BEST WAY TO DEFINE YOUR 4A/4B/4C CURLS IN 2021 (Natural Hair) (2024)

FAQs

BEST WAY TO DEFINE YOUR 4A/4B/4C CURLS IN 2021 (Natural Hair)? ›

We recommend a leave-in conditioner, styling cream and gel to keep curls in place, no matter the weather. The Wash Day Delight Hair Gel to Foam Styler gives natural-looking hold, so your 4a curls are perfectly defined sans the crunch and stiffness.

We recommend a leave-in conditioner, styling cream and gel to keep curls in place, no matter the weather. The Wash Day Delight Hair Gel to Foam Styler gives natural-looking hold, so your 4a curls are perfectly defined sans the crunch and stiffness.

Finger coils

Finger coiling is another classic way to define curls on afro hair. Start with wet or dry hair and moisturise and seal your coily mane. Apply curl cream evenly over your hair and then in small sections, twirl the hair around your fingers. Allow to dry and rock your curly fro or style as required.

Allow enough time for your curls to cool down or they will lose their form and fall out quickly. If you run your fingers or brush through curls too soon without giving them the proper time to set, your curls won't last.

Dove's Amplified Textures line is a great option for 4A hair because "it really delivers the level of moisture that 4A curl types need," says Redway. This jojoba oil-infused cream enhances the hair's natural curl pattern, making it perfect for twist-outs and braid-outs.

4a hair has sweet S-shaped curls, 4b hair has juicy zig-zagged curl strands and looks like cotton candy, and 4c hair has thick coils that form massive afros. Here's a fun fact: No one head can have only one hair type.

If your curls are inconsistently defined, you might be... using too little product. If your curls tend to look inconsistent - defined in some places, frizzy in others - you may not be using enough gel or styling cream to coat every strand.

If you wait too long, you may rough up the hair cuticle, causing your swirls to become frizzy and undefined. When applying product, be sure to work it through with closed hands. Take care not to rake through your fragile curls as this can incite frizz and damage.

How do you activate curls? ›

Air dry or diffuse wet hair. Encourage your locks to develop a natural wave by air drying about 90% of the way, then blow-drying with a diffuser on the lowest setting while cupping sections of hair in the palm of your hand and scrunching upwards. Use a curling iron on stubbornly straight strands.

Twist Outs

All you have to do is twist your hair normally with a curling smoothing, and then untwist them once they're dry – like magic you have two styles in one! Twist outs create these beautiful, spiral curls that are soft, fluffy, and easy to pick out if I feel like rocking an afro later on.

Use a Texturizing Spray

A texturizing spray is a lighter version of hairspray. Therefore, it will keep your curls in place without weighing them down and causing them to lose their bounce. It also works like dry shampoo by eliminating oils from your hair and adding volume.

One of the most common reasons for limp curls is too much moisture. Although, curly hair is prone to dryness, sometimes we can go overboard with moisture. When your hair becomes excessively wet, it loses its shape and definition.

One way to help reduce shrinkage is in how you allow your hair to dry. Although heat often causes damage, blow-drying the roots is recommended to prevent shrinkage because heat causes the hair to expand. So, after you wash your hair, allow it to dry about 85 percent of the way before you take a blow dryer to it.

Coconut, jojoba, Jamaican black castor, avocado, and almond oils are great for 4A natural hair because they contain many nutrients that are good for kinky hair. Massage a generous portion of either one or a mixture of these oils into your scalp.

Even though this type of hair is the softest type of 4 hair, it is prone to frizz and dryness because it is difficult for the natural oils to travel down the hair shaft to the ends. Moisture is key for this hair type, and products like leave-in conditioners, hair masks, and oils can help you achieve this.

Jojoba oil perhaps the best oil for conditioning not only 4A hair but all hair types. It is a common ingredient found in shampoos and conditioners; however, naturalistas may find this particular oil to be an excellent component within the pre-poo mixture. Jojoba oil is a light oil that: Detangles natural hair.

You can also apply it before styling your hair, as it will give curls instant shine and glow. Moreover, your hair will never frizz while styling them. Our curl activator for 4c natural hair has all the natural ingredients that will style your hair quickly. So, use it after a hair wash or before styling your hair.

The method is easy – just take a section of your hair that's about the same width as your finger, and twirl the hair around your pointer finger from the root to the ends. Then repeat all over your head – or just on the sections where you want more definition. The resulting curls are smooth, defined and free of frizz.

Can 4C curls be defined? ›

4C hair is naturally tightly coiled and can sometimes even seem undefined for the undiscerning eye. If you are looking to curl your type 4C hair into a different or more defined curl pattern, you would first need to fully detangle your hair before curling it afresh.

The best way to activate your curls is to moisturize. And the ingredient that can help you with that is glycerin. It's a humectant that attracts moisture to the hair. Glycerin is always present in curl-activating products that increase curl definition.

Curl activators are used by “Type 3” curlies who are looking for moisture and shine and often do not contain hold and curl definers are used by looser, “Type 2” wavies to help temporarily increase their own curl definition without any chemical damage.

