Dreaming of luscious locks but not seeing the results you hoped for?
The problem might be that you don’t yet know your hair type. Every head of hair has its own personality, whether it’s unruly, well-behaved, fine or full-bodied. Understanding your hair’s nature is the first step towards choosing the right products and building a routine that’s tailored to you.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the different hair types, helping you identify yours and select the most suitable professional products. With the right advice, your hair will finally receive the care it deserves, for a naturally radiant, healthy look!
Why is it important to know your hair type?
There are many different hair types, and understanding yours is a crucial step in achieving a mane that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Whether you have curly, thick, dry, coloured or damaged hair, it's important to follow a beauty routine with products tailored to your specific needs.
“Using the wrong products is like wearing the wrong size: it can ruin everything, even the best intentions.”
Knowing your hair type also helps you understand how your hair reacts to humidity and heat, allowing you to choose the best styling options for you and avoid common mistakes.
Hair types: the essential characteristics
Your hair tells a unique story: one shaped by genes, environment, habits, and culture. We often think of hair simply in terms of its shape, straight, wavy, or curly, but there’s much more beneath the surface!
Understanding your hair type means learning to listen to it: observing its texture, how it reacts to humidity, how much sebum it produces, and the health of your scalp.
Only by truly getting to know your hair can you choose the most suitable treatments, enhance its natural beauty, and give it exactly what it needs.
Let’s explore how to identify your hair type by examining each of these aspects!
How to identify your hair type: the texture
To help you navigate the many existing hair types, we turn to Andrew Walker, a renowned American entrepreneur. This hair professional, a winner of numerous awards and recognitions, developed the Hair Typing System, a method for classifying hair based on its natural shape and texture.
This valuable classification uses numbers and letters. The numbers identify the hair type, while the letters indicate the different characteristics of each type. Thanks to this simple and intuitive framework, we can more easily understand our hair type and treat it in the best possible way.
How to identify your hair type: the texture, according to Andrew Walker's model
Hair, with its infinite variety, can be classified into four main categories that reflect its unique texture.
Type 1, the straight hair, is divided into three subcategories:
- 1A: very fine and delicate, tends to become oily easily. It is also difficult to style and doesn't hold curls well.
- 1B: has more body than 1A. With slightly more volume, it provides a better base for hairstyles and styling.
- 1C: thicker and shinier, thanks to the ease with which natural oils reach the ends.
Type 1 hair trends: this hair type can be prone to oiliness. Discover the Oily Scalp shampoo! This shampoo is enriched with an innovative marine-derived biotechnological active ingredient, specially formulated to rebalance sebum production and give your hair a lasting feeling of freshness and cleanliness.
Type 2: wavy hair. Type 2 hair is naturally wavy and is divided into three levels of definition:
- 2A: fine and thin, this hair type absorbs moisture easily. Ideal for experimenting with styling tools and products.
- 2B: displays a more defined yet soft wave.
- 2C: features pronounced waves and visible volume, with excellent definition when wet.
Type 2 trends: This hair type can be prone to frizz and benefits from products that enhance wave definition. Discover our Anti-Frizz range! Enriched with plant-based phytokeratin from hemp and rice, it hydrates, protects, and improves elasticity. Jojoba oil deeply nourishes and shields against humidity. Softness and beauty in a single step.
Type 3: curly hair. Type 3 hair is characterised by an “S” or circular curl pattern:
- 3A: fine and voluminous, it tends to frizz. Curls are usually large and well-defined, while waves are soft and bouncy.
- 3B: tighter, fuller curls. The hair shaft is typically dense and coiled, with medium to high porosity.
- 3C: features tight, very thick curls.
Type 3 trends: requires moisture and curl-enhancing products to maintain definition. Explore our Volume range for healthy, vibrant curls.
Type 4: coily hair. Type 4 hair is densely packed and tightly coiled:
- 4A: very tight, small curls with a distinct “S” shape.
- 4B: composed of narrow, "Z"-shaped coils, forming a sharp zig-zag pattern. This hair type is particularly prone to dryness.
- 4C: the most fragile of all hair types, with tightly coiled, zig-zag curls.
Type 4 trends: demands specialised care to retain moisture and reduce frizz. Discover our Anti-Frizz range, specially formulated for intense hydration and protection.
Every hair type has its own unique care needs. Understanding your natural texture is key to choosing the right treatments to keep your hair healthy, defined, and beautifully radiant.
How to identify your hair type: porosity
Hair porosity is a fundamental aspect to understand if you truly want to know what your hair needs. That’s because this characteristic determines how well your hair can absorb and retain moisture. It all comes down to how “open” or “closed” the cuticles, the outermost layer of the hair shaft, are.
There are three main hair types when it comes to porosity: low, medium, and high.
-
Low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles: moisture struggles to penetrate the hair shaft, and the same goes for hair products, which often sit on the surface. However, once moisture is absorbed, it is retained very effectively. This hair type often takes longer to dry and tends to repel water at first, such as when you're in the shower.
