Type 4 hair
Because tightly coiled, kinky texture is dry by nature, and therefore breaks easily, it desperately needs products that provide moisture retention. Dry hair breaks…well moisturized hair is supple and has elasticity. The key to keeping these natural strands healthy, manageable, and beautiful is to moisturize every step of the way. Start with a creamy, sulfate free, moisturizing cleanser, follow suit with a super hydrating conditioner, prep with a rich detangling moisturizer and style with a rich hydrating cream full of natural oils and rich butters.Avoid mineral oil, petrolatum and heavy waxes that are prone to clog pores, create an unwanted film around hair strands, and attract dirt and impurities. This texture type experiences major shrinkage and usually depends on style manipulation to get more elongation. The key to Type 4 health & growth is MOISTURE, MOISTURE, MOISTURE and porosity balance. Carrier oil-based moisturizers are best, as they penetrate the haft Type 4 hair and work from the inside out, and they reduce the need to constantly wet hair, which can result in overly-hydrated tresses which can weaken strands.
What’s your hair type?
IF YOU’RE A 4A
Your dense hair pattern is generally a combination of frizzy, bushy and wiry. It’s tightly coiled, but when wet you see with a visible corkscrew or S-shaped pattern. You might also have a combination of textures, where in some places your texture is either tighter, kinkier and less defined. Dryness is an issue, but the right hydrating products help you achieve a textured, coily wash-n-go. Style versatility is on your side, as your hair is full-bodied and can more easily support switching it up.
IF YOU’RE A 4B
Your hair bends in sharp angles like the letter Z. The curl is tighter and less defined with strands that range from fine and thin to wiry and coarse. It’s most common for 4b’s to also have mixed texture, with tighter texture at the crown and nape. (back), and sometimes looser texture on the sides.Like all Type 4’s, 4B’s can support amazing protective styles, which are not just beautiful and versatile, but can help hair grow since its not being frequently tugged and pulled.
IF YOU’RE A 4C
Chronic dryness, knotting, tangles are staples of this coarse and usually very dense coily texture. The shrinkage is REAL. When softened and stretched, 4C hair can be more than quadruple its visible length. Breakage can occur from pulling and tugging when attempting to detangle. Style manipulation is needed to achieve a defined curl or coil pattern. Manageability and elongation are more than achievable with the right combination of products, maintenance and styling habits and techniques. Oil-based, intensive hydrating products in every step of maintenance and styling will help 4C hair flourish, look and feel healthy and beautiful.
Learn more about what you can do about Type 4 Texture:
4a’s can rock a wash-n-go style without too much manipulation.When wet, you can see some definition, so applying a good humectant when it’s wet will help with manageability and reducefrizz. Make Keep It Curly Styling Foam your leave-in humectant for long-lasting moisture.
4b hair more easily knots and tangles, and while there is little definition when wet, it experiences considerable shrinkage when compared to 4a. Therefore, products for 4b hair should have intensive moisture and lots of slip for detangling.Additionally, 4b hair more easily retains style and shape after its prepped by twisting, coiling, braiding or Bantu knots.Detangling with Easy Comb and prep with Keep It Curly Curl Pudding helps retain moisture and shape.
Because 4c texture experiences chronic dryness, it knots and tangles, is more prone to breakage or shedding when combed and experiences extreme shrinkage. But Texture My Way has the just the right combination of 4c hair products. Easy Comb is the perfect remedy for detangling 4c hair, Keep It Curly Stretch & Set Styling Foam is the ideal style prep and leave-in moisturizer for 4c hair and Keep It Curly Curl Pudding can be used as a twist, curl and coil setting cream, or as a a daily moisturizer for 4c hair on protective styles, updos, or carefully shingled wash-n-go’s.