This is a guide to Curly Hair Types, a guide that is essential for those men with wavy, coiled, curly, kinky and afro-textured hair. Curly hair is expressed in a spectrum of curl types, hence the need to categorize and know what type of curly hair you have so as to be able to make the most out of it!
THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO TYPES OF CURLY HAIR FOR MEN
There are two main hair textures that you can have on your head: straight or curly. If your hair is not straight, it is curly, albeit curly hair is expressed in a spectrum of types. From wavy hair that can look straight when it is very short to super tight coils that puff out in the wildest of manners, most curly men walk around without knowing what type of curly hair they have. If you want to have good looking hair, you must know your curly hair type as, depending on what you are growing atop your head, you may need to change different things in your hair grooming and hair care routines. Most of the advice that you will find at Manly Curls is applicable to curly hair as a generic term and all to all curl types, but there are some tidbits that need to be emphasized more or less according to one’s curl type.
Since my experience is in curly hair and because curly hair is a pain in the derriere to manage, I have created this guide for wavy, coiled and kinky haired men so that they can identify what specific type of curly hair they may have. This guide is specific to such expressions of hair and excludes straight hair, not because I have anything against straight hair but because straight hair doesn’t have any sub-types of expressions, unlike curly hair. Thus, if you don’t identity your hair type with what is to follow, you will have at least found out that you have straight hair. For all that matters, straight hair can be paired with wavy hair (Type I hair) when it comes to knowing all about it and managing it, so I invite you to apply this guide even if you have straight hair.
As I have said, there are two hair textures, straight and curly, and curly hair in men comes in different expressions, which I have put into types. As a definition, curly hair is hair that grows in a non-straight manner, thus curly hair grows, right from the very beginning, in a curled or curved pattern. The pattern in which curly hair grows differs between individuals (regardless of gender) and may differ slightly even between areas of the scalp, but, overall, curly hair can be classified into five types: I, II, III, IV and V. Please be aware that I refer to these 5 types of expressions of curly hair as curl types, curly hair types or may simply call them hair types. Likewise, I use Romain numerals (I-V) for this guide and classification, and I encourage you to use Roman numbers when talking about my curly hair type guide so as to avoid confusion.
Curly hair comes in a variety of types from wavy to coiled to kinky to afro-textured!
And this is the book where it is all explained in depth: the essential hair manual for curly men!
If you cannot see the above widget, then click here for my book, The Curly Hair Book.
The lowdown on curly hair for men
Curly hair type is more difficult to identify in men than in women simply because men tend to have shorter hair, which many times masks the true hair type of a male. Depending on your curl type, its curling/curving shape may take up to three inches of length to manifest a full curl, and, since most curly haired men prefer to keep their curls short, it then means that most curly folks are unaware of what their true curly hair type is.
As stated, curly hair grows in a curved pattern, meaning that curly hair is composed throughout its length of curls. A “curl” is the hair section ranging from when the hair is curving in one direction and then starts curving in the opposite direction: the distance between the initial start of the curve until the point where the curve changes direction is a curl.
As hair grows and a curl develops, the curved growth of the hair will lead into the formation of another curl and an “S” pattern will be visible (as depicted above in both pictures). Now, hair grows in 3 dimensions thus the “S” pattern is not always noticeable. Rather, if we were to put a lock of curly hair flat against a surface, we would see that, in reality, the joining of the two curls does form an S. In both pictures above of curly locks, you can see the different S forms taking place as each curl leads into the next throughout the length of the lock of hair.
In term of noticing the curl pattern of your hair, this is not always an easy task. Hair that takes 3 inches to manifest a curl, as is the case of Type I or wavy hair, may look straight at a length of 1 inch despite it is already curling, only that the curved shape is too mild to be noticed at that length. On the other hand, Type V hair, otherwise known as kinky hair, has a distinct curled shape apparent from 1/8 of an inch and the hair can be seen curling at even near shaved length. The commonality with all types of curly hair is that they will all curl, with the only difference being at what length a full curl will become apparent. The latter then dictates the hair type one has and which you will be able to identify in this guide.
