Now that you know the different hair types, it’s time to identify yours…
In our learning journey, you’ve already learned about the various hair types. Now, in this article, you’ll see how simple it is to identify your own hair type from the comfort of your home.
Following our classifications, we’ll guide you step by step on how to discover yours.
Our first classification is the easiest to figure out. It’s so simple, it’s surprising.
After taking a shower and thoroughly wetting your hair without applying any chemicals or products, let it air-dry naturally without combing it.
A) If your hair, whether short or long, dries straight without any curls or bends, your hair is Straight.
B) If your hair, whether short or long, dries with slight S-shaped waves, your hair is Wavy.
C) If your hair, whether short or long, dries with defined curls, your hair is Curly.
D) If your hair, whether short or long, dries with tight, well-defined curls, your hair is Very Curly or Afro.
The next step is determining:
1. Thickness (fine, medium, or thick hair)
– Fine hair: If you can’t feel each strand individually, and they tend to move together as a group, you have fine hair. Straight hair is fragile, breaks, and tangles easily. When wet, it can make your scalp more visible.
– Medium hair: If you can feel each strand when you touch it, your hair type is normal. Normal hair tends to be strong yet elastic.
– Thick hair: Generally, if your hair is thick, it has a lot of body, and even when wet, it retains its shape.
2. Density (the amount of hair you have)
Density refers to the amount of hair on your scalp at a given time. Many people confuse it with thickness, but practically speaking, someone can have thick hair but a low quantity of it, which is why I find this classification useful.
Hair is a living part of our body; we lose between 50 and 150 hairs daily due to its constant renewal process. There’s no need to count them every day! Just pay attention and observe what your hair is telling you.
If you have long hair, you can easily measure its density by tying it into a ponytail and measuring the circumference:
– If the circumference is less than 5 cm, the hair density is low.
– If it’s between 5 and 7.5 cm, it’s medium density.
– If it’s more than 10 cm, it’s high density.
If your hair is short, simply part a section with your fingertips and look in the mirror to observe the amount of hair. You’ll get your answers.
3. Porosity (your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture—dry, semi-dry, or moist)
Many people associate this characteristic with oiliness. While they are related, porosity refers to moisture, while oiliness is different, so it’s important to assess them separately.
How to test porosity at home: Place a clean strand of hair in a glass of water.
– If your hair is low porosity, it will float.
– If it has medium porosity, it will float and then slowly sink.
– If it has high porosity, it will sink immediately.
A simple tip: Take a hair strand from the root, preferably from the center of your scalp.
Finally, but equally important, is determining whether your hair is oily, dry, or normal.
It’s essential to understand that sebum is a natural lubricant that protects hair from various external factors. However, in people with oily scalps, the sebaceous glands are more active and produce more oil than normal. In dry hair, the glands are less active.
This test is very simple and requires nothing but your hands:
Wash your hair with basic products without using conditioner. Let your hair air-dry without applying any products. The next day, examine your scalp and roots. Touch it with your fingers:
– If it looks noticeably oily and your fingers feel slightly greasy, like you’ve touched petroleum jelly, then your scalp is oily.
– If your scalp feels tight or itchy, your hair is dry.
– If neither of these sensations occurs, your hair is normal.
Very Important:
Identifying and knowing your hair type doesn’t mean one type is better than another—each has its own characteristics.
What knowing your hair type allows is for you to correctly determine how to best care for it, what routine and products to use to ensure it has the best health, becoming the best version of itself as the frame of your face. So, you make a great impact when presenting yourself.
Try the tests and let us know what type of hair you have. Follow us, and we’ll tell you how to care for it with Melanobars‘ all natural hair care products.
