Identify Your Hair Type With Hair Texture Chart

Most people don't know their actual hair type. That means they use the wrong products, follow the wrong routines, and wonder why nothing works.

The most widely used system for classifying hair is the Andre Walker Hair Typing System. It sorts hair into four categories and 12 subtypes, from pin-straight (1A) to tightly coiled (4C). But your hair type alone doesn't tell the full story. Porosity, density, and diameter matter just as much.

In this guide, you'll learn how to identify your type using a complete hair type chart, test your porosity and density at home, and build a care routine that actually fits your hair.

Hair Type Chart: The Complete Guide (1A to 4C)

The Andre Walker Hair Typing System is the standard hair texture chart used by stylists and hair care brands worldwide. It breaks hair into four main types:

• Type 1: Straight

• Type 2: Wavy

• Type 3: Curly

• Type 4: Coily

Each type has three subtypes (A, B, C), going from the loosest to the tightest pattern. That gives us 12 types total.

However, this system only looks at curl pattern. It doesn't account for porosity, density, or diameter. Two people can both have 3B curls but need completely different routines based on these other factors. Think of the Andre Walker system as one piece of the puzzle. We'll cover the rest later.

Type 1: Straight Hair (1A, 1B, 1C)

Straight hair lies flat from root to tip with no curl or wave. It's often the shiniest type because natural oils travel down the shaft without any bends slowing them down. That's also why it tends to look oily the fastest.

• 1A: The straightest and finest. Lies completely flat, almost like silk. Hard to hold a curl.

• 1B: The most common straight type. A bit more body than 1A, with slight movement toward the ends.

• 1C: The thickest straight type. Has more volume and may show a faint wave in humidity.

What are the most common problems with straight hair?

Oiliness and flatness are the biggest issues. If your straight hair also looks limp, you might wonder whether it's thinning or just naturally fine. These are different things. Fine hair means each strand has a small diameter, while thin hair means fewer strands overall.

How should you care for straight hair?

• Use lightweight shampoos and conditioners that won't weigh hair down.

• Avoid heavy oils and butters.

• Try volumizing products at the roots for lift.

• If your hair gets oily quickly, wash every other day instead of daily.

Type 2: Wavy Hair (2A, 2B, 2C)

Wavy hair falls between straight and curly. It has a natural S-shaped pattern that can range from a barely-there bend to full, defined waves. The biggest challenge with wavy hair is inconsistency. One side of your head might wave more than the other, and humidity can change your pattern entirely.

• 2A: A loose, gentle wave that's easy to straighten or curl. Often mistaken for straight hair.

• 2B: A more defined S-wave that starts from the mid-length. Prone to frizz at the crown.

• 2C: The strongest wave pattern, bordering on curly. Thick, well-defined waves with noticeable frizz.

What are the most common problems with wavy hair?

Inconsistency and frizz are the biggest issues. One side of your head might wave more than the other, and humidity can change your pattern entirely.

How should you care for wavy hair?

• Use curl-enhancing creams or mousses to define your wave pattern.

• Dry with a diffuser instead of a regular blow dryer to reduce frizz.

• Avoid brushing dry hair, as it breaks up the wave pattern and creates puffiness.

Type 3: Curly Hair (3A, 3B, 3C)

Curly hair has a clear, springy curl pattern that wraps around itself. A simple way to picture the difference between subtypes is to compare them to everyday objects.

• 3A: Loose, wide curls roughly the size of a sidewalk chalk stick. Shiny with a well-defined spiral.

• 3B: Springy ringlets about the size of a marker. More volume and density than 3A.

• 3C: Tight corkscrews roughly the size of a pencil. Dense, with lots of texture and significant shrinkage.

What are the most common problems with curly hair?

Dryness is the number one issue for curly hair. The bends in each curl make it harder for natural oils to travel from root to tip. Shrinkage is also common, especially in 3C hair, where curls can appear much shorter than they actually are when stretched.

How should you care for curly hair?

• Follow a moisture-first approach. Use hydrating shampoos and deep conditioners.

• Apply leave-in conditioner on damp hair to lock in moisture.

• Avoid towel-drying with regular towels. Use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to reduce frizz.

• Detangle gently with a wide-tooth comb on wet, conditioned hair.

Type 4: Coily Hair (4A, 4B, 4C)

Coily hair has the tightest curl pattern of all four types. It can look dense and thick, but the strands themselves are often quite fine and delicate. The tight coils make it very difficult for scalp oils to reach the ends, which is why coily hair tends to be the driest of all hair types from 1A to 4C.

• 4A: Defined, tight coils about the size of a crochet needle. Has a visible S-pattern when stretched.

• 4B: Z-shaped bends rather than round coils. Less defined pattern, with strands that zigzag sharply.

• 4C: The tightest pattern, with very little visible curl definition. Shrinkage can reach up to 75%, meaning hair may look a fraction of its true length.

What are the most common problems with coily hair?

Extreme dryness and breakage top the list. Because of the tight curl pattern, coily hair is more fragile than other types. Shrinkage can also make it hard to see progress when growing hair out.

