Latanya writes:
I’m in the midst of my transition. As I research everything natural hair, I’ve noticed a lot of focus on determining one’s hair type. It seems that many bloggers and message board posters want to make sure that their hair type falls between 3a and 4a. Sometimes, the air feels as though 4b is the dreaded hair category. I must admit that I have to smack myself out of this thinking as well.
My question:
Has hair typing become the back door way of determining Good Hair and Bad Hair?”
I love hair typing because it allows me to determine what works best for hair similar to mine. Some of these conditioners and combs recommended by people with other types of hair would have been EPIC FAILS for me…I know first hand!
I am a 4a/b, tightly coiled (no s-pattern..coils) with fine, yet dense strands. My shoulder length hair shrinks to my earlobes in its natural state. Since I blog about my hair, I classify so that people will know exactly what kind of hair I'm dealing with before they run out trying everything that works for me.
queenofthe4s.blogspot.com
Don't mean to offend, but the hair typing really seems to encourage people to identify with type 3 or 4a hair. Similar to how some folks hasten to identify their non-Black ancestry. It's less about embracing all of who you are and more about illustrating that you're not 'all black everything'. But we know this, it's been going on since day one lol.
Before I forget the reason why the system is faulty and you may see a lot of curlies under 4a is this.
This is the original numeral/alpha system.
1a,2a,2b,2c,3a,3b,3c,4a,4c.
Notice something 1 and 4 have less letters. Well numbers stand for the type of pattern 1=straight, 2=Wave to loose curls, 3=curly, and 4=kinky. The letter originally were setup for thickness of strands and inplications of shape/shape of curl, except for 1 and 4. 1a stands for all straight hair (but we already know that they come in all thickness) and 4a stands for "s" pattern and 4b stands stands for "z" pattern, and we know that thickness varies in kinky hair. I can see why a lot of women will fall into the 3c and 4a category, especially if they are working on the original system.
Obviously people have altered it to include a thinkness this is where confusion lies. Straight is now 1a, 1b, 1c; Wavy/loose curls is 2a, 2b, 2c; Curly is 3a, 3b, 3c; and Kinky is 4a, 4b, 4c; and newly added texture Permed is 5a. But still some use the letters describe looseness and size of curl/or lack there of, precisely why it is not perfect.
Honestly hair typing is a tool, that is it nothing more nothing less. It what you project that makes it good or bad. But people have to realizes that most things fall in gray areas.
I use it to find hair similar to mine in order to style my hair realistically. Lets be honest non of the curlies on here would try to style there hair like a person with straight or wavy hair and expect the same results would they? So they try to find individuals with hair like their own in order mimic results of the style they desire with realistic expectations. That is what the typing system is used for. Obviously diet, porosity, elasticity, brittleness, and weather will also affect how you treat your hair, but most systems are generalization just to give you a starting point.
Just like we use a typing system for skin. You know, normal, dry, oily, or sensitive. But but we know that with skin that you have to consider, age, diet, environment, eczema, pigmentation, acne, rosacea, hyperigmentation/hypopigmentation, thinness, allergies, hereditary growths and contact dermatitis, to best take care of your skin but they typing system gives us a starting point.
It is just a tool.
But to be realistic typing system isn't perfect and I know that. I have mostly 4a hair with sprinkles of 4b, 3, 2 and the random 1 which I am surprised last time I stumble on them. Most individuals have a mix of at least two types of hair, I don't think I have truly met a person with 1 type, and I will be quite surprise when if I do.
Honestly, I don't see the purpose of hair typing, because each head of hair is different. Like @Kitty, I've seen all kinds of different hairs on my own head, from fine to coarse, straight and kinky. I don't fit into one or even two types. All I know is MY JUNK IS THICK and needs lots of moisture. Where's the type for that? Who cares about my curl/coil pattern? Sometimes I like it "curly" and sometimes "straight." It's NOT that serious.
I am glad for the great and useful advice I've been able to glean from blogs and boards and YouTube vids. Obviously CurlyNikki is my fave.
But I'd like to say that we don't need a typing system to divide ourselves either, we're doing a fine job of doing that ourselves. As long as there is envy and jealousy and insecurity, instead of love, acceptance and self-worth, we will be divided. *stepping off of soap box*
There is a lot of excellent information here on the InterWeb (lol) which, combined with trial and error, has helped me much more than hair typing.
