Tendance Cheveux : Identifying 4a, 4b, 4c Hair: The Curly Mystery Solved

Curl types are not created equal, but they all need the right hair care to look their absolute best — and this is one of the reasons why you should know where your 4a hair texture ends and 4b hair pattern begins, as well as how to maintain the great 4c hair look. Yes, curls are tricky and whimsical. But once you get to know them, you will be able to tame them for good and make friends with a flawless, well-shaped, and super defined mane.

Since Type 4 hair embraces different types of natural hair, girls with slightly wavy or curly-ish hair are unlikely to identify their texture as kinky curly hair. But, if you’re a natural-haired girl, it’s essential to know the difference between 4a, 4b, and 4c textures to find the right hair care routine. That’s why we’ve made this ultimate post, where we break down all you need to identify your curly hair type and share essential tips to take care of it.

Type 4 Is for Coily and Kinky

First things first, Type 4 stands for all the flirty kinks, coils, and tight afro hair ringlets. Referred to as kinky or Afro-textured, this hair type looks robust and thick while being fragile and prone to dryness due to its soft hair cuticles.

Curls may vary in size, shape, and width, so the hair type itself splits into three more sub-types.

Q: What are the 4 types of hair?

A: Type 1 is straight hair, Type 2 is wavy hair, Type 3 is curly, and finally, Type 4 is coily hair. Modern hair professionals have created a classification system with 4 main hair types, where each one has three sub-classifications based on the diameter of the wave or curl. That’s why we A’s stand for wider patterns, B’s for medium diameters, and C’s are the smallest.