How to identify your curly hair type
Before jumping into the curly hair types of this guide, you should first examine you hair. For this, you will need a mirror and a ruler. Go in front of the mirror and pick a lock of hair from the top center of your head, ensuring that you do not pull or extend the lock; it should remain in its natural shape. This area is the one on your scalp which is exposed the less to daily wear and tear, such as constant friction with a bed pillow during sleep, so the hair on this area yields the closest image of what your natural curl type/shape is.
Aerial view of scalp with area to examine
Once you grab the lock of hair, place the ruler alongside it and measure when your hair forms a curl. If your hair is less than 6 inches, perform the measurement starting from the scalp (i.e place the ruler on the scalp) whereas if the hair lock is longer than 6 inches, you should perform the measurement starting from the tip (end) of the lock. Repeat the measurement another 2 times for a total of 3 times and work out the mean average of how long it takes for your hair to form a curl. You now have one of the most important details of getting to manage your curls in the awesome way we promote here at Manly Curls.
Match your worked-out curl length with the following curly hair types by length:
The curly hair types
- Type I: 2 to 3 inches to form a curl
- Type II: 1 to 2 inches to form a curl
- Type III: 0.5 to 1 inch to form a curl
- Type IV: 0.125 to 0.5 inch to form a curl
- Type V: up to 0.125 inch to form a curl
If your hair takes over 3 inches of length to form a curl, you have straight hair, not curly hair. You can know more about these 5 curly hair types below:
Type I curly hair
Type I curly hair requires up to 3 inches to form one curl. If your hair is shorter than 3 inches, you will be able to visibly notice your Type I curls curving at the 1.5-inch mark. If your hair is shorter than 1.5 inches, I recommend that you look at pictures of yourself with longer hair or ask a family member, since at a very-short length your hair may, in fact, look straight. Looking at the hair of both parents is not reliable because hair genetics is more complicated than inheriting the hair type of any of the two parents. However, they should be able to tell you who in the family line has hair similar to yours.
With hair shorter than 1.5 inches, Type I hair looks straight at first sight hence the need to carefully examine the hair so as not to confuse it with straight hair. Type I curly hair is colloquially known as wavy and famous curly men with such hair include Hugh Grant, George Clooney and Antonio Banderas. Remember, what is known colloquially as wavy hair falls under the category/texture of curly!
Some great hairstyles for Type I curly hair are the Mop Top hairstyle and the Side Swept.
Hugh Grant displaying typical Type I curls
Type II curly hair
Type II curls are the crunched version of Type I, and the length required to form a full curl is shorter: 1 to 2 inches. If your hair is shorter than 1 inch, you should be able to view a curved pattern already at the 0.5-inch mark. If your hair is shorter than 0.5 inches, the same family reference recommendation applies as to Type I curly hair. Type II curls will look straight only at lengths less than 0.5 inches, yet, from longer lengths onwards, Type II curly hair will express a visible curved pattern.
Type II curls are colloquially known as wavy, loose curls or tight waves, and celebrities such as Adrian Grenier or Nick Jonas have these curls. Type II can still be mistaken for straight hair when very short, so keep this in mind if your hair is short and you are typing your curly hair.
Two great hairstyles for men with Type II curly hair are the Caesar Cut and the Shoulder Length hairstyle.
Adrian Grenier with classic Type II curls
Type III curly hair
Type III curly hair takes 0.5 inches to 1 inch to form a full curl. Because Type III curly hair curls at a much shorter length than Type I and Type II, Type III curly hair will start forming in a coiled pattern and will look like a cursive capital “e” (E) when viewed under normal conditions. This “cursive E” coiled effect is typically exemplified in Type III and Type IV curly hair; it looks something like the E below:
Type III is known colloquially as ringlets, coils or coiled and is most commonly the curl type that people have in mind when they think of curly hair. Curly male celebrities with Type III curls include Will Ferrell, Justin Timberlake and John Turturro.
Great hairstyles for Type III curly hair include the Ivy League hairstyle and the Faux Hawk.
Justin Timberlake with a mane full of Type III curls
Type IV curly hair
Type IV curly hair is the crunched version of the coils and cursive Es formed in Type III. By now, curls are formed between 0.125 inches and 0.5 inches, forming tight E-shaped curls. If the hair is shorter than 0.125 inches, the hair is curved at any length, and the curving pattern is easy to notice unless the hair is at a near-shaved length.
