How to find your Hair Texture Type

Determining your hair type is a starting point to finding the right products and styles for your hair. Norigami’s curl type system focuses on types 2 (wavy), types 3 (curly) and types 4 (coily). The subclassifications - from A to C - are based upon the diameter of the wave, curl or coil.

Our goal here is to help clear up any confusion, so you can not only understand your hair type, but find the best products that work for your unique hair type, and embrace it.

We hope this guide will help you embrace the natural beauty of your hair type and maybe even give you some new insight on how to manage your hair with our products.

If you are born with curly, wavy or curly hair we must understand that the amount of waviness or lack of it depends on the number of disulfide bonds between the hair proteins found in the hair shaft; the greater the number of links, the curlier the hair and the fewer the links the straighter the hair.

Oprah Winfrey’s beloved hair stylist, Andre Walker, created a broad-spectrum hair typing system that classifies various hair textures and breaks each hair type down into 4 types with added sub categories.

One of the first things we must understand is the structure of the hair, since this determines the structure of the hair follicle, and therefore it will define your hair type, everything will depend on these factors, what type of Density and Thickness of the hair strand your hair has. 

 

Type 1 - Straight hair

Type 2 - Wavy hair

Type 3 - Curly

Type 4 - Curly / Crespo

 

Note: you may not fit perfectly into one category or subcategory. It’s normal to have a combination of several hair types on your head and that Most women have two or more textures at various parts of their head.

 

The main component of our hair is keratin, a protein that grows from the follicle. Keratin and other proteins are formulated in the cells of the hair follicle. All proteins become part of the hair and contain sulfur atoms that stick together and form a disulfide bond. If the two sulfur atoms in the same protein are at a distance, and join to form the disulfide bond, the protein will bend and create a flat strand that will cause your hair to curl or curl.

 

STRAIGHT HAIR

Straight hair is classified as a 1. Straight hair reflects the most sheen. It is also the most resilient hair of all the hair types. They are shaped at a small acute angle and tend to be thin or thick, but fall without moving from root to tip. This type of hair tends to have excess sebum production and tends to become oily really fast. Because the sebum (natural oil produced in the sebaceous glands of the scalp) gently works its way from the scalp to the ends without the interference of curls or kinks, it is the most oily hair texture of all. This hair type is hard to damage and almost impossible to curl.

WAVY HAIR

Wavy hair is classified as a 2. Wavy hair is somewhere between straight or wavy almost curly hair. It tends to have more shine than curly hair, but less than straight hair, therefore it tends to become greasy as the days go by. 

Wavy hair tends to be more prone to frizz. Wavy curls show a defined corkscrew pattern, it’s more elastic with the size of the circumference of the side, and can be easily alternated from straight style to soft curls.

Type 2B and 2C hair are more likely to have more wave than the type A…  type A waves can easily alternate between straight and curly styles, type B and C Waves are more resistant to styling.

WAVY HAIR STYLING TIP: Because wavy hair is more prone to frizz, anti frizz/humidity protective stylers are key for creating and keeping gorgeous waves. We have the ideal stylers kit for this hair type, as they provide the soft hold and frizz protection. Try to keep your fingers out of wavy hair, the more you tousle, the more frizz you experience.

Light stylizes with protection against frizz and moisture are ideal for maintaining and creating extraordinary waves, an example of these light creams and gels. 

Hair Types: 2A, 2B, 2C

 

CURLY HAIR

Type 3 textured hair is curly. You generally notice this type of hair when pulling a strand of hair you notice that it has a defined "S" shape. The S can even look like a "Z" on some occasions. It tends to have a defined pattern of curls instead. Type 3 curls are well-defined and springy about the size of a sharpie's circumference; 

Type 3 curls can vary from wide curls to tight corkscrew shape With or without product applied, this type of hair tends to have more body and definition, depending on the weather (Humidity = Frizz) and is more prone to damage. Lack of proper care often creates dull, shapeless curls. If you apply excess heat with a Blower or Iron this may be the reason why your curls may be mistreated.

Type 3B 3C has more tight coils with volume and lots of strands that are packed together to create this texture. 3C curls are much tighter in circumference and the texture has lots of volume. The stands are densely packed together, tightly curled and borderlines kinky hair.

 

CURLY HAIR STYLING TIP: Curly hair has more character and definition. If you apply too much styling product it can weigh down or get a greasy finish look, try applying little styling products for a beautiful voluminous result. The key to guaranteeing effortless, frizz free curls is a proper styling technique and product application. Always start with a fresh, clean palette on day #1. Begin with Cleansing, Conditioning, Moisturizing your hair. Then proceed to apply your styling product like our Hydrating Frizz Control Cream and/or  our Hydrating Soft Hold Gellie.

 Hair Types: 3A, 3B, 3C

 

VERY CURLY / COILY HAIR

Despite many misconceptions, this hair is usually very fine and fragile, it is usually fibrous and delicate in nature, it has a zigzag or “Z” pattern, it is very prone to breakage, so it requires gentle care. These curls are voluminous with a tighter circumference, like a pencil tip and when they are defined it looks like it has a lot of densely packed strands. 

The main challenges that coily hair women experience is a lack of definition, tangles, shrinkage, and breakage. You can rock your beautiful coils if you take the right steps for your hair health. Coily hair is dry by nature, it tends to break easily, so it is recommended that when cleaning the hair you use products that moisturize and hydrate the hair strand and also be able to gently detangle and avoid harsh chemicals as our Hydrating hair Bath shampoo and our Hydrating Cream Conditioner.

KINKY COILY HAIR CARE TIPS: There is a misconception that this type of hair does not grow, but the reality is that this type of hair grows at the same speed as other hair textures, however, if it is not treated properly, it can tend to break very easily. The care should be gentle, try using a satin or silk pillowcase to protect your coils.

Well-hydrated hair is more flexible than dry hair, therefore, the key to keeping it healthy and shiny is good hydration, before washing apply a deep treatment and then remove with your sulfate-free shampoo, apply conditioner and carefully detangle to that the hair does not break, try to use products filled with natural oils that hydrate the strand. Use thicker styling gels and creams that help define the curl as our Hydrating Frizz Control Cream and for a more voluminous result our Hydrating Soft Hold Gelli.

Hair Types: 4A, 4B, 4C