Some of you may remember when mousse and one-size-fit-all gels were the only options for styling curly hair… we’ve come a long way! However, now there are SO many options it can be really hard to know what products and styling techniques are right for you.
The secret to perfectly styling your hair, if there is such a thing in the curly world… is knowing your hair type!
When navigating your curly hair journey, chances are you’ve heard the classifications of wavy, curly, and coily. These terms were organized through one of the most popular cited studies led by the L’Oréal Institute for Ethnic Hair and Skin Research, which classified hair types in to eight categories by studying 2,449 subjects from 22 countries and 5 continents. Curl diameter and curl index were measured to help scientists create a system for assigning a number to a hair type from 1-4. The higher the number, as you may know, the tighter the coil!
GRAPHIC BY GOOD HOUSEKEEPING / BROWN BIRD DESIGN
We’ve curated a collection of beauties with a range of curl types to help you identify where you fit in! We start at Type 2 hair, as Type 1 classifies straight hair, which is pretty easy to identify.
GRAPHIC BY MAUREEN DOUGHERTY
Now that you know your curl type, it’s time to discover the right collection of products for your wavy, curly, or coily curls!
While the best way to see what works for your curls is trial and error, we can provide some guidance based on your hair type! If you have major curls, you assume that weaker products won’t work for you and go straight for the strong stuff (try our Medium Hold Gel). Or on the flip side—if you have finer waves, you’re going to want to look for the products that are light and that won't weigh your waves down (try MopTop’s Curly Hair Custard).
Check out our full curly hair product recommendations by clicking on your hair type below!
Lastly, if you want to receive customized emails based on your hair type, click here to re-subscribe to our newsletter and tell us about your waves, curls, or coily locks!
