SOFT SPIRAL CURLS HOW TO

Type 4C tightly coiled strands are more fragile than any other pattern and have a very tight zig-zag shape that is sometimes indiscernible to the eye. 'The more curved the hair follicle, the more compacted the cysteine, the more bonds form, and the curlier the hair,' Wilkerson notes, emphasizing that both follicle and hair fiber work in tandem when it comes to creating a curl. In wavy and curly hair, they are closer and can easily bond among themselves, creating more tension in the hair fiber and contributing to curling. In naturally straight hair, the cysteine groups are spread apart so they cannot interact.

'Hair is primarily made of cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid,' Wilkerson says. The chemical bonds in your hair also contribute to your curl pattern. The thickness of hair is also contingent on the follicle size: The thicker the hair strand, the larger the area that it grows from.īut that's not all.

Straight hair emerges from a round follicle, while oval and twisted oval follicles create wavy and curly hair. The follicle, just like the hair fiber, can be different shapes and sizes. “The shape of our hair follicles and the way the hair emerges from the follicle is a major contributor in the degree of the hair curl pattern, its shape, and ultimately what we describe as texture,” explains Rolanda Wilkerson, Senior Scientific Communication Manager at Procter & Gamble. Hair type, from pin-straight to kinky, depends on the shape of the hair follicle itself. It's the key to achieving beautiful and healthy hair regardless of its shape! Why is my hair curly?

SOFT SPIRAL CURLS HOW TO

To untangle the intricate world of curls, we asked haircare industry experts and hairstylists to help us understand the science behind curl formation and share their tips on how to best care for your specific type of spiral whether it's wavy (type 2), curly (type 3) or coily (type 4).

Soft spiral curls