How to Determine Your Hair Texture: Two System Included

For better haircare and a more natural look with products or extensions, it helps to know how to determine your hair texture.

Two main systems can guide you: the Andre Walker Hair Typing System and the LOIS Hair Typing System. Each one focuses on different things and offers its benefits.

This guide walks you through both systems and shares a few additional ways to gain a better understanding of your texture.

The Andre Walker Hair Typing System

The Andre Walker Hair Typing System is one of the most widely used ways to classify hair texture. It was created by celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker, best known for working with Oprah Winfrey.

His system groups hair into four main types based on curl pattern, then breaks each type into three subtypes to show how tight or loose the pattern is.

The Four Main Types

Type 1: Straight Hair
This hair has no curl pattern. It lies flat from root to tip and tends to be shiny because oil travels easily down the strands.
- 1A: Very straight and fine
- 1B: Straight with a bit more volume
- 1C: Straight, coarse, and thicker
Type 2: Wavy Hair
This hair has an “S” shape. It’s not fully straight, but not curly either.
- 2A: Loose, soft waves
- 2B: More defined waves with a slight frizz
- 2C: Thick, more structured waves
Type 3: Curly Hair
This hair forms full, springy curls. It tends to be drier than straight or wavy hair.
- 3A: Big, loose curls
- 3B: Tighter, well-defined ringlets
- 3C: Tight corkscrew curls, with lots of volume
Type 4: Coily or Kinky Hair
This hair has tight coils or zig-zag curls. It’s usually very dense and prone to shrinkage.
- 4A: Soft coils with an “S” shape
- 4B: Z-shaped curls, less defined
- 4C: Very tight, dense coils with little visible pattern

How to Use the System

You can figure out your type by looking at your clean, product-free hair when it’s dry. Let it fall naturally and see what kind of pattern forms.

Compare your curl pattern to the descriptions above. Your hair might fall into more than one category—that’s common. For example, many people have 3C curls at the crown and 4A coils around the nape.

This system focuses on curl pattern only, so it doesn’t include things like strand thickness or porosity. But it's still one of the easiest starting points for understanding your hair.

Why It’s So Popular

The Andre Walker system is the most recognized method for typing hair. It’s simple, visual, and used almost everywhere.

Hair brands and beauty stores often label wigs, weaves, and extensions using this system. If you’re shopping for hair products or bundles online, you’ll usually see labels like “Type 4B kinky” or “Type 3A curly.”

Knowing your curl type helps you pick textures that match your natural hair or blend well with it.

Key Benefits

Easy to understand and apply
Helps match your hair with wigs, weaves, or extensions
Useful for picking curl-friendly products
Great for finding styling tips from people with similar hair

This system has its limits—it doesn’t cover texture feel, strand size, or moisture needs—but it’s still one of the most practical tools for daily haircare and shopping.

Here’s the full section on the LOIS Hair Typing System, written in your requested style—simple, clear, natural, and grounded:

The LOIS Hair Typing System

The LOIS Hair Typing System offers a different way to understand your hair. Instead of focusing only on curl pattern, it looks at how your hair moves, feels, and behaves.

This system gives a more complete picture of natural hair texture, especially for people with textured or tightly coiled hair.

The name LOIS comes from four common patterns that natural hair tends to fall into:

L – Hair bends sharply like the right angle in the letter “L”
O – Hair forms round, coil-like shapes
I – Hair is straight with no bend or curve
S – Hair has an “S” wave or soft curl

Each letter describes how your strands look when they’re dry, clean, and free of products. Some people find their hair fits one pattern clearly.

Others may see two or even all four, depending on the section of the head. That’s normal—hair texture isn’t always uniform.

How to Use the LOIS System (Step by Step)

To get the most out of the LOIS system, you’ll look at two things: your strand’s shape and its physical traits. This gives you a full picture of your texture, not just how it curls, but how it behaves.

Step 1: Prepare Your Hair

Start with clean, product-free hair. Avoid leave-ins, oils, gels, or creams. Let your hair air dry naturally so you’re working with your true texture, not one altered by heat or styling.

Once dry, take a single strand from your head. Try to choose one from the crown or the front hairline—these areas usually reflect your dominant texture.

Step 2: Identify the Shape (L, O, I, or S)

Lay the strand on a flat surface with a plain background (a white sheet of paper works well). Look closely at the shape it forms:

L (Bend): The strand makes sharp angles or zig-zag bends—almost like a broken line. It doesn’t form soft curves.
O (Curl): The strand forms tight, round circles or loops—like the shape of the letter O.
I (Straight): The strand falls with no visible wave, bend, or curve—just a straight line.
S (Wave): The strand forms an S-like curve—this could be loose or defined.

You might see more than one pattern, depending on where the strand came from. Just note all that apply.

Step 3: Examine the Strand’s Physical Traits

Once you’ve identified the basic shape, take a closer look at how the strand feels and responds to light. These three traits help you better understand how your hair handles moisture, friction, and styling.