Type IV hair is colloquially known as curly-kinky, kinky and coiled, and examples of celebrities with such curl type include youngsters Corbin Bleu and Jaden Smith as well as NFL player Troy Polamalu.
Two hairstyles that suit Type IV curly haired men are the High and Tight and the Fade haircut.
Corbin Bleu with some very elegant Type IV curls
Type V curly hair
Type V curly hair exhibits a peculiar shape resembling a “Z” instead of the coiled cursive E shape from Type III and Type IV curly hair; that is, Type V curly hair is so tightly coiled that the curls in this curl type do not have enough length to express a visible curve, and, at first sight, their shape resemble what looks like Z-shaped hair strands. Curls are formed in less than 0.125 inches, hence their curled shape is apparent even at a near-shaved length.
Type V curly hair is colloquially known as kinky, kinks, afro-textured and, in some circles, as nappy, and it is the curl type of popular curly men such as Cuba Gooding Jr or Will Smith.
A great hairstyle for Type V curly haired men is the Afro and the Recon hairstyle.
Will Smith demonstrates how Type V curls can be sported stylish and manly without the need of a buzz cut
Conclusion to the Curly Hair Type Guide
Curly hair can be puffy, coarse, dry and much more, but one thing remains, curly hair will form a curl at a given particular length as genetically determined, which is why this guide is your starting point to identify and learn to manage your hair. This guide, together with the Guide to Identify your Hair Length and the rest of the content on this site, will have you making the most out of your curls as a 21st-century modern male.
You may also find that you have two curl types on your head; this is perfectly normal, and you should go with the area of the scalp that I recommend to take your measurement from. If you have two curl types (I do, for example), you will find that they are the curl types that follow or precede one another in the guide. That is, you may have Type III curly hair on the top of your head and may also have Type IV on the nape and sides of your head. You will never have, however, highly discrepant curly hair types on your head (e.g Type I and Type IV). As mentioned in this guide, always remember that the area on the top of your head is the closest representation of what your natural curl type is.
Finally, I approach this Essential Guide to Types of Curly Hair from a reductionist point of view even though curls are formed, like anything else in nature, in three dimensions, not two. However, I believe that creating this typing guide with a two-dimensional mindset offers more pros than cons because, as modern males, we want convenience and results without getting “too girly”. Moreover, I have found it to be a quick and reliable method to identify a person’s curl type without getting too technical or creating confusion. In the case that you are unsure about what your curly hair type is even after taking your measurements, then refer to the illustrated examples of popular curly men for a good feel of what your curly hair type is.
That is it. This Essential Guide to Types of Curly Hair is a starting point for those men who want to know more about their curls and make the most out of their manes. Because curly hair is not a hairstyle, it’s a lifestyle!
All the best,
Rogelio
Did you enjoy this article? Well, I’ve written a book entirely about looking after your curly hair as a modern male! If you want to learn how to have a great-looking head of waves, coils or kinks, then grab my book and join our ranks of dudes with curls, comrade!
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Hi Rogelio
Really well put together website, a goldmine for men’s hair topics – especially the curl!
I had a question in regards to possible product. I’ve got type 2 curls which I love and get frustrated with during different phases ;-)
Currently I’m growing my hair out and would like to get it to something like Orlando bloom, Simon baker, Eric bana or Adrian grenier when they have longer hair, like 10 inches long. My main question is how do you think they style it…leave in conditioner, gel, pomade. A combination of conditioner and product.
I don’t mind the semi wet look but don’t want to have a slicked back greasy look. Any tips would be greatly appreciated
Thanks,
Rich
Hi Rogelio,
I’m an Asian with 2-3 inch long hair. My hair grows very very thick and its kinda rough and straight.. I badly wanna have a type 3 or 4 hairstyle, what would you suggest?
Thanking you.
One of ma pic: http://i46.tinypic.com/241kobq.jpg
Rogelio,
I thank you for creating this website. I have curly hair and I have always hated it. When I was younger I let it grow long, but it was always unruly and difficult. I never was able to like it long. So I have kept it short.
