What is your hair type? (and how to care correctly)

Hair can be classified according to the oil distribution of the strands as normal, dry, oily or mixed, and it is important to identify the type so that the most suitable products can be chosen to care for the hair correctly, keeping it shiny and soft.

The shape and structure of the thread can vary according to ethnic origin, because these characteristics are related to the chemical and molecular composition of the threads, so they can be classified into three large groups:

• Orientalwhich has a straight edge;
• Caucasianwhose hair can vary from wavy to curly;
• Afroin which the strand is flatter, so that it tends to be curlier.

Thus, depending on the amount of chemical bonds that exist in the strand, also known as disulfide bonds, the hair can be more or less curled. In other words, the more disulfide bonds present in the strand, the more coiled the hair can be.

Main hair types

The main hair types are:

1. Seed

According to the characteristics of the strand, straight hair can be:

• Fine Flat or 1A: strands of hair that are very straight, without volume and limp, that do not shape or hold anything, not even a clip. Furthermore, this type of hair is often prone to oiliness;
• Medium smooth or 1B: straight hair strands, but with a little volume, and it is now possible to shape the ends and add clips;
• Coarse smooth or 1C: straight hair strands, but thick and with volume. You can put it together easily and are difficult to shape.

How to care: To avoid dryness, straight hair needs hydration every two weeks. If a hairdryer or straightener is used, it is recommended that a thermal protector be applied to prevent the hair from drying out.

2. Wavy hair

Wavy hair forms S-shaped waves and can be straight when brushed or curly when kneaded, forming loose curls. The main types of wavy hair are:

• 2A – Undulating until: Wavy hair strands, very soft S-shaped, easy to style, almost straight. It usually doesn’t have much volume;
• 2B – Medium wavy: wavy strands of hair, forming a perfect S. Tend to have frizz and they are not very easy to model;
• 2C – Thick wavy: wavy and voluminous strands of hair, beginning to form loose curls. Furthermore, they do not stick to the roots and are difficult to style.

How to care: To define the waves, you should use styling creams or curl activators, and prefer layered cuts, as they give the waves more movement. This type of hair needs deep hydration every two weeks, with specific masks or creams to hydrate, and the dryer and straightener should be left aside so that the waves become more defined and shiny.

3. Curly hair

The types of curly hair are:

• 3A – Loose curls: natural curls, wide and regular, well-formed and round, generally fine;
• 3B – Closed curls: narrow, well-formed curls, but tighter than loose, thicker curls, tending to be stiff;
• 3C – Very closed curls: very closed and narrow curls, sticking together, but with a defined pattern.

To shape the hair and define the curls, the leave in It can be used daily, simply removing the previous day’s cream with water. Another product that can be used is the stitch repair, which adds shine and softness, and should be applied when the hair is already dry.

How to care: Ideally, curly hair should only be washed twice a week with anti-aging shampoos.frizz or for normal hair, and with each wash the strands must be hydrated with a treatment cream or hydration mask.

After washing, apply leave in, which is a leave-in styling cream, and let the hair dry naturally, as using a hairdryer and straightener dries out the curls. See more details on how to hydrate curly hair.

4. Frizzy hair

The types of curly hair are:

• 4A – Crespo macio: small, defined and very closed curls, which look like springs;
• 4B – Dry frizz: very closed curls, in the shape of a zigzag, less defined than soft curly;
• 4C – Shapeless frizz: very closed curls, in the shape of a zigzag, but without any definition.

How to care: It is important that hydration is done with hot water and thermal caps, but the final wash of the hair must be done with cold water, as this prevents frizz.

In addition, you should use the cream to style your hair and let your curls dry naturally, just removing excess water by kneading your hair with a paper towel. But when using a hairdryer is necessary, a good tip is to apply a little gel to the ends of your hair, on top of the styling cream, and use the diffuser to define the curls.