The 4 Primary Hair Types and How to Care for Them

Understanding your hair type can help you create a better haircare routine. Like skin types, hair types include the basic classifications of healthy hair. It describes their appearance, such as texture, thickness, and, in curly hair, their curl patterns. Here are the four major hair types, including sub-hair types, and how to take care of them.

This hair type has zero curls and is usually flat from root to tip. There is a high amount of natural oils secretion in straight hair types, making it soft, silky, and extremely shiny. Straight hair is often also fine but not necessarily lacking in density.

Straight hair seems low maintenance, but it does come with its own set of challenges. However, it gets limp fast, so use a volumizing shampoo that is gentle on your strands. Tangles are also more conspicuous in straight hair, so you must condition the length of the hair shaft while avoiding the roots.

Type 2 wavy hair is bendable and can fall from fine to coarse. An S pattern that starts close to the head makes it identifiable. Under this hair type is Type 2A, which is fine hair with light waves that are easy to straighten. Because of its fine strands, you’ll want to use lightweight styling products such as gel sprays and mists to avoid weighing it down.

Type 2B hair, on the other hand, lies flatter on the crown. The S-shaped waves start around the mid-length, and the strands are usually thicker and coarser than 2A hair. This hair type looks best when you apply mousse or sea salt spray to enhance its wavy texture.

Type 2C consists of thick waves with well-defined S patterns that start at the crown. Since this hair type is highly prone to frizz, it responds well to deep-conditioning or leave-in conditioners that give it the moisture it needs. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum can help you tame rebellious strands thanks to its marula oil and keratin. It smoothens hair without weighing it down.

Type 3 hair types can range from loose curls to springy corkscrews. Large, loose curls that look like they’ve been looped around a finger characterize Type 3A. Since this hair type is also prone to frizz, the curls are best defined with a curl enhancer or mousse, then left alone. Type 3B curls are ringlets with a smaller diameter. These curls can get dry because the natural oils from the scalp usually don’t get down the strands.

Keep curls shiny and healthy with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Shampoo and TRESemmé Keratin Smooth KERA10 Conditioner. These penetrate the hair 10 layers deep and nourish it with KERA10 Protein Complex that reduces frizz, detangles, strengthens, and adds smoothness and shine.

Coily hair is also called Afro-textured hair with varying textures and patterns. Type 4A has tiny, S-patterned coils that tend to be soft and pliable. Type 4B comes in a Z pattern and is usually thicker. This hair type looks best when texturized with a curling cream and styled for definition. Finally, Type 4C hair has a much-tighter Z pattern with tightly coiled strands. It's extremely prone to shrinkage and dryness and works best with oil-enriched conditioners and moisturizers.

These different hair types each have their unique qualities that say a lot about how to take care of your hair. Apart from the basic shampoo and conditioner, using the right treatments and styling products can also keep your hair healthy and looking great.