Ever looked in the mirror and realized your hair has three different personalities? Maybe the back is a loose wave while the pieces framing your face are tight, springy ringlets. It's frustrating. You buy a "curly hair" cream because the bottle has a pretty model on it, but it just leaves your strands crunchy or, worse, greasy and flat. That’s because the generic "curly" label is basically useless. To actually get your hair to behave, you have to understand the specific levels of curly hair and how they dictate everything from how much water your hair holds to which oils will actually penetrate the cuticle.
Andre Walker, Oprah Winfrey’s longtime stylist, changed the game when he dropped his hair typing system. It wasn't just some marketing gimmick; it gave us a language to describe why a 2C wave needs a lightweight mousse while a 4C coil practically begs for heavy shea butter. But here’s the thing: most people stop at the number. They see a chart, decide they’re a "3B," and call it a day. That's a mistake. Your hair type is just the starting line.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Hair Typing System
If you think you're just one "level," you're likely struggling with your styling. Most humans have a "hair map" on their head. It's totally normal to have Type 4 textures at the crown where the sun hits and Type 3 curls at the nape of the neck.
The system breaks down into four main categories. Type 1 is straight (which we aren't talking about today). Type 2 is wavy. Type 3 is curly. Type 4 is coily or kinky. Each of these is then sub-divided into A, B, and C based on the diameter of the curl pattern. It sounds scientific. Honestly, it's just a way to measure how much "shrinkage" you're dealing with and how the light hits the hair shaft.
Type 2: The Wavy Spectrum
Type 2 isn't just "straight hair that needs a brush." It has a distinct S-shape.
2A is the finest of the bunch. It’s barely there. You might even think your hair is straight until you air-dry it at the beach. It lacks volume. If you put a heavy "curling butter" on 2A hair, it will look like you haven't showered in a week. Seriously. Stick to sea salt sprays.
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2B starts to show that S-shape more clearly from the mid-lengths to the ends. It’s the classic "surfer girl" hair. It frizzes easily. 2C is where things get tricky. This level of curly hair is often mistaken for actual curls, but it’s really just a very tight, thick wave that starts right at the scalp. It's prone to massive frizz because the cuticle is often slightly raised.
Type 3: Real-Deal Curls
This is where we see the "corkscrew." If you took a strand of Type 3 hair and pulled it taut, it would bounce right back like a spring.
- 3A curls are about the width of a piece of sidewalk chalk. They’re big, loose, and usually have a lot of shine because the surface area is large enough to reflect light.
- 3B is more like a Sharpie marker. These curls are tighter and have more volume. They also start to get "thirsty." This is the level where you need to stop using towels and start using old cotton T-shirts to dry your hair.
- 3C is often called "curly-coily." Think of the circumference of a pencil or a drinking straw. The density here is usually much higher, meaning you have a lot of hair per square inch of your scalp.
The Complexity of Type 4 Coils
Type 4 hair is the most fragile. It’s a myth that "thick" coily hair is "tough." It's actually the opposite. Because the hair bends so sharply at each coil, the cuticle is constantly under stress.
4A hair has a visible S-pattern but it’s very small—about the size of a crochet needle. It retains moisture better than other Type 4s but still needs a lot of love. 4B has a "Z" shape. Instead of curling, it zig-zags at sharp angles. This creates a lot of shrinkage; your hair might look three inches long when it’s actually eight.
Then there’s 4C. This texture is the densest and has the least amount of defined curl pattern without styling products. It's incredibly versatile. You can blow it out into a massive afro or use "shingling" techniques to pop the coils. The main challenge? Moisture. Type 4 hair has a hard time getting the natural oils from the scalp down the zig-zagging shaft to the ends.
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Porosity Matters More Than Pattern
I’m going to be real with you: knowing your levels of curly hair is only 40% of the battle. The rest is porosity.
Porosity is your hair’s ability to soak up and keep moisture. You can have 3C curls that are "low porosity," meaning the cuticle is closed tight like shingles on a roof. Water just beads up and rolls off. If that's you, you need heat to open that cuticle up during deep conditioning.
On the flip side, "high porosity" hair (often from bleach or heat damage) has holes in the cuticle. It soaks up water fast but loses it just as quickly. Your hair feels dry ten minutes after you put moisturizer on it. For these folks, heavy oils and "sealing" are the only way to survive.
Why the "Squish to Condish" Method Actually Works
If you're struggling with definition, you're probably not using enough water. Most people apply product to damp hair. Big mistake. For almost all levels of curly hair—especially Types 3 and 4—you should be applying your leave-in conditioner while you're still in the shower.
The "Squish to Condish" method, popularized by the Curly Girl Method (CGM) community, involves pulsing water and conditioner into the hair with a cupping motion. You’ll hear a "squelch" sound. That sound is the magic. It means the water and product are actually forming a physical bond inside the hair fiber. If you don't hear the squelch, you're just coating the outside of the hair.
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Real Examples from the Experts
Stylists like Vernon François, who works with Lupita Nyong'o, emphasize that we shouldn't be obsessed with "taming" hair. He often argues that the levels of curly hair shouldn't be seen as a "fix-it" list. Instead, it’s a blueprint.
Tracee Ellis Ross, through her brand Pattern Beauty, has also pushed the conversation toward "density" and "texture" rather than just the number-letter system. She’s noted in multiple interviews that her own hair behaves differently depending on the humidity in Los Angeles versus New York. Environment is a factor we often ignore.
Common Misconceptions That Kill Your Curls
- "I need to wash my hair every day because it's oily." Actually, your scalp might be overproducing oil because your curls are bone-dry.
- "Sulfates are fine." They aren't. Sulfates are industrial detergents. They're great for degreasing a car engine; they're terrible for a 4B coil.
- "Brushing is okay if it's wet." Only if you have a massive amount of "slip" (conditioner). Brushing dry curls is the fastest way to turn into a dandelion.
The "Plopping" Technique
If you have Type 2 or Type 3 hair, you need to try plopping. It sounds ridiculous. You lay a long-sleeve cotton shirt on a flat surface, flip your wet, product-laden hair onto the center, and wrap the shirt around your head. This allows the curls to "set" in their natural shape against your scalp rather than being pulled down by gravity while they dry.
Let it sit for 20 minutes. When you take it down, don't touch it. Touching creates friction. Friction creates frizz.
Actionable Steps for Your Specific Level
Identify your pattern, but prioritize your porosity. If you aren't sure, drop a clean strand of hair into a glass of water. If it floats after five minutes, you're low porosity. If it sinks, you're high.
- Type 2 (Wavy): Use a clarifying shampoo once a week. Waves get weighed down by product buildup faster than any other type. Avoid heavy butters. Use a lightweight mousse or a "liquid" gel.
- Type 3 (Curly): Invest in a silk pillowcase. Cotton snags the curl and ruins the definition overnight. Switch to a "no-poo" or low-lather cleanser to keep your natural oils intact.
- Type 4 (Coily): The L.C.O. method (Liquid, Cream, Oil) is your best friend. Start with a water-based spray, follow with a thick cream, and lock it all in with an oil like jojoba or Jamaican Black Castor Oil. This creates a barrier that stops moisture from evaporating.
Stop fighting the level of curly hair you have. If you have 4C hair, it will never look like a 2B beach wave without massive chemical damage. Embrace the shrinkage. Embrace the volume. Once you stop trying to make your hair do something it wasn't built for, the "bad hair days" pretty much disappear.
Check your current products for silicones like dimethicone. These provide fake shine but actually block moisture from getting into the hair over time. Swap them out for water-soluble alternatives and watch your curls "spring" back to life within three to four washes.