5-step guide
How to find your hair type: a self-test
Five observations, about 20 minutes, no equipment beyond a pencil and a glass of water. Or just take the quiz - it asks these same questions in a guided format and outputs your type with a confidence score.
Take the quiz insteadBefore you start
- - Do this on a day when you wash your hair with your normal shampoo
- - The tests only work on clean, product-free hair - build-up from styling products affects the results
- - Have a pencil, a thick marker, and a glass of water nearby
- - Take notes - you'll compare multiple observations to arrive at your type
- - Most people are between two types, particularly at the 2C/3A, 3B/3C, and 4A/4B boundaries. That's normal, not a problem.
Observe your hair soaking wet
Time: 5 minutes
Instructions
- 1.Wash your hair with your usual shampoo
- 2.Do not apply conditioner, leave-in, or any other product
- 3.While your hair is still soaking wet, look at the pattern that forms naturally
What you observe
| What you see | Likely type |
|---|---|
| No wave or bend at all | Type 1 (Straight) |
| Soft, loose S-waves that lie fairly flat | Type 2A or 2B |
| Defined S-waves with body | Type 2C or 3A |
| Loose ringlets or corkscrews forming | Type 3A or 3B |
| Tight corkscrews, pencil-diameter or tighter | Type 3C or 4A |
| Tight coils or barely visible pattern when wet | Type 4B or 4C |
Note: The wet pattern is the most reliable single indicator. Some types look similar wet and dry; others change dramatically. Type 4 in particular often looks different wet versus dry because of shrinkage.
Let it air-dry with no product
Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on density
Instructions
- 1.After observing the wet pattern, let your hair air-dry completely
- 2.Don't touch it while it dries - touching breaks up the natural pattern
- 3.Don't use a towel or diffuser - straight air-dry only
- 4.Once fully dry, observe the pattern again
What you observe
| What you see | Likely type |
|---|---|
| Stays straight | Type 1 |
| Waves visible but may frizz or fall | Type 2 - A, B, or C by how defined |
| Ringlets visible but smaller than wet | Type 3 - A, B, or C by diameter |
| Significant shrinkage, pattern less visible | Type 4 - A, B, or C by pattern visibility |
Note: Compare your wet and dry patterns. A big difference indicates higher shrinkage - a Type 4 feature. If your hair looks like 3A when wet but shrinks to 1-2 inches when dry, you may be Type 4 rather than Type 3.
Curl diameter test
Time: 2 minutes
Instructions
- 1.Pick up a single natural curl or coil in your dry hair
- 2.Hold a standard pencil next to it
- 3.Hold a thick marker next to it
- 4.Compare the diameter of your curl to each object
What you observe
| What you see | Likely type |
|---|---|
| No curl to compare - straight | Type 1 |
| Curl is wider than a thick marker | Type 2C or 3A |
| Curl fits around a thick marker | Type 3A or 3B |
| Curl fits around a pencil | Type 3C |
| Curl is tighter than a pencil | Type 4A, 4B, or 4C |
Note: For Type 4 hair where a visible defined curl is hard to see when dry, this test works better on freshly washed wet hair before the coils tighten up from drying.
Measure your shrinkage
Time: 5 minutes
Instructions
- 1.Find a section of your hair
- 2.Gently stretch it straight from root to tip and measure the length in cm or inches
- 3.Release it and let it return to its natural dry state
- 4.Measure the natural dry length
- 5.Calculate: (stretched length - dry length) divided by stretched length x 100
What you observe
| What you see | Likely type |
|---|---|
| 0-5% shrinkage | Type 1 |
| 5-20% shrinkage | Type 2 |
| 20-50% shrinkage | Type 3 |
| 50-75% shrinkage | Type 4A or 4B |
| 75% or more | Type 4C |
Note: Shrinkage is one of the most useful sub-type identifiers. If your shrinkage percentage is significantly higher than the type you've identified from pattern alone, trust the shrinkage - especially in the 3C/4A and 4B/4C boundary zones.
Porosity float test
Time: 5 minutes plus observation
Instructions
- 1.Take a clean strand of hair that fell out naturally - not one you pulled
- 2.Your hair should be clean and free of product for this test
- 3.Place the strand on the surface of a glass of room-temperature water
- 4.Wait 3-4 minutes without disturbing the glass
- 5.Observe where the strand is in the water
What you observe
| What you see | Likely type |
|---|---|
| Floats on top after 3+ minutes | Low porosity |
| Slowly sinks to the middle | Medium porosity |
| Quickly sinks to the bottom | High porosity |
Note: This isn't part of your curl type but it is essential for product selection. See our full porosity guide for what each level means for your routine.
Putting it together
After completing all five observations, you should have a picture that points to one or two types. Cross-reference with the chart on the homepage or use the quiz for a more guided result. If your pattern observations point to two different types (common in the 3B/3C and 4A/4B zones), note both - you may genuinely be between the two, which is the most accurate description.
Remember: the type is shorthand, not identity. Use it to find useful products and routines, not as a fixed category. Your hair can change slightly with age, hormones, heat use, and chemical treatment. Re-type yourself periodically if your hair behaviour changes significantly.