Beginners Curly Hair Glossary (Non-Technical) – Your Guide

Overwhelmed by curly hair terminology? You’re not alone. This visual glossary breaks down essential curly hair terms without the technical jargon. You’ll learn everything from identifying your curl pattern to understanding product ingredients, all organized by concept for easy reference.

Essential Curly Hair Terms Every Beginner Should Know First

Before diving into the world of curly hair care, these foundational terms will give you the vocabulary you need to understand basic concepts. Think of these as your curly hair “survival phrases”:

Curl Pattern: The natural shape your hair forms, from waves to coils. Understanding your curl pattern helps you choose appropriate products and techniques.

Porosity: How well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. Low, medium, or high porosity determines which products work best for you.

Density: The number of hair strands on your scalp. Thin, medium, or thick density affects how heavy your products should be.

CGM (Curly Girl Method): A hair care approach that avoids sulfates, silicones, and heat styling to enhance natural curl formation.

Co-wash: Using conditioner instead of shampoo to clean your hair while maintaining moisture.

Clarify: Deep cleaning your hair to remove product buildup using a stronger cleanser.

Styling Cast: The crunchy film that forms when gel or mousse dries on your curls, which gets “scrunched out” for soft definition.

Frizz: Individual hair strands that separate from your curl formation due to humidity, damage, or dryness.

Root Volume: Lift at the scalp area that prevents curls from looking flat.

Refresh: Reviving second or third-day curls without a full wash routine.

Understanding Your Curl Pattern: What Type of Curls Do You Have?

One of the first terms you’ll encounter is “curl pattern” or “curl type.” This refers to the shape your hair naturally forms, from loose waves to tight coils. Let’s break down what these patterns look like and what they mean for your hair care:

Type 2: Wavy Hair

• 2A: Fine, barely-there waves forming an “S” pattern with minimal texture
• 2B: More defined waves that start mid-shaft with some frizz potential
• 2C: Coarse, well-defined waves starting at the root with high frizz potential

Type 3: Curly Hair

• 3A: Loose, springy curls with the diameter of a sidewalk chalk
• 3B: Bouncy ringlets with the diameter of a Sharpie marker
• 3C: Tight, densely packed corkscrews with the diameter of a pencil

Type 4: Coily Hair

• 4A: Tightly coiled “S” pattern strands with visible definition
• 4B: “Z” pattern curls with less definition and more bend angles
• 4C: Very tight coils with less visible pattern but plenty of spring

Remember that most people have multiple curl patterns on their head. The back might be curlier than the front, or the crown might be coilier than the nape. This is completely normal and part of what makes curly hair unique.

How to Identify Your Own Curl Pattern

Determining your own curl pattern can be tricky, especially if you’re new to embracing your natural texture. Follow these simple steps to identify which curl family your hair belongs to:

1. Start with clean, product-free hair to see your true pattern without any styling help.
2. Allow your hair to air dry completely without touching or manipulating it.
3. Examine individual strands from different parts of your head, noting their shape.
4. Compare to visual references using photos of real people, not just drawings.
5. Consider shrinkage – Type 4 hair especially can appear shorter when dry than its actual length.

Common mistakes include trying to identify your pattern while hair is wet (curls look different when dry) or after years of heat styling (your true pattern may take time to emerge when transitioning to natural curls). Be patient with this process!

Hair Properties Beyond Curl Pattern: Porosity, Density, and Thickness

While curl pattern gets the most attention, these three key hair properties actually determine which products and techniques will work best for you. Understanding them will transform your curly hair journey:

Porosity: How easily your hair absorbs and retains moisture

• Low porosity: Tightly closed cuticles resist water and products. Hair takes forever to get wet and dry.
• Medium porosity: Balanced moisture absorption and retention. The “goldilocks” of hair properties.
• High porosity: Open cuticles that absorb moisture quickly but lose it easily. Hair gets wet instantly but dries rapidly.

In my clinical practice, I’ve found porosity to be the single most important factor in selecting effective products. The pH of your hair products directly impacts how they interact with your hair’s porosity level, which is why understanding pH and curly hair can dramatically improve your results.

Density: The number of individual hair strands on your scalp

• Low density: You can easily see your scalp without parting your hair.
• Medium density: Scalp is partially visible with some manipulation.
• High density: Scalp is barely visible even when trying to part hair.

Thickness: The diameter of individual hair strands

• Fine: Each strand is thin like sewing thread. Hair tends to be silky and easily weighed down.
• Medium: Strands are like thread but with more substance. Most versatile for product use.
• Coarse: Each strand is thick like fishing line. Hair needs richer products and more moisture.

Simple Tests to Determine Your Hair Properties

No fancy equipment needed! These simple at-home tests will help you determine your hair’s unique properties:

Porosity Tests:

1. Float Test: Place a clean strand of hair in a glass of water. If it floats for a long time, you likely have low porosity. Quick sinking suggests high porosity.
2. Spray Bottle Test: Spray water on dry hair. If it beads up, you have low porosity. If it absorbs immediately, high porosity.
3. Slip ‘n Slide Test: Run your fingers up a strand. If it feels bumpy going upward, you likely have high porosity with raised cuticles.

