A popular discussion amongst the natural hair community is hair typing. Natural hair, in particular, can be extremely complex as one can have multiple hair textures. Subsequently, determining your hair type can benefit you greatly as you embark on this journey. Knowing your hair type can, not only, help you figure out which products work best with your particular grade of hair, but it can also help you determine which hairstyles will work best with your hair. As the natural hair movement has evolved, so have the hair typing systems. Currently there are three main typing systems, Andre Walker, L.O.I.S, and F.I.A. It's important to note that I don't endorse any particular one. I only seek to provide you with information that will help you make better-informed decisions about the care of your …show more content…
hair. What Does Hair Type Mean Exactly? Hair type refers to the bend, shape, and direction of your curl pattern. Some hair typing systems include letters that refer to the diameter, or width of your curl. Andre Walker Curl Type System Andre Walker's hair type system is perhaps the most well known. He amassed a huge following after Oprah revealed him as her personal hair stylist. Oprah has a pretty awesome head of hair, so it's safe to say that Andre knows his stuff. [FIX] {FFIXIXID]}} Each hair type is organized into four main categories, and then broken down into sub-categories. Type 1 - Straight This hair easily reflects shine and is very buoyant. On the plus side, this hair is difficult to damage. However, it's impossible for this hair type to hold a curl. This hair tends to retain large amounts of oil, because the *sebum works it's way down the hair shaft, from scalp to ends, without the interruption of curls or kinks. • Type 1a - Fine and thin hair with noticeable amounts of shine. Hard to hold curl and also tens to be oil. Very difficult to damage. • Type 1b - Medium textured hair that has more volume and body than Type 1a. • Type 1c- Hair is coarse in texture. It is typically bone straight and difficult to curl. Many Asian women fall into this category. Styling Tips: Hair can be sensitive to oiliness, so try to avoid very heavy products like butters and creams. Light oils and serums should be used sparingly. Type 2 - Wavy This hair type employs a very loose curl pattern that is follows the shape of an "S" throughout the head. The curl pattern hangs very low, and adheres closely to the head. The hair will not bounce up very much, even if it is layered. • Type 2a - Hair thin and fine. Hair can easily be curled or straightened. • Type 2b - Medium hair that typically has waves that are likely to follow the shape of your head. Hair can be resistant to styling. • Type 3c - Hair tends to frizz easily and is moderately coarse. Waves typically are thicker than 2b. Styling Tips - This hair is not as reliant on products that are moisturizing. Use lighter products like mousse or gels that can enhance the curl. Try to avoid thick moisturizers or butters, as they will weigh the hair down. Avoid a lot manipulation and air-dry the hair. A dab of pomade works wonders to keep flyaways at bay. Sleep on a satin pillowcase to help keep curl shape and avoid tangles. * Many African American women fall into the 3 or 4 category. Type 3 - Curly or Curly Kinky This hair type has a tendency to experience multiple curl patterns on the head. Hair can be either tightly curled or kinky. The curl pattern resembles an "S" pattern or corkscrew shape, depending on if you fall into the A, B, or C subcategory. Curls generally are springy and very well defined. • Type 3a - Curl pattern is loose with a mix of hair textures. Hair is thick with a lot of body. There is a defined "S" pattern that becomes even more defined, the longer the hair becomes. Hair is prone to frizziness. • Type 3b - Medium amount of hair with a tighter curl pattern. Also contains a mixture of hair texture. Styling Tips - Moisture is a Type 3's best friend. Oils, butters, and creams will help keep the hair pliable and shiny. Always use conditioner whenever detangling during washday. Be sure to keep hair manipulation to a minimum, and sleep on a satin pillowcase whenever possible. Type 4 - Kinky Hair Hair texture is tightly coiled. It is wiry, very fragile and can be prone to dryness. Although kinky, Type 4 hair can run the gamut from very fine to coarse, with multiple strands stacked together. It has very few cuticle layers, meaning product does not move easily through the hair shaft. • Type 4a - Hair is soft and fragile. Hair pattern is very tightly coiled and has a more defined curl pattern. • Type 4b - Hair is wiry, very fragile, and tightly coiled. Has a much less defined curl pattern, in the pattern of a "Z" shape. Styling Tips - This hair needs to be moisturized much more than Type 1 or 2 hair. Therefore weekly or biweekly conditioning treatments are recommended. Allow hair to air-dry whenever possible, and avoid using a brush or comb on dry hair. To maintain hairstyle, sleep on a satin pillowcase. L.O.I.S African American Natural Hair Typing System L.O.I.S is a thorough guide that classifies hair based upon the visual shape of the hair.
