It’s time to learn more about your hair! In this series you’ll get more intimate with your locks to determine what hair type category you belong to, and you’ll learn how your hair type determines what products work best to make your hair blossom to its fullest potential. If you weren’t too sure about the curl pattern or texture that best describes your hair and it’s behaviour, here at BriaHair is where you’ll find out.
Hair type attributes to how much curl and how thick a single strand of hair is on your head. Finding your hair type can either be fairly easy or extremely difficult – there’s no in between! The reason for this is because some people have more than one type of strand on their head. It can be hard to decipher which bracket your hair may fall into, but hair-typing is merely a rough guide to better understand how to care for and treat your hair better.
Hair types are identified between numbers 1 and 4, ranging from a to c. These types can be quite similar, but hopefully you won’t get your locks in a twist trying to decipher which one is which. Don’t worry, your hair is safe in our hands.
Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
Ready, set, slay.
Type 1: Straight hair
Straight-haired ladies whip your hair back and forth! This is the hair that is the most resilient out of all the hair types and reflects the most sheen. Luckily, type one hair is hard to damage, but the main downside is that it’s almost impossible to curl. This texture is common among those of Asian and European descent. The glands in the scalp produces natural oils, known as sebum, which works its way from the scalp to the ends of the hair. Those with type one hair have the beauty of the sebum oil running through the hair without the interference of curls or kinks, making it the most sleek and shiny hair texture of all. Type one hair is beautiful when you take the time and effort to take care of it
Type 1A hair is identified as having no body or volume whatsoever. In fact, the hair is usually bone straight. Those of you who have had to battle to curl your hair, only for it to not hold the style, will understand this completely. According to some women, type 1A hair looks the best when it’s first washed and dried, as the oils have been washed away. Using too much conditioner, however, can make the hair greasy. A vicious cycle.
Type 1B hair is quite similar, however it has more body. Many people fall into this category; it is simple to distinguish the two, as 1B hair can hold a curl and tends to have slight bends towards the end of the strands. Due to the characteristics of type one hair, these fine strands tend to stick to the head.
Type 1C has more body and is not completely straight. This type is not to be confused with wavy hair, as 1C hair has random bends here and there, and not just at the ends. This hair type is thicker, more coarse, and has a tousled look when it dries on its own.
Maintenance tips:
Type one hair can be complex, so you have to baby the locks in order to achieve maximum natural sheen that this hair type is known for. You want to be able to rock your best style, while at the same time keeping the hair healthy and happy! Little steps can be taken to ensure this.
- Using a thickening shampoo. L’Oreal Paris Advanced Haircare Volume Filler Shampoo and Conditioner works wonders, but only use the latter at the ends and rinse thoroughly!
- When styling the hair, spritz on some heat-protecting spray to replenish moisture. Tresseme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Spray feels light to the hair but does well to protect against damage.
- Use Vitamin E supplements and drink plenty of water to improve the shine of your hair.
- Avoid oils and silicone serums, as they weigh down fine hair and reduce volume.
We hope you enjoyed and learnt a thing or three about this hair type. Stay tuned for Part two, where we will discuss type two, wavy hair. Please share and comment below, we would love to hear from you x
fo@briahair.com www.briahair.com
Written by: Deborah Lewis