Figuring out your hair kind is likely one of the most necessary issues you are able to do for good hair well being. As soon as you understand which hair kind you have got, it’s a lot simpler to decide on the very best merchandise to take care of your curls correctly.
In the event you’re questioning, ‘what hair kind do I’ve?’, you’re not alone. It may be tough to work out your pure hair kind, particularly when you’ve got one of many curly or coily hair varieties. However our information will provide help to to decode your curl kind.
As soon as you understand your hair kind, porosity, and density, it’s simpler to grasp one of the best ways to care in your curls. So learn on to find the way to inform when you’ve got 3C hair, the way to take care of it, and the very best merchandise for 3C hair.

What Is the 3c Hair Sort?
The Andre Walker Hair Typing System categorizes straight hair as Sort 1, wavy hair as Sort 2, The Andre Walker Hair Typing System categorizes straight hair as Sort 1, wavy hair as Sort 2, curly hair as Sort 3, and coily hair as Sort 4. The letters describe how tightly the curls are fashioned: A has the loosest curls and C has the tightest curl sample.
3C is the final curly hair kind, however all curly hair varieties above kind 3B share some similarities, so 3C hair can look a little bit like 3B or 4A hair. It’s additionally widespread to have a mixture of curl varieties which implies that kind 3C hair might have just a few 3B or 4A strands blended in.
3C hair has loads of quantity and spring, with curls concerning the width of a pencil or straw. The strands have a basic corkscrew curl form, and a transparent S-shaped curl that is still even after they’re stretched. You’ll have high-quality, medium, or coarse hair or a mixture of hair textures.
You’ll additionally discover that 3C hair is susceptible to dryness, frizz, and harm as a result of your pure oils wrestle to journey down all the size of the ringlets. The curves and bends in 3C curls additionally trigger extra shrinkage than in lots of different hair varieties.
This pure hair kind can be susceptible to trichonodosis, the scientific identify for fairy knots. This occurs when a single strand will get twisted up with itself and is extra more likely to happen with curly or coily hair varieties. Fairy knots trigger breakage, however you may forestall this by following the care suggestions under.
3c Hair vs Different Hair Sorts
It could typically be tough to make certain when you’ve got the 3C hair kind or certainly one of its closest neighbors.
3B hair has unfastened curls in comparison with 3C hair, whereas Sort 4A hair has tight coils about the identical circumference as a crochet needle. Sort 4A curls have higher curl definition than Sort 3C and so they additionally expertise extra shrinkage.
How one can Care For 3c Hair
3C hair wants cautious consideration, however with a little bit effort, you may obtain a wonderful mass of soppy and outlined curls.
You might have to make just a few modifications to your care routine, and also you’ll additionally want to find out in case your hair has excessive or low porosity. Our Final Information to Hair Porosity will provide help to to resolve which you have got.
Excessive-porosity hair absorbs moisture simply however struggles to retain moisture, so a hydrating lotion or leave-in moisturizing gel is a good selection. Alternatively, moisture tends to take a seat on the floor of low-porosity hair so keep away from heavy oils and butters as they’ll trigger product build-up.
It would take some time earlier than you see an enchancment in your curls, so stick along with your 3C haircare routine. However if you happen to discover one thing isn’t working, be happy to attempt one thing completely different.
Listed here are some helpful suggestions that will help you take care of 3C hair:
Cleanse your 3C Hair Repeatedly
Some folks desire to scrub 3C hair as soon as per week, whereas others desire to scrub twice or thrice per week.
Nevertheless typically you select to scrub your hair, it’s important to keep away from sulfates, which might make your 3C hair even drier. So search for a moisturizing shampoo which can be sulfate-free. This can take away filth and product residue with out stripping away the pure oils that hold your scalp and hair wholesome.
You possibly can additionally attempt co-washing, which makes use of an everyday conditioner or co-wash as an alternative of shampoo. However this won’t be appropriate for low-porosity hair, which wants thorough cleaning to keep away from product build-up.

Add Moisture
Curly hair can wrestle with moisture retention and the curlier your hair, the drier it’s more likely to be.
That’s as a result of the form of your ringlets stops your scalp’s pure oils from reaching the total size of the hair strand. Including moisture to your hair is important for good hair well being, so each 3c hair routine wants to incorporate high-quality moisturizing merchandise.
Utilizing a leave-in conditioner repeatedly will enhance every day hydration, however don’t use one which accommodates hydrolyzed protein too regularly, as this may add to product build-up.
An everyday deep conditioner will drench your hair strands with moisture, particularly if you happen to incorporate warmth or steam into your deep conditioning remedy. Hair oils soak up nicely into the strands, so search for merchandise containing substances like jojoba, avocado, or castor oil.
And a curl cream is implausible for decreasing frizz and defining your curl sample.