To determine your type, you will need to find your hair size by comparing it to a strand of thread. How the thickness of your hair compares to the thread will determine if it is fine, medium or coarse. Select a single strand of hair and place it on a white piece of paper. You should do this after the hair has been washed and is void of any product to ensure a thorough classification. If you hair is thinner than the thread, than it is fine. If it is the same size, then it is medium, and if is thicker than the thread, then it is coarse.
L Pattern - Hair appears to have an L shape, and bends without any appearance of a curve.
O Pattern - Hair looks like a spiral, exhibiting multiple strands that are rolled up into the shape of an "O" or the number zero.
I Pattern - Hair resembles the shape of an "I" and lies completely flat with no appearance of a bend or curve.
S Pattern - Hair resembles the letter "S" and slopes and dips, like hills and valleys.
* Note is possible to exhibit a combination of all hair patterns on one grade of
hair. F.I.A Hair Typing System F.I.A greatly expands upon the Andre Walker system. It is divided into three classifiers, (1) Curl shape (2) What strands look like (3) the volume of your hair. First Classifier Straight Ones • 1a - Bone straight. • 1b - Straight, but has a minor body wave. However hair does not appear wavy. • 1c - Straight with a body wave. Minimal amount of an "S" wave that could appear at the nape of the neck. Wavy Ones • 2a - Very loose, stretched out "S" shape wave pattern throughout the hair. • 2b - Waves appear shorter, and have a more distinct "S" wave. • 2c - Hair contains a distinct "S" shape and odd spiral curl pattern interspersed throughout the hair. Curly Ones • 3a - Hair contains spiral curls that are loose and big. • 3b - Hair resemble bouncy ringlets. • 3c - Hair is much more tightly coiled into the shape of corkscrews. Really Curly Ones • 4a - Very tightly coiled "S" shape pattern. • 4b - Very tightly coiled that bends into sharp angles, resembling a "Z". Second Classifier F - Fine - Hair appears to be translucent when held up to the light. Shed hair is often difficult to see against a background that is a similar hair color. If rolled in between fingers, fine hair is difficult to feel and feels like an ultra-thin piece of silk. M- Medium - Hair is thicker than fine hair, but not as thick as coarse. Medium hair will feel like a cotton thread. It's easy to feel, however it isn't stiff or rough. C - Coarse - Hair is very thick and can easily be seen when shed. If you roll the strands of hair in between fingers, it feels hard and wiry. You may even notice that you can hear a sound as you roll it in between your fingers. Third Classifier i - fine hair that is less than 2 inches. ii - medium hair that is 2 - 4 inches. iii - thick hair that is more than 4 inches. Note that the hair typing system is not an exact science. It is possible that you could have more than one curl pattern on your head. The typing system is an excellent starting point for beginning to understand your hair. However, in addition to hair type, there are other factors to consider with regards to choosing hair products and styling techniques. Porosity, texture, density and elasticity all play a factor in how your hair behaves. Utilizing all of this information will provide you with an arsenal of tools to help you with product selection. Hair Keywords Sebum Shaft Density Porosity Elasticity
But when they let go, gravity pulls the hair back down. What was a straight line when pulled upwards may be staggered when dropped. So instructions for hairdressing include the angle – known as the ‘elevation’ – that the hair must be held out at, relative to the
This is one of the best hairstyles for long thick hair. It is incredibly simple and represents a perfect way to keep your hair out of the face preserving all styling points. You should start with gathering the hair into a high ponytail and secure it with some holder. The fishtail must be done by separating the ponytail into two sections, then grabbing small pieces from the outside of each section so that finally they meet in the middle. You proceed in the following way until the whole ponytail is braided. When you are through, secure the bottom with some ponytail holder. To finish the look you may spray your braided fishtail with a light hold finishing spray. If you apply a bit of a shine serum in a braid it will help you to hide any flyaways and, moreover, it will make your braid look shiny and soft. This braid hairstyle for women with long hair is absolutely
