Hair types

teela1978

So I have a slight tendancy to disagree with some of the "established" ways of typing wavy hair. Clearly I'm not the only one, we all have pretty much abandoned the nc.com method of 2a=fine, 2b=medium, 2c=coarse in favor of fia's method
which defines wavy hair as:

2) The wavy ones
2a - loose, stretched out S-waves throughout the hair
2b - shorter, more distinct S-waves (similar to waves from braiding damp hair)
2c - distinct S-waves and the odd spiral curl forming here and there

I agree with fia's method much more than the nc.com way of organizing these, but I kinda think it's almost easier to type based on where your wave starts. For airdried hair I'd say that 2c starts high on the scalp, near the crown of the head, 2b closer to ears (like me) and 2a you're almost down on the neck before you really start to see much wave. The spiral thing seems to throw a lot of people off. I get spirals, but they're huge loopy spirals. I'd say 2a's can get them as well but they'd be really really long. I guess it's just the 2c that annoys me because that "spiral" bit kinda includes me but my hair really doesen't look like other 2c's unless I scrunch like crazy, and if airdried I still don't get the wave up above my ears (see www if interested).

Am I the only weird one who's overthought this? I blame all the recent typing threads.

Comments?

Malory

With the Fia system, I don't understand the 1b/1c and how they differ from the 2s?

What is the difference between straight hair with waves and wavy hair?

teela1978

It is kinda wierd since it's a continuum of curliness from stick straight to less straight to wavy to curly, but I'd say anyone in the 1's has never had any frizz in their life. There's pictures on there if you click the links at the top of the page, but the pics are without gel and airdried so they might look a little "less" than you expect

curlyhead

teela1978 wrote:

I blame all the recent typing threads.

i agree with you. but not only that, but also even if two people have the "same" hair type i think what throws people off more (at least me) is that those two people hair looks totally different... thats just my opinion

LavenderCurls

I classify myself as a 2B/3A according to nc.com, but because of the texture of my hair, I could be a 2C, since it tends to feel coarse most of the time despite it being thin/fine. Depending on what product(s) I use, I could almost be a 3B in looking at some of the pics of 3B's.

Going by fia's method, I'd be a 2C, but unlike your thoughts on where the curl starts, going by my hair, my waves/curls typically don't start until about my ears. Even when I get ringlets, they start out fairly straight, then begin curling.

Typing the hair can get confusing because of so many factors other than just the curl pattern. You throw in texture, coarseness, etc. and it can lead to confusion. Especially when or if you try to compare your hair to someone else who's in your same category. For example, medusahair and I have the same type, but her hair looks SO different than mine. She gets good end definition and has shiny thick curls (to me anyway). Mine tends to "fray" at the ends, lacks shine and my waves/curls tend to be much thinner. (I'm currently in line to inherit her curls )

But be assured you're not the only one who has overthought it ! It can be mind-boggling!

KrisLeighUSC

It seems like my hair can range from a 2A to a 3A just depending on the weather alone. My curls are very moody and I really don't what to "Label" them as :-(

teela1978

KrisLeighUSC wrote:

It seems like my hair can range from a 2A to a 3A just depending on the weather alone. My curls are very moody and I really don't what to "Label" them as :-(

lol, that's why I call myself 2b, it seems middleish for my varied hair.

I should probably clarify, 2b on fia's. Here your degree of waviness has nothing to do with it, so I'm a 2a because my hair is fine.

Kasey314

What I really like about the FIA method is that it allows for a more individualized hairtyping. It actually gives you a way to determine your hair's coarseness and thickness. FIA's way allows you to almost CREATE your own hair type. In comparisson, NC.com's way seems v. narrow and does not allow for a lot of variation.

Also, FIA has pics for the wavies, unlike NC.com, who has NEVER found a 2c example! Honestly, is there NO ONE falmous w/ this hairtype?? :roll:

KrisLeighUSC

What I really like about the FIA method is that it allows for a more individualized hairtyping. It actually gives you a way to determine your hair's coarseness and thickness. FIA's way allows you to almost CREATE your own hair type. In comparisson, NC.com's way seems v. narrow and does not allow for a lot of variation.

where do I find out more about the FIA method? TIA :-)

teela1978

There is a link to it in my first post

ILvCURLS

Hey! Just wondering, I am very new to the curl talk and think I might have a combination of 3a in back & around sides and 2b or 2c on the crown and front.