I think that some 4b's don't like their hair and think that other people feel the same…I have never wanted 3abc or 4bc hair…I am a 4a and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY HAIR…it is not a problem if I said I don't want 3a hair but if I said I don't wwant 4b hair I am participating in some form of hate…*sigh* I don't get people…it is your own insecurities…stop blaming me for you feeling left out…
As mentioned before: it's going to take many decades before the deep seated issues which spawned the brown paper bag test and the whole good hair/bad hair sickness will fade away. Many, many decades.
All I can say is: love yourself, love your hair, God does not make mistakes.
I think a lot of those FORUMS are filled with filthy, self loathing, narcissistic, haters who are most likely addicted, PJing zombies. I would stay away from forums,they're ultra negative. But that's just my personal opinion. =]
And I'm not even gonna say much about people not giving love to tighter curls. I wish I could just pump a bunch of pride in my fellow naturals who feel their damn hair isn't good enough.
Personally, I don't think I can type my hair at all. I can only guess 3c/4a curly and coily at the same time. Not only that, I find some wavy/straight hairs on my head! I have multi racial Puerto Rican hair. LoL
That being said, some people get caught up in it and frustrated because, like me, can't figure out what their hair is. I used to get really frustrated because I would try products on natural sites and nothing worked! I was trying all the type 4 products and got a hot mess. I then tried type 3 products (like curly "Latino" hair products, yadda yadda…) and BAM! Results! I was dumfounded because I look like a type 4 but my hair acts like a type 3. *faints* So yeah that can be a trial. ^^;; Or if people want to have the more acceptable curly corkscrew hair they see on TV and they are disappointed when their hair comes out dramatically different. Those cases can hurt people.
On the other hand, hair typing can help with determining what products or styles that flatter your hair. You can see what people who have a similar texture do and take a bit from that.
Hair typing is both good and bad. It depends how you use it.
I remember when there was a time when people would say you weren't nappy enough if you embraced your curl pattern, even to the point of these said people would scoff and huff at the thought of someone mentioning they hair a curl/coil (if you remember in 2006 there was the 4c "you can't sit with us" crew). I mean yeah some people might obsess about the coils and curls just a little too much, but what about those who no matter what aren't going to have that big bodacious thick afro? I have come to grips that my hair will never have the ability to hold a pick without it falling, and that my coils just so happen to over shadow that one fine 4b patch in the front of my head.
I was even told off before (on another forum that will not be named) when I asked what type of holding product people used for their twists, and I was told if I have natural hair I don't need products to hold my twists. I politely told the person well you might not, but I do so thank you for your "advice." Believe me that vibe was a strooooooooooooooong one pre-2008. I'm happy that women are mentioning their hair types, that means more products for me to ummm "research."
in response to all-caps anonymous at 6:59:
I just threw Nigeria out there as an example. I'm not trying to start an argument but it just seems that you didn't really get what I was saying at all. and you went about showing that in a very impolite way throwing around the word "ignorant" and such but I am not going to return in kind …
Saying what someone's hair type is like does not mean you are automatically putting a value system on it. I never described what any category of hair was like. You put those value adjectives of "bad" on it. I dont know your background but as I said I am West African, grew up there, and have many West African friends in the states with natural hair. most people at home have permed hair but ,even with children with natural hair, I have never seen anyone outside the "4" range.
African-Americans having a mixed past is a fact. and by bring up genetics I was responding to a specific aspect of the question posed. the "why does everyone seem to claim be in a certain range" part. its because in this population thats what you are going to find. you dont expect to find a bunch of redheads with brown eyes in sweden do you?america is a "melting pot" with many people of different nationalities coming together mixing, not just african-americans. im not so sure why you want to deny this other than you seem to be a believer in this hair hierarchy and a bit insecure because of it. different means different not better or worse.
Also, I am not black. I am african. The idea of being "black" is a social construct of United States society that I find completely valid when others talk about their identity here but it does not fit with me. Black describes my skin, yes , but in W. Africa it means little else for most people other than that. there is no "solidarity around color" in a continent where 90% of the population falls into one category. My skin color does not play a significant part in my self-identity and I have no desire for it to. it means something in the US which I respect but not where I come from.
and to address your final point: I wake up loving me just because, not because "white people dont want to claim me".