Recently, I decided to grow it out, but I’m still unhappy with it. I’ve started using Aussie leave-in conditioner, and that keeps it feeling soft. But I’m still not happy with the appearance of it – I can’t style it really. It always appears dry and frizzy.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks,
Andy
Here’s my pictures:
–EDITED–
Hi Andy,
I was updated with your comment. I’ve edited the pics out for your privacy but I’ve seen them. I’m very busy to be giving full replies at the moment (launching my 2nd book), but I’ll get back to you soon.
In any case, your hair looks great and thick!
ATB
Andy,
The issue with curly hair and it not looking good (e.g. unruly, frizzy, dry) is that its bad looks can be caused by several factors; there’s just no one magic solution as most hair-care websites try to sell you. You could be doing something wrong in your styling stage, you may not be shampooing enough or correctly, you may not be eating optimally for good quality hair, you may be towel-drying your hair too hard etc That’s why my book (The Curly Hair Book) is 230 pages long! There’s just too much that can be going on in a curly male’s scalp.
In any case, I advise you to look into:
- Your hair cleaning: how frequently are you shampooing/cleaning your hair?
- Conditioning: what are you using to condition those curls and are you applying the product correctly? Just throwing a leave-in conditioner here and there won’t cut it.
- What’s your internal nutrition like? What’s your diet like? Are you getting in enough omega-3s?
- Do you follow any particular hair-care strategy or routine to protect your curly hair?
I really cannot give you (or anybody else, for that matter) a one-cookie-cutter answer because frizzy curly hair can be caused by any of the above (and more!). Feel free to update me with the replies to the above points so I can have a more detailed case of yours, but I highly recommend you to simply save yourself the time and grab my book on Kindle (it’s 12 bucks, very much worth its price), and then spend a couple of days going through the book as it will then enable you to come up with your own customized hair-grooming routine and hair-care strategy (among other cool stuff), all according to your curl type and hair length. You can alternatively find many of the answers to your curly-hair questions if you spend a couple of hours at Manly Curls, for I’ve talked about dry, frizzy hair in many articles already.
Let me know how you get on, Andy.
All the best.
Thank you for the response.
I wanted to let you know that I purchased your book today, and I’ve started my journey to better curls. I can see that the first thing I need to do is alter my shampooing schedule. I will skip the shampoo tomorrow and begin this part. Wish me luck.
Andy
Keep us updated Andy! Yes, remove a shampooing day off but follow the guidelines you’ll find in the hair-grooming chapter for shampoo and the Sebum Coating method. Don’t rush the process.
ATB
Hi Rogelio,
I have this weird problem, the hair in the front are curly (something like type 2 or even type 3) and then on the top and the back of the head they are neither wavy nor curly, they are kinda looking like hooks, they grow wavy and then the ends curls. That is very annoying because it looks bad and i can’t find any good style to it.
Hi Kacper,
This could be due to several things; for starters, your scalp can produce 2 types of curls, so having uneven shapes on your hair is normal.
As a first though, I’d say your hair is not moisturised enough, which is the biggest issue with curly men. What’s your grooming and hair care like? Have you followed the hair-grooming method that I explain in my book. Let me know a bit more about you and if you can reference parts of my book (if you have read it).
All the best.
I shampoo every third day, i condition my hair with a moisturizing conditioner every day and always when i go out somewhere or when i come out from the shower i put a mix of oil, oh and i forgot my hair is 4,5 inches long.
Hi, Rogelio. Your website is the most interesting and the best guide for a curly hair…
I just want to ask why is my hair seems really dry, dull and unmoisturize unlike any men who have a really good hair like Nick Jonas… His hair seems to be really moisturize and perfectly in order and im really envy, I only got a chance to have a good hair like that when its wet……
am i a type 3 curly hair? Because i noticed that in my back and side portions: they are not really curly seems like a type 2 but in the front its like a type 3 or even 4… Is it?
Also what are the good brands of conditioners for my hair (natural and leave-in) im also planning to go to salon for a hot oil treatment, will that gonna destroy or moisturize my hair?