Density Test: Gather your hair in a ponytail. Measure the circumference: less than 2 inches suggests low density, 2-3 inches is medium, more than 3 inches indicates high density.

Thickness Test: Take a single strand and roll it between your fingers. If you can barely feel it, it’s fine. If you can feel it clearly, it’s medium. If it feels strong and thick, it’s coarse.

Document your findings! I recommend taking photos and notes about your properties to reference when selecting products or troubleshooting problems.

Curly Hair Product Types Explained Simply

The curly hair product aisle can feel like it’s written in another language. Let’s decode the essential product categories and what they actually do for your curls:

Cleansers:

• Clarifying Shampoo: Strong cleanser that removes all buildup. Use sparingly (every 2-4 weeks).
• Low-Poo: Gentle shampoo with mild cleansing ingredients. Good for regular washing.
• Co-Wash: Conditioner-based cleanser that cleans without stripping moisture.

Conditioners:

• Rinse-Out Conditioner: Applied and fully rinsed out during washing.
• Deep Conditioner: Intensive treatment left on longer (10-30 minutes) for extra moisture.
• Leave-In Conditioner: Lighter formula left in hair after washing to maintain moisture.

Stylers:

• Cream: Provides moisture and some hold. Good for definition without crunch.
• Gel: Gives strongest hold and definition. Creates a cast that gets scrunched out.
• Mousse: Lightweight hold with volume. Good for finer hair types.
• Oil: Seals moisture and adds shine. Used sparingly on dry hair.

Product weight (light vs. heavy) matters as much as type! Finer hair and looser curl patterns typically need lighter products, while coarser hair and tighter curls often benefit from heavier formulations.

The term “Holy Grail” or “HG” refers to products that work perfectly for your specific hair combination. Finding these usually requires experimentation since everyone’s hair responds differently.

Product Application Terms and Techniques

Beyond the products themselves, these application techniques and terms describe how to get products into your hair effectively:

Praying Hands: Smoothing product between flat palms down the length of hair sections to encourage clumping.

Rake and Shake: Using fingers to “rake” product through a section, then shaking the section to encourage curl formation.

Squish to Condish (S2C): Technique of cupping water and conditioner in hands and squishing upward into hair to enhance moisture absorption.

Plopping: Wrapping wet, product-filled hair in a t-shirt or microfiber towel to encourage curl formation without gravity pulling them down.

Scrunching: Squeezing hair upward toward the scalp to enhance curl pattern and remove excess water or product.

Diffusing: Using a bowl-shaped dryer attachment that disperses air to dry curls without disrupting their pattern.

Pixie Diffusing: A diffusing technique where you place hair in the diffuser, bring it to the scalp, then turn the dryer off before moving to another section.

For beginners, I recommend starting with praying hands followed by gentle scrunching. This simple combination delivers product evenly and enhances your natural pattern without requiring advanced techniques.

Common Curly Hair Ingredients: Friends and Foes Simplified

Curly hair product labels can look like chemistry equations. Don’t worry, you don’t need to memorize everything. This simplified guide focuses on the most important ingredients to recognize:

Generally Beneficial Ingredients:

• Humectants: Attract water to hair (glycerin, aloe, honey) – great for most hair except in very dry or humid climates
• Emollients: Soften hair and seal moisture (shea butter, jojoba oil) – heavier ones better for coarser hair
• Proteins: Strengthen hair temporarily (keratin, silk protein) – use based on your hair’s needs

Often Debated Ingredients:

• Silicones: Seal hair and add shine. Water-soluble ones (ingredients ending in -cone) can be removed with gentle cleansers; non-soluble types need stronger clarifying.
• Sulfates: Strong cleansers (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate) that remove buildup but can be drying. Useful occasionally for clarifying.
• Alcohols: “Fatty alcohols” (cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl) moisturize hair, while “drying alcohols” (isopropyl, SD alcohol) can be drying.

The way your individual hair reacts to ingredients depends greatly on how sebum travels on curly hair vs straight hair. Because natural oils have difficulty moving down curly strands, ingredients that might be too heavy for straight hair often benefit curly types.

Remember: No ingredient is universally “bad” or “good” for all curly hair. Your unique combination of properties determines what works for you.

Curly Hair Routines and Methods Terminology

Various curly hair methods have their own terminology and rules. Rather than declaring one “right,” let’s understand the main approaches so you can find what works for you:

Curly Girl Method (CGM): Created by Lorraine Massey, this approach eliminates sulfates, silicones, mineral oils, and heat styling. The strict version also avoids all alcohols and emphasizes co-washing over shampooing.

Modified CGM: Follows most CGM principles but allows occasional use of silicones, sulfates, or heat styling based on individual hair needs.

