Coils,Curls,and Waves
Learn how to respect and take care of your hair!

What makes your hair unique?

The factors that go into making your hair original

Image taken from this website.

Porosity

The measure at which your hair can retain moisture. To test your hair porosity; take a strand of your hair without any product and leave it in a cup of water for 15 minutes. If it floats it's low, sinks it's high, and if it's in the middle it's medium.

  1. High Porosity: Products are easily absorbed by hair, making it harder for your hair to retain moisutre. Try using leave-ins, apple cider vinegar rinses, deep conditioners, and heavy creams/butters when styling hair.
  2. Medium Porosity: Hair easily takes in moisture, making it easy to retain moisture. Avoid protein heavy conditioners and instead use hair milks, light creams, and light whipped butters that contain oils when styling hair.
  3. Low Porosity: Hair doesn't easily allow moisture in, so moisture is repelled. Try using jojoba oil, the LOC method, and water down your conditioner when styling hair.

Density & texture

Hair density: The number of individual strands per square inch on your scalp. Look at your scalp right now. Is it difficult for you to see your scalp? If it is, then you have a high density, so thick gels and creams are best for styling your hair. If you can see your scalp without having to move your hair, then you have a low density, so light products is best for your hair. If you can see your hair with little effort, then you have a medium density, so light leave-ins is best for your hair.
Hair texture: The circumference of your hair. Fine hair is fragile and only has two layers: cortex and cuticle; so when you have this texturenyour hair tends to get oily easily and is hard to maintain a style. Most people have a medium texture and it's thicker than fine hair, it also has two layers as well but might include a third one called the medulla; it's more resistant to breakage and can maintain hairtyles better. Coarse hair has all three layers and can hold a hairstyle well, although coarse hair frizzes in humid climates and drys slower, your hair will be more tolerant to hair to; hair dye, heat, breakage, and styling products.
Curl Patterns

Your unique curl pattern is identified by the shape your strands of hair makes

  1. Type 2: Waves; neither completely straight or curly. This curl pattern is usually flat at the root and lays close to the head, in which it can curl from the ears down. Some of the best products for type 2 waves: Jessicurl's Rockin' Ringlets styling potion, Shea Moisture's 100% virign coconut oil Daily Hydration shampoo, Love Beauty and Planet Blue-Green Algae & Eucalyptus conditioner.
  2. Type 3: Curls; usually springy curls that range from tight, curly tendrils to light curls. Usually more volumnious and heightened at the root than type 2. Some of the best products for type 3 curls: Miss Jessie's Curly pudding, Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner, Mielle styling gel, and Mielle Pomegranate & Honey leave-in conditioner.
  3. Type 4: Coils; tight coils that are very wiry and can be quite fragile. From first glance it can look very coarse, but is actually really fine and the strands are usually thickly packed together. Some of the best products for type 4 coils: Shea Moisture's Red Palm Oil & Cocoa Butter curl stretch pudding, Design Essentials's Almond & Avocado defining creme gel, Mane Choice's Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused styling gel, and Creme of Nature's Argan Oil style & shine foaming mousse.( this curl pattern is usually hard to find products for and requires some trial & error unfortunately)