Nick jonas hair: http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag147/Rennuj34/1361190259_zpsb1093ff9.jpg
My wet hair: http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag147/Rennuj34/1361190261_zps29211fec.jpg
My hair after 30 mins. : http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag147/Rennuj34/1361190265_zps73c18b70.jpg
My overall hair: http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag147/Rennuj34/1361190263_zps09060bd1.jpg
THANKS MAN!!!
Hi Mark,
Hope you are well buddy.
First of all, of course you can have good hair! Any male can have good hair, my man; you just need to know how to look after it. From the photos, you are a Type I curly dude, that is, you have loose curls (aka wavy hair). Nick Jonas is actually a Type II, which mean that his hair curls a bit more, almost forming coils. Your hair actually looks very good, but I can see that you seem to have thinner hair than Jonas; Jonas has been genetically blessed with thick and dense hair, which is why his hair looks so full. In my book (The Curly Hair Book), I talk about what real hair density is and why people confuse it: you need to be aware of your own hair and what can be done and can’t be done, a concept that I stress here in Manly Curls and in my book.
If you want to give the illusion of thicker hair, my advice is to use a blow dryer. Basically, when your hair is damp (like in the picture), coat your hair with a leave-in conditioner, then, use the blow dryer (with the coldest temperature and a diffuser clipped to it) and simultaneously run your fingers through the hair to lift the hair up. You should have your fingers coated in hair gel, and the fingers are run in an upwards motion to lift the hair up. Do not blow dry the hair too much, leave some dampness in it.
The hot oil treatment is good. It is basically heated oil, though try to ensure that the oil that will be heated is a natural one. This sort of treatment works good to condition your hair and will make it look more “lively”. I suggest you do the hot oil treatment first, then use my trick of the hair dryer.
Overall Mark, be realistic of your hair. You have great hair already buddy, but Nick Jonas has a different curl type and thicker hair strands (all of this is genetically determined). You can play with your hair to get other hairstyles (including puffing it out as per above), but embrace your curly hair and you’ll see how you’ll be happy with it.
About conditioners, you can have a look in this article of mine:
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/12/curly-hair-products-men-wavy-coils-kinky-afro-grooming-care/
Let me know how it all works out buddy.
All the best.
Thanks man, sorry for late reply… Oh i see…yeah my hair looks thinner than nick jonas but i think my hair there is too wet so it look straighter let me show you my hair when its dry…. and if so i think only have type 1 in side, top and back because my hair in the front is more curlier and when i measured it by ruler the curls start in 1 inch thats why i cant have a faux hawk hairstyle cause it always curl. Thou i still dont have enough time to get to the salon but ill inform you when i had. And about the gel, i really dont know if i can use a gel man because whenever i use one it irritates my skin and get acnes and a lot of dandruff in my scalp even i prevent applying it near in my scalp. im also looking forward for your book, if i have enough budget, ill surely buy it because i know it will be worth it… Thanks for the advice dude!
I include a photo of my dry front hair part…
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/ag147/Rennuj34/image_zps2095af57.jpg
Hey Mark,
That new picture of yours with the hair drier shows that you have great hair!
Don’t worry about the discrepancies in curl types, it’s quite common to have 2 curl types on your scalp. About the hair gel, how about hair mousse? Try the method I mentioned of blow drying your hair but with hair mousse instead; if you skin can tolerate it, you’ll be surprised at how this trick enhances the overall volume of your hair.
Glad my advice was of help. Keep me updated!
All the best.
Hi rogelio, so im going to Paul Mitchell to get a leave-in conditioner and have a hair treatment but i also want to have a new haircut/hairstyle but i dont know what kind of hairstyle, may you give me some suggestions for a new hairstyle? I kind of want to have an undercut hairstyle but i looks gay sometimes… I include a photo so you can visualize a hairstyle for me, my center-front hair length is 3 and half inch…my sides are shorter… A BIG THANKS!