For you I recommend 2 replays of "I love my hair", 1 play of "Whip My Hair", and any Badu track for good measure. Or maybe read some Frantz Fanon if you still need more help. Embrace your fabulosity. I know I am.
I have only been natural for about 3 months. I big chopped in mid-August (YAY!). I have found some great sites,, my fave being CurlyNikki 🙂
In response to today's question. I believe that the person asking the question is the one still holding onto the ideas of good hair and abd hair. Your hair-type is a fact. It is what it is. Your own beliefs, ideas, and feelings about that hair-type is what causes you to think it is good or bad. Hair-typing is not the culprit for feeling like you have "good-hair" or "bad-hair", that comes from the inside.
In these last 90 days I have visited plenty of sites talking about hair-types and everything else kinky, curly, and coily. I have yet to come across someone discussing any hair type in a negtive way. That being said, I FIRMLY believe that many times we transfer our own feelings of inferiority or displeasure onto others when often times they are just stating facts.
Simply by being human, we can take the most benign things and simply mess them up. Hair typing, IMO, is a useful tool and starting point to understandng your hair, what your hair can and cannot do and what products work best for you. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. If some people want to take it a step further and make it divisive, then that is thier issue. It's really sad though, because divisiveness happens. For anything- blonde vs brunette, blue eyes vs brown eyes, tall vs short…. That's just the way it is. All we can do to remain sane is choose not to buy into the nonsense.
Has hair typing become the back door way of determining Good Hair and Bad Hair?"……
ABSOLUTELY! just another way to drill and wedge between "them and us", which ever side you're on.
The plain and simple answer to Latanya's question is yes.
I include my hair type in my post in case some one can relate to the issue I am posting on and give me the best information to advise me. Its not because I am putting myself in any catagory.
I think ppl read WAY too far into this hair typing thing. It's a convenient, non definitive way to say your curls are a certain diameter. THAT'S IT. If you're looking for someone to classify your hair as "good" or "bad", then that's exactly what you're going to get.
I only notice this when someone is saying they have one type of hair but it looks like another.
o_0
I've noticed that alot of people love talking about 3a/b/c and 4a/b but won't acknowledge that 4c is listed as well. I saw either on here in the forum or on Black hair media on hair care forum where someone had a ? dealing about 4c hair, and was rudely told that their is no 4c but that she had tight 4b hair. I'm like is it so hard to say that 4c hair isn't considered good because it's just as good as any of the other hair types. Granted it's nice to know so that you can see what products may or may not work best for you.
But then again, alot of people hardly view or respond to the 4c chats, and alot of stereotypes on Youtube as well. One must remember that what one hair type can do, that another hair type can't do and won't look as good. I've often thought about having a little bit of a looser curl maybe 4a, but I have a thick and tight 4b/c that works for me.
I've found hair typing to be very helpful. When I first began my hair journey, and had absolutely no direction, I copied the regimen of this girl whose hair was enviable (and whose type matched mine). Luckily, what worked for her, worked for me. I thank hair typing for that. If someone wants to turn the system into "good/bad" hair, that's their issue, IMO.
I sure would like to know where and who all these bloggers and message board people are who are so desperate to fall within 3a and 4a. Guess this is one of the benefits of only spending time on one message board (Nappturality)…it allows me to circumvent this silliness…
Hair typing is valuable as an objective means to an end: It's a good place to start if you're new, and then you can tweak or change things as you get the hang of your hair and its needs. The only time it becomes a problem is when it's subjectively evaluated and weighted…and given our history, that was and is inevitable.
Real talk: A handful of years of natural hair "enlightenment" isn't going to overcome decades of collective self-hate. It shouldn't be a surprise that looser textures are preferred over tighter ones, even now, even here (online).
Even if there were no typing or name for the various categories, people would still notice that there are different curl patterns. All hair does not look or act the same. Big deal. Nobody is totally curl blind-unless they're actually blind and can't see. It's the value judgments that make people uncomfortable.
WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT NIGERIANS HAVE 4C HAIR? THATS WRONG AND THATS STEREOTYPING. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE MIXED TO HAVE SOFT CURLY HAIR. AGAIN, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE MIXED TO HAVE SOFT CURLY HAIR! WHY DO BLACK PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE MIXED AND SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT HAIR TEXTURES THAN AFRICANS? THATS IGNORANT AND ITS NOT TRUE! WE NEED TO GET OFF OF THAT MIXED CRAP AND JUST BE PROUD TO BE BLACK. WHITES AND OTHER RACES DO NOT WANT TO CLAIM US!
