How To Know If Your Hair Is Curly

Though knowing whether your hair is straight or curly seems straightforward, it can be surprisingly tricky! In fact, thousands of women on Tik Tok have recently rediscovered their naturally curly locks. But how do you know it's not just frizz or waves? If you want to know for sure, just read this article! We’ll walk you through five signs that your hair is actually curly.

Your hair holds a style well

One of the best things about curly hair is its ability to hold a style. Alternatively, people with straight hair may struggle to get their hairstyle to last more than a few hours. So think about what it takes to curl or style your hair. Do you have to overload your hair with product? Do your curls start to fall before you even make it out of the door? If the answer to these questions is no, you might have curly hair. 

You have a ton of natural volume 

Another trademark of curly hair is having a ton of natural, product-free volume. This is because the curls and waves push your strands out and away from your scalp. Keep in mind that this volume might not be evenly dispersed throughout your hair. You might only have an area or two where your natural curls are trying to come out.

You see the occasional curl wave or curl

To nobody’s surprise, curly hair has curls! However, depending on the products you use and how you style your hair, your curls can disappear by the time your hair dries. Want to know if your routine is to blame for your missing curls? 

First, apply a curl-enhancing cream, gel, or serum to freshly washed hair. Use your fingers to rake it through your hair. Allow your hair to air dry completely untouched, and examine your results. Do you see any curls or waves? If so, congratulations! You have curly hair! 

Your ends are always dry

The curlier your hair is, the more likely it is to be dry. This is because the oils produced by your scalp cannot navigate down your curls and waves. Using the wrong products for your hair type will exacerbate this dryness and lead to brittle strands. So, examine the ends and mid-lengths of your hair. If they’re dry, no matter what you do, you may have curly hair. 

Your hair develops frizz easily

Another way to determine whether your hair is curly is to think about how much you struggle with frizz. While some frizz is unavoidable, curly hair is significantly more frizz-prone than straighter textures. Additionally, curly hair is much more likely to be dry. And the drier your hair is, the more it reacts to the moisture in the humid air by frizzing out. So, if you struggle with frizz more than your straight-haired friends, it might be a sign that your strands are secretly curly!

Now that you know whether your hair is curly, it's time to reevaluate your haircare routine. Curly hair is fragile, and you’ll have to give your strands everything they need if you want them to thrive. That said, we hope this article has helped you figure out your texture, and we wish you the best of luck on your new curly hair journey!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.