Back in 1998 I read a book that changed the way I looked at and took care of my hair. It inspired me to stop thinking of my hair an uncontrollable mass that would only behave at the hands of my hairdresser and taught me the proper techniques and tools to use to do it myself without causing damage. That book is Andre Talks Hair! by Andre Walker.

Who is Andre Walker?

Andre Walker is the hairstylist to many Hollywood celebrities but he is mainly known as the man that keeps Oprah Winfrey’s locks looking so thick and healthy. What I love about this book is that he breaks hair down into types. He doesn’t generalize hair by race giving the same advice for everyone that has “Black hair” or “Asian hair”. He actually acknowledges that within each ethnic group you will encounter varying hair textures from stick straight to downright kinky.

For the coming months I will share with you some of the most significant hair care facts that I have learned from reading Andre’s book. This weeks feature will guide you to analyze your hair to figure out your specific hair type. Once you find your hair type check back on the site because I will be featuring articles that will tell you how to shampoo, condition and even cut your hair to get the absolute best out of it.

Type 1: Straight Hair Characteristics: More oilier than dry, shiny, has the tendency to not hold curls. Hard to damage.

Subtypes: 1A: Very shiny, thin, soft and fine.

1B: A lot of body with a medium-texture.

1C: Extremely resistant to curling and shaping.

Notable type 1’s: Cher and Joan Chen.

Type 2: Wavy Hair Characteristics: Lies somewhere between straight and curly hair. Has the tendency to be coarse with an “S” pattern. Lays flat against the scalp.

Subtypes: 2A: Thin easy to handle, quite fine can easily take on curlier or straighter styles.

2B: Medium- textured hair that hugs the head. More resistant to styling and has the tendency to frizz.

2C: More coarse than 2B, resistant to styling and has the tendency to frizz.

Notable type 2’s: Supermodel Yasmeen Ghauri and Isabella Rosellini.

Type 3: Curly Hair Characteristics: Has a loopy “S” pattern. Curly hair straightens when wet and contracts back to a curly state when the hair absorbs water. Humidity will make this hair type curlier or frizzy. Type 3’s have a lot of body and can easily straighten their hair with the use of a blow dryer. Type 3 hair that has been damaged will look dull, frizzy and feel dry and hard when touched. It isn’t unusual for type 3’s to have several different hair textures in one head with the crown being the curliest.

Subtypes: 3A: Loosely curled with very large shiny curls. The shorter it is the straighter it will appear to be. The longer it is the more defined the curl.

3B: Medium amount of curl that ranges from ringlets to corkscrews.

Notable type 3’s: Susan Sarandon, Cree Summer and Cleo Laine.

Type 4: Kinky Hair Characteristics: Very wiry, very fragile in tight coils. At initial glance it appears to be coarse but in actuality is fine with many strands densely packed together. People think this hair type is durable and tough but it isn’t because it has the least amount of cuticle layers out of all the hair types. Type 4’s can easily damage their hair especially with all of the abuse it’s subjected to. Relaxers are commonly used to make hair more manageable.

Subtypes: 4A: Tightly coiled. Has an “S” pattern when stretched. Has more moisture than 4B.

4B: Wiry and has a less defined “Z” pattern. If your hair is relaxed you will need at least one inch of new growth to determine your subtype. Once you do pull at your roots. If you have a definite curl pattern you’re a 4A if not you’re a 4B.

Notable type 4’s: Angela Bassett and Oprah Winfrey

(Sounds good? Find out more tips and techniques to care for all types of hair in Andre Talks Hair!)

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