Yet Another Hair Typing System...but Better???

[kinkycotton]

I found out my excessive breakage is actually do to my size of hair strand which is fine. Can you believe it?? My hair strand is fine. LOL While researching on the best way to style this strand I stumbled across this article by <b>naanis naturals</b> about hair typing...yes yet again but this was way more detailed after Type 4 a b and c. It's very insightful and in your face about calling your hair "nappy" and accepting it. Just wanted to share with all you beautiful ladies. I'm probably the last one to read the article.

Tell me what you think?

http://fromgrandmaskitchen.com/Natu...Straight-Wavy-Curly-Kinky-or-Nappy/Page1.html

 

[LuyshuZ]

Link isn't working

ETA= http://fromgrandmaskitchen.com/Natu...Straight-Wavy-Curly-Kinky-or-Nappy/Page1.html

 

[kinkycotton]

Link isn't working

ETA= http://fromgrandmaskitchen.com/Natu...Straight-Wavy-Curly-Kinky-or-Nappy/Page1.html

try again. just updated. you're fast. LOL

 

[msa]

I didn't read the article.

It's great that you've figured out that you have fine hair (fewer cuticle layers) because that will really inform your haircare choices.

 

[LuyshuZ]

Lol sry, just happened to refresh my page just in time. Seems ok, not really something I would be using anytime soon maybe if I went to sleep.... idk.... i guess i just want to sleep. I'll reread it when I'm less tired. Good night.

 

[tiffers]

Wow, that was a great read! Very informative, I really enjoyed it. It was funny how she kept using all caps and bold letters when she mentioned the WHOO-WHOO

 

[lonelysky]

Very informative, but I'm still a little confused about what type of hair that I have.

 

[*Michelle*]

I skimmed through a couple of pages, will read some more tomorrow. Thanks for the link.

I wonder if it explains density? It seems like a lot of people think some one has thick hair if it has volume...not so. Or they confuse thin hair with fine hair...again it is not the same thing. Anyways, thanks again. I'm off to bed now.

 

[Ganjababy]

I never liked to type my hair because it never fits into any typing...........This article is good because it explains my hair totally and I finally understand the difference between 3c and 4a- which is the fact that 3c has curl definition without the use of curl definition products and 4a needs curl definition products to clump the curls together to show definition- that makes so much sense. However I did not understand the difference betwen 4a and 4b in this typing. THanks OP

 

[FlowerHair]

I remember those two posters on the first page from years and years ago, Caribmix and Wavezandcurls
Very nice people, both of them!

 

[Itllbeokbaby]

thank you....i'll change my siggy to remove "fine hair"

i'll go back - need to reread the hair types.

 

[Bosslady1]

link does not work.

 

[msMicaela]

THank you for providiing this article!
I read the whole thing... I think its GREAT information. It broke down the hairtyping in terms that I could understand. Because it was confusing as heck... but i do think there is a science behind our hair type and what IT needs and this article really helped me to officially pinpoinit exactly what type I have.

 

[JinaRicci]

This was a great article!! Thanks for posting. I like how funny she made it- the ref to not being able to type certain celebrities' hair that are actually weaves was hilarious.

ITA with her- those systems are very confusing and I'm not totally bought into them. I think she did a very good job at categorizing what's known about the different hair types. I agree that we need to focus on just the hair of people of African descent or the last two groups- and then expand the system(s) to begin categorizing.

We've got much more to go in terms of the science, IMO, that will really help to determine our hair needs and most importantly (to me) the products! I think that some of the current typing of our hair- 'doesn't curl well w/o product definition' for e.g. could result from systematic use of hair products/practices that weren't even researched on heads like our own.

Thanks again. Knowledge is Power...

 

[Ramya]

According to this I'm still 3C/4A but with medium strands and normal volume.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I hate hair typing. Because I come to the same conclusion every time:

My hair is a mixture of several hair types and textures, and it changes depending on it's mood. According to this, I am now a mixture of 4a/4b/5a fine/medium/coarse hair.

So, I kind of find typing does nothing for me. My hair type can look different if I just part my hair differently. In the front, it looks like I have 5a hair if I just let it stick out. If I part it, it's 4a because you see the wave pattern easily.

Maybe I should just wait until my hair is longer before I really try to ID what type it is.

 

[Christelyn]

Very informative article--thanks for posting.

 

[mkd]

Good article. I am still so confused. I give up, I don't even try to type my hair anymore.

 

[mscocoface]

It is good to know someone else calls my hair type "The Beast" LOL

Oh well, great article looking forward to knowing what she thinks will help manage 4-5 range hair types. I hope this information helps a lot of people to better understand their hair type.

For me it still is the same I am a mixture now of the 4-5 category and I knew much of the information regarding those types. I just want to know what she considers helpful in maintaining these two since they seem to be the more how shall I put it.....challenging to deal with. Since she has a product line to sell I imagine she is coming up with some things. I like what I am doing so far so and my hair is responding very well so, I think I will stay the Ayurvedic route.

