Every hair type on one chart — strand patterns, key characteristics, and care notes for all 12 types, from pin-straight 1A to tightly coiled 4C.
Free reference · All 12 types · No sign-up needed
This chart is derived from the Andre Walker Hair Typing System, the standard way to describe hair by its curl pattern. The number is the pattern family — 1 straight, 2 wavy, 3 curly, 4 coily — and the letter is how tight that pattern is, from A (loosest) to C (tightest). Most heads carry more than one pattern, so match the type that covers most of your hair.
Rows 1–4 = pattern family · Columns A–C = pattern tightness
The chart shows the patterns — the finder narrows yours down. Slide through every type in about two minutes, or go deeper with the full guide.
The strand has no curl pattern, so sebum travels freely from scalp to ends. Type 1 hair is the shiniest and the quickest to look oily — care is about volume and lightweight formulas, not added moisture.
Pin-straight from root to tip with no discernible bend. Usually fine in texture, with high shine and little natural volume.
Straight with more body and a subtle bend at the ends. Medium texture that holds a style better than 1A.
Straight but thick and coarse, with a few subtle bends. The most frizz-prone of the straight types in humidity.
The strand bends into an S-shape somewhere between root and tip. Type 2 sits between oily and dry, and the work is definition without weight — light hold, not heavy conditioning.
A loose, stretched S-shape that starts around mid-length. Fine to medium strands that straighten easily — and get weighed down just as easily.
Defined S-waves from mid-length with a flatter crown. Medium texture with noticeable surface frizz on humid days.
Deep, defined waves that start at the root, often mixed with a few loose curls. The thickest and most frizz-prone of the wavy types.
The strand spirals into ringlets. Sebum can't travel the curve, so dryness and frizz replace oiliness as the main concern — moisture layering becomes the core of the routine.
Large, loose ringlets about the circumference of sidewalk chalk. Shiny, springy, and well-defined when hydrated.
Bouncy ringlets around the circumference of a marker. Voluminous and dense, with drier lengths that drink moisture.
Tight corkscrews about the circumference of a pencil, densely packed with big volume and noticeable shrinkage.
The strand coils tightly or bends at sharp angles. Type 4 is the driest and most fragile pattern, with dramatic shrinkage — care centers on daily moisture, sealing, and minimal manipulation.
Small, springy coils that keep a visible S-pattern, about the circumference of a crochet needle. Defined but very dry.
Strands bend in sharp Z-shaped angles rather than spirals. Less visible definition, and fragile at every bend point.
The tightest pattern on the chart — dense zigzag coils with little visible definition and the most shrinkage of any type. Hair can coil to a fraction of its true length.
The chart covers four pattern families — Type 1 (straight), Type 2 (wavy), Type 3 (curly), and Type 4 (coily) — each split into A, B, and C subtypes by how tight the pattern is. That makes twelve types in total, from pin-straight 1A to tightly coiled 4C.
Wash your hair, skip styling products, and let it air dry. Then compare the mid-lengths of a few strands to the chart: no bend is Type 1, an S-shape is Type 2, spirals are Type 3, and tight coils or sharp angles are Type 4. The letter comes from how tight that pattern is. If you're stuck between two types, the 2-minute Hair Type Finder walks you through it.
Yes — most people do. It's common to have tighter curls at the nape and looser waves at the crown. Care for the pattern that covers most of your head, and adjust technique — not the whole routine — for the rest.
4B bends in sharp Z-shaped angles with some visible definition; 4C coils even more tightly, with little visible curl definition and the most shrinkage on the chart. 4C generally needs more moisture and gentler handling, but the two share the same care principles.
The chart is derived from it. Andre Walker's original system defined the numbered families and lettered subtypes; the natural-hair community later extended it — adding types like 3C — to cover more textures. The version above is the extended chart in common use today.