The Proper Brush
A superb brush can outline curls and actually make them pop. But it surely’s necessary to decide on the fitting hairbrush and keep away from brushing your hair when it’s dry, as this causes frizz.
So give the boar-bristle brushes a miss and as an alternative go for a detangling brush with nylon bristles and gentle suggestions.
Learn extra: How To Detangle Curly Hair
Heatless Styling Methods
3C pure hair tends to be dry, and extreme publicity to warmth and chemical compounds can have an effect on curl patterns. The one strategy to treatment that is to chop your broken locks, so avoiding sizzling styling instruments as a lot as doable is crucial.
Air drying is finest in your 3C curls, however if you wish to use your blow dryer, connect an excellent diffuser and use a warmth protectant earlier than warmth styling. Heatless styling strategies like CurlFormers and banding can cut back shrinkage with out utilizing flat irons.
In the event you actually should attain for the flat iron, it’s necessary to try to decrease warmth harm. So keep away from the very best setting however make sure to select a temperature that may straighten your hair in a single go.
Correct Trims and Cuts
Common trims are important for wholesome hair progress and can assist to revive the pure curl sample to broken locks. Scheduling a trim each 8-10 weeks is okay for most individuals.
Don’t be tempted to overlook common trims simply since you wish to retain size in your locks. The dry, break up ends will progressively break up additional up the hair shaft, inflicting breakage and ultimately making a drastic chop needed.
And make sure to see a curl specialist to chop your hair for the very best form.
Learn extra: Final Information to Getting A Curly Hair Lower
Pineappling
Curly hair is definitely broken whilst you’re asleep, however taking excellent care of your locks can keep away from tangling and breakage. So earlier than you fall asleep, collect your curls up in a excessive pineapple on high of your head.
This can defend your hair from harm and likewise hold your type trying nice for longer.

Sleep Protecting Gear
You can too defend your curls much more by sleeping along with your hair in a silk or satin bonnet or wrapping it in a silk scarf. Sleeping on a satin or silk pillowcase is one other nice strategy to defend your hair in a single day.
This works nicely as a result of silk doesn’t soak up moisture the identical means that cotton supplies do. The silky texture of the material additionally produces much less friction, which cuts down on tangles and frizz.
Make sure to select pure silk as a result of the manufactured silk-like materials received’t work in the identical means.
Learn extra: How To Sleep With Curly Hair
Deal with with Care
It is perhaps onerous to withstand enjoying along with your ringlets, however your 3c curls are extra fragile than different kind 3 hair. Twisting and pulling the strands can simply trigger breakage and frizz, so deal with them with care.
Detangling is simpler on moist hair, and that is one time when it’s OK to run your fingers by your hair. However make sure to saturate your hair with a detangler or conditioner first in order that your fingers glide simply by the strands.
Classifying Completely different Varieties of 3C Hair Textures
In addition to figuring out your hair kind and porosity, it’s additionally necessary to know your hair texture.
Hair texture varieties describe the width of every hair, relatively than what number of you have got. So you would have very high-quality hair however a number of it, so it appears to be like voluminous regardless of its high-quality texture.
3C hair could be high-quality, medium, or coarse, and figuring out which you have got will provide help to to decide on the fitting merchandise to take care of it.
How one can inform when you’ve got Tremendous, Medium, or Coarse 3C Hair texture
You may take a look at to see in case your hair is okay, medium, or coarse by rolling a single strand of hair between your fingers:
- In case you have high-quality hair, it’ll be tough to even really feel the strand in any respect
- In the event you can really feel the strand, you have got medium hair
- In the event you can really feel a thick strand concerning the width of a chunk of stitching cotton, you have got coarse hair
Tremendous hair can simply be weighed down with product residue, so that you’ll want to pick light-weight merchandise that received’t trigger a build-up. Coarse hair wants cautious consideration to cease it from trying dry and frizzy; see our Information to Coarse Hair for extra care suggestions.
Cuts and Hairstyles for 3C Hair
Styling 3C curly hair can take a little bit further effort and time, but it surely’ll be price it whenever you see your lovely ringlets.
It’s essential to choose the fitting merchandise, and a few nice styling merchandise so as to add to your 3C haircare routine embody:
Attempt to keep away from extreme warmth publicity as a lot as doable. In the event you should use your blow dryer or sizzling styling instruments, apply an excellent warmth protectant first and use as little warmth as doable.
Protecting types are perfect for giving your curls a break once in a while, and likewise assist to retain curl definition. Simply watch out not to decide on a protecting type that’s too tight, as these can harm your cuticles and hairline. Buns, updos, and twists are nice protecting types for lengthy 3C hair.
- Wash and Go – a superb choice for lovely curls. Concentrate on making use of the fitting merchandise to your ringlets.
- High Bun – preferrred for days when you may’t be bothered to do a lot to your hair. It’s going to cease you from messing along with your curls as nicely!
