When building a personalized haircare routine, understanding hair types and textures is a crucial first step. Your natural hair type and texture can influence everything from the products that work best for you to how often you wash your hair (and so much more). Still, identifying what type of hair you have isn’t always straightforward—many people have more than one curl pattern or find their hair behaves differently depending on the weather, environment, or even the products they use.
Whether your hair is pin-straight, coily, or somewhere in between, learning where you fall on a classic hair texture chart can help you better meet your haircare goals. Ahead, we’ll break down the different types of hair, explain how to identify your hair texture, and share our top tips on making the most out of your haircare routine.
Your hair texture refers to the overall shape of your strands, which can be straight, wavy, curly, or coily. Textured hair is a broad term that refers to any hair type that isn’t naturally pin-straight. Often, it is used to describe natural Black hair, but the term can encompass a wide range of hair patterns, including loose waves, springy curls, and tight coils. If your hair has any noticeable curl or wave pattern, you have textured hair.
According to Medline Plus, your hair type and texture are primarily determined by genetics and the shape of your hair follicles. Genetics determine whether your hair is oily, dry, fine, or thick; while your follicles determine your curl pattern. Asymmetrical or oval follicles typically produce textured hair, while round follicles result in straight strands. Additionally, the angle at which the follicle sits in the scalp influences your natural hair pattern.
Environmental factors and lifestyle influences can also play a role in how your hair looks and feels on a daily basis. For instance, high humidity can make certain hair types susceptible to frizz, while certain chemical treatments—such as perms and keratin treatments—can make your hair smoother, straighter, or curlier for a short time. Ultimately, though, your hair type and texture are primarily a product of your unique genetic makeup.
Hair porosity refers to your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture, which is just as important as knowing your hair type. You can categorize porosity into three levels: low, medium, and high. Low porosity hair has tightly bound cuticles that make it difficult for water to enter (or escape), while high porosity hair has gaps in the cuticle that allow for the rapid absorption and loss of moisture.
To visualize how porosity affects product absorption, you can perform a simple at-home test by placing a clean, product-free strand of hair in a glass of water. If the strand floats, you likely have low porosity hair; if it sinks slowly, it’s medium; and if it sinks immediately, you have high porosity hair. Understanding how your hair absorbs and retains moisture can help you better determine which products are right for your needs.
Understanding your hair texture can make a major difference in how you care for your strands, from influencing how often you lather up to which products you buy. This knowledge can help inform your routine because different kinds of hair have vastly different needs. Coily hair often benefits from rich, nourishing formulas that help hydrate and strengthen the hair, while straight tresses typically do best with lightweight products that won’t weigh the hair down.
Once you know how your hair naturally behaves, you can enjoy easier styling. Curl definition, volume, and even heat styling all become more manageable when you tailor your techniques to your specific hair type. Using the correct products for your specific needs can also help maintain overall scalp health.
Hair types are typically categorized into four main groups, each with three subcategories. Your hair texture is determined by the shape your hair takes as it grows out of your scalp, rather than how it looks after it is styled. To find your natural profile, examine your hair when it is clean, product-free, and air-dried, then compare it against a hair texture chart or the descriptions provided below.
Type 1 hair encompasses all straight hair textures. However, not all Type 1 hair is pin-straight—in many cases, the hair has a slight bend, often towards the ends. Here’s a breakdown of each straight hair subtype:
Type 2 hair can range from mostly-straight strands with a subtle S-shaped wave pattern to bouncy, beachy waves that sometimes appear curly.
The Type 3 hair category encompasses a range of different types of curls, from loose, voluminous spirals to tight, bouncy ringlets.
Coily hair is sometimes considered a curly hair type, but it has its own characteristics that make it distinct from Type 3 hair. This hair texture features ultra-tight S or Z-shaped coils and tends to boast a lot of volume and body.
Yes, it is possible to have two or more different textures on one head. It’s especially common for those who color their hair or frequently heat style their hair, though having some natural texture variation can happen even if you have virgin hair. For instance, your crown may have 3C curls, while the nape of your neck has 4A coils. If you’re having trouble determining which of the four hair categories you fit best into, assess which curl pattern appears to be the most prominent, and base your routine on that texture.
Once you identify your hair texture, you can begin creating a routine tailored to your unique needs and goals. If you need help getting started, we are sharing some of our favorite products and tips for each hair texture below.
Straight hair tends to lack volume, which can make it look flat at times. To help give your mane body and movement, consider reaching for a volumizing shampoo and conditioner.
We love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Volume Sulfate-Free Shampoo and coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Volume Sulfate-Free Conditioner. This shampoo gently cleanses while the conditioner provides lightweight moisture, helping to boost volume without any weigh-down. Apply the shampoo to wet hair and follow with the conditioner on the mid-lengths and ends.
If oily roots are your main concern, we suggest opting for a purifying duo to help remove debris without stripping your hair. The L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Pure Purifying Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Pure Rehydrating Conditioner (pictured below) help purify oily roots while leaving the mid-lengths and ends feeling hydrated for up to 72 hours. This duo is perfect for maintaining a fresh feeling while keeping your ends soft.
If your hair is wavy, you’ll want to turn your focus to products that hydrate without weighing down your strands. For shampoo and conditioner, we love the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Hydrating Conditioner. This skincare-inspired duo is formulated with hyaluronic acid and provides intense yet lightweight moisture to help enhance shine and add bounce.
If your hair is prone to frizz—as is often the case with wavy hair—consider using a smoothing system designed to keep strands sleek. The L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Iron Sleek Smoothing Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Iron Sleek Smoothing Conditioner (pictured below) are ideal for this purpose. Together, they help smooth the hair and boost shine for healthy-looking strands.
For added protection against frizz, work the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Iron Sleek Coat throughout your mane before heat styling. The unique formula coats the hair fiber, locking out humidity to keep strands smooth, sleek, and frizz-free for up to five washes.
Editor’s tip: Want more wavy hair advice? Learn how to build a targeted routine for wavy hair.
Curly hair types can be prone to dryness, so if you have coils, spirals, or ringlets, it’s a good idea to seek out products that can nourish your drier strands. Give your mane extra care starting in the shower with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture Shampoo and coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture Conditioner (see below). Together, this gentle pair provides intense hydration, leaving the hair soft and shiny.
Post-shower, lock in moisture with a curl-defining cream or hydrating leave-in treatment. We love the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Leave-In Conditioner, which contains hyaluronic acid and castor oil to help define your natural curl pattern. Or, if you plan on heat styling, try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Moisture 21-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner. The lightweight formula hydrates, smooths, boosts shine, and helps shield the hair against temperatures up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. For tips on building a complete routine, check out our curly hair guide.
As we mentioned earlier, coily hair tends to be dry and is often vulnerable to brittleness and breakage. To strengthen your hair, try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair+ Shampoo and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Bond Repair+ Conditioner (pictured below). This system helps to reinforce weak hair bonds and protect against damage. Using a bond repair treatment can also help maintain the structural integrity of your coils.
If you notice product build-up weighing down your coils, hop in the shower and lather up with a gentle clarifying shampoo, like the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo with Antioxidants. This formula helps remove residue without stripping the hair. Follow up your cleanse with the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Restoring Conditioner with Antioxidants to help lock in moisture.
Keep in mind that what you use to style your coils may depend on your lifestyle, wash schedule, and hair porosity. If you’re unsure which products to use or how to layer leave-ins, we suggest consulting with a hairstylist with experience caring for coily hair. You can also check out our coily hair guide for additional tips and product recommendations.
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Photo courtesy of L’Oréal Paris
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