Our hair is as unique as we are, and we all range somewhere along the spectrum from very fine to very coarse hair. Both fine and coarse hair are gorgeous, but they have different needs: using a product for coarse hair on fine strands will weigh it down, while using a product for fine hair on coarse strands won’t do much of anything. Here, we’ll talk about the basics of haircare for fine and coarse strands and tell you how to identify where you’re at on the spectrum.
Differences Between Fine and Coarse Hair
Our hair is as unique as we are, and we all range somewhere along the spectrum from very fine to very coarse hair. Both fine and coarse hair are gorgeous, but they have different needs: using a product for coarse hair on fine strands will weigh it down, while using a product for fine hair on coarse strands won’t do much of anything. Here, we’ll talk about the basics of haircare for fine and coarse strands and tell you how to identify where you’re at on the spectrum.
Our hair is as unique as we are, and we all range somewhere along the spectrum from very fine to very coarse hair. Both fine and coarse hair are gorgeous, but they have different needs: using a product for coarse hair on fine strands will weigh it down, while using a product for fine hair on coarse strands won’t do much of anything. Here, we’ll talk about the basics of haircare for fine and coarse strands and tell you how to identify where you’re at on the spectrum.
Differences Between Fine and Coarse Hair
Our hair is as unique as we are, and we all range somewhere along the spectrum from very fine to very coarse hair. Both fine and coarse hair are gorgeous, but they have different needs: using a product for coarse hair on fine strands will weigh it down, while using a product for fine hair on coarse strands won’t do much of anything. Here, we’ll talk about the basics of haircare for fine and coarse strands and tell you how to identify where you’re at on the spectrum.
Determining Whether You Have Fine or Coarse Hair
There’s a common misconception that hair width and strand shape are necessarily related. That curly or coily hair is thick and coarse — and straight hair is fine and thin. This isn’t true: you can have super curly, fine strands, or extremely thick, stick-straight hair. So, don’t let your shape be your guide.
Coarse vs. fine also isn’t related to the amount of hair you have. You can have lots of fine hair, which makes your hair look full and thick, or few coarse strands, making your hair look thinner. So while just looking at our hair in the mirror won’t reliably tell us what width hair we have, there are a few easy tests you can do at home.
The Finger Test
There are many tests out there, but we find the easiest one is the simple finger test. After brushing your hair, take one of your strands from the brush and rub it between your fingers. Roll it around and really get a feel of it. If you can barely feel it, or can’t feel it at all, you likely have fine hair. If you can feel a strong and thick strand, it’s coarse. And if you can feel it, but it doesn’t feel super strong or thick, you’re somewhere in between with medium hair.
So What Does This Mean?
Now that you know what kind of hair you have, you’re better prepared to know what kind of products you need. But you can get to know your hair even better if you take Our Quiz, designed to help you optimize your haircare routine with a tailored list of products for your hair — whatever width, texture, and style it is.
Want to know more about what makes your hair, your hair? Learn more about the science behind the strands at our Tips & Tricks.
Take Our Hair Quiz
When you unlock your hair’s secrets, you unlock its full potential. Take the HairCode quiz to learn more about 1b hair, and all hair types.
