Almost every curly hair routine starts with one question: what is my curl type? The curl type chart, which sorts hair from 1 (straight) to 4 (coily) with A, B, and C subcategories, is the most common way to answer it. Knowing your type will not fix your routine on its own, but it tells you where to start: how much moisture your hair usually needs, how heavy your products should be, and which styles will hold.
Quick answer: Curl types run from 2A (loose waves) through 4C (tight coils). Find yours by looking at your hair washed, conditioned, and air-dried with no styling products: the shape your strands make on their own is your pattern. Most people have two or three types on one head, and that is completely normal.
The Curl Type Chart at a Glance
| Type | Pattern | What it looks like | Main challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A–1C | Straight | No natural bend, lies flat | Gets oily fast, little volume |
| 2A | Wavy | Loose, barely-there S waves | Falls flat easily |
| 2B | Wavy | Defined S waves from the mid-lengths | Frizz at the crown |
| 2C | Wavy | Thick, deep waves bordering on curls | Frizz and heaviness |
| 3A | Curly | Big, loose spiral curls | Loses definition |
| 3B | Curly | Springy ringlets, lots of volume | Dryness and frizz |
| 3C | Curly | Tight corkscrews, dense | Dryness and shrinkage |
| 4A | Coily | Soft, defined tight coils | Moisture retention |
| 4B | Coily | Z-pattern strands, fluffy appearance | Shrinkage and breakage |
| 4C | Coily | Very tight coils, least visible pattern | Dryness, tangling, shrinkage up to 75% |
The system was popularized by stylist Andre Walker’s hair typing method and later expanded by the natural hair community. It describes pattern shape only. It does not describe thickness, density, or how your hair absorbs water, which is why two people with the same curl type can need very different routines.
How to Find Your Curl Type (Step by Step)
- Start with a clean slate. Wash with a clarifying shampoo if you have buildup, since residue can weigh curls into a looser pattern than your real one. Our detox shampoo guide explains when that reset helps.
- Condition, detangle, and rinse. Then add nothing: no leave-in, no gel, no oil.
- Air-dry completely. Hair typing done on wet hair is unreliable, because water stretches the pattern. Let it dry fully, even if it takes hours.
- Compare sections, not single strands. Look at the overall shape in the mirror. Check the front, crown, sides, and nape separately.
- Match the dominant pattern. If most of your head is one type with a looser or tighter section somewhere, your type is the dominant one. Note the exception rather than averaging them.
Type 2: Wavy Hair (2A, 2B, 2C)
On the curl type chart, Type 2 covers wavy hair from loose 2A waves to deep 2C. Wavy hair forms an S shape and lies closer to the head than curly hair. 2A waves are fine and loose and straighten almost by accident. 2B waves are more defined and start further up the strand; see our full 2B hair guide for its routine. 2C is the thickest wavy type, with waves so deep they nearly curl, plus a tendency to frizz. Wavy hair generally dislikes heavy butters and oils, which drag the pattern down, and does better with light mousses and gels, the same logic behind our wavy hair guide.
Type 3: Curly Hair (3A, 3B, 3C)
On the curl type chart, Type 3 covers curly hair from loose 3A spirals to tight 3C corkscrews. Curly hair forms true spirals. 3A curls are large and loose with a visible shine, and they lose definition quickly if under-moisturized; our 3A hair guide goes deeper. 3B ringlets are springier and about the width of a marker; the 3B hair guide covers its routine, products, and best cuts. 3C corkscrews are tighter and denser, with more shrinkage and a greater need for moisture and gentle detangling. Type 3 hair usually thrives on leave-in conditioner plus a gel or custard for hold.
Type 4: Coily Hair (4A, 4B, 4C)
On the curl type chart, Type 4 covers coily hair from soft 4A coils to tight 4C patterns. Coily hair has the tightest patterns and the most shrinkage. 4A coils are soft and defined when moisturized, as explained in our 4A hair guide. 4B hair bends in a Z pattern rather than curling in an S, which makes it look fluffy and short. 4C hair has the tightest, least defined pattern and can shrink up to about 75% of its stretched length. Type 4 hair is the most fragile at each bend point, so it needs the most moisture, the gentlest handling, and protective styles more than any other type.
Curl Type Is Not Enough: Porosity Matters Too
Two heads of 3B hair can behave completely differently because of porosity: how easily the hair absorbs and holds water. Low porosity hair resists moisture and needs light, water-based products. High porosity hair absorbs fast and loses moisture just as fast, and needs richer, sealing products. Curl type tells you the shape of the strand; porosity tells you how to feed it. Take five minutes to find yours with our hair porosity test, and read the low porosity guide if products tend to sit on top of your hair.
Common Curl Typing Mistakes
- Typing wet or product-coated hair. Water and heavy products both pull the pattern looser. Always judge your type dry and product-free.
- Expecting one type per head. A looser crown with tighter nape hair (or the reverse) is the rule, not the exception.
- Confusing damage for a looser type. Heat and bleach relax curls, and the American Academy of Dermatology lists the everyday habits that damage hair, from hot styling tools to tight styles. If your ends are straighter than your roots, that is damage, not your pattern.
- Copying a routine by type alone. Fine 3A hair and thick 3A hair need different product weights. Use type as a starting filter, then adjust for density, strand thickness, and porosity.
- Re-typing constantly. Your pattern can shift slightly with hormones, length, and health, but week-to-week changes are almost always moisture or buildup, not a new type. A monthly clarifying wash and a consistent routine, like the one in our curly hair routine, settles most of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a curl type chart to know my curl type?
Wash and condition your hair, add no products, and let it air-dry completely. The shape it forms on its own is your pattern: loose S waves are type 2, defined spirals are type 3, and tight coils are type 4. The A, B, and C subcategory depends on how tight the pattern is, with A the loosest in each number.
Can you have more than one curl type?
Yes, and most people do. It is common to have, for example, 3A at the front and 3B at the crown, or looser hair at the nape. Type your hair by the dominant pattern and adjust products for the sections that differ.
Which curl type is the rarest or most common?
There is no reliable global count by subcategory, and distribution varies a lot by ancestry. Type 2 and 3 patterns are very common in European and mixed-ancestry populations, while type 4 patterns are most common in people of African descent. Every type is normal and healthy.
Does curl type change with age?
It can shift. Hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy, menopause), some medications, and major health changes can make hair grow in noticeably looser or tighter. Heat and chemical damage also relax the pattern, but that change is damage, not a true type change, and it grows out from the root.
Is curl type or porosity more important?
The curl type chart gives you the shape you are styling, but for choosing products, porosity usually matters more. Porosity tells you how your hair takes in and holds moisture, which decides product weight and ingredients. Ideally, know both.
What curl type is my hair if it is wavy when wet but straight when dry?
That is most often fine 2A hair, or wavy hair being weighed down by heavy products or buildup. Clarify, skip leave-in for one wash day, and air-dry without touching it. If a soft S wave appears as it dries, you are looking at type 2 hair that needs lighter products.
Final Thoughts
The curl type chart is a map, not a verdict. Use it to find your starting point, then refine with porosity, density, and how your hair actually behaves. Once you know your pattern, the right routine gets much easier to build, and the guides linked throughout this page take you from type to day-to-day care for each category.