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The exact origin of the hair typing system is uncertain, but it was most likely created by the African American hair care industry as a way to categorize different textures of hair. Andre Walker is a celebrity hairstylist who is credited with popularizing the hair typing system and classifying hair into four specific types. It’s the most fragile texture due to having the fewest cuticle layers protecting it from dryness. The top hair concerns with type 4 hair are avoiding tangles, maintaining moisture, and fighting off shrinkage.
Hair care tips for 4C hair.
Natural Hair Brands Are Ditching The 1A-4C Hair Scale. Experts Say You Should Too - Refinery29
Natural Hair Brands Are Ditching The 1A-4C Hair Scale. Experts Say You Should Too.
Posted: Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
However, with the right care and products, it’s possible to achieve healthy, defined curls. Your 4c hair is the tightest coiled texture, with strands sporting an incredibly small diameter and tightly wound zigzag patterns when dry. We recommend air drying because it’s the least-damaging option for 4C hair.
How to Care for Type 4 Hair To maintain Healthy?
They bind and hold your hair to prevent unnecessary breakage from friction. This lightweight, non-greasy serum repairs your hair strands and protects them from temperatures up to 450 degrees. The shine-enhancing formula helps seal your cuticles, which locks in moisture and keeps your strands smooth and shiny. Finding products that give your coils the care they need can be difficult. Products can be too heavy, not moisturizing enough, or not worth the price. Some highly recommended detanglers are the Cantu Coil Calm Detangler, Alikay Naturals Knots Be Gone Hair Detangler, and Soultanicals Mango Dip Detangling Slip.
Type 2: Wavy Hair
The brand claims that the conditioner detangles hair in 10 minutes, as tested by over 100 curly-haired participants. The moisturizing formula also makes this conditioner ideal for fragile hair. For best results, apply to damp hair, then work the conditioner through in small sections from root to tip. 4B hair strand has a sharp angle that can make it difficult for sebum to fully cover the fiber, resulting in a lack of moisture that can result in dryness and frizziness.
How to Choose 4C-Friendly Hair Products
For type 4a specifically, often people describe the ringlets as having the circumference of a crochet needle. Like all type 4 patterns, it is dry and prone to breakage but less so than the others in the group. It's also usually very dense and lush, meaning the strands are tightly packed together. The pulled back puff hairstyle is ideal when you can’t be bothered to braid your hair or you just want your coils out of your face. Simply slick strands back using a clear hair gel like the L’Oréal Paris Studio Line Invisi Gel while leaving the length loose to be tied back into a ponytail. This fluffy hair moment seems to come back in trend every few decades with added twists to make it more personal.
Harsh chemicals that strip your 4C hair’s natural oils should also be avoided. Understanding and effectively caring for your unique hair type requires a reliable reference guide. We all start somewhere on our hair care journey, often using hair typing systems like those by Andre Walker or Naturally Curly.
Well, the sweetest thing about classifying your hair patterns is that you can understand how to take care of your hair texture and get more versatility. The hair has a very similar texture to 4B and was not initially categorized by Andre Walker in the hair type system due to its similarity. The main distinction in the hair pattern is that it is tightly coiled and more fragile. The hair type is the most curled of all hair; it is often called Afro hair. It forms a zigzag pattern that is almost unrecognizable by the human eye. The zig-zag pattern of the 4B coils is hard to see, so the curls are less defined than in 4A hair.
Because of its unique characteristics, there are some clear advantages to having 4C hair. Your go-to spot for the latest in beauty, lifestyle, and all things fabulous. Ashley Pena brings over 13 years of seasoned writing and editing expertise, fortified by her Bachelor of Science in Management. Esteemed in the beauty domain, her content captivates readers with its depth and authenticity. While she navigates a broad spectrum of beauty trends, Ashley shines particularly as our resident K-beauty guru.
Although requiring specialized care, embracing the right techniques liberates your hair’s true potential, allowing those tiny coils to thrive. Bantu knots or Zulu knots are an easy protective style for 4C hair. Adding protein to your hair with protein-enriched products can help strengthen and fortify each strand to make stretching easier and shrinkage less significant. We’ll talk more about fighting shrinkage in the Drying and Styling 4C Hair sections below. The 4C hair type deals with the most shrinkage of all type 4s (4A, 4B, and 4C).
Both strategies work together in hair care science to not only add water molecules but also preserve those that are already there. You can also try using heat to open the cuticles and help moisture to penetrate your 4C hair. A hot oil treatment, microfiber towel, or steam cap can all help improve moisture retention and keep your 4C hair looking healthy and hydrated.
It’s always an option to do nothing with your hair, but the result will be a matted mane that isn’t able to reach its potential. You may even have to try a few different products and styles before you find the ones that work best for you. These strands tend to be shiny with large, loose curls that have a diameter about the size of a piece of sidewalk chalk. The 4C hair type is the most fragile hair type because of its extremely tight kinky shape. Every kink and bend in the hair creates weakness along the strand.
Porosity is determined by how easily your hair can absorb water and products. If your hair has difficulty absorbing water and products, then it’s very likely that you have low-porosity hair. If your hair tends to absorb water too quickly and easily, you likely have high-porosity hair.
Apply a small amount of oil or serum to your fingertips and break the curls apart until you’ve achieved your desired style. Heat gently coaxes open your hair cuticles, which allows more of the conditioners’ strengthening and hydrating ingredients to penetrate your strands and imbue them with long-lasting moisture. Because 4C hair is naturally fragile, you should do everything possible to prevent damage. That includes eating a well-balanced diet and drinking plenty of water each day. As always, the important thing is to observe your hair’s condition. If it’s starting to look dull and dry, that’s a good sign that it’s time for a wash and a deep condition.
Hair porosity refers to how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Another favorite amongst naturals, this is created by leaving some hair in front, brushing the rest of your hair up, and securing it with a band. Cornrows are a classic protective style that are always better when twinning with a friend. We love this pompadour-inspired look for a chic shape that adds height to your style.
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