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.
About HairCode, backed by decades of hair care research and industry-leading cosmetic scientists
We're obsessed with hair and the science behind what makes it look and feel amazing. Our dedicated team leverages years of extensive haircare research and product development led by pioneering cosmetic scientists, PhDs in Biology and Chemistry, along with esteemed professional hair stylists from around the globe. Our goal is to be the most accurate and easy-to-use platform for you to learn about your hair. Our HairCode Quiz is built to harness a wealth of haircare research to give you a straightforward and science-backed haircare regimen recommendation based on questions that matter. We know that hair can be complicated. That's why we break it down for you piece by piece with your unique HairCode. So, let's get to the root of it... Because we are here to support you on a journey of self-discovery and love for your hair.
