Curl types run from 2a (wavy) to 4c (tight coily). The number tells you the family (2 wavy, 3 curly, 4 coily) and the letter tells you how tight the pattern is. Most people have two or three types at once.
Curl typing is a shorthand, not a diagnosis. Andre Walker's 2a–4c system was built to describe hair shape, not to tell you who you are. It still helps — once you know roughly where you land, the right products, the right routine, and the right refresh method stop being a guessing game.
Three quick rules before you self-identify:
Below: every type from 2a to 4c, what each one actually looks like, and the routine that works for it.
Wavy (2a, 2b, 2c) · Curly (3a, 3b, 3c) · Coily (4a, 4b, 4c). Most people land in more than one — type by the dominant pattern for product decisions.
The subtle S. Barely bends near the root, loose wave through the length.
Coming soonStronger S-pattern, frizzes at the crown, often misread as straight-plus-flyaways.
Coming soon2c hair is the wavy-curly border — deep S-waves with occasional corkscrew ringlets, especially around the face and at the ends. It needs more definition help than 2a/2b waves but lighter product than 3a curls. Most 2c heads have a mix of waves and curls across the same head of hair.
Read guideLarge, loose springs about the width of a piece of sidewalk chalk.
Coming soon3b hair is corkscrew curls about the width of a Sharpie marker. It's the classic 'bouncy curly' look — springs back fast when pulled, holds a defined ringlet shape, and needs a moisture balance somewhere between 3a's lighter approach and 3c's richer one.
Read guide3c hair is tight, dense, corkscrew curls — each strand about the width of a pencil. It frizzes faster than 3a/3b because the pattern is tighter, and it needs richer moisture than 3a/3b but lighter styling products than 4a/4b. The shape is the main identifier; everything else (frizz, shrinkage, dryness) is downstream of that.
Read guideDefined S-shaped coils, roughly the width of a crochet needle.
Coming soonSharper Z-pattern, less visible curl in the strand, denser feel.
Coming soon4c hair is the tightest coil pattern — no visible ringlet on the strand without stretching, extreme shrinkage (often 75%+), and maximum moisture needs. The routine centers on moisture layering, gentle detangling, and protective styling. 4c is not fragile; it's specific.
Read guideMost men's curly-hair advice is generic grooming content with a curly label slapped on. These guides cover the cut, the 3-step routine, and the beard-care overlap.
Coming soon — men's-specific routine and barber guide.
Coming soonComing soon — men's-specific routine and barber guide.
Coming soon2c hair on men is deep S-waves with occasional ringlets, especially at the face and ends. The cut should preserve volume at the root, the routine is intentionally minimal (water-based leave-in + light gel, nothing heavier), and the biggest mistake is using too much product.
Read men's guideComing soon — men's-specific routine and barber guide.
Coming soon3b hair on men is Sharpie-width springy corkscrews. The cut should respect the pattern (no thinning shears, point-cut not blunt-cut), the routine is 3 steps (cleanse, leave-in, light gel), and the main enemy is buildup, not dryness — 3b on men gets heavy-looking faster than other curl types.
Read men's guide3c hair on men works best with a cut that respects shrinkage (ask for the cut at 'dry and natural', not wet), a 3-step routine built around a leave-in and a medium-hold gel, and a beard routine that uses the same moisturizing approach as the head hair.
Read men's guideComing soon — men's-specific routine and barber guide.
Coming soonComing soon — men's-specific routine and barber guide.
Coming soon4c hair on men covers everything from a freshly-cut TWA to a grown-out afro. The routine centers on daily moisture (water + leave-in), weekly deep conditioning, and respecting the line-up schedule. Length retention is real — 4c grows at normal speed, but breakage and trims control what you actually keep.
Read men's guideThe 8-question chat quiz outputs your specific type plus a starter routine. Takes about 3 minutes.
Typing a single head? Normal to have two or three types at once. Original research from 372 users.