1. Strand Thickness

Hold the strand between your fingers and slowly slide your fingers along it.

Fine: Feels barely there—almost invisible. It’s soft but fragile and breaks easily.
Medium: Feels noticeable but not stiff. Stronger than fine hair but still flexible.
Thick: Feels coarse or wiry. You can feel its presence clearly. It’s stronger, more resistant to styling, and can handle more tension.

Another trick: lay the strand next to a piece of sewing thread. If your hair is thinner than the thread, it’s fine. About the same? Medium. Thicker? Coarse.

2. Sheen vs. Shine

Now take that strand and hold it under natural light or near a window.

Shine means light bounces off the strand easily—you’ll notice a glossy reflection, more common in straight or looser textures.
Sheen means the light is more diffused—you see a soft glow rather than a clear shine. This is more common with tightly coiled or kinky hair.

Shine tells you how smooth the hair surface is, while sheen tells you how textured it is. This can affect which products you choose—shiny hair may need lighter products, while hair with sheen may need richer ones.

3. Texture Feel

Rub the strand gently between your thumb and forefinger.

Silky: Feels smooth and soft, with little friction. Often found in finer, looser hair.
Cottony: Feels fluffy or soft but with some texture. Think of the feel of cotton. Common in curly or soft-coil patterns.
Spongy: Feels springy, slightly coarse, and thick. Absorbs moisture fast. Usually found in tightly coiled or zig-zag patterns.

This touch test helps you decide what kind of moisturizers and stylers work best. For example, spongy hair may need thick butters, while silky hair might prefer light creams or mists.

Final Tip: Combine What You See and Feel

Once you’ve gone through all the steps, combine your results. You might end up with something like:
“My hair is mostly O-shaped, medium thickness, cottony feel, with low shine and high sheen.”

That might sound like a lot, but it helps you make smarter choices—what kind of brush to use, what curl cream works, how much heat your hair can take, and even what extensions or wigs match your texture best.

Let me know if you'd like a printable chart or checklist to make this process even easier.

Where It’s Useful

The LOIS system is especially helpful for people with natural hair who feel the Andre Walker categories don’t fully explain what their hair needs.

If your hair feels soft but tangles easily, or if it soaks up moisture fast but dries out just as quickly, LOIS can help you understand why.

This system is also good if you have multiple textures on one head and want a broader picture of what’s going on.

Key Benefits

Covers a wide range of natural hair textures
Helps you understand both the look and feel of your hair
Makes it easier to pick the right moisturizers, leave-ins, and oils
Can guide your choice of combs, brushes, and heat tools
Encourages people to accept and work with their natural hair rather than trying to fit it into narrow categories

LOIS isn’t as widely used in the hair industry as Andre Walker’s system, but it’s respected in the natural hair community.

It’s a great tool if you want to learn more about your hair on your terms, without feeling boxed in by curl pattern alone.

Sure — here’s a natural and fitting final section with a better title and a smooth flow into additional hair characteristics like porosity:

Other Things That Affect Hair Texture

Hair type isn’t just about curl pattern or strand shape. A few other traits play a big role in how your hair behaves day to day.

These include porosity, density, elasticity, and strand width. Once you understand these, it becomes easier to care for your hair and choose products that actually work.

Hair Porosity

Porosity tells you how well your hair absorbs and holds moisture. It’s one of the most important traits to know, especially when dealing with dryness, frizz, or product build-up.

Here’s a simple way to test it:
Drop a clean, dry strand of hair into a glass of water and let it sit for a few minutes.

Low porosity: The strand floats on top. Your hair repels water and can be slow to absorb moisture or products.
Medium porosity: The strand sinks slowly to the middle. Your hair holds moisture well and tends to behave predictably.
High porosity: The strand sinks quickly to the bottom. Your hair absorbs water fast but loses it just as fast. This often means it needs richer, heavier products to stay hydrated.

Porosity affects everything from how often you should deep condition to what leave-ins or oils actually work for your hair.

Hair Density

Density is about how much hair you have, not how thick each strand is, but how closely packed they are on your scalp. Stand in front of a mirror with dry, loose hair and check how much scalp you can see.

Low density: The Scalp is easy to see
Medium density: Some scalp shows, but not too much
High density: The Scalp is mostly covered, even when hair is parted

Knowing your density helps you choose the right hairstyles and avoid weighing down finer areas.

Strand Width

Strand width is often confused with density, but it's different. This is how thick each strand is:

Fine: Light, delicate, breaks easily
Medium: Not too fragile, holds styles fairly well
Coarse: Strong, more resistant to damage, but can feel dry

Elasticity

Elasticity is how well your hair stretches and returns to its natural shape. To check it, stretch a single wet strand gently:

High elasticity: It stretches and springs back. This usually means it’s well-moisturized.
Low elasticity: It breaks or doesn’t bounce back. It may need more protein or moisture.