The Pequi Curl Activator can be used on damp or dry hair. We recommend applying it to damp hair after your wash and about 1-2 times a week depending on your hair type to extend the bounce & hydration of your curls. After your wash, apply the Pequi Curl Activator to damp hair.

4b hair is easily distinguished by its zigzag pattern. Unlike 4a or 4c, 4b has tight “Z” shaped strands with little definition in curl shape. Often, 4b hair is fluffy and can be soft or coarse depending on hair texture.

Stringy, straight ends and looser curl patterns. These sorts of noticeable changes in texture can be a red flag. Excessive heat is usually the culprit, but bleach/color damage, dryness or over-manipulation can be contributing factors as well.

If you have thick or coarse hair, start with a rich moisturizer to help hydrate your strands. Follow with a cream styler to help tame frizz and add shine. Finish with a gel for extra hold and definition.

Curl creams, in general, don't provide quite as much hold as gels, so if extending your style is what you want, opt to add a gel on top for more hold. If you reside somewhere with high humidity, we recommend using a gel for extra hold. The cream can also help manage frizz if that's an issue for you.

Curl pattern is genetically programmed just like eye color, height, and most other aspects of phenotype. Throughout our lives, however, we experience biological changes to our hair texture. By diameter, our hair tends to become gradually thicker into adulthood, thinning again in middle and old age.

Why is my hair curly but looks straight? ›

It's very normal to have a mix of curl patterns on the same head of hair. It starts with your genetics. You see, the gene for curly hair is not completely dominant. It can remain dormant until activated and then it changes the shape of the hair follicle which changes the hair that grows from it.

Why Isn't My Curly Hair Soft? If your tresses are feeling brittle or rough, chances are it's due to some combination of damage, dryness and harsh products. In many cases, softer curlier hair can be achieved by making a few small tweaks to your curly hair regimen. The important thing is to listen to your curls!

Curly hair is dominant, so someone is more likely to have curly or wavy hair if at least one of their parents does. Recent research points to trichohyalin, a protein in hair follicles, as having primary influence over hair curl. However, there are many genes contributing to hair curliness, most of them unknown.

4A hair is made up of tightly coiled curls with a spiral pattern. Their circumference is the size of a coffee stirrer. 4A curls have a fine to coarse texture.

The benefits of using gel on curly hair

Gel helps define curls. It provides hold to curls, so that they don't fall flat through the day. By using gel, you ensure that your curls retain moisture better. And therefore you have less frizzy hair.

The African hair is generally curly or frizzy, and grows almost parallel to the scalp. It has the slowest growth rate of 0.9 centimeters per month due to its spiral structure which causes it to twist on itself as it grows.

Even though this type of hair is the softest type of 4 hair, it is prone to frizz and dryness because it is difficult for the natural oils to travel down the hair shaft to the ends. Moisture is key for this hair type, and products like leave-in conditioners, hair masks, and oils can help you achieve this.

Type 4a hair has a dense, kinky curly texture with lots of volume to spare. The size of each curl is about as wide as a crochet needle. The coily texture has more of an S pattern than other type 4s, which is why it experiences much less shrinkage when going from wet to dry.

Allowing your curls to cool will also help get them to stay. Once hair is curled, pin the curls in place with a clip or bobby pin. The heat from the curling iron makes your hair change its shape. When you clip it, you are making sure it stays in your desired shape, even as it cools.

Lightly mist your curls with water. Don't oversaturate your hair. Since your curls already has product in it, the water will reactivate the product and help your curls to re-clump. Then, use your fingers or a styling tool to gently smooth out your curls and give them shape.

How often should 4A hair be washed? ›

Wash 4A hair once to twice a month with a co-wash or hydrating shampoo. As this type of hair is prone to moisture loss, washing it less frequently allows the natural oils & sebum to stick around for longer.

Help your coils retain more moisture during washes by conditioning both before and after shampooing. Use a thick, deeply moisturizing conditioner or coat your curls in coconut oil for about 30 minutes before washing. Deep condition once a week. Hydrate your curls weekly with a deep conditioning treatment.

Each 4a strand independently curls or spirals away from other neighboring strands. 4a hair has naturally well-defined curls and is easier to style and handle than 4b and 4c hair.

Coconut, jojoba, Jamaican black castor, avocado, and almond oils are great for 4A natural hair because they contain many nutrients that are good for kinky hair. Massage a generous portion of either one or a mixture of these oils into your scalp.

The method is easy – just take a section of your hair that's about the same width as your finger, and twirl the hair around your pointer finger from the root to the ends. Then repeat all over your head – or just on the sections where you want more definition. The resulting curls are smooth, defined and free of frizz.

To fluff out your curls, slip the wide-tooth comb into your roots and gently pull outwards (you're not trying to comb all the way through). This technique not only lifts your hair off the scalp but creates maximum volume by combing out the roots.

Use a mousse and heat protectant before you blow-dry in order to give the hair more hold. Prepping with a setting spray is also great for locking in your curls. Many of them offer heat protection, too.

Moisture, moisture, moisture

The number one rule to remember when you're trying to get your curls back is that moisture is your best friend. Hydrating shampoos, conditioners, leave-in treatments, and deep conditioning hair masks will give your hair a boost.