What Type of Curls Do I Have? Our 101 Guide to Curl Patterns and the Curly Girl Method

What are hair curl patterns?

Taking control of your curly hair starts with one question:

What type of curls do I have?

Your hair curl pattern is dictated by the shape of your hair follicles, and the angle and direction of your hair growth. The curvature of the hair inside the follicle will also determine the tightness of your curls.

Type 1 hair refers to straight hair, but there are three main curl pattern types:

• Type 2 – wavy hair
• Type 3 – curly hair
• Type 4 – coily hair

Curl patterns for hair are also classified by subcategories – A, B and C. This is a scale of how tight your curls are – A being the loosest, C being the tightest, and B in between.

If you’re still asking, ‘what type of curly hair do I have?’, you can check your hair curl pattern after washing your hair. Simply let your hair air dry without any products to observe how your hair dries naturally.

What is the curly girl method?

The curly girl method is all about ditching your generic, pre-conceived hair care practices and swapping in specific curly hair care products and habits.

It’s about working with your natural hair texture to give it what it needs – like hydration – instead of trying to control it with excessive heat styling.

The goal of the curly girl method? To enhance and define your natural hair curl patterns with products that tackle common curly hair woes – like dryness, frizz, high porosity, and breakage.

Wavy hair (type 2A, 2B, 2C curls)

A type 2 hair curl pattern – aka wavy hair – is characterised by an ‘S’-shaped pattern with looser curls overall. The A, B, C subcategory of your hair dictates how defined your waves are – we’ll break down how each one looks below.

Type 2A hair: soft, subtle waves

• Texture varies, ranging from fine to coarse
• Less volume at the root
• Prone to a small amount of frizz
• Easily malleable with heat styling tools – but may struggle to hold styles

Type 2B hair: a more defined ‘S’ shape

• Thicker in texture than 2A hair
• Hair lies flat at the root but starts to curl at the mid-lengths
• Prone to frizz and flyaways
• Less pliable with heat

Type 2C hair: strong waves

• The thickest of type 2 hair curl patterns
• Waves start at the root
• Frizz and dryness are common concerns
• More natural body and shape

Curly hair (type 3A, 3B, 3C curls)

Known for body and texture, type 3 hair curl patterns can range from loose curls (an ‘S’ shape) to tighter corkscrew curls (a ‘Z’ shape). Thickness and volume can also vary across these subcategories – read on as we define the key characteristics of each.

Type 3A hair: large, loose, ’S’-shaped curls

• Texture is typically fine to medium
• Lots of shine, softness, and body
• Some frizz is expected
• Usually easy to manage, but can be weighed down by heavy products

Type 3B hair: springy, well-defined ringlets and spirals

• Generally medium to coarse in texture
• Lots of volume and bounce
• Prone to dryness and frizz
• Experiences shrinkage (shorter when dry)

Type 3C hair: dense, tight corkscrew curls

• Very voluminous and curly
• High spring factor
• Frizz and flyaways are expected
• Experiences dryness, breakage, and shrinkage

Coily hair (type 4A, 4B, 4C curls)

Highly texturised and the tightest of the hair curl patterns, type 4 coily hair is categorised by a zig-zag pattern or tightly wound curls. Depending on A to C subcategories, curls range from loose to tight and make a coily or ‘kinky’ shape.

Type 4A hair: dense, ‘S’-shaped coils

• Very small, tightly wound spirals
• Ample volume and spring factor
• The softest of coily hair types but still prone to dryness
• High amount of shrinkage

Type 4B hair: dense, ‘Z’-shaped coils

• Thick texture with lots of volume and taut tendrils
• Very prone to dryness and frizz
• Susceptible to breakage
• Very high amount of shrinkage

Type 4C hair: very tight, zigzag coils

• Tight, high-density coils
• Texture ranges from soft and fine to coarse and wiry
• Extremely delicate, prone to dryness and breakage
• The highest amount of shrinkage

Hair care and styling tips for your hair curl pattern

Regardless of where your hair curl pattern sits on a scale of A to C, you’ll need take specific care when washing, conditioning, and styling – and the Garnier Curls Method range is up to the task.

Enriched with a powerful hyaluronic acid moisture complex that includes glycerin, lipids, and shea fatty acids, the Garnier Curls Method deeply hydrates and reinforces all types of curls. The collection is also free from sulphates and silicones to prevent hair from drying out.

You can follow our curly girl method tips below.

Washing:

• Type 2 wavy hair often needs washing two to three times per week, whereas type 3 hair can be stretched to once per week. Type 4 is the most delicate curl pattern type and typically needs washing once every two or three weeks.
• To recover lost moisture, we suggest starting with the Garnier Fructis Curls Method Pre-Shampoo to deliver essential nutrients to the hair.
• Follow with a full shampoo using the Garnier Fructis Curls Method Shampoo to gently remove buildup and promote moisture retention.

Conditioning:

• Whether you have wavy vs coily vs curly hair, curly hair types are more porous in nature, so conditioning is an important step in the curly girl method.
• After shampooing, you can apply the Garnier Fructis Curls Method Mask onto damp lengths. Rinse out and enjoy a lasting conditioning effect.

Styling from wet:

• The Garnier Fructis Curls Method Mask can also be used as a curl cream to help with styling. Focusing on your ends, gently scrunch wet hair to define your natural hair curl pattern.
• Allow hair to air-dry or use a diffuser on a low heat setting to minimise frizz.

Refreshing curls:

• If your curls need a touch of moisture or definition between washes, spritz your hair with the Garnier Fructis Curls Method Spray for a refresh.

Mastering the curly girl method is about imbuing your curls with hydration to keep them soft, supple, and moisturised. Next, discover our expert tips on how to hydrate hair.