you're interested in experimenting with your waves. They are so pretty!

ETA: What works for me is rubbing a bit of coconut oil on the length of my hair (for your hair, maybe a pea size amount?) below the ears only. I do this while it's wet then brush it in with a boar-bristle brush to spread it evenly throughout the length. I do this when ti's almost dripping wet, just after I take the towel off my head. Then I let it dry without any more brushing. That would reduce your frizz a ton and let the curls dry in their natural pattern.

If you try anything with interesting results, please post more pics! I love before/afters with different methods.
Thank you so much and thanks for the advice! I will look at the curly method and will definitely post if I find something that works to keep the waves intact better. I'm really curious to try some different methods out now.

[pepperminttea]

It's WAY frizzier when I DON'T straighten it, though! ;______;

peppermint and Avital, you guys both have, like, my dream hair. I wish mine were darker, my eyebrows are too light to pull of dyeing it well without using a pencil.

I just brushed it and it turns solidly 1c after it's brushed, definitely. Hmmm. peppermint, maybe I can try just combing it while it's wet and seeing if it still dries wavy. I'm not sure if the conditioner would weigh it down straighter, too?

I just don't want it to be slightly/eh-wavy... I want it either STRAIGHT or WAVY, you know? I just wish it were easier to get one or the other, hah!

Thanks for the classification input, everyone... interesting. I'm going to TRY to find ways to straighten it less, lol.

Thank you! :flowers:

I know some curly girls detangle it in the shower, when it's coated in conditioner, so it's nice and slippery for combing, and then they can let their hair airdry in their natural pattern, sometimes plopping it along the way (search youtube, you'll find lots of plopping methods). :) Some conditioners will weigh down more than others, especially those with silicones ('cones; you'll be able to spot them in ingredients list, they end in -cone, -conol, and -xane), sometimes they can even be enough to straighten hair a little.

[Kelikea]

I love your waves! Your hair looks softer and shinier when left alone, IMO. Have you tried a little leave in conditioner and NOT combed until completely dry, then just slightly comb the tangles out, re-spritz with water? If I comb when wet, I end up pulling out waves AND hair. and you look at least 2a or 2a/2b :)

[Lostsoule77]

I think you look 2a/2b. Very pretty waves whatever they are. :)

If you don't want the frizz don't touch your hair at all while it's drying. Also combing through some sort of a leave in or gel while your hair is wet helps too. :) Just comb it while wet, I do it in the shower. I would suggest never brushing, but only combing. I'd say the only exception is using a BBB, but just before bed or to distribute oils, not when you are going out. Whenever wavies or curlies brush their hair it frizzes.

[spidermom]

Oh my goodness; that's gorgeous natural hair. I'd call it 2B. Give it plenty of moisture, comb conditioner through with a shower comb, rinse, then don't touch it while it dries. You can tame frizz by rubbing styling gel or aloe vera gel between WET palms, then down the surface of your hair. The less you mess with it, the less frizzy it will be. Don't comb/brush until you are ready to put it up.

My hair starts out like my sig picture and gets about 1C or 1B straight by the next time that I need to wash it.

[xoxophelia]

Definitely looks 2a to me and really pretty. I think it is fabulous. You don't have to do a thing to it.

[krissykins]

I vote for at least 2a/2b. :) Those waves are gorgeous!

[invisiblebabe]

2a probably, it's pretty :)

Mine is also wavy, I use a wide toothed comb on it when it is wet, right out of the shower, and that's all. Sometimes I add coconut oil as a leave-in conditioner, also while it is wet.

[supercupcakexx]

Oh wow! Your natural waves are GORGEOUS! I wouldn't do a thing, and I personally think that is wavy enough to be considered wavy :p

[Yozhik]

Very pretty hair! I like your natural texture best. :flower:

I try not to brush/comb my hair at all after I dry it; this seems to preserve the curl well. That means usually I have 1-2 days of curls, and then I detangle and have straighter hair closer to wash day (after I detangle I sometimes put in coconut oil or another oil, which keeps it from being too fluffy).

Oh, also, I vote for 2a. :)

Hope that helps!

[chelshireling]

I would suggest just wide tooth comb when its wet then letting it air dry and no brushing because that usually causes some terrible frizz. Your hair is soo beautiful natural, I love the color too<3 also if you don't wash it everyday try sleeping in a lose braid then finger combing in the moring. I know lot of people feel frizz is the enemy but a little bit can be quite pretty and keep hair lookin natural. eitherway, love the waves:]

[crystalkiss]

Thank you guys so much for all the advice (and for saying you think my hair is pretty, lol <3)

This morning I combed it out while I had conditioner in it in the shower. I got out, finger-combed my leave-in moisturizer into it, and then plopped it. It is still in the t-shirt on my head right now. Fingers crossed for pretty waves, I hope the conditioner doesn't mess with the waves too much. I didn't put any styling gel in it (the guides I found online said to put in any gel before you plop it) but I have some if I need it next time.

My only worry is that I have work fairly early in the morning on most days (I go in later today so I had time to test) and usually really don't have time to let it air dry - it takes several hours, and I don't want to go to work with wet hair every day. I need to shower in the mornings because I get up early and go out jogging (I don't get home from work until nighttime so I have to do it in the mornings). Would I need to get a diffuser for my blow dryer if I really needed to speed the process along? Would blowing it dry wreck the waves?

[kanaka]

I think its 2a. your hair is pretty :)

[chou]

Beautiful hair!
Give a diffuser a try. It doesn't destroy my waves if I use it on cool/warm and low just hold it still on clumps of waves. It actually makes them set up curlier and it really speeds the drying along. I get a little more frizz than with air drying but the convenience makes it worth it.
If you're still frustrated with frizz, try a moisturizing leave-in. I've been using Shea Moisture curl and style milk and it makes my waves bouncy and shiny. It adds just enough weight to keep everything in order.
As others have noted, once your waves are dry, don't brush them. Get all detangling done while your hair is damp. I've been thoroughly combing my hair before scrunching it to bring the waves back, and this gives me a more polished look than finger-combing. But, my hair is so much shorter than yours and more prone to fluffiness and cowlicks, so this may not be necessary for you.

[crystalkiss]

Update... it's been several hours and still isn't dry, and from what I can see so far, the conditioner + leave-in moisturizer have weighed it down too much/pulled it straight(ish). It's barely wavy at all, even after plopping; it's got the sort of waves that I considered just wavy enough to be annoying and make me want to straighten my hair. Ughhhhh.

[Mairéad]

Very pretty. I'd say 2a/2b. I bet if you clarified your hair, ditched -cones, went Curly girl, and started deep moisture treatments like SMT that you'd see even more wave. And right now, your hair IS wavy enough to be wavy. Would probably help with frizz too. Flat irons and blow dries have a way of suckering us in to believe that our hair is frizzier without them. But really, they're probably creating the frizz (or helping create it) on our natural hair.

[alyaziaaah]

Stop using cones, start co-washing, when clarifying do an acv rinse after shampoo before conditioner. While towel dry, put a few drops of coconut oil in and airdry. Put it in a bun if frizzy for the drying, when almost dry, scrunch it a bit and try not to brush , you will lose the wave and get frizziness. If you must brush, use your fingers or a wide toothed comb,if you use a brush wet your hair a bit, brush softely and scrunch. If its still frizzy smooth it down with 2 or 3 drops coconutoil again, but make sure you wet your hands while doing it. Coconut oil locks in the moisture so your hair won't get frizzy, that's the whole trick. Oil on dry hair won't work for you imo. Good luck :-)