Esla Italy recommends Volume Supreme Shampoo, ideal for adding shine to your hair.
-
Medium porosity hair is considered "balanced": the cuticles are neither too open nor too closed, allowing for effective absorption and good moisture retention. The result? Hair that is generally easy to manage and responds well to treatments.
Esla Italy recommends Thick Hair Daily Shampoo if you have thick hair, and Fine Hair Daily Shampoo if your hair is fine.
-
With high porosity hair, the situation is a little different. The cuticles are raised or even damaged, often due to chemical treatments, frequent use of straighteners or high-heat blow dryers, or other mechanical stress. This means the hair absorbs water and products quickly, but loses them just as fast. The result? Hair that often appears dry, frizzy, and fragile, despite your best efforts to nourish it.
For high porosity hair, Esla Italy recommends Energy Boosting Shampoo, which gently cleanses while keeping the scalp hydrated.
How to identify your hair type: the porosity test
Wondering which category your hair falls into? It’s easier to find out than you might think!
To understand your hair’s porosity type, you can start with a few simple observations. If your hair takes a long time to get wet in the shower or to dry afterwards, it’s likely to have low porosity. On the other hand, if it soaks up water quickly and dries just as fast, it could be highly porous.
There’s also a popular at-home test: take a clean strand of hair, place it in a glass of water, and watch what happens. If it floats, your hair has low porosity; if it sinks slowly, it’s medium porosity; and if it sinks straight away, it’s high porosity.
Understanding its porosity is an act of self-care: it helps you choose the right treatments, use the most effective ingredients, and stop wasting time on products that don’t suit your hair types. It really is the first step towards a more mindful, personalised, and pampering haircare routine.
How to identify your hair type: sebum secretion
Another key factor in understanding your hair type is sebum secretion. What is it exactly? Sebum secretion is a natural process in which the sebaceous glands, located within the hair follicles, produce sebum, a lipid-based substance that protects and moisturises both the scalp and the hair.
Sebum forms a hydrolipidic film that keeps the skin supple, prevents dehydration, and also has antibacterial properties.
If you want to take proper care of your hair, it's essential to recognise the signs of imbalanced sebum production. Excess sebum production, known as seborrhoea, can make your hair look greasy and heavy, reduce volume, and cause an itchy scalp. On the other hand, insufficient sebum production can leave your hair dry, brittle, and dull.
Hormones, stress, and even your dietary habits can all affect how much sebum your scalp produces. That’s why, to maintain the right balance, it’s important to use products tailored to your hair type, and of course, to lead a healthy lifestyle.
How to identify your hair type: the scalp
Lastly, another important factor that influences your hair type is the scalp.
The scalp is the part of the skin that covers the top of the head and contains the hair follicles from which hair grows. It is rich in blood vessels, sebaceous and sweat glands, and shares a similar structure with the rest of the skin on your body, though with a much higher density of follicles.
A healthy scalp is characterised by an even appearance, free from redness, flaking, or excess oil.
There are several types of scalp:
- Normal: balanced, with no visible issues.
- Dry: may cause itching and flaking.
- Oily: marked by excessive sebum production, which can lead to dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis.
- Sensitive: reacts easily to products or environmental factors, often causing discomfort or inflammation.
How to identify your hair type: the scalp test
The amount of sebum your scalp produces plays a key role in whether your hair is dry, normal, or oily.
To check it easily, you can try this simple test.
Wash your hair using a gentle shampoo, avoiding the use of conditioner, masks, or any other treatments. The next day, closely observe your scalp.
You have a dry scalp if:
- Sebum production is minimal, so your hair stays clean for longer.
- Your hair feels brittle, breaks easily, and often has split ends.
- Your scalp may show signs of flaking, with dry dandruff and itching.
Esla Italy recommends Detox Shampoo, ideal if you suffer from dry dandruff.
You have an oily scalp if:
- Sebum is produced in excess and builds up at the roots.
- Your hair already looks greasy the day after washing.
- It’s often accompanied by oily dandruff, marked by white, greasy flakes.
- Esla Italy recommends Sebum Controller Shampoo to help regulate sebum production and give your hair a long-lasting clean appearance.
You have a normal scalp if:
- Sebum production is well balanced, keeping your hair healthy, shiny, and soft.
- Washing your hair every three days is usually enough, without it becoming too dry or too oily.
Esla Italy recommends Frizz Dominator Shampoo to fight frizz and keep your hair looking glossy at all times.
Truly understanding your hair type is the first, essential step towards building an effective hair care routine.
There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all “miracle product”: beautiful hair comes from personalisation, making informed choices with treatments designed to meet the specific needs of your hair.
Relying on professional products, such as those from Esla Italy, not only helps you achieve visible results, but also protects and enhances your hair in the long run, with formulas developed to respect its natural characteristics.
Your hair tells your story. Start listening.
Want to learn more about Esla Italy’s professional products? Fill out the form and get in touch!
