Identifying Your Hair Type: The Definitive Guide

We often believe we understand our hair type, just as we do with our skin. Recognizing it is crucial for maintaining an effective hair care routine. However, as straightforward as it may seem, selecting the right products can be a daunting task. Once you've identified your type, it greatly influences the success of your daily hair care.

Today, we'll provide some tips to help you accurately determine your hair type. Let’s delve into the steps:

I. Define your hair texture
The simplest method is to let your hair air dry after washing.

• Straight: Hair lies flat from the roots to tips. It doesn't have any wave or curl.
• Wavy: Hair dries with a slight curve or “S” shape. The wave might be loose and can range from soft waves to more noticeable, beachy waves.
• Curly: If your hair dries with distinct loops or spirals, it's curly. The curls might range from loose, bouncy loops to tight, springy curls.
• Coiled: Hair with very tight curls or zig-zag patterns. It tends to shrink when dried and is densely packed.
• Kinky: This type of hair has a more defined zig-zag pattern that starts at the scalp. It can be fragile and has a coarse or wiry texture.

II. Define your hair structure
A simple test involves taking a single strand from your hairbrush and placing it on a flat surface. Next, cut a piece of sewing thread about six inches long and place it next to your hair strand.

• If your hair seems thinner than the sewing thread, it's fine.
• If it appears thicker, it's coarse.
• Anything in between is medium.

Attributes:

• Fine hair is often delicate and usually struggles to hold curls.
• Medium hair is relatively easy to style and retains its shape well.
• Thick hair holds curls excellently but can often be challenging to style due to its reduced flexibility.

III. Define your hair porosity
Porosity reflects your hair's ability to absorb moisture and products.
To test, place a single hair strand in a bowl of water.

• If your strand sinks, it has high porosity, meaning it absorbs a lot of moisture.
• If the strand remains submerged but doesn't touch the bowl's bottom, your hair has balanced porosity.
• If the strand floats, your hair has low porosity, indicating it doesn't absorb moisture readily.

What does it all mean?

• High porosity hair often absorbs moisture quickly due to gaps or tears in the cuticle, which can leave it dry and brittle.

Solution: avoid frequent heat styling and harsh chemicals. Instead, opt for hydrating products and treatments.

• Low porosity hair has cuticles that lay flat, preventing moisture absorption. 

Solution: apply products to damp hair to enhance absorption and distribution.

IV. Define scalp moisture

The easiest way to define is to determine how oily scalp is, is to look at your hair and scalp on the day after a wash. 

• If your roots appear flat and greasy, you’re most likely dealing with an oily scalp. 

Solution: avoid washing hair every day.

• If you suffer from flaking, your scalp is dry.

Solution: Use gentle products like our Hydrating shampoo and conditioner, free from synthetic colorants and parabens. 

Once going through these tests, you`ll have a better understanding of your hair type. This knowledge will simplify and enhance your hair care routine.