You're standing in the aisle at Target. Your hair is... well, it’s doing that thing again. Frizz at the crown, flat at the back, and somehow bone-dry despite the expensive "moisturizing" mask you used last night. You look at the back of a bottle and see a tiny label: "Best for 3C hair." You blink. Is that a coordinate? A battery size? Nope. It’s part of the types of hair chart that basically runs the entire beauty industry these days. Honestly, if you don't know your number-letter combo, you're just throwing money at a wall and hoping it sticks.
The system isn't perfect, but it's the closest thing we have to a map for your scalp.
Most people think hair is just "curly" or "straight." That’s a massive oversimplification. In the early 90s, a stylist named Andre Walker—famous for doing Oprah Winfrey’s hair—created a classification system. He needed a way to market his own line of products, sure, but he accidentally created a global standard. Today, we use an expanded version of his system to categorize hair into four main types, with sub-categories that describe how tight the curl pattern actually is. It’s not just about looks; it’s about how sebum (the oil your skin makes) travels down the strand.
Decoding the Types of Hair Chart Without Losing Your Mind
Let's break the code. The number (1 through 4) refers to the shape of the strand. 1 is straight. 4 is coily. The letter (a, b, or c) tells you how wide the diameter of that wave or curl is. "A" is usually a wide, loose pattern. "C" is tight and compact.
Straight hair is Type 1. It’s the shiny stuff. Why? Because the natural oils from the scalp can slide down a straight vertical pole much faster than they can navigate a spiral staircase. If you have Type 1A hair, it's thin, fine, and won't hold a curl even if you use a whole can of hairspray. Type 1B has a bit more body. 1C is thick, coarse, and might have a slight bend, but it’s still fundamentally straight. If your hair gets greasy by 2 PM, you're probably living in Type 1 territory.
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Then things get interesting. Type 2 is "Wavy." It's the middle child of the types of hair chart. 2A is that "beach hair" people pay hundreds of dollars for at salons. It's fine and easy to style. 2B hair starts to form a definitive 'S' shape, usually starting a few inches away from the scalp. 2C is the frizziest of the waves. It’s thick, prone to poofing out in humidity, and looks like it’s trying really hard to be a curl but just can't quite get there.
Why Your Pattern Isn't the Whole Story
Here is a reality check: you likely have three different hair types on your head right now. Almost nobody is a "perfect" 3B. You might be a 3B in the front and a 2C at the nape of your neck where the friction from your shirt messes with the pattern. That’s normal.
Also, the chart doesn't account for porosity. This is the big secret the hair industry doesn't always lead with. Porosity is how well your hair holds onto moisture. High porosity hair has "holes" in the cuticle—water goes in, water leaves immediately. Low porosity hair has tightly closed cuticles—water just sits on top like a bead on a freshly waxed car. You could have 4C hair (tight coils) with low porosity, meaning heavy butters will just sit on your hair and make it look gray and dull instead of soaking in.
Navigating the World of Type 3 and Type 4
If you have Type 3 hair, you have actual curls. We’re talking loops and ringlets. 3A curls are about the diameter of a piece of sidewalk chalk. They’re big and bouncy. 3B curls are more like a Sharpie marker. 3C curls? Those are the "corkscrews," often the size of a drinking straw or a pencil.
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This is the point on the types of hair chart where moisture becomes the only thing that matters. Because the hair is spiraling, the oil from your scalp gets stuck at the first "turn." It can't reach the ends. This is why curly-haired people can go five days without washing their hair while straight-haired people look like they dipped their head in a deep fryer if they skip a morning shower.
Type 4 is "Coily" or "Kinky" hair. This is primarily seen in people of African descent, though not exclusively. 4A hair has a visible 'S' pattern but the coils are very tight. 4B hair is unique—it actually bends in 'Z' shapes with sharp angles rather than curves. 4C is the tightest of all. It can shrink up to 75% of its actual length when it dries.
There's a lot of historical baggage here. For a long time, the beauty industry ignored Type 4 hair or labeled it "unmanageable." That was a lie. It just requires different tools. You aren't "taming" 4C hair; you're hydrating it. If you try to use a fine-tooth comb on Type 4 hair while it’s dry, you are going to break the hair and probably the comb.
The Porosity Test You Need to Do Tonight
Drop a clean strand of hair in a glass of water.
Does it float? Low porosity. You need heat (like a warm towel) to open the cuticle so products can get in.
Does it sink slowly? Normal. You're the lucky one.
Does it sink like a rock? High porosity. Your hair is damaged or naturally "open." You need heavy creams and oils to "plug" the holes so moisture doesn't escape.
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The Trouble with "Generic" Hair Care
Most "drugstore" brands were formulated for Type 1 and Type 2 hair. They are loaded with sulfates. Sulfates are basically dish soap. They strip every bit of oil away. For a Type 1A person, that feels great—clean and light! For a 4B person? It’s a disaster. It turns the hair into a brittle, snapping mess.
When you look at a types of hair chart, use it to choose your "wash day" routine.
- Type 1: Use volumizing shampoos. Avoid heavy conditioners on the roots.
- Type 2: Look for "lightweight" moisture. Mousse is your best friend.
- Type 3: You need "leave-in" conditioners. The "LOC" method (Liquid, Oil, Cream) starts becoming relevant here.
- Type 4: Water is your best friend, followed by heavy sealants like shea butter or Jamaican Black Castor Oil.
Beyond the Numbers: Density and Texture
Density is how many hairs are on your head. Texture is how thick each individual strand is. You can have Type 4 hair that is "fine" (thin individual strands) but "high density" (tons of them). This creates a massive amount of volume. Conversely, you can have "coarse" (thick) Type 1 hair.
Don't let the chart be a cage. It’s just a reference point. If your hair is currently bleached or chemically straightened, your "natural" type is buried under damage. Heat styling also "relaxes" the pattern over time. If you use a flat iron every day, your 3A curls will eventually start looking like sad 2B waves because the protein bonds in the hair have been cooked.
Actionable Steps for Better Hair
- Identify your primary type. Look at your hair when it is soaking wet and air-dried with zero product. That is your baseline.
- Stop buying "All Hair Types" products. They don't exist. A product that works for a 1A won't work for a 4C. Period.
- Check your ingredients. If you are Type 3 or 4, avoid silicones (like Dimethicone) unless you plan on using a harsh sulfate shampoo to wash them out. Silicones coat the hair to make it look shiny, but they actually block moisture from getting in, leading to long-term dryness.
- Adjust by season. In the winter, you might need to move "up" the chart in terms of moisture. Even a Type 2 might need a Type 3 level of cream when the heater is blasting dry air.
- Focus on the scalp. Regardless of your type, your hair grows from your skin. Keep the scalp clean. If you use heavy oils for your 4C coils, make sure you're still occasionally using a clarifying shampoo to prevent clogged follicles.
The types of hair chart is a tool, not a rulebook. It helps you speak the language of stylists and understand why that viral TikTok product made your hair look like a grease trap or a tumbleweed. Start by matching your porosity to your type, and you'll stop guessing in the hair care aisle. Reach for products that explicitly mention your number-letter combination. Your hair isn't "bad" or "difficult"; it's just been misclassified.