I am meeting with a recommended NC stylist in early May, but until then am no-pooing, deep conditioning and trying to style using what I am learning from here, Massey's/Ouidad's books, and Jessicurl's website.

THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION MY HEAD IS SWIRLING! :shock:

meriellyn

Kasey314 wrote:

What I really like about the FIA method is that it allows for a more individualized hairtyping. It actually gives you a way to determine your hair's coarseness and thickness. FIA's way allows you to almost CREATE your own hair type. In comparisson, NC.com's way seems v. narrow and does not allow for a lot of variation.

Also, FIA has pics for the wavies, unlike NC.com, who has NEVER found a 2c example! Honestly, is there NO ONE falmous w/ this hairtype?? :roll:

I totally agree

teela1978

The thing I dislike most about nc's method is that it has no continuity with the curlies, 2a as wavy/fine is completely different from 3a as botticelli curls and ringlets with no regard to the fine/coarseness of the hair. Does it make any sense at all?

KrisLeighUSC

teela1978 wrote:

The thing I dislike most about nc's method is that it has no continuity with the curlies, 2a as wavy/fine is completely different from 3a as botticelli curls and ringlets with no regard to the fine/coarseness of the hair. Does it make any sense at all?

Yes! Totally! This is exactly where I am coming from when I sit there trying to detrmine which type my hair is!

Dancingbadger

I totally understand this thread but I also have some trouble with the Fia method also. The 3As have quite a range and some of them look like 2s to me. My hair looks closest to the pic of Meezer in the 3as.

Acording to the nc.com types I am 2b/3a my hair is a solidly medium texture. I do not have babyfine hair its thick and silky and I can straighten it easily.

According to CG, I am a wavy. Using the spring test my curls spring up 2 inches. But they are curls. The new growth on the nape of my neck coils into tiny corkscrews and often tie themselves into knots.

I post to this board because when I first starting coming here, the 2bs seemed to be the closest to my hair and the advice I got from them helped me a lot in the beginning.

teela1978

I think it's important to note that in the fia pic's the hair is airdried, and considering the culture over at LHC, probably have minimal product. I'm probably in the minority over here in that sometimes I look at people's hair and their typing and wonder "but what does it look like if you don't load it with gel and scrunch." Is airdried what your hairtype should actually be? Or is product laden and heat styled with a diffuser what you should go by?

It's all so confusing. Way too many factors. I think I've just confused myself even more than I was before and now I dislike both methods.

HeatherDawn

If you are going by the Curly Girl book, there are only three kinds of hair; Wavey, Bottacelli and Corkscrew. The Andre methode was just a little plainer and the Fia is more exact still. It really doesn't matter which one you use because, IMHO, unless you can send us your hair, we will not KNOW what it is like. I wouldn't worry too much about which hair classification you are using. It can be confusing, but what about this hair thing hasn't been yet?! LOL!

Dancingbadger

teela1978 wrote:

I think it's important to note that in the fia pic's the hair is airdried, and considering the culture over at LHC, probably have minimal product. I'm probably in the minority over here in that sometimes I look at people's hair and their typing and wonder "but what does it look like if you don't load it with gel and scrunch." Is airdried what your hairtype should actually be? Or is product laden and heat styled with a diffuser what you should go by?

It's all so confusing. Way too many factors. I think I've just confused myself even more than I was before and now I dislike both methods.

That's a really good point. My hair really curls when gelled, scrunched and diffused.

I haven't even tried going product free in an age. I wonder.....

KrisLeighUSC

Dancingbadger wrote:

teela1978 wrote:

I think it's important to note that in the fia pic's the hair is airdried, and considering the culture over at LHC, probably have minimal product. I'm probably in the minority over here in that sometimes I look at people's hair and their typing and wonder "but what does it look like if you don't load it with gel and scrunch." Is airdried what your hairtype should actually be? Or is product laden and heat styled with a diffuser what you should go by?

It's all so confusing. Way too many factors. I think I've just confused myself even more than I was before and now I dislike both methods.

