All About 3C Hair: Understanding Your Curly Hair Type

Table Of Content

• Aunt Jackie's Frizz Rebel, Coconut & Sweet Almond Natural Growth Oil
• Type 4: Coily/Kinky Hair
• What Causes Curly Hair? What Causes the Hair to Curl?
• What are the best styling techniques for enhancing the natural beauty of 3C hair?
• Editor’s Picks: The Best Deep Conditioner for Natural Hair
• Type 3C Hair: What It Is, How To Care For It & The Best Products To Use

Strands are thicker in diameter than a 2A, and you'll have to put a bit more elbow grease into getting it straight. This water-based mist brings hair back to life between wash days without weighing down strands. Plus, it’s infused with the brand’s signature scent to keep hair smelling fresh. You should be applying a pre-shampoo oil treatment with coconut oil or your favorite hair oil to avoid further drying out strands when you shampoo. But there are no defined coils formed like with 4A or (to a lesser extent) 4B hair.

Aunt Jackie's Frizz Rebel, Coconut & Sweet Almond Natural Growth Oil

More than a few of my favorite curly girls swear by Innersense. With formulas good for your hair and the planet, the brand prides itself on clean chemistry and radical transparency. This conditioner is lightweight but seriously effective, leaving hair hydrated and frizz-free.

Type 4: Coily/Kinky Hair

It's not uncommon for shrinkage to be measured in percentages. So, if someone says they have 50% shrinkage, that means that when dry, their hair looks only half as long as the actual length. Regularly detangling 3C hair is essential to prevent matting and tangling. According to Kim Lewis, the founder and CEO of CurlMix, for every week you neglect detangling, you may need to spend additional time untangling your hair later on. While 3C hair can be forgiving, neglecting detangling can lead to complications over time.

What Causes Curly Hair? What Causes the Hair to Curl?

That being said, for this article we’ve all agreed that we’ll refer to 3B curls as those with medium frizz and texture, and loose to loosely corkscrewed curl patterns. And no matter what your curl type is, remember to make moisture a priority – just choose moisturizing products that are appropriate (not too light or heavy) for your hair texture. Try applying a moisturizing oil that can penetrate strands, like coconut oil or castor oil, as a pre-shampoo hydration treatment. Let the oil sit on your hair for about 20 minutes to allow for absorption. Since individual coils aren’t as defined in this type, the overall look of 4B hair can resemble a mass of textured hair with a few defined coils popping out here and there. Find a good airy mousse and nourishing hair milk to combat frizz and dryness.

Similar to high porosity hair, low porosity hair also fights moisture issues because the hair cuticles are tightly aligned. This means that moisture can't penetrate the hair shaft easily. If you're wondering how to determine porosity, all you have to do is try this quick one-minute test. So, the routine that works best for one 3C head may not apply to all 3Cs! Feel the difference with quicker detangling and styling while boosting product absorption using this brush that gently warms your favorite curl creams or gels.

Styles for 3C hair

And these tools are perfect for keeping in your hair care arsenal. Bad hair days don't have to be frequent, and a good routine can make those days far and few between. Dickey recommends using an airy, water-based mousse, like the Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam, to add a bit of oomph at the base, making hair look fluffier and fuller. Since type 3B curls are fairly versatile, you can really go as long or as short as you’d like according to Sears. For longer lengths, she suggests incorporating longer layers to create body and movement. Meanwhile, for cuts around the collarbone and shorter, she says adding tons of layers adds a truly timeless shape and sophistication to curls.

Unlike type 4 textures, 3C curls are looser and prone to damage from excessive manipulation. Coily hair, commonly referred to as Afro-textured or kinky hair, is naturally very dry and spongy in texture and can be soft and fine or coarse and wiry. Strands form very tight, small curls of zig-zags right from the scalp and are prone to major shrinkage. The more hydrated and moisturized hair is, the longer the curl pattern can be retained—and less hair washing is never a bad thing for curls.

Editor’s Picks: The Best Deep Conditioner for Natural Hair

Instead, try this cult-favorite style milk, which will help define and moisturize your curls without making them feel oily. After applying your leave-in, smooth the milk over your hair, section by section with the praying-hands method, then gently scrunch it up and into your curls until they're evenly coated. 3c hair can be on the finer side or the coarser sider, or have a mix of both textures.

The Beginner's Guide to Building a Curly Hair Routine - Who What Wear

The Beginner's Guide to Building a Curly Hair Routine.

Posted: Sun, 28 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

It’s usually described as a more tightly coiled “extension” of the 4C hair type. Diaspora Salon was founded by Yasmine Young, a Level 3 Master Deva Certified Stylist. 3b hair requires moisture, and one of the easiest ways to lock it in is with a hydrating leave-in conditioner (this one from Kinky-Curly is loved for its lightweight formula). If you've got a mix of 3c/4a hair, or coarse 3c hair that's perpetually dry/damaged, try this rich gel from Curlsmith. It's got a mix of oils and shea butter to really moisture your hair while still giving each coil major definition.

Making sure to use your products in the correct order is so important for any hair type, especially 3C hair. By doing this, you’ll be able to ensure your hair stays moisturized and nourished between washes. Day One hair is always amazing, but many naturals know that you can stretch a style several days if you put in the work at night. Make sure those curls stay poppin' beyond the first day by "pineappling" before bed. This simply means that you're putting your hair into a high bun (think a top knot but not so tight). Go the distance by using either silk pillowcases or a bonnet to further protect your tresses from losing moisture.

Type 3c hair is a curl pattern that is made up of ringlets or corkscrews. Curls can fit snuggly around a pencil and have lots of natural volume. 3c curls tend to range from medium to coarse in texture and is prone to dryness and frizz. Curly hair suffers from moisture retention as natural oils produced by the scalp have a harder time making it completely down the hair shaft.

Then, apply a leave-in conditioner or styling cream and allow your hair to air dry. 3a hair strand textures tend to be fine to medium and prone to less frizzy than other type 3 hair patterns. Do you have natural curls and you’re wondering if you have type 3a hair, 3b hair, or 3c hair? Look no further, in this post I’m talking about type 3 hair, including the differences between curl types 3a, 3b, and 3c, and how to take care of it. This oil from Aunt Jackie's works to smooth and soften hair while depositing moisture, sheen, and nutrients throughout the shaft.