It has helped me with finding products. I'm so glad for the YOUTUBE videos where people say what type they are because if they don't have 4A or 4B hair I don't bother to watch. I'm 4a/4b/3c and all of it is fine and thin, so I'm looking for a 4a with thin hair. It's even narrower. Those vids and that typing has saved me money. Even when I've ordered products online, having a starting place as far as hair type has helped with product selection.
I don't think I have good hair. I can rock a mean wash n go, but I can't get a decent twist out. A twist out is the hair style I dreamed of when I was going natural, but everytime I do one. Big FAIL. Nothing "good" about that.
To be honest, I never paid that much attention. I only used the typing system to learn what worked for my hair. Once my hair is well moisturized and conditioned, I don't have any manageability problems.
But, as usual, humans need to divide and one-up each other in everything. *sigh*
Great topic! I have never seen/heard of discrimination based on hair typing, although I wouldnt be surprised if it happens. It would be kinda crazy because many of us have a wide range of types on our heads. I , myself, have 3a-4b all mixed in together (different types in different areas) and it is a total scream. I look at all the 3a-4c forums and try all kinds of combos. A 3a treatment plan allows me to get a more powerful fro and a 4b-c plan gives me hella moisture, so it flattens my 'do' down. I told my mother that when hair was given out (in the "before birth" world) my relatives couldn't decide who was going to be genetically represented on my head, so they all aggreed to take a certain area. Crazy Mofos!!! WHy or Why couldnt they have all just gotten along!!!! I love 'em all though, so it's all good. LOL! I just gotta deal with it.
I see the utility and the futility in curl-typing. Personally, I believe that some people are always going to think one texture is better than another-it's just how the world works. 4a & 3c may sound great to some but remember there are folks who'd rather relaxer those textures out too.
For the folks out there who can be objective and honest, Thank You. For those who haven't learned to embrace what they were blessed with…reach up and touch your hair!!
You reslly can't determine hair type until at least a year after you've start transitioning.
When I first started to grow out my relaxer I thought I was 4b, but now two years later I have no 4b on my head and it ranges from 3b to 4a, which is annoying because I can never my hair to do the same thing all of my head.
yep true, is not the members of forums that make you feel bad but the ones asking the question, are always: "I pretty sure my hair is 3c 4a, what do you think" when they are really 4a 4b….it's like everyone who is transitioning or is newly natural don't want to accept the fact that they are 4a or 4bs 🙁
I'm not a fan of curltyping at all. When i first went natural 4 and a half years ago, curltyping didn't seem as important or prevalent as it is now. I've just recently taken the time to try to figure out what my hair type is but i gave up because i think i have a bit of everything on my head! Also, even when it comes to finding products, i've found that just because a person with (what i think is) my hair type says a certain product works for them, doesn't mean it'll work for me. Now, if i can actually see your hair and it looks like mine, then i'd be more inclined to try some of the products that work for you but just going by hairtype isn't enough.
I see this all the time. Not so much on blogs, but on youtube. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just reading the tone of the writer wrong, or if they really are saying that a certain hair type/curl pattern is better.
Hmmmm… I have no idea what hair type I am. I classify myself as a 4 generically and think I have some of all the 4s in my texture. Since I don't frequent naturally curly or youtube, I guess I am fortunate enough to not be influenced. Either way, I think I would not care one way or the other. I'm with Sarah. I don't feel anyway about my hair based on someone else's. It's just mine and I love it.
Vive la difference!
Your coily aint my coily and that's all good. But if curl care manufacturers produce products for 3c gals, please don't declare it'll work on the kinkiest hair on the planet. Because 3c ain't.
4c is.
I don't take offence in being described as 4c. Yes, I wish I had the styling options of the 3c gang, but "it is what it is".
Let me tell you from my heart – when I bc'd I thought I was a 4a. But, I was buying those products and my results weren't looking like they said it should. What was I doing wrong??
So then after more research, I bumped myself up to 4b. Looked at more videos. The new products still made my hair too moist and poufy, or dry and brittle. Back to the drawing board.
