How to tell if your hair is wavy or curly

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Do you ever feel as though you aren’t quite sure if your strands are wavy or curly? It can be difficult to tell the difference between these textures sometimes, and this makes it frustrating when it comes to styling your curls. However, figuring out how to tell if your hair is wavy or curly is half the battle. Give the suggestions a try, and see if it makes your textures easier to style.

Believe it or not, there is actually quite a difference between curls and waves. According to blogger Emily Evert, “Curly hair makes a full 360-degree spiral around, forming a complete circle where it twists. Wavy hair is more of an S shape, going from side to side. Tighter waves can create loose spirals or corkscrews, but won’t complete a full circle at the same height.

Since wavy hair is often so misunderstood, it can be difficult to determine which strands are wavy, and which are actually curly. As Emily points out, wavy hair is actually pretty popular right now, and many stylists will curl a client’s hair with a hot tool, then brush it out. This can make it a bit tough when looking for examples of naturally wavy hair online for an example.

So while we might behave as though curls and waves are the same, or you might find others lumping your waves or curls together with other curl or wavy types, really they aren’t the same. Since your stands aren’t the same, you won’t be taking care of them the same. This also means that products and techniques that work for curly hair might not work exactly the same or as effectively for those with wavy strands. Additionally, even though waves and curls aren’t the same, they do still have a lot of similar characteristics, which is why they often get lumped together.

A few things to know about wavy hair:

Your waves are more likely to have low porosity.

You’ll need to clarify your strands regularly to avoid build up, which will drag your strands down.

You won’t need to deep condition your curls are often, and will need a lighter deep conditioner when you do.

Your waves may have less natural oil, and might be drier than other curly types.

You’ll need lighter hold products so your waves don’t get dragged down.