PICS REMOVED
Hi Rennuj,
If there’s something I emphasize in my book (The Curly Hair Book) is to drop the stereotypes; no hairstyle will make you look “gay”. If what you refer to is looking effeminate, then how you carry yourself is much more important than your hairstyle. I have super long curly hair and I’ve yet to be told I look effeminate or gay, despite long hair like mine is very rare on a male. In any case, worry about being happy with yourself and how you look; people resort to name calling when they see someone who looks good and who makes them jealous (in this case, because of your nice hair).
You have good-quality hair, have you tried slicking it back? The Undercut would look good on you with the hair slicked back. You ca also cut the top to 1 inch in length and then do a Shake & Go by which your curly hair is left to express itself freely (dry your hair after a shower, make sure it is damp, apply chosen hair product then shake your hair and that’s it). I think any of those 2 options would look great on you.
Let me know what you decide buddy.
All the best.
Rogelio,
I was going to buy your book in Amazon the paperback version but its unavailable… Is there any way i can still buy the book??? I had a hard time earning money last month… I live in US and i wanted to buy the paperback version…
Hi Mark,
The book will be back on Amazon in a couple of days.
All the best
Hello, I am a 22 years old African American mixed with European and I am trying to grow my hair out. But my hair is very wavy, poofy, frizzy, and dull. And It barely curls. I used have really curly hair when I was younger but then it disappeared, and now I can’t seem to find my hair texture, it’s so lifeless. Right now my hair is close to 0.5 inches and a little sign of curl. Any suggestions?
Ive been growing out my hair for awhile and i dont know what to do with it. i dont want to have to cut it but its getting kind of difficult for me to maintain it. my hair looks pretty good when its wet but once it dries it just kind of turns into a frizzy afro and was wondering maybe you could suggest something possibly whether to cut it or keep growing it
Side: http://i45.tinypic.com/do3pjb.jpg
Top: http://i47.tinypic.com/1px7au.jpg
Hi Steffen,
Your curly hair is similar to mine (Type III with defined coils). You are currently at a length in which managing your hair becomes problematic if you don’t know what to do.
The first line of advice is to not comb your hair; always use your fingers. Likewise, dry your hair carefully, in my book I outline the 3 options you have: towel-drying, the Shakeout and the finger Shakeout. Essentially, however you dry your hair, do it carefully and caressing the hair.
Furthermore, get yourself a leave-in conditioner. I mention some here: http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/12/curly-hair-products-men-wavy-coils-kinky-afro-grooming-care/
Lastly, make sure that you are not shampooing every day; this is a must and you must find your shampooing frequency. Read on this important part here:
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/05/no-poo-method-curly-men-shampoo-guide/
Hope that helped.
All the best.
My son is 15 months and I’m trying to figure his hair type out. I believe he is type 1 his hair looks more like Hugh Grants.
He was more of a type 2 before his first hair cut I let his father talk me into:( But what I’m wondering is by this time would the curls have just fallen off if it was just “babys curls” or is this going to be his permenant hair? Now its really just straight in the front and holds big but tight finger width curls in the back. I’m scared to cut it again and I really want to let it grow if it means it will be Long and curly. I don’t know how to care for his hair properly and I want a product that will help his curls show their true potential. (If any) this may sound stupid. (My post) but I know nothing about curly hair. I would post a pic but don’t know how off my phone.
Hi Amanda,
I asnwered your question in an article, you can read it here: http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/11/ask-rogelio-baby-child-curly-hair-men/
All the best
Thanks for this great site but I am kind of confused as to what curl type I am. I know it is either type IV or V. My hair is about 1 inch from the scalp, and curves not curls make up the majority of my hair. I’m assuming I’m a mix of IV and V. I am not III or under because my curls are tight.
I’d like to be able to grow my hair like Corbin Bleu’s, is that possible?
Hi Michael,
Hope all is well.
It is not uber important to be putting yourself into curl types for all curl types carry very similar grooming and caring approaches. However, your best bet is to get the ruler out and try to measure your curls. If your curls are 1 inch long and you are already seeing curls occurring (even if they occur as curves/waves rather than coils), then you know you are either III, IV or V.
In any case, absolutely, you can get yourself curls like those of Corbin Bleu’s, especially if you are IV or V, as his hairstyle is quite volume based and Types IV and V have the most volume.
My advice is to continue growing your curls. For Corbin’s hairstyle, you want a minimum of 8 inches of length, so you still have some growing to do.
