Identifying Curlz

When I first decided to learn about my daughter's hair, I did what most of us usually do... I Googled it! (Got to love google!)

I began by reading posts from different hair care sites that talked about Biracial hair care and styling. Many of them would mention hair type..."Type 3A, 3B or 3C..etc".   At the beginning I didn't know what all that meant until I came across some really helpful charts.

I'm sure that many of you have already identified the type of curls your little one has but for those who are not familiar with the types of hair or how to identify your child's hair type, I have put together a list of sites that were very helpful to me and I hope that they will be helpful to you as well  

1.  From the Curls Website: http://www.curls.biz/curly-hair-type-guide.html.

This is their definition:

Wavy hair is classified as a 2. Wavy hair lies somewhere between straight and curly hair. It also imparts sheen, more than curly hair, but less than straight hair. The further down the wavy spectrum you go the less sheen the hair will impart. Wavy hair is typically more prone to frizz. While type A wavies can easily alternate between straight and curly styles, type B and C Wavy hair is resistant to styling.

Sub categories: 2A, 2B, 2C

Type 3 hair is curly hair. If you pull a strand of a type 3 curly, you will notice it has a definite S shape. Granted, the S may be a lower case s or upper case S, or it may even resemble a Z on some occasions...however, there is a definite curl pattern in place, with our without products. This hair type is full bodied, climate dependent (humidity = frizz), and damage prone. Lack of proper care renders dull curls. 

Sub categories: 3A, 3B, 3C

Type 4 is Kinky hair. Despite many misconceptions, this tightly coiled hair is quite fine and fragile. It is wiry, and delicate by nature. Each strand usually has a zig zag pattern. Kinky hair is the driest hair type, thus it is more prone to breakage and requires a gentle touch. A misconception exists that this hair type does not grow. Kinky hair grows at the same rate as other texture, however, if not treated properly it breaks more than other textures. Treat this hair type like a fine silk blouse – cleanse gently, detangle softly, and avoid harsh chemicals. 

Subcategories: 4A, 4B, 4C

   ** I was able to forward a picture of my daughter to their customer service department along with some questions and they were very quickly to reply to my email and answered all my questions along with a list of the products they thought were better for my daughter's hair based on her type of hair.  They also provide me with tips for daily routine, weekly washing, and styling.

2.  Naturallycurly.com was also helpful.  They also provide a list of products that can be used based on hair type.  They offer recommendations on cleansing crème, conditioners and styling products.

 I deeply believe that in order to find the best hair care routine you must understand the following:

a.  It is not uncommon for little ones to have a combination of curls or texture;

b.  You need to know the type of curl and texture you are working with in order to develop the right routine for your child's hair;

c.  Remember that everyone's hair is slightly different therefore the hair care routine varies depending on your needs. 

It took me almost a year to find the right hair care routine for my daughter so please, keep trying and adjust it as you go along.

Even siblings can have a different type of hair, for example, my son and daughter have two different types of hair and they both have different hair care routines.  What works for my son does not work for my daughter, and that also includes the hair tools.  

As you can see from my children's pictures, having different hair types are very normal.  Also, I strongly suggest that you do not let your little ones know how frustrated you are with their hair. Doing so will surely leave the wrong impression and we want them to love and embrace their natural hair.