- Half Up-do – excellent whenever you don’t wish to tie again all of your lovely curls. 3C hair tends to be thick, so it’ll nonetheless look implausible with half of it pulled again.
The Finest 3C Hair Merchandise
Excessive-quality merchandise are important in order for you your hair to look its finest. so right here’s a collection of the very best 3C curly hair merchandise:
Shea Moisture Silicone Free Shampoo for Dry Hair
Cleaning your curly hair is crucial to take away filth and oils from the strands, however you want a shampoo that received’t strip pure moisture. This sulfate-free shampoo accommodates pure substances like meadowfoam seed and phyto-proteins, to go away your hair trying wholesome and easy.
Jessicurl Hair Cleaning Cream
In the event you’d prefer to attempt co-washing 3C hair, you’ll want a conditioner or co-wash that’s moisturizing and sulfate-free. This cleaning cream accommodates light surfactants to take away oils out of your hair with out stripping it, whereas light-weight moisturizing substances like avocado and glycerin hydrate with out weighing down your hair.
Camille Rose Curl Love Moisture Milk
This leave-in conditioning milk will go away your curls feeling gentle and moisturized. It accommodates light conditioning substances like macadamia oil and rice milk, plus slippery elm bark which softens and smooths the strands to make detangling simpler. You can too use this product as a curl refresher to maintain your curls trying nice till subsequent wash day.
TWIST Boss Bounce Mild as Air Buildable Styling Cream
This silicone-free styling cream accommodates shea butter, jojoba oil, and patua fruit oil to banish frizz whereas additionally hydrating and softening your hair.
TWIST Boss Bounce is cruelty-free and accommodates no silicones, sulfates, or parabens. You should utilize it every day to hydrate your locks and easy flyaways and break up ends.
Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Masks
This wealthy hair masks accommodates a wealthy hydrating mix of shea butter, aloe vera, macadamia oil, and coconut oil. This nourishes dry hair, including moisture and serving to to seal break up ends. You should utilize this vegan parabens- and silicone-free conditioner as an in-shower masks for intense hydration or as a every day leave-in conditioner.
High Choose
Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Extremely-Maintain Gel
A superb gel will assist your type last more than a dew hours. The Maui Moisture Curl Quench Gel is moisturizing sufficient to hydrate your curls for days, together with maintain to forestall frizz.
Maui Moisture Curl Quench Gel accommodates aloe vera and a mix of coconut oil, papaya extract and plumeria extract to offer a pure, flake-free maintain.
Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Oil
A light-weight oil that nourishes and smooths your hair for a wholesome, shiny end. It accommodates a mix of over 30 important oils and biotin to strengthen, nourish and defend your curls. You should utilize it as a part of your every day care routine or as an intensive deep conditioner. It’s appropriate for delicate pores and skin, chemically-treated hair, and each low- and high-porosity hair.
TWIST Hit Reset Mild Clarifying Shampoo
It’s all the time a good suggestion to make clear frequently to keep away from buildup, particularly for coarse and low porosity hair varieties.
The TWIST Hit Reset shampoo is a good gentle clarifying shampoo for all curl varieties. It received’t dry out your curls and can be utilized as typically as wanted.
FAQs
Nonetheless bought questions on the way to take care of 3C hair? Listed here are a few of your most regularly requested questions:
How Do You Correctly Apply Merchandise to 3c Hair?
It’s typically finest to comb or finger-rake conditioners by 3C hair, then you may apply styling merchandise with praying palms. You possibly can additionally attempt two different methods referred to as shingling and plopping.
Shingling is a method for making use of a curl cream, gel, or leave-in conditioner, the place you separate your curls along with your fingers and easy the product onto every curl.
The plopping technique entails making use of your hair product to moist or damp hair after which gathering your waves, curls, or coils on the high of your head. Then you definitely wrap them up in a microfiber towel or an outdated t-shirt to guard your 3C curl sample as your hair dries.
This technique cuts down on drying time and is gentler than a blow dryer, so your curls will look more healthy and extra outlined.
Does the Curly Woman Methodology Work With 3c Hair?
The Curly Woman Methodology is implausible for 3C curls, so when you’ve got this hair kind, it’d positively be price making an attempt it out.
Unsure the way to use the Curly Woman Methodology? Our Final Newbie’s Information to the Curly Woman Methodology has all the data you want!
The Backside Line to the 3c Hair Sort
Now you have got all the data it’s good to inform in case your pure curls are kind 3C. We’ve defined one of the best ways to take care of your 3c curls, the way to type 3c hair, and the very best merchandise for 3C hair.
Caring for 3C curls could be tough, and in order for you your 3C hair to look nice, it’s important to think about the porosity of your hair in addition to your hair texture. However so long as you give your curls a number of love, and loads of moisture, you’ll be rewarded with shiny, springy curls that look implausible!
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