Finally bumped myself up to 4c, and started searching for videos and posts from the 4c Chicas. Holy cow! It has started to make sense! Now I'm conditioning my hair differently, I'm handling my hair differently, and I'm styling with twists-outs instead of pulling gloopy gels through it. Shingle what???
I'm loving it!!!
Learning how to care for and style 4c hair has made all the difference, and 'Sasha' has looked lovelier than she has in months.
In closing, please don't take my 4C descriptor away. It is guiding me, educating me, providing insight into styling options, and helps in reducing my inner PJ.
Be blessed
In a way I agree, but I only refer to my hair type when talking to others about products to use. Products DO work differently on different types of coils. However, I feel that some people go overboard with the typing system.I've had ppl say "oh, well that's b/c you have THAT type of hair" ….no it's b/c I take care of the hair I have…we have the same type! lol
I have to admit that two weeks ago when I big chopped to a true twa (less than 1 inch) I was sort of disappointed that my hair did not spring all these defined 4a curls and instead was a stubborn undefined, dense afro, LOL. I had all these 4a fantasies based on my obsessive youtube watching. It seemed like everyone who cut their hair rubbed some ecostyler in their hair and gave birth to billions of curls all at onces. Nothing I have done post BC has defined on single curl on my head. I was in true despair mode. Fortunately, I have a bf who talked some sense into me and reminded me of why I went natural in the first place. I am now accepting my little thick afro and I'm happy that I now have non shedding, healthy hair, whatever type it is. I still don't really know to be honest. This was a true journey of self acceptance.
I can't speak for anyone else, but if I am being honest I think I did have still have some of that old good hair/ bad hair brainwashing seep into my natural hair journey. All I can do is recognize those feelings, realize they are not constructive and move on from there.
Yes.
I never got the importance of the whole hair typing thing. I guess what StaceyMarie said about using it to talk to other naturals about their hair when you can't see them makes sense. I have no idea what my hair type is. I never bothered to figure it out.
I couldn't agree with Sarah more, " no one can really make you feel some kind of way about having 4b hair… only you can control that feeling."
I have 4a/4b/4c hair. It doesn't bother me when people reference hair types. I love and accept my hair texture. I have mastered my hair. I know how to style my hair. I wear my natural hair with confidence. I always receive compliments on my hair. My number one rule is if you are not buying it no one else will.You really have to be comfortable with YOUR natural hair texture. It's okay to like other people's hair, however, it is ctitical to fully accept your own hair. People are going to always make rude comments and say ignorant things. You really have to be sure of yourself and work with your hair to develop that staple hair products and styles.
I think the hair typing obsession is more harmful than helpful. I find it weird that on Naturallycurly.com that all of the board traffic is in the 4A board and not many people hang out on the 4B board. The other weird thing I have seen is that people on message boards and youtube will jump down someone's throat for saying "regular black girl hair" or "I have nappy hair" by insisting that you don't have to be mixed to have curls. While we all know this is true, I think the quickness to negate the fact that many African Americans don't have a defined curl pattern is a little bit overboard in some way? It just seems like they are *defending* black hair by saying it can be curly.
Yeah. I think the hair typing has gone a bit crazy. I have not and refuse to type my transitioning hair. My hair is soft, conditioned, and easy to detangle. That's all I care about!
I don't feel that way but then again, I guess it depends on how you view the system. I have by definition 4a/4b hair and I don't put a value on this hair "typing" system (as far as negative or positive). But i think it has helped me find products that work better for my hair. For example most times (again not all but most)heavy products work for my hair, and I found that when I look at other women who have hair similar to mine (4a/4b) , the products they use work well on my hair. Also women who have 3a/3b hair and have said that a product was tooo heavy for them, helped me because that means that it may be just heavy enough for my hair. Hope that makes sense, but to me its like saying you may need different types of winter clothes depending on if you live in a Northern state vs a Southern state. Northern states tend to be colder in the winter so you may need heavier cloting, whereas Southern states may be less colder, so you may need lighter clothing. In my example I am not saying the North is better than the South, I'm just using it to deterimine, the typical weather conditions and the typical types of clothing one must wear for each region. This is how I view hair typing. Now if someone feels that they want to have a certain type of hair, it does not matter if they say 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, cause that person has hair envy pointblank,and they would feel that way even with out the number/letter descriptions.