That's a really good point. My hair really curls when gelled, scrunched and diffused.

I haven't even tried going product free in an age. I wonder.....

Great point! My hair would look very unfortunate if I didn't put much in it or use a diffuser to encourage curls. Since my hair is a combo of 2's and 3's (with the top being 2), it would look horrible and inconsistent! :-(

UP Lisa

The gel is mostly to prevent frizz, and I don't get frizz. Never have.

Ember

According to nc I think I'm a mix of 2s with some 3a. According to this new system, I'm solidly a 3a, M, ii, closest to Meezer's pic. My scalp behaves like a 2.

Anyway. I read more in the 2s forum because of my need to use a low poo twice a week or so. The shared advice there seems more relevent to me than what goes on the world of very curly girls.

Without products, my hair dries wavy with some defined spiral curls around my face and canopy, especially the two on either side of my part. The rest of my hair is solidly wavy but it's poofy and soft. I only use gel, just on soaking wet hair, and plop for about fifteen minutes. Doing that, the spirals get curlier and the waves get wavier, more defined and less poofy. I don't think the typing changes for me whether it's just air dried or I'm using gel.

Malory

According to Fia, I am 2a/b/c M iii

teela1978

UP Lisa wrote:

The gel is mostly to prevent frizz, and I don't get frizz. Never have.

Hmm... I'm not sure I agree, my waves fall out a lot easier once dry if I don't use gel. They'll fall out overnight without product whereas with gel I can get 2nd-3rd day waves. Frizz isn't much of a problem out here in the desert either.

UP Lisa

That's what I read on this site. I think a lot of people's curls do look better with gel, though. For me I can't decide if I'm better off with it or without it.

teela1978

I think curlier folks need it more for anti-frizz properties. I need it more for keeping curl in there, otherwise my hair just looks messy. I hate that about wavy hair.

emge

finally, i've found a system that makes sense to me! (fia's) Someone from a Craigslist forum recommended I visit here to see if anyone else had my hair type.... I'm almost certainly a 1c with thick hair, and to try and figure out a haircut, you'd think everyone's hair was either "wavy" or "straight"... nope. mine just has the ends go all wonky because that's where the wave starts.

Still looking for a good, short haircut though!

UP Lisa

If you let your hair grow, it will get wavier. Mine is straight when short.

corky

Hi! This is my first post. I'm mostly lurking to see what people do, what works, etc. I've known for a long time that I had wavy hair, but I didn't know how much wave I had (or could have) unil a hair stylist took one look at it and was on a mission to convince me that I should try working with the curl/wave.
I've only been doing the CG stuff for about a week so far. I haven't read the book, so I'm doing some of the basics that I've picked up via the internet and a friend who read it. I was surprised at how quickly and easily I got results, but I haven't been able to get consistency yet. Maybe I never will.
Anyway, this is my hair today (it was muggy and rained, but I never actually got rained on).
I didn't know "type" was such a hot topic! I guess I'm a 2B?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1151/571523510_f3df2517c8.jpg?v=0

jennifermcb

corky wrote:

Hi! This is my first post. I'm mostly lurking to see what people do, what works, etc. I've known for a long time that I had wavy hair, but I didn't know how much wave I had (or could have) unil a hair stylist took one look at it and was on a mission to convince me that I should try working with the curl/wave.
I've only been doing the CG stuff for about a week so far. I haven't read the book, so I'm doing some of the basics that I've picked up via the internet and a friend who read it. I was surprised at how quickly and easily I got results, but I haven't been able to get consistency yet. Maybe I never will.
Anyway, this is my hair today (it was muggy and rained, but I never actually got rained on).
I didn't know "type" was such a hot topic! I guess I'm a 2B?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1151/571523510_f3df2517c8.jpg?v=0

I'm not educated enough in typing to say for sure what you are, but you have gorgeous curls!

Malory

UP Lisa wrote:

If you let your hair grow, it will get wavier. Mine is straight when short.

That depends on the individual. My hair gets straighter as it gets longer because of the weight. Very short hairs (e.g. bangs) turn into spiral curls. When I've worn my hair past bra strap length, it's been almost perfectly (naturally) straight.

UP Lisa

Yes, that is true. I said that based on how her hair looked to me.