following hair typing information in Figure 4-1 and Table 4-1 is inspired by the original system created by Andre Walker, beauty entrepreneur and former personal stylist to Oprah Winfrey. The system I have included in this book is an augmentation of his chart, with more detailed breakdowns of hair types 1A through 4C.
© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; Illustration by Rashell Smith
FIGURE 4-1: Hair typing.
TABLE 4-1 Hair Typing Chart
| Hair Type | Category | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| 1A | Straight | Super straight; lies flat; lacks the body to perform many of your styling commands |
| 1B | Straight | Accepts and holds (less) defined curls; tends to revert back to a straight state within a few hours |
| 1C | Straight | May have faint waves when wet; dries straight; retains defined curl or blow-dry shapes better than 1A or 1B; tends to frizz in humid conditions |
| 2A | Wavy | Loose waves; mostly straight at the roots; S-shaped waves form midway down the hair shaft to ends; excellent for tousled styles; can develop frizz in humid conditions |
| 2B | Wavy | More defined waves; mostly straight at the roots; forms more defined S-shaped waves midway down the hair shaft to ends; tends to frizz in humid conditions; excellent for air-dried and heat-formed styles |
| 2C | Wavy/Curly | Defined waves from roots to ends; prone to frizz throughout the hair; requires tension when heat styling into a smoother shape; moderate shrinkage when dried |
| 3A | Loose Defined Curls | Loose curls from roots to ends; noticeably lifts away from the scalp; responds well to smoothing products; can develop frizz throughout the hair; excels at controlled air-dried and finger styles; moderate shrinkage when dried |
| 3B | Strong Defined Curls | Springy curls varying from ringlets to corkscrews; voluminous whether thick or thin; tends to be dense; tends to dry frizzy; requires special hair care and styling aids; noticeable shrinkage when dried |
| 3C | Corkscrew Curls | Tight corkscrew curls; tends to be voluminous; requires special hair care and styling aids; pronounced shrinkage when dried |
| 4A | Curly/Coily | Densely packed, springy curls and coils; fragile; voluminous; requires special hair care and daily use of styling aids; significant shrinkage when dried |
| 4B | Coily | Densely packed; coils bend at sharp Z-shaped angles; extremely fragile; voluminous; requires special hair care and daily styling aids; extreme shrinkage when dried |
| 4C | Extremely Coily | Densely packed; similar to 4A but with less definition; can be soft or wiry; extremely fragile; requires special hair care and styling aids; most extreme shrinkage when dried |
In the Thick of It: Hair Density
Hair density or hair thickness is determined by the number of strands per square inch (2.5 centimeters) on the scalp. Some people confuse texture (circumference of the strand) with density. Common misconceptions include someone with coarse hair (which has the largest circumference) being assessed with having thick hair, or someone with fine hair being assessed as having thin hair.
Ponytail density test for fine to medium textures: If the hair is past the shoulders, brush and smooth the hair and then put the hair in a ponytail. If the ponytail diameter at the hair band is the size of dime, the hair is thin. If it’s the size of a nickel, it’s average. If the pony diameter is the size of a quarter, the hair is definitely thick.
Light density test: When the sun is directly overhead or the person is standing under a bright light that’s a few feet above the head, check the visibility of the scalp. If it’s clearly visible, it’s thin. If it’s slightly visible, it has a moderate density. And if it’s not visible, it’s thick.
Calming Cowlicks
Cowlicks or hair whorls cause the hair to grow in circular patterns. Nearly everyone has at least one small cowlick at the crown area. Many people also have multiple cowlicks, often along the bottom hairline (preventing a straight neckline) and around the front hairline, particularly the fringe area. Figure 4-2 shows an example of a crown with double cowlicks.
Hair growths are also hereditary. If you or your significant other has a cowlick at the nape of the neck, chances are that at least some of your children will have this same growth pattern in their hair.
The swirling direction of a cowlick is less noticeable with longer hair because the length and weight of the strands naturally make it lie down. The minute you begin cutting the hair short, though, cowlicks will start ruling the day by separating the hair and making it look flat or lopsided, or causing it to stick up at odd angles.
NOT-SO-UPLIFTING HAIR
Early in my career, I learned a valuable lesson about the importance of checking for strong growth patterns — cowlicks so outrageous, for instance, that they can stop traffic. An impulsive young hairdresser working next to me was doing a man’s business cut. I glanced over and noticed that his hair was lifting up slightly at the crown. I looked over two minutes later and his whole crown was standing on end. I sat there, staring at this scene unfolding with morbid fascination. Soon, his front hairline joined in by becoming so erect that it looked like it had been electrified. The hairdresser didn’t say a word, and oddly, he remained stoic even though his hair gradually looked like an angry porcupine. My only guess is that it wasn’t the first (or probably the last) time he’d fallen victim to an impetuous hairstylist. Carefully