The Fia info was copied from this site. The info in purple was added by me.
Fia's Hairtyping System
FIRST CLASSIFIER:
The straight ones
1a - stick straight
1b - straight but with a slight body wave, just enough to add some volume, doesn't look wavy
1c - straight with body wave and one or two visible S-waves (e.g. nape of neck or temples)
The wavy ones
2a - loose, stretched out S-waves throughout the hair Beachy waves, rock star waves
2b - shorter, more distinct S-waves (similar to waves from braiding damp hair) Princess Hair
2c - distinct S-waves and the odd spiral curl forming here and there A
mix of waves and curls and some pieces that have a mix of S and C
shapes. On NC.com this is often referred to as "Wurly" hair.
3) The curly ones
3a - big, loose spiral curls Like a telephone cord. (Anyone else old enough to know what that is?)
3b - bouncy ringlets Ringlets the size of a pinky finger.
3c - tight corkscrews Ringlets the size of a pencil or straw.
4) The really curly ones Common among African Americans.
4a - tightly coiled S-curls
4b - tightly coiled hair bending in sharp angles (Z-pattern)
SECOND CLASSIFIER
What (most of) your individual strands look like
F - Fine
Thin
strands that sometimes are almost translucent when held up to the
light. Shed strands can be hard to see even against a contrasting
background. Similar to hair found on many people of Scandinavian
descent.
You can also try rolling a strand between your thumb and
index finger. Fine hair is difficult to feel or it feels like an
ultra-fine strand of silk
M - Medium
Strands are neither fine nor coarse. Similar to hair found on many Caucasians.
You
can also try rolling a strand between your thumb and index finger.
Medium hair feels like a cotton thread. You can feel it, but it isn't
stiff or rough. It is neither fine or coarse.
C - Coarse
Thick
strands that where shed strands usually are easily identified against
most backgrounds. Similar to hair found on many people of Asian or
native American descent.
You can also try rolling a strand
between your thumb and index finger. Coarse hair feels hard and wiry. As
you roll it back and forth, you may actually hear it.
Science-y Hair Blog explains how you can measure your hair will a ruler to tell the texture. See this link.
THIRD CLASSIFIER
Your overall volume of hair
Put
your hair in a ponytail with as much hair as possible in it. Don't
bother with the way it looks - the goal is to have most/all of your hair
in there. If it means it sits smack dab on top of your head, put it
there.
Measure the circumference of the ponytail. If you have
bangs and/or you can't get all of your hair in there adjust according to
how much of your hair you have measured.
To measure the
circumference - take a piece of string, or a soft tape measure (the kind
used by dressmakers). Wrap the string or tape measure
<i>around</i> your ponytail - just below the elastic you
have in to hold the ponytail together. Read the corresponding number
from the tape measure, or hold the string at the length you've measured
and use a ruler to determine how much it is. The number given is the
circumference of your ponytail.
i - thin (less than 2 inches/5 centimeters)
ii - normal (between 2-4 inches or 5-10 centimeters)
iii - thick (more than 4 inches/10 centimeters)
NC.com link with photos of different curl patterns.
Your
curl pattern may not fit neatly into only one category. It is common
to see a mix of curl patterns on one head. This is especially true for
wavies. Some hair just doesn't fit any description.
Figuring
out your hair texture can be tricky as well. Your hair stylist should
be able to tell you your hair's texture (Kinky or dry hair has been
known to throw some stylists. See below). If you compare your hair
with your friend's hair, this should help you with figuring out your
hair's texture.
Live Curly Live Free has a service
where you send in your hair and they tell you your hair's texture,
porosity, and elasticity. The hair analysis I would recommend for a
similar price is GoosefootPrints on ETSY.
At GoosefootPrints you get your hair analysis, pictures of your hair
under a microscope, and a helpful document that helps you interpret your
hair analysis results. See my sample GoosefootPrints Analysis post.
If
your hair is dry and therefore has a rough feel, you may mistakenly
think your hair is coarser then it actually is. If your hair has some
kinky pieces mixed in, this can also make you assess your hair as
coarser then it actually is. Any ethnicity may have kinky hair. I'm as
pale as they come and 40% of my hair has kinks (my GoosefootPrints hair
analysis told me this). This link
explains the difference between kinky hair and curly hair with helpful
illustrations. Hair is kinky because of the way it twists (see
illustration in link). Another type of kinky hair is where the hair
shaft narrows and widens. I have both of these types of kinks in my
hair.
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