How should you care for coily hair?

• Use heavy moisture products like thick creams, butters, and oil-sealing methods (apply oil after a water-based product to lock moisture in).

• Protective styles like braids, twists, and updos help reduce breakage from daily manipulation.

• Detangle only when hair is wet and saturated with conditioner.

• Limit heat styling to prevent further dryness and damage.

Beyond Hair Type: Porosity, Density, and Diameter

Knowing your curl pattern is helpful, but it's only part of the picture. To truly understand what hair type you have, you also need to know your porosity, density, and diameter. These three factors determine how your hair absorbs products, how full it looks, and how it responds to styling.

Porosity refers to how well your hair absorbs and holds moisture. It depends on the condition of your hair's outer layer, called the cuticle. If you want to learn more, check out our guide on hair porosity explained.

• Low porosity: Cuticles lie flat and tight. Products tend to sit on top of the hair rather than soak in.

• Normal porosity: Cuticles open and close easily. Hair absorbs and holds moisture well.

• High porosity: Cuticles are raised or damaged, often from heat or chemical processing. Hair absorbs moisture fast but loses it just as quickly.

Density is how many individual strands grow on your head. It has nothing to do with how thick each strand feels.

• Low density: You can easily see your scalp through your hair, even without parting it.

• Medium density: Your scalp is partially visible when you part your hair.

• High density: Your scalp is hard to see, even when you try to part your hair.

Diameter (also called width) is how thick a single strand of hair is.

• Fine: A single strand feels like almost nothing between your fingers. Lighter than a piece of sewing thread.

• Medium: You can feel the strand, but it's not stiff or wiry.

• Coarse: The strand feels thick and strong, similar to a piece of twine.

Understanding all three helps you choose the right products. For example, someone with 2B waves, high porosity, and fine diameter needs a completely different routine than someone with 2B waves, low porosity, and coarse diameter.

How to Test Your Hair Type, Porosity, and Density at Home?

You don't need a salon visit to figure out your hair. Here are three simple tests you can do right now.

Test 1: Find Your Curl Pattern

1. Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and skip conditioner.

2. Let your hair air dry completely without touching or styling it.

3. Compare your natural pattern to the hair type chart descriptions above (1A through 4C).

Keep in mind that many people fall between two types. You might have 2C waves at your crown and 3A curls underneath. This is completely normal. Mixed textures are more common than having one uniform type across your whole head.

Test 2: Check Your Porosity (The Float Test)

1. Take a clean strand of shed hair (from your brush or comb).

2. Drop it into a glass of room-temperature water.

3. Wait two to four minutes.

• Floats at the top: Low porosity.

• Sinks slowly to the middle: Normal porosity.

• Sinks quickly to the bottom: High porosity.

Test 3: Measure Your Density (The Ponytail Test)

1. Pull all of your hair into a ponytail.

2. Measure the circumference of the ponytail.

• Less than 2 inches: Low density.

• 2 to 3 inches: Medium density.

• More than 3 inches: High density.

For diameter, simply hold a single strand between your thumb and index finger. If you can barely feel it, your hair is fine. If it feels solid and textured, it's coarse.

Conclusion

Your hair is more complex than a single label. A curl pattern tells you part of the story, but porosity, density, and diameter fill in the gaps that really matter when choosing products and building a routine.

Take a few minutes to run the tests in this guide. Most people sit between two types or have different patterns in different areas of their head. That's not a flaw. That's just how hair works. Your type can also shift over time as hormones, aging, and climate change your texture.

Once you understand your full hair profile, you stop buying products based on marketing and start choosing based on what your hair actually needs. You can also check which bad hair product ingredients to avoid when shopping.

If thinning is part of your hair story, iRESTORE's hair care solutions are designed to work alongside any hair type or texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can your hair type change over time? 

Yes. Hormonal shifts from puberty, pregnancy, or menopause can alter your curl pattern. Aging can also change hair texture and density. Chemical treatments and heat damage may temporarily or permanently change how your hair behaves.

2. What is the difference between hair type and hair texture? 

Hair type refers to your curl pattern (straight, wavy, curly, coily). Hair texture usually refers to the diameter of individual strands (fine, medium, coarse). People often use these terms interchangeably, but they describe different things.

3. What hair type is most prone to frizz? 

Types 2C, 3A, 3B, and 4A tend to experience the most frizz. Frizz happens when dry or damaged hair absorbs moisture from the air. High-porosity hair is especially prone to it regardless of curl type.

4. Is fine hair the same as thin hair? 

No. Fine hair describes the diameter of each strand. Thin hair means you have fewer strands overall, which is a matter of density. You can have fine hair that's very dense, or coarse hair that's thinning.

5. How do I know my hair type without going to a salon? 

Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo, skip all styling products, and let it air dry completely. Your natural pattern will show itself. Compare what you see to the 1A through 4C descriptions in this guide to find your closest match.

Disclaimer: The iRESTORE blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice or treatment. Please do not ignore professional guidance because of information you’ve read here. If you have concerns about your hair or skin health, we encourage you to consult a qualified healthcare professional