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Hey girl, what’s your type? Find out your hair type and subtype with our accurate, quick hair type quiz. Answer 3 easy questions to see which best describes your hair’s unique texture, thickness, and shape!
Why Take a Hair Type Quiz?
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Stifling as they may be, labels and categories help us make sense of the world around us. Turns out, they can also help make sense of our hair and why it’s doing…whatever it’s doing up there.
Whether it’s straight, wavy, curly, or coily, all hair can be divided into a type and subtype that explains which products, styling methods, and hair care routines are best for your specific strand type. But how do you determine what your own hair is?
Sure, you can use a hair type chart. We’ve even made one below. Or, you can take a more catered approach with our short hair type quiz to unlock the mysteries of your hair and reaching your mane’s full potential.
Determining your hair type goes beyond knowing whether your hair is straight, wavy, curly, or coily. You also need to know the texture and thickness of your strands and take an honest look at how your hair behaves in different scenarios.
The similarities between some of the different hair types makes matters worse. Just when you think you’ve pinpointed your hair as type 4A, you might learn that you also have some 3C characteristics and end up back at square one.
Good news – taking our hair type quiz will help you settle the debate for good and find out what your hair type really is. By answering 4 easy-peasy questions about your mane, we’ll be able to show you what your hair type is and offer some helpful tips and suggestions to help your hair look its best.
Our Super Easy Hair Type Quiz
Take a look at the questions below and choose the answer that most closely describes your hair to get the most accurate results. Ready to find out what your hair type is? Let’s go!
I Took the Hair Type Quiz. Now What?
Hey girl — you made it this far, so don’t stop now. Once you take our quiz to determine your hair type, you need to know how to care for it. Otherwise, what’s the point? Fortunately for you, we’ll show you a few do’s and don’ts to maximize your results.
Type 1: Straight
You have straight, type 1 hair. There’s no wave or curl to be found, but your hair is shiny, resilient, and super low maintenance. Your hair gets oily faster than other hair types thanks to the pin-straight shape of your strands. Even lightweight hair products may weigh your hair down and make it look greasy.
How to Care for Type 1 Hair
Type 1 hair typically struggles to hold a curl, so embrace your sleek texture and give your hair a break from the curling iron. If you have thick or coarse type 1 hair, you might deal with some frizz – a tiny dab of lightweight anti-frizz serum can be a game-changer.
Use a sulfate-free shampoo so you can wash as often as needed without stripping your hair of its natural oils. And don’t forget to stock up on your favorite dry shampoo to keep greasy, flat roots at bay!
Learn More About: 1A Hair, 1B Hair, 1C Hair
Type 2: Wavy
Your hair is type 2 (wavy) and falls somewhere in between straight and curly. There’s a little bend in your strands, but they don’t form full curls. You may find that your waves look messy unless you heat style, use products, or use air drying methods to get heatless curls. Oiliness and frizz can be a problem with type 2 hair.
How to Care for Type 2 Hair
Lightweight styling products and adequate moisture are key to define your waves without the frizz. Try a leave-in conditioner to get lightweight hydration that brings out your natural waves. Opt for airy mousse instead of heavier gels and creams to lock in your style.
Texturizing salt sprays can help you inject new life into your waves. A sulfate-free shampoo can help you keep your hair clean without stripping it of moisture if you need to wash often due to oiliness.
Learn More About: 2A Hair, 2B Hair, 2C Hair
Type 3A: Curly
You have type 3A curly hair. Your curls are big and bouncy (about the size of a wine cork) with a defined S-shape that just won’t quit – unless you run into humidity. Frizz is a common problem for your hair type, and frizzy 3A curls tend to look fluffy and less defined. Type 3A hair is usually finer than other curly types.
How to Care for Type 3A Hair
To keep frustrating frizz at bay in your fine-to-medium curly hair, you should layer lightweight products to get the hydration and curl support you need.
A lightweight hair milk can deliver a dose of frizz-fighting hydration while an airy mousse defines each bouncy curl without feeling crunchy. Lighten up on moisturizing products if your roots look flat or greasy.
Type 3B: Curly
You have type 3B curly hair – your medium-sized curls are full of volume and bounce but may feel parched without adequate moisture. Your tight S-shaped curls are just about the width of a permanent marker.
