How to care for different hair types

It is important to know your hair type in order to use the most appropriate products and take care of the hair correctly, keeping them with shine, movement and softness.

The hair can be straight, wavy, curly or curly, and for each type of hair there are variations in the thickness, volume and shine of the hair strands. So, see this classification and check your hair type to take good care of it and use the most suitable products.

1. Straight hair characteristics

Straight hair is usually very silky, as the natural oiliness of the strands can reach the ends of the strands, however, the constant use of flat iron or babyliss can make the hair dry.

How to care: To avoid dryness, straight hair needs hydration every two weeks and each wash should use thermal protective creams before using the dryer or flat iron.

Below are examples of straight hair types.

Fine straight: very smooth hairs, without volume and drained, that do not shape or hold anything, not even a hairpin. In addition, this type of hair is often prone to oiliness. See how to control this problem by clicking here. Medium straight : straight hair, but with a little volume, and it is already possible to shape the ends and to put hairpins. Thick straight : hair strands smooth, but thick and with volume. You can arm easily and are difficult to model.

Straight Hair Types

See more tips on smooth and fine hair care.

2. Wavy hair characteristics

Wavy hair forms S-shaped waves, which can be straight when brushed or curly when kneaded, forming loose curls.

How to care: To define the waves, you should use creams to comb or curl activators, and prefer cuts in layers, as they give more movement to the waves. This type of hair needs a deep hydration every two weeks, with specific masks or creams to moisturize, and the dryer and the board must be left aside so that the waves are more defined and shiny.

Below are examples of the types of wavy hair.

2A - Fine wavy: wavy hair, very smooth S-shaped, easy to style, almost smooth. It usually doesn't have much volume. 2B - Medium wavy: wavy hair, forming a perfect S. They tend to have frizz and are not very easy to model. 2C - Thick wavy: wavy and bulky hair strands, starting to form loose curls. In addition, they do not stick to the root and are difficult to model.

Wavy Hair Types

Find out how to keep your hair always beautiful in: 5 steps to perfect hair.

3. Curly hair characteristics

Curly hair forms well-defined curls that look like springs, but tends to be dry, so it is not recommended to use dyes in this type of hair, so as not to dry out further.

How to care: Ideally, curly hair should be washed only twice a week with anti-frizz shampoos or for normal hair, and with each wash the strands should be hydrated with treatment cream or hydration mask.

After washing, leave in, which is the combing cream without rinsing, and let the hair dry naturally, as the use of a hairdryer and straightener dries the curls.

To shape the hair and define the curls, leave in can be used daily, requiring only to remove the cream from the previous day with water. Another product that can be used is the dot repairer, which gives shine and softness, and must be applied with the threads already dry.

Below are examples of the types of curly hair.

3A - Loose curls : natural curls, wide and regular, well formed and round, usually fine. 3B - Closed curls : narrow and well formed curls, but more closed than the loose and thicker curls, tending to be armed.
3C - Very closed curls : very closed and narrow curls, sticking together, but with a defined pattern.

Curly Hair Types

To keep your hair hydrated and with defined curls, see 3 steps to hydrate curly hair at home.

4. Characteristics of curly hair

Kinky or afro hair is different from curly hair because it stays curled even when it is wet. In addition, curly hair is fragile and dry, as oiliness cannot travel through the hair strands, so hydration should be done weekly.

How to care: It is important that hydration is done with hot water and thermal caps, but the completion of hair washing should be done with cold water, as this avoids frizz.

In addition, you should use the cream to comb and let the curls dry naturally, just removing excess water when kneading the hair with paper towels. But when using the dryer is necessary, a good tip is to pass a little gel on the ends of the hair, over the combing cream, and use the diffuser to define the curls.

Below are examples of the types of curly hair.

4A - Soft curly : small, defined and very closed bunches that look like springs. 4B - Dry curly : very closed, zigzag-shaped bunches, less defined than soft curly. 4C - Curly without form: very closed curls, in the shape of a zigzag, but without any definition.

Learn how to moisturize curly hair.