Wavy Hair
Wavy hair, also known as type 2 hair, lies in between straight and curly. The characteristics of wavy hair usually are:
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Easy to style
Because of its texture, it’s usually easy to straighten wavy hair or curl it, depending on your mood.
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Easy to weigh down
Unlike curly hair, which can usually handle a lot of product, it’s easy to overdo it on wavy strands and make them appear limp or greasy.
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Lack of volume
Because wavy hair tends to be straighter at the root and curlier at the bottom, it can appear flat at the scalp.
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Dryness and frizz
Wavy hair is prone to dryness and frizz, especially at the ends.
Curly Hair
Curly hair, also known as type 3 hair, has a define curl that usually starts at the root. The characteristics of wavy hair usually are:
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Harder to style
Because of its texture, curly hair doesn’t love being straightened, and even a little humidity can make those curls come back. But that’s okay because who’d want to straighten a lovely curl, anyway?
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Needs a lot of product
While not a universal truth, curly hair generally looks its best when given nourishing treatments that define and shape the curls.
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Lots of volume
Because curly hair tends to have texture from the root down, girls with curls don’t suffer from a lack of volume.
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Even more dryness and frizz
Because oil takes longer to travel down a curly strand than a straight one, curly hair tends to be drier and frizzier than wavy hair.
The Hair Strand Test
If you’re still not sure what kind of hair you have, try a strand test. Take one of your strands and wrap it around your finger: if it forms a spiral around your finger, you probably have curly hair; if it’s fairly straight, you probably have wavy hair; or if it’s somewhere in between, check out our Hair Texture Chart for a more in-depth look at type 2 and type 3 hair to unlock the secrets of your strands.
Want to know more about what makes your hair, your hair? Learn more about the science behind the strands at our Tips & Tricks.
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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.
