Hair textures range from straight to kinky and coily.
Understanding your hair texture can help you determine the best products and styles for you. It can also help you avoid over-styling and heat damage.
This article will cover the basics of hair types and textures: determining your hair type, its subcategories and whether it can change.
Fine Hair
Hair thickness is defined by the diameter of an individual strand, and there are three main types: fine, medium, and coarse. Depending on the genetic makeup of your locks, your hair texture may change, but it’s largely determined by how dense or thin it is to begin with.
If you have fine hair, the strands are lighter and have a smaller diameter than coarse or medium hair textures. This means that they’re prone to breakage and have less overall volume than other hair types.
The good news is that, unlike hair color or density, the thickness of your strands is something you can control with hair care and styling techniques. Styling fine hair is about adding volume, which can be done by using the right products and knowing the best ways to blow-dry, curl, flat iron or tease your tresses.
For instance, if you have fine hair, it’s important to use a lightweight product that doesn’t weigh down your strands and make them appear greasy or oily. Instead, try a texturizing spray or dry shampoo that can help to add some structure without any added weight or shine.
Similarly, you can try out this simple test at home to determine whether or not your hair is fine: Pluck a strand of your hair and examine it between your fingers. If you can’t feel a difference between it and a piece of thread, you have fine hair.
Another thing to keep in mind with fine hair is that it tends to get greasy faster than other hair types, because of its smaller surface area. This is why it’s so important to wash your hair more frequently, especially if you’re a heavy product user. This will prevent your hair from looking greasy or lifeless, and also helps to reduce breakage. You can also opt for a volumizing conditioner like our Lightweight Hair Treatment, which is infused with hero ingredient jojoba seed oil to give your locks a little extra boost.
Medium Hair
Whether your hair is straight, wavy or curly, it’s important to know how your hair texture influences its appearance and the type of hair care and treatment it needs. It’s also important to understand that your hair texture can change over time. For example, as you get older, your hair may become coarser due to the natural changes that occur with aging.
Fine hair is thin and has only two hair layers; the cortex and cuticle. This can make it fragile and easily breakable. It’s also prone to becoming oily and flat. Fine hair requires gentler treatment, and it’s less tolerant to heat, styling products and hair dye than other textures.
Medium hair is thicker than fine hair and has two or three hair layers; the cortex, cuticle, and medulla. It looks fuller and has more structure than fine hair, making it a bit easier to style. However, it’s still susceptible to frizz and can be easily pulled out of a ponytail or bun.
If your hair is medium, you’ll probably notice that it has a slight wave or a little curl to it. You can determine the texture of your hair by running your finger through it. If it lays flat, you have straight hair (type 1). If it has a slight curve to it or some small waves, then you have wavy hair (type 2 or type 3).
If your hair is medium and you want to try a new look, go for a long bob with blonde money-piece highlights. The color will add a pop of dimension and help showcase your natural hair texture. It’s also a great option for those who want to avoid dealing with too much maintenance. To keep your medium hair healthy and moisturized, use our No Poo Original, One Condition Original, Styling Cream and Light Defining Gel. This regimen helps to remove hard water minerals, dirt and product build-up that can cause dullness and heaviness.
Coarse Hair
Coarse hair is often characterized as dry, frizzy, rough, and unruly, but the good news is that it’s also luscious! It’s the natural texture that most people are born with, and it can be a real beauty asset when styled properly. To start, it’s important to understand what coarse hair means and how to keep it healthy and tamed.
To determine your hair type, stylists recommend grabbing a single strand and feeling it between your fingers. The standard is to compare the strand to a piece of ordinary sewing thread, and if it feels wider than that, you have coarse hair. The diameter of your hair doesn’t mean anything else about the strand’s structure, so you can still have curly, wavy, or even straight hair and still be considered coarse.
When it comes to caring for your coarse strands, the most important thing is to use products that deliver plenty of hydration. This is because your strands are thicker in width and tend to lose moisture more easily than other hair types. Regular heat styling, frequent shampooing, and hair treatments that contain harsh chemicals are all common causes of coarse strands, so it’s essential to avoid them whenever possible.
Another way to keep your strands hydrated is by using products that are formulated to be gentle on your locks. You can find many of these in our collection, including a shampoo for coarse hair that cleanses thoroughly without stripping your locks of their natural oils. You can also use a serum or leave-in conditioner for coarse hair that’s made to lock in moisture and give your strands a soft and smooth feel.
Besides providing a naturally thick and full appearance, your coarse strands can be the perfect base for many different styles. You can experiment with fishtail braids, twists, French braids, half-up-half-down ponytails, and more to create a beautiful, textured look that complements your unique hair texture. Just be sure to avoid blunt lines when getting a haircut, as these will give your hair a boxy or choppy appearance rather than the full and voluminous look you desire.
Thick Hair
If you have thick hair, you know that it can be tough to manage. You might struggle to keep your strands under control, or you may have problems keeping your hair looking shiny and smooth. This type of hair requires a special care routine to help it look its best, but it’s also easy to get the most out of your strands with the right haircut, products and styling tips.
If you’re not sure what your hair type is, try using a strand test to figure it out. This method involves grabbing a single hair strand and testing how thin or thick it is. If the strand is slimmer than a piece of thread, you have fine hair. If the strand is thicker than the thread, you have medium hair, and if it’s even thicker, you have coarse hair.
Hair types change over time for a variety of reasons, from the natural aging process to a new medication or diet. If your hair feels different than it used to, take note of when this change happened and how significant the change is so you can pinpoint what might be causing it.
The most common reason for a hair texture change is due to heat styling. Hair coloring, relaxing, perming and blow drying your hair on high heats can damage your strands and cause them to become dry and brittle. This can affect your hair’s ability to hold a curl or shine, and it might make it feel rough and wiry when touched.
The other major factor in changing hair texture is a change in diet and the health of your scalp. Having a healthy scalp and taking the right vitamins and minerals can help keep your hair hydrated and strong. This means eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and using nourishing hair products that can help nourish your strands. In some cases, a change in hair texture can be a sign of an underlying health issue, so if you notice this happening, talk to your doctor about it and find a solution.
