What Is My Hair Type? Guide, Types 1 to 4 and Best Oils

Your hair type is three things: curl pattern (straight, wavy, curly or coily, numbered 1 to 4), strand thickness (fine, medium or coarse) and porosity (how well hair takes in and keeps moisture). Baraka's shea butter, shea oil and baobab oil are made by hand by the women of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana.

What is my hair type?

Your hair type is the combination of your curl pattern, your strand thickness and your porosity. Curl pattern is written as a number from 1 (straight) to 4 (coily), often with a letter from A to C for how loose or tight the pattern is, so a hair type might read 2B or 4C. Thickness tells you whether each strand is fine, medium or coarse. Porosity tells you how readily your hair takes in and holds moisture. Together the three give a better guide to which oil or butter will feel right than curl pattern alone.

The sections below explain each part in plain words, with a simple check you can do at home. If you would rather answer a few questions and get a match, the Hair Type Matcher quiz is linked near the end.

The curl-pattern types 1 to 4

Most hair guides use the same four families. The letters run from the loosest pattern (A) to the tightest (C). Systems differ a little from guide to guide, and many people have more than one pattern on their head, so treat the numbers as a guide rather than a label.

• Type 1, straight: The hair falls without a curve. 1A is usually fine and soft, 1B has more body, and 1C is typically thicker and fuller.
• Type 2, wavy: The hair forms an S-shape. 2A is a loose, gentle wave, 2B is a more defined wave that starts closer to the roots, and 2C is a deep wave that can include a few curls and tends to lean toward frizz.
• Type 3, curly: The hair forms loops or spirals. 3A is a loose, bouncy loop, 3B is a springy ringlet, and 3C is a tight corkscrew packed closely together.
• Type 4, coily: The hair forms tight coils or zigzag bends. 4A is a defined, springy coil, 4B bends in sharp Z-shapes with less definition, and 4C is the tightest pattern, with the least visible curl and the most shrinkage when dry.

Strand thickness: fine, medium or coarse

Strand thickness is about the width of a single hair, not about how much hair you have. How many hairs you have per square inch is called density, and it is a separate thing: you can have fine strands and a very dense head of hair.

To check thickness, take one clean, dry strand and roll it between your thumb and forefinger. If you can barely feel it, it is fine. If you feel a thin thread, it is medium. If it feels distinct, wiry or rough, it is coarse. Check a few places, such as the front, crown and nape, because thickness can vary across one head.

How do you find your hair type?

You find your hair type by looking at clean, product-free hair as it dries naturally, then checking curl pattern, strand thickness and porosity in turn. It takes about ten minutes of looking and one wash day of waiting.

1. Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo, skip styling products and let it air-dry.
2. Look at the pattern in several places, such as the front, crown and nape. Match what you see to the types 1 to 4 above, and note a mix if you have one.
3. Roll a single strand between your fingers to judge fine, medium or coarse.
4. Judge your porosity with the simple checks in the next section.
5. Write down your main concern, such as dry ends, hair that feels heavy or hair that will not hold a curl.

Your result might read something like "3B, medium strands, higher porosity, dry ends". That one line is enough to choose a starting oil or butter, and you can adjust from there.

What is hair porosity?

Hair porosity is how easily the outer layer of each strand lets water and products in, and how well the strand holds them once they are there. It is usually described as low, medium or high.

• Low porosity: Water tends to bead on the hair. It is slow to get wet, slow to dry, and products often seem to sit on top.
• Medium porosity: Hair takes in moisture and holds it without much fuss.
• High porosity: Hair soaks up water quickly, dries quickly and often feels dry again soon after. It can be natural, or it can come from bleaching, colouring or rough handling.

Two simple ways to judge porosity at home:

• The spray check: Mist a small section of clean hair with water. If the drops sit on the surface, porosity is likely lower. If the hair soaks them up at once, it is likely higher.
• The float check: Drop one clean strand into a glass of water. A strand that floats for a few minutes suggests lower porosity, and one that sinks quickly suggests higher porosity.

Both checks are rough guides, not lab results, so also notice how your hair behaves on wash day. Hair that stays wet for hours and resists products points one way, and hair that is dry within minutes points the other.

What oils and butters suit my hair type?

A useful rule of thumb is to match richness to the hair. Thicker, coarser, curlier or drier hair often does well with a butter, and finer, straighter or wavy hair usually does better with a lighter oil in a small amount. Here is how Baraka's range fits. These amounts are starting points, so begin small and add more only if your hair wants it.

