What’s my curl type? The 2A–4C chart, explained in plain words
Most people have two or three curl types on one head. Here’s how to read yours — and the one thing that matters more than the number.
The short version
- Type 2 is wavy (S-shapes), type 3 is curly (loops and springs), type 4 is coily (tight zig-zags and coils).
- The letter (A, B, C) is how tight the pattern is — A is loosest, C is tightest.
- Check your type on clean, product-free hair that dried without touching. Day-three hair lies.
- Most heads mix two or three types. Build your routine for the majority, treat the outliers gently.
The curl typing system most people use was popularised by stylist Andre Walker in the 1990s. It is not science — nobody measured anything — but it gives you a shared vocabulary, and that is useful when you are reading product labels or asking for a haircut.
Here is the whole chart in one table.
| Type | What it looks like | Usual struggle |
|---|---|---|
| 2A | Loose, barely-there S-bends. Often reads as straight-ish when wet. | Weighed down easily, goes flat |
| 2B | Defined S-waves from mid-length down. | Frizz on the crown |
| 2C | Deep waves, some loose ringlets. | Frizz and humidity |
| 3A | Big loose loops, about the width of a sidewalk chalk stick. | Losing definition by day two |
| 3B | Springy ringlets, roughly marker-width. | Dryness, frizz halo |
| 3C | Tight corkscrews, pencil-to-straw width. | Shrinkage, tangles |
| 4A | Tight, defined coils with a visible S. | Dryness, shrinkage |
| 4B | Z-shaped zig-zags rather than round coils. | Breakage at the bends |
| 4C | Very tight zig-zags, little visible pattern until stretched. | Up to 75% shrinkage, fragility |
The 60-second test that actually works
Forget looking at your hair in the morning mirror. Products, sleep and humidity all distort it. Do this instead:
- Wash with a gentle shampoo and a light rinse-out conditioner. No leave-in, no gel.
- Let it air dry completely without touching, scrunching or towelling hard.
- Pull one strand from the crown, one from the nape and one from the temple. Hold each against a white sheet of paper.
- Compare the shape to the table above. Note all three — they are often different.
Your curl type matters less than you think
This is the part most charts skip. Two people with 3B hair can need completely different routines, because the pattern tells you about shape, not about how your hair handles water. That comes down to three other things:
- Porosity — how easily moisture gets in and out. This decides whether you need light or rich products. Read our porosity test guide.
- Density — how many strands you have. Thick, dense hair can take heavier stylers; thin hair collapses under them.
- Strand width — fine strands get weighed down and are more sensitive to protein; coarse strands can feel straw-like without enough moisture.
Which looks most like your hair?
That is exactly why Coil’s onboarding asks about curl pattern and porosity, density, scalp, length and chemical history before it suggests anything. A curl type alone gives you a stereotype. All six together give you a routine.
What to do with your result
- Type 2: go lighter than you think. Foams and light gels, not butters. See the wavy hair routine.
- Type 3: leave-in plus a gel or cream, applied soaking wet. Definition lives or dies on wash day.
- Type 4: moisture first, layered and sealed, with as little manipulation as possible. See the 4C routine.
Questions people ask
Can your curl type change?
Yes. Hormones, age, medication, heat damage and chemical treatments can all loosen or tighten your pattern. Damaged hair often looks looser, and many people find their curls tighten after cutting off heat-damaged ends.
Is 4C hair the same as afro hair?
4C is one pattern within afro-textured hair. Many people with afro hair have a mix of 4A, 4B and 4C on the same head.
Do men and women have different curl types?
No. The chart is the same for everyone. Men with short cuts often can’t see their pattern until the hair is two or three inches long.