Help with Hairtyping! Pic heavy.

[Slug Yoga]

Another "help me decide what my hairtype is" thread :p

I used to think my hair type was 1c, but I don't think that's accurate. Still, there seems to be a fair amount of variation in my hair--some areas are relatively smooth--like 1c--whereas some seem to get into fairly tight spirals down near the end. I'm not used to thinking of myself as wavy-haired.

"Overall" shots:
http://i.imgur.com/Dt7jP.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/iZB4w.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/fmF4B.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GHuon.jpg

Some of the spiral action:

http://i.imgur.com/yJZwb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/h7qkD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/cYIMO.jpg

Thanks!
http://imgur.com/a/zkNWF#0

[bumblebums]

My ends look like the last few pictures, and I consider myself a 2c.

Do you ever get any curls higher up, around your hairline? I do when it's humid.

[Slug Yoga]

Nope, not that I can think of. Then again I almost never wear my hair down, so that might be part of it.

[IndigoOptimist]

:agape: I love your ends!!! As for type.... I'm not very good with typing, but I think 2c would be about right... Or maybe you're a er.... dual type if that's possible :confused:

[bumblebums]

Nope, not that I can think of. Then again I almost never wear my hair down, so that might be part of it.

I don't either, but my wispies escape anyway and pop up in spiral springs :)

If most of the hair on your head is long, it is probably too heavy to allow such curls to form, so you only see them at the ends. I think it's common for hair in the 2-range to do that. Mine has certainly straightened out as it's gotten longer.

But you might be a 2b also. I doubt, however, that you are a 1c--they are supposed to just get loose S-waves, whereas you have some definite spirals goin' on.

[SoulOfTheSea]

I would say 2a/2b, since your hair is fairly straight but you have some loose 2b wurls at the ends going on there.

[lapushka]

I'm thinking 1c, maybe 2a at the most.

[torrilin]

I think I'm gonna go with "inconclusive". Some pictures seem to show a halo layer of wave going up to the roots. Others show something that could be a 2c like Spidermom where the ends are loose spirals, or a 2a with somewhat tight S waves. I think the vaguely 1c appearance near your roots is probably not a good representation of your type. But I've also seen 3a end up with a similar look. (with the 3a, the dead giveaway was the extremely tight S wave pattern on her scalp in updos)

So I'd want to see what your hair does if you shift to a more curl and wave friendly routine. This might include things like less shampoo, more conditioner laden combing while wet, or even using scrunching and leave in conditioner to encourage clumping after detangling.

[Anywhere]

And you clarified and did not touch it at all?

I have 2c hair (pics in albums), and I think my hair is a bit curlier than yours. I'd say you're 2a/b perhaps? Leaning towards 2a.

[longhairedleah]

Not really an expert here of course, but I would lean toward 2a =)

[Quixii]

I would say 2a/2b, at most. I don't think it has enough wurls to be 2c.
And just checking - are these proper hair typing photos? Washed and then not touched at all afterwards, no brushing, finger combing, touching, leave ins?

[Slug Yoga]

I think I'm gonna go with "inconclusive". Some pictures seem to show a halo layer of wave going up to the roots. Others show something that could be a 2c like Spidermom where the ends are loose spirals, or a 2a with somewhat tight S waves. I think the vaguely 1c appearance near your roots is probably not a good representation of your type. But I've also seen 3a end up with a similar look. (with the 3a, the dead giveaway was the extremely tight S wave pattern on her scalp in updos)

So I'd want to see what your hair does if you shift to a more curl and wave friendly routine. This might include things like less shampoo, more conditioner laden combing while wet, or even using scrunching and leave in conditioner to encourage clumping after detangling.

Yeah, I think I am going to try, for the first time in my life, to see what happens when I don't just assume my hair is straight and treat it accordingly! Even after all this time on LHC I have very little idea of how to do this, because I paid no attention to wavy/curly hair care techniques, thinking it didn't apply to me. :doh: So I will be interested to see what happens.


I would say 2a/2b, at most. I don't think it has enough wurls to be 2c.
And just checking - are these proper hair typing photos? Washed and then not touched at all afterwards, no brushing, finger combing, touching, leave ins?

Well, I shampooed it thoroughly and used a conditioner (supposedly a "leave-in" conditioner, which is all I had left), then rinsed the conditioner out. Squeezed it gently with a towel without twisting and let it air dry down my back without finger-combing and with minimum touching. Do you think that would have been enough to give a representative hair pattern or is there something I'm not taking into account, something I should have done differently?

Thanks for your feedback, everyone!

[Anywhere]

Well, I shampooed it thoroughly and used a conditioner (supposedly a "leave-in" conditioner, which is all I had left), then rinsed the conditioner out. Squeezed it gently with a towel without twisting and let it air dry down my back without finger-combing and with minimum touching. Do you think that would have been enough to give a representative hair pattern or is there something I'm not taking into account, something I should have done differently?

Thanks for your feedback, everyone!

I think the squeezing it dry might have manipulated it some. My hair ends up straighter/frizzier if I do that, it ends up much less wurly. I would suggest letting it completely drip dry if you have the time/patience for it.

I just feel like if your whole head dripped dry it would look wurlier higher up as well.

[Anje]

I'm going to say 2a with some random curling tendencies. Mine's known to do that too -- not enough to affect the overall texture, but enough that I'll occasionally get surprise spirals on hot summer days after swimming.