Short answer: There are three families: wavy (2A-2C), curly (3A-3C) and coily (4A-4C). You see your type on clean hair that dried naturally, with no product.

Why does curl type matter?

Curl type shows how tightly the hair turns. Three things depend on it: how much the hair shrinks when dry, how easily it dries out and how much product weight it can carry. It is a starting point for the cut and the routine, not a label.

Type 2: Wavy hair

  • 2A: a soft S-shaped wave, mostly at the ends. Straightens easily and gets weighed down easily.
  • 2B: a clearer S from mid-length down, with a tendency to frizz at the crown.
  • 2C: a strong wave from the root, with a few real curls in between.

What it needs: light products (mousse, light gel), not heavy creams and oils. In the cut it needs weight at the base.

Type 3: Curly hair

  • 3A: large, loose, shiny curls.
  • 3B: springy medium spirals with a lot of volume.
  • 3C: tight, dense corkscrew spirals.

What it needs: hydration and definition (leave-in, cream, gel). In the cut it needs internal weight removal, so it does not form a triangle.

Type 4: Coily hair

  • 4A: very small, visible spirals.
  • 4B: a zigzag pattern with a less visible curl.
  • 4C: a very tight texture with the most shrinkage.

What it needs: rich hydration, protection at the ends and gentle detangling. In the cut the shape is built in levels.

The test at home

  1. Wash with a gentle shampoo and rinse well.
  2. Apply no leave-in, cream or gel.
  3. Let the hair dry on its own, without touching it.
  4. Look at the shape in three places: crown, sides and nape.

A different shape in each place is normal.

Type is not the whole story

Two people with 3B hair may need completely different care. Porosity (how easily the hair takes in and holds moisture), density and strand thickness matter just as much.

How we read it at the atelier

Before every curly cut we record curl type, density, porosity and how much each strand shrinks when dry. From that we decide where weight stays and where volume comes out. More in how curly hair is cut.

Book your curly cut

At Ikonomakis Hair Atelier (Irakleitou 80, Chalandri, Athens) curly hair is cut dry, curl by curl, from €55. Book online or see the Curly Haircut in Athens service. All our curl guides are collected in the Curly Hair Guide.