Hair types and porosity
How to identify your curl pattern, strand thickness, density and porosity, and why knowing all four helps you choose products and routines that actually work.
"What is my hair type?" is one of the most common beauty questions. The answer is more than straight or curly. Four separate features shape how your hair behaves: curl pattern, strand thickness, density and porosity. Knowing each one helps you pick products and routines instead of guessing.
Curl pattern
The most widely used chart was popularized by hairstylist Andre Walker. It groups hair into four types, each with subtypes A to C from looser to tighter:
| Type | Description | Typical traits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (straight) | No natural curl | Oil travels down easily; can look flat or oily faster |
| 2 (wavy) | Loose S-shaped waves | Can frizz; waves may drop with heavy products |
| 3 (curly) | Defined springy curls or ringlets | Needs moisture; curls clump with the right products |
| 4 (coily) | Tight coils or zigzag patterns | Most fragile type; shrinks a lot; needs the most moisture and gentle handling |
Many people have more than one pattern on their head, for example looser at the front and tighter at the nape. The chart is a guide, not a box to fit into.
Strand thickness
Take one hair and roll it between your fingers.
- Fine: you can barely feel it. Fine hair is easily weighed down and more prone to damage.
- Medium: you can feel it but it is not coarse.
- Coarse: it feels thick and strong. Coarse hair often tolerates more product and heat, though it can resist moisture.
Density
Density is how many hairs grow on your head. Look at your scalp with hair loose: if you can see a lot of scalp easily, density is likely low; if it is hard to see, density is high. Someone can have fine strands but high density, or coarse strands with low density.
Porosity
Porosity describes how easily hair absorbs and holds water, which depends on the condition of the cuticle, the outer layer of the strand.
| Porosity | What it means | Signs | Helpful habits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Cuticle lies tight and flat | Water beads on hair; products sit on top; slow to dry | Lightweight products, gentle warmth to help conditioners absorb |
| Medium | Balanced | Holds styles and color well | Most routines work |
| High | Cuticle is raised or damaged | Absorbs water fast, dries fast, frizzy, tangles easily | Richer conditioners, leave-ins, sealing oils, less heat |
High porosity is often caused by heat, bleaching, chemical straightening or rough handling, though some hair is naturally more porous.
The "float test," dropping a hair in water to see if it sinks, reliably shows porosity. Fact: Results are affected by oils, product residue and surface tension. How your hair feels, absorbs and dries over a few washes is a better guide.
Putting it together
| Your hair | Product direction |
|---|---|
| Fine, straight, low porosity | Light shampoos and conditioners, volumizing products, condition mid-lengths to ends only |
| Wavy, medium | Lightweight curl creams or mousses, avoid heavy butters |
| Curly, high porosity | Moisturizing conditioners, leave-in, a sealing oil or cream |
| Coily, fine and fragile | Gentle detangling, deep conditioning, low manipulation styles |
Read washing and conditioning next to build a routine, and protective styles for low-manipulation options.
Track your hair's behavior for a few weeks after washing: how long it takes to dry, how products feel and how long styles last. Those notes tell you more than any chart.