Wash your hair and let it air-dry without products
Check your natural pattern when it is fully dry
Straight hair: no visible curl or wave
Wavy hair: loose S-shaped pattern
Curly hair: defined ringlets or spirals
Coily hair: tight curls, zigzags, or very small coils
Fine hair: thin individual strands
Medium hair: strands feel neither very thin nor very thick
Thick hair: strands feel coarse or substantial
Low porosity: water beads up and products sit on top
Medium porosity: hair absorbs and holds moisture normally
High porosity: hair absorbs water quickly and dries fast
Oily scalp: roots get greasy quickly
Dry scalp: roots feel tight, flaky, or dry
Frizzy hair: strands puff up easily in humidity
Flat hair: hair lacks volume and falls close to the scalp
Compare your hair to a hair typing chart if needed
Look at curl pattern, strand thickness, porosity, and scalp oiliness together