Wash your hair and let it air-dry without products
Check your natural curl pattern
Straight hair lies flat with no visible bend
Wavy hair forms loose S-shapes
Curly hair forms defined spirals or ringlets
Coily hair forms tight curls, zigzags, or very small coils
Feel the thickness of a single strand
Fine hair feels thin and delicate
Medium hair feels neither thin nor coarse
Thick hair feels strong and substantial
Check your hair density
Low density means fewer strands on your scalp
Medium density means moderate fullness
High density means very full or crowded strands
Look at how your hair behaves when wet
Straight hair dries with little shape
Wavy hair may look straighter when wet
Curly and coily hair keep more of their pattern when wet
Notice how easily your hair frizzes
High frizz often appears in wavy, curly, or coily hair
Check how well your hair holds styles
Hair that holds curls easily is usually wavy, curly, or coily
Hair that resists curling is usually straight
Examine your scalp oiliness
Oily roots with dry ends are common in many hair types
Determine your porosity
Low porosity hair resists water absorption
Medium porosity hair absorbs and retains moisture well
High porosity hair absorbs water quickly and loses it quickly
Compare your hair to common hair type charts
Type 1 is straight
Type 2 is wavy
Type 3 is curly
Type 4 is coily
Identify your hair’s subtype
Type 1A is very straight and fine
Type 1B is straight with slight volume
Type 1C is straight with more body
Type 2A is loose waves
Type 2B is defined waves
Type 2C is strong waves
Type 3A is loose curls
Type 3B is springy curls
Type 3C is tight curls
Type 4A is soft coils
Type 4B is zigzag coils
Type 4C is very tight coils
Check more than one section of your head
Hair type can vary across the scalp
Use your natural hair pattern, not heat-styled hair
Recheck after a few washes if needed