Will keep my eye on this article and her updates.

 

[half.cadence]

interesting...Im saving this link for later.

 

[me-T]

Ok so i think i'm a 5a-m (4b-m in the nape) "normal" volume
....?

 

[kinkycotton]

I'm happy everyone found this article useful one way or another. It inspired me so much I was bout to go on and finally make a youtube video.... but chickened out. Way too shy to be on camera.

I'll find out my typing as well on wash day Sunday and I could re read it again too. I as a bit confused on the kinky and nappy part but after a fresh wash i should be able to determine better.

Initially I thought the article would give advice on how to handle fine hair but instead I got so much more out of it.

Actually I, miss "protein sensitive" will do a avocado hair mask and not leave it in over 30 mins. This entire time my fine strands needed MORE protein treatments instead of moisturizing ones. It seemed like after 5 months I should "get it" already but it's a learning process.... which make the journey so much more interesting.

 

[Morenita]

I liked this one, very descriptive! I'm still considered a 3c (3c-fm) in this one, but I haven't B/C'ed yet so there may be some 4a hiding around in there somewhere

 

[chebaby]

i always knew i had type 3 hair because its curly even without product. but her system now lets me know that i have type 3 corkscrew curls.
at first i didnt understand the difference between corkscrew and s curls.

 

[Morenita]

i always knew i had type 3 hair because its curly even without product. but her system now lets me know that i have type 3 corkscrew curls.
at first i didnt understand the difference between corkscrew and s curls.

ITA, that confused me forever. I have corkscrew curls also.

 

[Junebug D]

I give up. Now I am a type 5, medium... and I can't ponytail myself, but wouldn't someone with natural hair automatically have a fuller ponytail than someone with straight or relaxed hair?

 

[Cheleigh]

No matter what sort of hair typing system comes out...

I'm still always a type 4!

 

[afiya27]

I give up. Now I am a type 5, medium... and I can't ponytail myself, but wouldn't someone with natural hair automatically have a fuller ponytail than someone with straight or relaxed hair?

I agree. I was following her on everything else. But when she showed pics of straight-haired ponytails and used those dimensions to describe density, she lost me. Obviously the measurements for straight-haired ponytails would be a lot smaller than kinky/nappy ones...

Any-hoo. This article was very informative and comforting other than that. I had always suspected that there was more to it than simple curl shape. Now its confirmed that one also has to account for density/concentration (number of strands per square centimeter), and strand width. I BCd my 10 yr old dreds big time about a year ago and maintained the style throughout that time. I mean I've kept it SHORT (no more than a centimeter). Now I'm growing it out (since April 1). During that time though, I realized that, not only is my hair thin in terms of strand diameter, but, in certain places, there aren't many hairs per square centimeter (ie when short u can see scalp). My barber assured me that I'm not balding. That's just how my hair grows (needless to say, I couldn't do those pretty fades that some women do)...It was only noticable when it was first cut (and only slightly since I wasn't fading it). When it grows out just a bit, the curls hide my scalp.

So again, this was a better, much more detailed analysis. Looks like I'm a 5b (I think--mind you, it's short and it's been a while) with fine/thin hair diameter/width and low density/number of hairs per sq centimeter (I know this b/c of my short hair experience mentioned above NOT the ponytail test)....The cool thing is that, as a result, it's naturally fluffy and soft for its curl pattern ('nappy') without much fuss in terms of type of conditioner I use. It sounds like it's going to be REALLY fragile once it grows out though...I wonder if I should worry more about moisture or protein when it gets longer....I vaguely remember a protein DC rubbing me the wrong way 14 years ago back when I had a texturizer (my hair hardened). That doesn't bode well for my natural hair...But then again, I haven't had loose (non-dreded), 'long' (4+ in) NATURAL natural hair to play with for 19 years (I'm 31)! Wow! Barely remember...Can't wait!

Thanks OP!

Peace.

 

[sleepflower]

I will have to reread it, I guess. According to this, I have 3c and some sort of type 4 hair. I feel a little unsettled about that, I guess because I always consider my tiny little curls type 4 still? But I do not need product to make them show up, just water.

I am thinking I should bookmark this and hope it is still there in a year. I am still waiting for neck length all the way around and maybe when it is at least that long or longer I will be able to discern my type easier.

I do not really believe in typing as a label, but I like it because I think it is useful for comparison purposes. I am more likely to use products used by people with hair like mine. I know everybody's head is different, but I would be buying everything at the BSS if I subscribe solely to that.

 

[Bint Yusef]

That was a good article, especially this part:

"Keep in mind, the differentiation between Type 3 Curly and Type 4 Kinky is in curl discernment. People who are Type 4 require product to accentuate and define curls. People who are Type 3 may use product to reduce frizz and add definition to their curls but product is not required."