LOC Method: A layering technique standing for Liquid, Oil, Cream – applying products in this specific order to maximize moisture retention, especially beneficial for coilier hair types.

LCO Method: Liquid, Cream, Oil order – similar to LOC but with oil as the final sealing step, often preferred by those with lower porosity.

Wash Day: The full cleansing and styling routine, typically taking longer and involving more steps than daily maintenance.

Refresh Day: Reviving curls between wash days using minimal product and water to reactivate existing product.

Through my years of working with clients, I’ve found that building your curly hair routine works best when you understand the principles behind methods rather than following them rigidly. The most successful curly journeys involve customization based on your unique hair needs.

Styling and Finishing Terms Demystified

These terms describe what happens after you’ve applied products and how to finish your curly styles:

Cast: The crunchy, firm coating that forms when gel or mousse dries on your curls, providing structure and frizz control.

Scrunch Out the Crunch (SOTC): The process of gently squeezing dry, crunchy curls to break the gel cast, revealing soft, defined curls underneath.

Root Clipping: Using small clips at the roots while drying to create lift and volume at the crown.

Pineappling: Gathering curls loosely at the top of your head before sleep to preserve their shape overnight.

Micro-plopping: Using a microfiber towel to gently press water out of hair sections after applying products.

Clumping: When individual curl strands group together to form more defined, cohesive curl formations.

Curl Training: The process of consistently using techniques that encourage your hair to form its natural curl pattern over time.

Common Curly Hair Problems and Their Terminology

When your curls aren’t behaving, specific terms help identify what’s happening and how to fix it. Here are the most common curly hair challenges decoded:

Frizz: Individual strands that separate from curl clumps. Caused by dryness, humidity, or damage.

• Solution: Sufficient moisture, proper product application, avoid touching dry hair

Hygral Fatigue: Hair damage from excessive swelling and shrinking during wet/dry cycles.

• Solution: Balance moisture with protein, don’t leave hair wet for extended periods

Protein Overload: Hair feels stiff, brittle, and straw-like from too many protein-rich products.

• Solution: Use protein-free deep conditioners, clarify hair, reduce protein products

Moisture Overload: Hair feels too soft, mushy, or limp from excessive moisture without structure.

• Solution: Add protein treatments, reduce heavy moisturizers, clarify more frequently

Product Buildup: Residue from styling products that accumulates, causing dullness and reducing effectiveness.

• Solution: Regular clarifying, adjust product amount, consider lighter products

Flash Drying: When hair rapidly dries and feels stiff after applying a product, indicating ingredient rejection.

• Solution: Check for glycerin in dry climates, adjust product combinations, apply to soaking wet hair

How to Talk About Your Curly Hair: Salon and Community Terms

Taking your curly hair knowledge to the salon or joining online communities becomes easier when you know how to communicate about your hair. Here’s how to express your needs and understand responses:

Salon Communication:

• Curl-by-curl cutting: Cutting hair while dry in its natural curl state to maintain shape
• Dusting: Trimming just the very ends (1/4 inch or less) to remove damage
• Layering: Cutting different lengths to add volume and shape
• DevaCut: A specific dry-cutting technique for curly hair

When talking to your stylist, be specific about your goals rather than just techniques. Instead of asking for “layers,” explain “I want more volume at the crown but length at the bottom.”

Community Abbreviations:

• HG: Holy Grail – your perfect, can’t-live-without-it product
• CG: Curly Girl Method
• WNG: Wash and Go style
• DT: Deep Treatment
• NAD: Next Anything Day (2nd day hair, 3rd day hair, etc.)
• SOTC: Scrunch Out The Crunch

For finding curl-friendly stylists, look for those who specifically mention curly hair training or certification on their websites. Ask if they cut curly hair dry and inquire about their approach to curly styling.

Helpful Tools: Your Printable Curly Hair Terminology Cheat Sheet

To help you remember all these new terms, we’ve created a printable reference guide you can keep handy during your curly hair journey:

Our downloadable cheat sheet includes:

• Quick-reference curl type chart with visual examples
• Hair properties checklist to record your unique combination
• Product glossary organized by hair need
• Common problem-solution pairs
• Technique illustrations for visual learners

Keep this in your bathroom, take it shopping, or share it with your stylist to ensure everyone is speaking the same “curl language.”

Next Steps: Building Your Curly Hair Vocabulary

Now that you understand the basic terminology, here are resources to deepen your curly hair knowledge at your own pace:

• Start with fundamentals: Focus on curly hair 101 concepts before diving into advanced techniques
• Join moderated forums: Look for spaces like r/curlyhair on Reddit where terminology is explained clearly
• Follow educational accounts: Seek content creators who explain the “why” behind methods, not just the “how”
• Track your results: Keep a simple hair journal noting which terms/techniques worked for your specific hair

Remember that curly hair care is a journey, not a destination. Even as a trichologist, I’m constantly learning new approaches and terminology. The most important thing is finding what works for your unique hair, regardless of what it’s called. Terms come and go, but healthy, happy curls are timeless.