Feel free to update me as you grow your curls.
All the best.
Thank you for replying. I measured my curls and I found out that I am not type V at all, I am type IV, though not fully. The curls on my sides of my head and the very front are tight as type IV, but the curls on top are loose and seem to be III.
Thank you for replying, and I want to say that my curls definitely look better with some of your tips on this site!
hello! this really helped me a lot! now i know that my hair is type 2! but why is it that it easily gets dry than eventually turn to frizzy and dull. i want it to be lively like hugh grants (not that im ambitious on becoming an actor or something)
Hi,
There may be several issues causing this dryness. Namely, you are not retaining the moisture in the hair strands. Are you using a conditioner? What about a leave-in conditioner?
My advice is to use a (normal) conditioner every other day and a leave’in conditioner every day. Give that a try for the next 4 weeks, if it doesn´t work, then we can rule out that it isn´t something to do with proper moisturizing.
Try that for 4 weeks and let me know how it goes. There are way too many factors at stake that can cause dryness, and improper moisturizing via neglecting conditioner use tends to be one of the big factors so let´s start first there.
As I say, report back and let me know how it went.
All the best.
hi there…My name is Brandon Rey and I am guessing that I am a type V when it comes to my hair. I have been growing my hair out for some months now and I wanna do the natural look. My goal is to achieve length and then be able to wear my hair long like Corbin Blue (big and curly). My hair grows extremely quickly due to my bahamian nationality. My main question is upkeep, what products and routine do I use to keep my hair at its best? I was putting mousse (curl activating) in my hair after the shower but I didnt like how it dried my hair out later. What can I put in my hair to keep it moisturized and curly all day long? I saw a tip to put 3 parts water and 1 part baby oil in a squirt bottle and do that after the shower but I mainly need help with finding a routine for maintenance, upkeep, and styling to achieve a nice curled afro look.
Thanks
Hi Brandon,
Righly so, what you need is a routine that targets optimal moisturized curls. For this, you need to see your hair routine as a 3 stage part:
- Shampooing: you must find the right shampooing frequency for YOU. This might be every other day or once a week, but it will suit you. We all have different shampooing frequencies according to our curl types, hair length and lifestyle. My advice is to find that shampooing frequency; some essential reading:
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/05/no-poo-method-curly-men-shampoo-guide/
- Conditioners: Use a conditioner EVERY time you shampoo. You can replace the conditioner with an oil of your choice: olive oil, shea butter (great for natural kinky locks), castor oil, baby oil, aloe vera paste or a blend thereof. I recommend to start with shea butter if you prefer to go the oil/butter way.
- Leave in conditioner: Use them freely, daily preferably but it is up to you. They add an extra conditioning component to your routine. More here:
http://www.manlycurls.com/2011/06/curly-hair-men-leave-in-conditioners/
- Sebum Coating method: massage your scalp when you don’t shampoo. Run your fingers down your hair strands quickly and smoothly.
All of the above should compose your daily grooming. It can be done fast, you just need to get good at it.
Lastly, if you want to go the natural way, bear in mind that natural means no artificial hair products. Some people who think they are smart, tell you to follow their “natural” method which contains X and Y artificial hair grooming/care agents; this is a dichotomy, and an illegitimate at that, in that a natural hair routine only contains NATURAL ingredients, mainly oils and butters (100%). I am saying this because using mousse (as you currently do) doesn’t mean natural (although I understand that you mean natural “look” but I think it is worth saying).
If you want to go the natural way, use oils/butters as your conditioner and for your shampoo use a tablespoon of baking soda mixed in a tablespoon of water, and rinse it with Apple Cider Vinegar. Then, apply your oil/butter of choice.
Hope that helped.
All the best.
atlast i finally found what my hair type. thank you so much, i have a type II hair.pls suggest any hair style for me and i dont think ceaser hairstyle will suit me,cause i have big ear. my skin type is brown(indian). pls suggest any other hair style for me and thank u for ur wonderful guide
Hi Gopi,
It depends on your hair length. Type II curls can get away for the msot part with doing hairstyles which manipulate the hair.