I think the one thing that curls of all types have in common, whether you are 4b or 3b, is the need for moisture for them to look their best. But the hair typing system was made for distinguishing curl size or pattern. If we were to round up every person with the same curl size and take a look at them, yeah, those people most likely would have genetic traits that resemble each other. So, if we take hair typing at face value, it is what it is, your curl pattern is such and such. But, if we add what the person looks like who has such and such pattern, then should we or should we not say the system separates? Is it ourselves doing the separating?
I couldn't agree with you more!
OH YES! FINALLY! I thought I was alone! I do truly feel as though there is a tone in some natural hair discussions where women try to "fit" into a 3c/4a section. I remember even watching a youtube video of a women who spent HOURS putting gel and other products to make her "4b" hair look like a 3c/4a. While now I use hair types to discern what advice I should listen to (like to be honest I DO NOT take advice from people whose curl pattern is looser than mine) there was a time when I was becoming natural that I did want my hair to be a 3c/4a because that seemed to be the "prefered" hair texture because it was "looser" or "easier to manage" or "not as cotton ball looking" as 4b hair (and these are phrases that I have heard from other naturals). I mean look at advirtising, even with all the new-found hype about black women with natural hair, they ALWAYS seem to feature models with more 3c-ish hair (not to say that there is anything wrong with women with 3c hair but more diversity would be nice).
But this is just my opinion and based on MY experiences.
i really wish naturals would understand the difference between "hair type" and "curl pattern". then this would be a better world. "hair type" takes into consideration the thickness of the strand, the density of the hair, and the porosity. so then, curl pattern doesn't really matter because dry hair is dry hair and thick hair is thick hair no matter what the curl pattern is.
also, no matter what you call your hair, it is what it is. you can only control how you feel about it. no one can really make you feel some kind of way about having 4b hair… only you can control that feeling. then, if some one comes at you with a "tone", just feel sorry for them… not your hair.
I have detected that "tone" sometimes as well. You are not alone. 🙂
I don't think so, it helps a little when determining if you'd like to try out a new product (esp. expensive ones). If someone has a simalar hair type, its more likely I'd try it out on myself. If anything hair typing needs to be more in-depth, because even two 4b's could be differet.
No I don't think so. It just seems easier to determine what works for one hair type and doesn't for another. My little sister has type 4b hair and I wish I had her hair. I have 3c-4a and she wants mine. I have tried some of the styles for types 4b and they never, ever for my hair. I'm always really jealous when I see hairstyle I could never rock with my hair type.
as a 4b i have never felt this way before. ive never felt that anyone on any blog/board/site ive visited has made me feel as if my hair is less than ideal. i actually appreciate those who identify what they are so I know how applicable their advice will be to my hair and what modifications I would need to make to it.
i dont think people "want to make sure" their hair falls within the 3a-4a range.I think its just the truth of the situation. many African Americans have a diverse racial history whether it was recent intermarriage or from a time they dont even know of. So it makes sense that the majority of hair types in the US falls within this range. I personally have never met a fellow West African natural within the 3a-c range. I'm sure there are a some but most are 4a-b. its all about the population. if this site focused on Nigerian naturals it would have a 4a/b bias.
Its just genetics. I dont think any "hair hierarchy" motive should be layered on top of it.
…and I am so happy that there are so many different natural out there putting there time and effort to help new natural and old ones to.
For me hair type is important b/c that is how I determine products and stlyes to try. I know that everything will not work eaxctly but since I feel like I am a new natural I like having a starting point.
I agree, I did a post on that as well. I normally say very kinky or tightly coiled hair instead of using the hair typing syst
I use hair typing when talking to other curlies when I can't see them, in order to identify what kind of hair they're working with, and then recommend products accordingly. My mom recently BC'd and we have different hair types. I have very thick 4A/4B w/a sprinkle of 3C so, I use a lot of heavier conditioners and oils (I LOVE castor oil and HE Dangerously Straight). When she described her hair as being more 3C/4A and not as thick as mine, I recommended different products (Yes to Carrots and olive oil to seal). Yes, my mother can achieve a wave pattern easier than I can, but I LUV "Cirrus" (my hair) and don't think my mom's hair is any better because she's 3C.
I mainly see hair typing as a way to select the most effective products, rather than a classification system.
I think so. I see people obsess about it all over the hair boards and forums. I admit that it has some use when it comes to finding products that work for others with similar hair types but the beauty in us is that all of our hair is different.