Your strands are medium – not quite fine or coarse, so they can handle some slightly heavier products. That’s a good thing, because type 3B curls tend to have a mind of their own!
How to Care for Type 3B Hair
3B hair is usually dry due to the tighter curl shape and needs plenty of moisture to let the curls reach their full definition potential. Work an extra dose of moisture into every hair care step to minimize frizz and maximize the bounciness.
Mousse won’t cut it for 3B hair, so try lightweight curl creams that give your ringlets the support and hydration they need. Use a hydrating shampoo and conditioner to make moisture a part of every step in your hair care routine!
Type 3C: Curly
Your hair is type 3C – the curliest of all type 3 subtypes. Your tightly wound curls resemble corkscrews and are about the same width as a pencil. You’ve still got the classical curly S-shape going on, but your curls are so tight that it’s hard for natural oils to make their way down each strand.
As a result, your hair is likely very dry and soaks up moisturizing products almost instantly. Your strands may be medium to coarse and frizz is likely an everyday struggle.
How to Care for Type 3C Hair
Think of 3C hair care as no holds barred – your mane wants as much moisture, support, and definition it can get. Your medium to coarse texture makes heavier products not just acceptable, but almost required.
Look for heavy-hitting curl creams and gels that can offer your 3C corkscrew curls the scaffolding and support they need for frizzless definition and hold. And don’t skip the opportunity to moisturize when you wash – co-washing with a hydrating conditioner is a great idea for 3C hair.
Type 4A: Coily
You have type 4A coily hair with tight S- or O-shaped corkscrew coils that may shrink a bit when they dry. Your defined coils are about the same width and thickness as a coffee stirrer and do well with wash ‘n go styles, though you may need frequent touch-ups to combat frizz and tangles.
Springy, medium-coarse in texture, and always thirsty for moisture, your hair requires attention and the right products to meet its full potential.
How to Care for Type 4A Hair
Moisture and support are the main things type 4A hair needs to look its best. Your hair likely soaks up moisture as fast as you can apply it, so use heavyweight hydrating products that can both deliver moisture deep into strands and seal it in for lasting frizz protection.
Wash less frequently (1-2 times a week) and co-wash with hydrating conditioner to keep frizz to a minimum. Try a weekly hydrating hair mask to treat your springy strands to an extra nourishing dose of moisture!
Type 4B: Coily
You have type 4B hair with less-defined Z-shaped coils that resemble tiny zig zags. Your hair looks cotton-candy fluffy and may not show much coil definition without the help of hair products. Shrinkage is common with 4B hair, as is dryness.
Your hair soaks up moisture like a sponge, but loses it just as quickly. You may also deal with considerable frizz and tangles. Each strand is medium-coarse so your hair looks and feels very thick and dense.
How to Care for Type 4B Hair
Your coils tend to be porous and thirsty, so you really can’t over-moisturize type 4B hair. Focus on layering moisturizing products to get lasting hydration that won’t evaporate quickly. Co-washing with conditioner is recommended to make shampooing less drying for your Z-shaped coils.
Look for curl products with lots of hold – these types of products act like scaffolding for 4B hair that struggles to achieve coil definition. Layer your styling products with a moisturizing, sealing oil like coconut oil to prevent moisture loss throughout the day.
Type 4C: Kinky
Ooh, kinky! Your hair is type 4C with kinky, tight coils that don’t look like spiral curls. Your hair is coarse and dry but very fragile and prone to breakage. Type 4C hair tends to form a spongy, dense mat without showing lots of definition or noticeable coil groups.
Shrinkage is likely your biggest issue, with your hair shrinking up to 70% when it dries. Gentle, hair-stretching styles will be your best ally for the 4C hair type.
How to Care for Type 4C Hair
Dense, kinky, and dry, your hair needs a megadose of moisture and firm hold styling products that can coax a little definition from your tightly-wound strands and help them group into defined coil groups.
You should use an intensely hydrating hair mask at least once a week, co-wash with conditioner to avoid stripping when you shampoo, and rely on gentle protective styles that stretch your strands to combat the extreme shrinkage.
Did You Like Our Hair Type Quiz?
So there you have it — our very own (and easy to use) hair type quiz. We hope you learned the type of hair you have by answering a few simple questions. And while you’re here, be sure to check out our other complete guides!