lip, skin folds at the corners of the eyes, indistinct groove on the upper lip, and an
“Ever since African civilisations bloomed, hairstyles have been used to indicated a person’s marital status age, religion, ethnic identity, wealth and rank within the community” (2002:3)
Hair is an important part of our body. It can be found anywhere and can be a useful evidence in forensic science. It consists of three layers, namely cuticle, cortex and medulla. Cuticle- is a covering that consists of hard scales made of keratin, which is a protein approaching tip ends of the hair. There are three types of cuticle: coronal, imbricated and spinous types. Cortex consists of stretched out beam shaped cells, buried with pigment granules for hair to cede with color and is the main body of the hair shaft. It may also contain pigment granula, ovoid bodies and cortical fusi (Wright, 2008). Furthermore, medulla can be categorized into continuous, fragmental, absent and interrupted types. If medulla
is an unescapeable part of your life. Where your hair can not always be neat
Klensch, E. (1996, December 26). Hair in many hues -- trend will continue into '97. Retrieved March 17, 2004 from http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9612/26/hair/index.html
During an interview with Channel 4, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said that “hair is a political thing”. Indeed, the way people wear their hair tell something about them. As the author said, if a black woman wears braids, people will have a certain image of her, as a radical, an artist, a traditional African woman and so on. It opens the debate on what society consider as beautiful. Most of the time, straight hair would be considered as beautiful and professional. In Americanah, Ifemelu has an
# 1 Flowing Facial Hair His beard has reached chest length where he has trimmed it to have a neat, straight edge. He has grown out his moustache in the handlebar fashion; allowing it to be brushed into the beard. # 2 Man Braid
The hair is subdivided into several categories. Capillary interbreeding has helped to create new ones. However, a classification was established. 4 types of hair stand out. In category 1 are grouped hair smooth and stiff which does not buckle.
To create this hairstyle, women added “rats” in front of their head hairpieces, usually made from their hair and by saving all the hair from their hairbrushes in a small container made of glass or ceramic. The “Gibson Girl” hairstyle included one of three designs:; 1. A chignon which involves tying the hair in a knot at the collar of the neck and is very simple; 2. The top bun - a loose bun tied at the crown of the head; and, 3. the psyche knot which is very similar to a high normal bun.
A hairstyle should work with a person's face shape and complement his or her features. It's a good idea to check websites that involve how to create hairstyles. Be sure the person who is your hair is experienced.
There are four groups of whorls: plain (concentric circles), central pocket loop (a loop with a whorl at the end), double loop (two loops that create an S-‐like pattern) and accidental loop (irregular shaped). Whorls make up about 35 percent of pattern types. Arches -‐ create a wave-‐like pattern and include plain arches and tented arches. Tented arches rise to a sharper point than plain arches.
# 11 Bow-tie Beauty This models extra-long creamy dark brown and caramel hair has been woven into a masterpiece! The style is voluminous and thick and the stylist has used crimping to create added texture. The hair has been braided into a loose bow-tie style braid with lots of flyaway strands that ends in a teased knot at the tip. # 12
Her hair is ombre colored. It fades from dark brown to blonde. The woman’s hands are raised so we can see the actual length of her hair. The third image is a photograph