Ever looked in the mirror and felt like your hair was just a chaotic mess that refused to cooperate? You aren't alone. For decades, people with anything other than pin-straight hair were basically told to just brush it out or go get a chemical relaxer. Then came the curly hair chart type system, a framework that changed how millions of us look at our reflection. But honestly, it’s also caused a massive amount of confusion. People get so obsessed with whether they are a "3B" or a "3C" that they forget to actually look at what their hair needs to stay healthy.
The system we all use today—the one with the numbers and letters—wasn't invented by a laboratory or a massive corporate conglomerate. It was actually popularized by Andre Walker, Oprah Winfrey’s longtime stylist, in the 1990s. He originally created it to market his own line of products, but it took on a life of its own. It’s the gold standard now. It’s how we talk to each other on TikTok, how we shop at Sephora, and how we figure out why on earth our hair looks like a halo of frizz the second the humidity hits 40 percent.
But here’s the thing: your hair isn't a math equation. You likely have three different textures on one head.
Decoding the Numbers: Why the Curly Hair Chart Type Matters
The chart is broken down into four main categories. Type 1 is straight. We don’t really talk about Type 1 in the curly community because, well, it’s straight. The real action starts at Type 2.
Type 2 is waves. Think of a literal "S" shape. If your hair is Type 2A, it’s fine, thin, and very easy to straighten. 2B is a bit more defined, and 2C is that thick, coarse wave that starts right at the scalp and often gets mistaken for "real" curls. The struggle here is volume versus frizz. If you use a product that’s too heavy, like a thick shea butter, your Type 2 waves will look greasy and flat by lunchtime. You need weightless moisture.
Then you move into Type 3. This is the "classic" curl territory. We’re talking about loops, ringlets, and spirals. Type 3A curls are about the width of a piece of sidewalk chalk. 3B curls are tighter, maybe the size of a Sharpie marker. By the time you get to 3C, you’re looking at "corkscrew" curls—the circumference of a pencil or a drinking straw. This is where "shrinkage" starts to become a real factor. You might have hair that reaches your mid-back when wet, but the second it dries, it bounces up to your shoulders.
The Type 4 Complexity
Type 4 is often misunderstood, even within the hair industry. This is coily or kinky hair. 4A hair has a visible curl pattern, usually in small, tight coils. 4B is less about a spiral and more about a "Z" shape—sharp angles and tight kinks. 4C is the tightest of them all. It’s incredibly dense and has the most shrinkage of any curly hair chart type.
Why does this distinction matter? Because 4C hair is arguably the most fragile hair type on the planet. It has fewer cuticle layers than straight hair. It’s thirsty. It’s prone to breakage if you even look at it wrong. If you’re a 4C and you’re trying to use a routine designed for a 3A, you’re going to end up with a tangled, dry disaster.
The Great Porosity Myth
I’m going to be real with you: the chart is only about 30% of the story.
You can find two people who both identify as Type 3B, and their hair will behave completely differently. Why? Porosity. This is basically your hair’s ability to soak up and hold onto moisture. If your hair is "high porosity," the cuticles are wide open. Water goes in, but it evaporates just as fast. If it’s "low porosity," the cuticles are tightly packed like shingles on a roof. Water just sits on top.
If you have low porosity hair, you can put all the expensive oils you want on your head, but they’re just going to slide off. You need heat. You need to open those cuticles up with a warm towel or a steamer so the moisture can actually get inside. The curly hair chart type doesn't tell you that. It only tells you what the hair looks like, not how it functions.
Real Examples from the Stylist's Chair
Take a look at someone like Tracee Ellis Ross. She’s basically the queen of the curly world. Her hair is often cited as a 3C or 4A. She uses heavy creams because her hair is thick and can handle the weight. On the flip side, look at someone like Lorde or Shakira—classic Type 2C/3A. If they used the same heavy products Tracee uses, their hair would look limp and stringy.
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I’ve talked to stylists who say the biggest mistake people make is buying products based only on their number. "I'm a 3B, so I bought the 3B kit." That’s marketing. It’s not science. Your hair’s thickness (fine vs. coarse) and its density (how many hairs are actually on your head) matter just as much as the curl pattern.
Texture Versatility
It is also totally normal to have Type 3 curls at the nape of your neck and Type 2 waves at the front. Our hair reacts to how we sleep, how we touch it, and even how much sun it gets. Damage also changes your type. If you’ve spent years bleaching your hair or using a flat iron every day, your 3C corkscrews might currently look like 2A limp waves. That’s not your "type"—that’s heat damage.
The Social Politics of Hair Typing
We have to acknowledge that the curly hair chart type hasn't been without controversy. Some critics, including many in the natural hair movement, argue that the original Walker system was hierarchical. In the original version, Type 1 and 2 were often presented as "easier" or more desirable, while Type 4 was at the bottom.
Over time, the community has reclaimed this. Now, being a 4C is a point of pride and a specific subculture of care. But the history is there. It’s why some people prefer to talk about "texture" or "pattern" rather than using the numbered system at all. It’s a tool, not a law.
Practical Maintenance for Your Type
How do you actually use this information without getting a headache?
- Type 2 (Waves): Focus on "grit" and volume. Use sea salt sprays, light mousses, and avoid anything with the word "butter" in the first three ingredients. You want to enhance the wave without pulling it down.
- Type 3 (Curls): It’s all about definition. Use the "praying hands" method to apply gel or curl cream. This keeps the curl clumps together so they don't explode into a frizz cloud.
- Type 4 (Coils): Moisture is your full-time job. The LOC method (Leave-in, Oil, Cream) was practically invented for you. You need those layers to seal in hydration because your natural scalp oils can’t make it down the "Z" shape of your hair shaft.
Beyond the Chart: What to Do Next
If you're still staring at the curly hair chart type and feeling unsure, do the strand test. Take a single shed hair and drop it into a glass of water.
If it floats? Low porosity.
If it sinks immediately? High porosity.
If it hangs out in the middle? You’ve hit the jackpot with "normal" porosity.
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Combine your chart type with your porosity results. That is the "Aha!" moment. Once you know you’re a 3B with low porosity, you stop buying heavy raw shea butter and start buying lightweight milk-based leave-ins and using a hair steamer.
Stop trying to force your hair to be a different number. If you’re a 2C, you’re never going to have 4A coils without a chemical perm. Embrace the shape you have. The chart is a map, not a destination. Use it to find the right neighborhood of products, then experiment until you find what actually makes your hair feel soft and strong.
Identify your hair's density and porosity today. Before you buy another "curly" product, determine if your hair is fine, medium, or coarse. This single step will save you more money than any hair chart ever could. Use the water glass test for porosity and the "ponytail circumference" test for density. If your ponytail is less than two inches around, you have low density; more than four inches, and you're high density. Adjust your product amounts accordingly. Stay consistent for at least three weeks before deciding a routine doesn't work. Your hair needs time to "learn" its new shape.