• Shea butter for coarse, curly and coily hair: Warm about 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) between your palms for chin-length hair, and up to 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for long, thick or tightly coiled hair. Smooth it over damp hair, concentrating on the ends.
• Shea oil for fine or wavy hair: This is the liquid fraction of shea, lighter than the whole butter and traditionally used for hair and scalp. Use a few drops, rubbed between your hands and run through damp lengths and ends.
• Baobab oil for fine or wavy hair: It absorbs quickly without the heaviness of a richer oil. A few drops through damp hair is plenty.
• Virgin coconut oil as a pre-wash treatment: Smooth 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) over dry hair before shampooing, use less for short hair, and leave it on from 30 minutes up to overnight. It is solid below about 75°F (24°C) and liquid above it, so warm it in your hands first. Fine hair usually needs only a teaspoon (5 ml) on the ends.

Porosity can shift the choice. Many people with lower porosity find that a few drops of a light oil on damp hair works better than a heavy butter, which can sit on top. Many people with higher porosity prefer a butter, because it feels more lasting on hair that dries out fast.

You can find Baraka shea oil, Baraka baobab oil and virgin coconut oil on their own product pages.

Is shea butter good for curly and coily hair?

Yes, for many people it is. Shea butter has long been used traditionally on hair, and people with thick, coarse, curly or coily hair often report that it leaves their hair feeling soft and moisturised. It is a rich butter, so it suits those hair types best. Fine or wavy hair usually wants a much smaller amount, or a lighter oil instead.

Curly and coily strands are often described as drier, because the natural oil from the scalp has a longer, twistier path down the hair. That is one reason a butter on damp hair and ends is a popular step on wash day. This is reported experience and traditional use, not a promise of results.

Baraka shea butter is the one to try first for these hair types, because it is unrefined, strained and filtered only, with no bleaching or deodorising. It is made by hand by women's producer groups at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana. Shea butter naturally contains vitamins A and E.

A simple way to use it:

1. Start with damp hair, sectioned into four or more parts.
2. Warm a small amount between your palms until it melts.
3. Smooth it through one section at a time from mid-length to the ends, then lightly over the rest.
4. Twist, braid or leave the hair loose, as you normally would.

If your hair feels weighed down, you have used too much, so use less next time. Its natural colour runs from ivory through cream to pale yellow, and a mild nutty smell is normal. Stored properly, away from heat and direct sun, shea butter keeps 2+ years.

Quick table: oils and butters by hair type

Use the table as a starting point and let your strand thickness and porosity adjust it. Fine strands lean toward oils and coarse strands lean toward butters, whatever the curl pattern.

Take the Hair Type Matcher quiz

If you would rather not work through the checks by hand, take the Hair Type Matcher quiz for a quick match between your hair and Baraka's oils and butters. You can also browse the other quizzes on the Baraka quiz hub.

This is general hair-care advice, not medical advice. For hair loss, an itchy or sore scalp or any skin condition, see a doctor or pharmacist.

Quick answers

What is my hair type?

Your hair type is the combination of your curl pattern, from type 1 (straight) to type 4 (coily) with letters A to C, your strand thickness (fine, medium or coarse) and your porosity (how well hair takes in and holds moisture). For example, you might have 3B, medium, higher-porosity hair. Baraka's Hair Type Matcher quiz can help you work it out.

How do you find your hair type?

Wash your hair without styling products and let it air-dry, then match the pattern to types 1 to 4. Roll one strand between your fingers to judge fine, medium or coarse, and use a spray or float check to judge porosity. These checks are rough guides, and the Hair Type Matcher quiz is a quicker route.

What oils and butters suit my hair type?

Thicker, coarser, curly or coily hair often suits a butter such as Baraka shea butter, and fine or wavy hair usually suits a lighter oil such as shea oil or baobab oil. Virgin coconut oil is a popular pre-wash treatment, about 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) for longer hair. Start with a small amount and adjust.

Is shea butter good for curly and coily hair?

For many people, yes. Shea butter has long been used traditionally on hair, and people with thick, coarse, curly or coily hair often report that it leaves hair feeling soft and moisturised. Use about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (2.5 to 15 ml) on damp hair depending on length, and less for fine hair.

What is hair porosity?

Hair porosity is how easily your hair lets water and products in and how well it holds them. Low porosity hair is slow to get wet and slow to dry, and high porosity hair soaks up water and dries quickly. A mist of water on a clean section shows which way yours leans.