If you are on Instagram, we recommend searching for #BlackGirlMagic. This hashtag has become an image-positivity movement! It is a celebration gallery of black women embracing their natural hair, like 4C hair! And rightly so! After years and years of being told to straighten their hair, black women worldwide are breaking free from the traditional beauty of Eurocentric standards and embracing who they are – history, skin, and hair. After decades of relaxing their textures, black women are celebrating their type 4 naturally coily locks. Keep reading to discover what is 4c hair and the various categories of type 4 hair. Learn how to care for and style your incredible 4C coily locks. Scroll down for more information!
Type 4c black hair follows the same Z-shaped curl pattern as type 4B hair but is more tightly coiled. When it has been freshly washed and is free of all products, it does not have a very defined curl pattern. Therefore, women with this delicate hair type have to resort to methods such as twisting, shingling, or braiding to add definition to their curls.
4C hair can come in a range of textures from fine and soft to wiry and coarse. But regardless of its texture, it is still the most delicate hair type of all. This is why women with 4C hair go for protective hairstyles like braids and weaves to protect their hair from getting damaged.
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One astounding feature of 4C hair is that it is prone to high levels of shrinkage. This means that the curls get so tightly coiled that they appear much shorter than they actually are. For instance, the actual length of your hair may be 10 inches, but if you have 4C hair, then it looks only 3 inches long.
The best time to figure out what type of hair you have is right after you’ve stepped out of the shower and have absolutely no product in your hair. Step away from the blow dryer and let your hair dry completely. Then all you need to do is observe. If your hair has fine textured, super defined, S-shaped curls, then you have 4A hair. You have 4B hair if your curls are sharply angled, well-defined, and follow a zig-zag pattern. Lastly, if your hair is fine-textured, has a Z-shaped curl pattern, but is not well defined, then you have natural 4C hair. You will also notice here that your hair is very tightly coiled and shrinks considerably.
The most important thing to remember when determining your hair type is that you could have a couple of different types of hair on different parts of your head. So, you will need to experiment with the hair products you use and play around with your hair care routine before you figure out what works best for you! But here are a few things you can remember to take good care of your 4C hair.
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Since natural 4C hair is the most fragile type of hair, you need to go the extra mile when taking care of it. Here are some things you can do to maintain the health of your hair:
Yar Sudani, a YouTuber, shared a beginner’s guide to 4C hair care, focusing on simplifying wash day routines. The routine involved saturating the hair, using a moisturizing shampoo, and gentle scalp massaging. She said, “If you’re someone who has scalp issues like me, washing more often may relieve any pain or sensitivity. When I usually go seven or more days without washing, my scalp would begin to hurt and be tender in some areas causing sensitivity. But once I started washing every five days I stopped having that problem (i).”
So now that you know how to properly take care of your 4C hair, let’s look at the trendiest ways in which you can style it!
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On days you do not want to tie your hair in protective styles, let your afro hair flow freely! Trim the ends to give it a round shape, which flatters almost all face shapes. However, ensure that you apply a deep moisturizer or conditioning oil to your hair thoroughly before you wear your hair in this style. This will add shine to your mane!
Take your style cue from actress Kiki Layne if you have 4C hair. Wear the Bantu knots like a crown, just like she did. Make sure you keep your knots dry, so they remain fresh and do not get weighed down.
Summer days are hard as it is without your hair falling all over your face and neck and irritating you. So here’s a totally cool way that all you 4C ladies out there can deal with this problem. Gather all your curls and tie them up in ponytails vertically down your head to resemble a cool mohawk!
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Fauxhawk is a mashup of ‘faux’ (which means “false” in French) and ‘mohawk.’ The fauxhawk is similar to the undercut, which was trendy in the 2010s.
Now here’s a badass hair look if there ever was one! You may associate cutesy pixie cuts with straight hair, but you couldn’t be more wrong. 4C hair looks super edgy and cool when cut in this style, especially when parted on one side and paired with a super chill denim jacket.
The pixie cut as we know it today first appeared in the 1950s. It gained popularity thanks to actors Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg, who brazenly refused their on-screen counterparts’ long waves and coifs. The pixie cut later came to represent independence and nonconformity.
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When most people were concerned about maintaining the hair pattern and definition of their 4C curls, Solange Knowles (like the badass that she is) decided to throw caution to the wind. She brushed out her hair and styled it in a super crazy and voluminous afro that, quite obviously, makes her stand out in any crowd.
When you’re an icon like Solange, you best believe you’re going to make it twice on this list. And she really goes the distance with this bleached blonde look. Her short 4C afro is the very definition of ‘unconventional’ and is exactly the hair look you need to stand out in a crowd.
Girl, you best believe you’ll be slaying the hair game if you sport this chic and feminine hair look. This short bob style is super cute and trendy as it is. But part it deeply on one side and you’ll end up with the hottest 4C style of the season.
The Benefits Of Keeping Your 4c Natural Hair Stretched
It is not an exaggeration if we say maintaining 4C hair is a struggle. If you do not take care of it properly, you will face problems with hair porosity, hair density, and hair elasticity, which causes the hair breakage. However, a lot of trouble can be avoided if you know how to detangle 4C hair. Detangling helps avoid breakage and makes styling easier.
It is empowering to know that black women are embracing their naturally coily type 4 hair after decades of smoothing their hair textures. Type 4C hair is similar to type 4B hair, except that it is more firmly coiled. It does not have a particularly definite curl pattern when freshly washed. As a result, to add definition to their curls, women with this sensitive hair type must use different hair styling techniques such as braiding, twisting, or shingling. While 4C hair requires a bit more attention and effort to maintain, the stunning end results are worth it once you know how to care for and style it.
Yes. Curly hair needs to stay hydrated. Therefore, you can wet your curls by spritzing water on them or rinsing them just with water every day. Once wet you can apply a moisturizing cream or oil to minimize frizz and replenish the curl.
Why 4c Hair Is The Best!
Define your gorgeous 4C hair in under 10 minutes. Watch this amazing video for life-saving tips on how to manage and style your luscious locks to be healthy and vibrant.
Samuel Ashcroft is an expert stylist and educator at West London’s Josh Wood Atelier, one of the most prestigious salons in the UK. He has eight years of experience and specializes in effortless, simple, but beautiful hairstyles that enhance and embrace natural hair texture and patterns for every hair type and texture. He has extensive fashion and editorial experience and...more
Arshiya Syeda is a senior editor at with 7 years of experience. Prior to that, she was a content writer and combined her writing and research skills to write over 200 high-performing articles on hairstyles, hair care, and skin care. She holds a bachelor's degree in literature and psychology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, and a post-graduate diploma in psychological...more
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Madhumati is an associate editor with seven years of professional experience. She has previously worked as an editor, proofreader, and a writer with various organizations, helping her navigate through the various facets of content creation and refinement with ease. She graduated in English Literature from Jadavpur University, West Bengal. Her educational background lends a critical perspective and depth to her...more
Bhumika is a content writer with 2.5 years of expertise in crafting articles across diverse genres. She graduated
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