Identifying your hair type

Our hair usually plays the role of our crown, keeping up our grace and pride. Long or short, straight or curly, it’s usually our most favored accessory. Taking care of our crowns, therefore, should be a part of the plan. In order to understand and implement the various care plans available, we first need to read about different types of hair.

Hair type is determined by the curl pattern of one’s hair. Curl pattern is, in turn, determined by the shape of the hair follicle. Oval or asymmetrical hair follicles give rise to curlier patterns.

Mainly, we have four hair types, and various subtypes under them:

Type 1 – Straight

Type 2 – Wavy

Type 3 – Curly

Type 4 – Coily

TYPE 1 – STRAIGHT

This type of hair shows no natural curl pattern. Individual strands may be fine, thick or coarse, but they do not curl. Type 1 hair is prone to get oily or greasy very easily. Therefore, people with Type 1 hair are recommended to avoid heavy oils and butters. Washing Type 1 hair too often is also advised against. Frequent washing leads to excess production of oils and sebum by the scalp, which is a big no no for Type 1 hair.

TYPE 2 – WAVY

2A

This type of hair demonstrates the beginnings of a wave. To the naked eye, it seems fairly straight. In order to get defined waves for this type, it is recommended to use gel or a light mousse instead of oil-heavy products.

2B

Type 2B tends to curl from mid-sections to the ends. This gives rise to a lightly-defined ‘S-shape’. This type of hair is often ideal to achieve the dreamy ‘beach waves’.

2C

The waves for this hair type begin at the roots and go till the end. Type 2C forms the perfect S-shaped waves. This hair type is often prone to frizz, and is usually thick in texture. In order to achieve well-defined waves and eliminate frizz, it is recommended to use a lightweight mousse.

TYPE 3 – CURLY

3A

This hair type showcases the beginnings of a proper curl. Here, the waves slowly morph into loops to form loose curls. Curly hair is usually devoid of moisture, and becomes frizzy on being brushed or combed. It is also not recommended to stretch this type of hair too much, as it could result in the loss of definition.

3B

These are more defined curls that emerge from the roots. They have a tighter loop compared to 3A and form ringlets in the end. It is recommended to avoid silicone and sulphate-based products in order to avoid damage and dryness. Beauty Garage’s Pomegranate Oil range fits perfectly for this purpose.

3C

These are the signature corkscrew curls that could break easily if not taken care of. It is recommended to avoid using heat for this hair type, in order to avoid damage. Apart from this, Beauty Garage’s Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner work well for high moisture needs.

TYPE 4 – COILY

4A

This type of hair is fragile and requires high amounts of moisture. Coils are tightly bound curls that can break easily if combed too hard. This hair type demands moisture form of oils, butters, hair masks, etc

4B

This hair type forms zigzag clumps. Maintaining it usually requires a process called ‘shingling’. This process involves separating and defining each curl clump to maximize overall definition.

4C

This is the most fragile kind of hair type. It demands frequent nourishment and moisturization. Following 4C’s demand for high amounts of moisture, it is usually recommended to use a ‘co-wash’ or a conditioner as a shampoo, to rinse one’s hair.

Now that we have an idea about different hair types, let’s take a look at the most common hair issues people face.

HAIR LOSS

Generally, a person loses about 100 strands of hair on an average per day. However, if those lost strands aren’t replaced by new ones, we face hair loss. Hair loss may carry several causes, from external sources such as environmental pollution, to underlying issues such as stress. Apart from that, certain medications, fungal infections on the scalp, and hormones can also cause unprecedented hair loss. While undoing the damage takes time, one can avoid tight hairstyles to prevent hair fall. Usually, a healing shampoo and conditioner, like Beauty Garage’s Tea Tree range can help soothe the scalp from bacteria and fungus that causes hair loss. 

HAIR DAMAGE

Heat, pollution, improper maintenance, are few of the causes for hair damage. Constant straightening, blow-drying or perming can make hair brittle and fragile. In order to avoid hair damage, it is recommended to use soft towels and protective bonnets, brush softly and condition regularly. Using a conditioner like Beauty Garage’s Shea Butter Moisturizer Conditioner can help replenish lost nutrients in the hair.

GREASY SCALP

Sometimes, excessive washing of the scalp can cause it to overproduce oil. This leads to greasy, limp and lifeless hair. A gentle shampoo, used sparingly can help solve this problem. One can also use a clarifying shampoo, like Beauty Garage’s Keratin Clarifying Shampoo, in order to avoid an oily feeling scalp. 

The list of hair problems and its solutions could go on and on. Experimenting and trial & error is the only way to get to the root cause and eliminate it.