A great hairstyle that works for Type II is to get a fade done on the sides and back and then have your curls trimmed to 1 inch in length on the top. Ask your barber to perform a fade with a hair clipper, stopping the fade at temple level. The top of your head is then trimmed with scissors to a 1 inch in length. Style your hair every day by lifting the hair with your fingers and then shaking your head, or sweep (part) your hair to the side with your fingers.
The above hairstyle works great on a curly mane like yours.
Al the best.
I’m new to growing out my hair and this website has really been a help for me since I am a guy. I really like your hair and I was wondering if my hair now looked anything like your hair when it was shorter because I’m trying to roughly figure out what my hair will look like when it gets longer. I know no two heads are the same but I would like a general idea for some motivation because it’s kind of difficult growing my hair out while going to school and working and so I’m losing motivation and I really don’t want to cut it. Thanks man and I’ve subscribed!
Top: http://i45.tinypic.com/14pwlu.jpg
Side: http://i48.tinypic.com/161fekg.jpg
Hi Josh,
You got some nice waves going, buddy! See, try to notice the curl pattern. Right there, you can measure the diameter of one of the curls formed (the curl is formed as a C). I’d say you are a type III, almost bordering a IV, like me.
Your curls look plastered, did you use gel on the side pic? You have a thick head of curls, it has a lot of potential to grow. Check out my recent picture in Paris
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/08/el-clasico-real-madrid-fc-barcelona-time-thursday-23-august/
You and I have the same curl type and the same thickness in term of the hair strand and the density of hair. In other words, you and I have some good bushes ahead! The only problem you will have is that your mane will puff out as it grows. Check out the shampoo article I have written and which many of our bros are following already
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/05/no-poo-method-curly-men-shampoo-guide/
Also, some tips for growing your curls!
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/06/growing-curly-hair-how-tips-shoulder-length-men/
And, if you are going for length, check out the video of my curls drying
http://www.manlycurls.com/2012/05/how-curly-hair-natural-dry-wet-rogelio/
It took me about 2 1/2 years to have my hair hanging down. Until then, my mane would puff out naturally so if you want your mane to hang down, you need to give it time. Considering your case, you need a minimal of 2 years bro.
Let me know what are you goals and I can be more specific. I can tell you though, that your curls look diesel and you have great potential to grow an awesome mane.
I can’t see your email on the subscriber list, I think you may have subscribed to the feed. Instead, subscribe to the Newsletter box on the top right; I am going to be making a big announcement very soon which will shed light on A LOT of things ;)
All the best.
Love the way you have thought outside the box when it comes to hair typing. Curly girl here and putting your guide to use too. I’m a 3b who is a Type III on your guide. Really works, my brother (curly too!) is using it as well, I think he sent you an email already.
Love,
Anette
Hi Anette,
Glad it is of help, it is a different way of typing curly hair and I have used it extensively so it will definitively help you.
Yes, I have replied to your brother (I assume he is the one talking about this article and him and his sister having curly hair and following this blog?).
Any questions, let me know.
All the best.
This is curly hair science! Thanks for the guide
[...] types of hair texture: straight and curly. Straight hair doesn’t have any sub-types where as curly hair comes in a range of sub-types (Type I to Type V). You must know your hair texture to get your locks [...]
[...] sub-types of curly hair, ranging from wavy to highly kinky hair. I have designed a popular curly hair classification system which is currently used by many men because it gives a numerical term for each of the coloquial [...]
This is a great guide Rogelio, thanks for taking the time to help us guys with curly hair.
Man, curly-hair is the best. I come from a biracial family, and had some waves, and then permed my hair four years ago. No I feel more like the black side of the fam, with which I always identified. It is cool, bro, and I am keeping it, man.
Peace,
Jim
Nice one Jim; definitively be proud of your hair, no matter how curly or difficult to manage it may be. One’s unique hair shape is defined by one’s genetic makeup; ergo the importance of acknowledging it like you’re doing and like we promote here!
Keep us updated or ask questions about hair care if need be.
Best
Great advice. Mine are Type IV! Look forward to more of your stuff
Cheers
Digging your advice Rogelio! I have subscribed, look forward to your articles.