In 1997 Oprah’s famed hairstylist, Andre Walker, created what has come to be the most widely known hair typing system. His system classifies hair types into one of four main categories: Type 1 – Type 4. The system has since been expanded to address the diversity of textured hair with a, b, and c subcategories. Once a woman finds her hair type she is equipped to join the curly hair conversation and find the products and techniques that have worked for other women with similar curls.
A system that set out to be a simple, objective tool has since taken on different meanings and nuances for different people. The hair typing discussion is deeply intertwined with the good hair/bad hair debate and its implications on the lives of women. While the system remains the same, the space is constantly changing so we invited influencers in the curly hair community, each with their own strong opinions on the subject, to join us in a Google+ Live Hangout on YouTube.
NaturallyCurly’s Co-Founder Michelle Breyer hosted Miss Jessie’s Original co-founder Miko Branch, Karen Tappin of Karen’s Body Beautiful, and Imani Dawson, founder of the blog Tribe Called Curl to talk about their personal views on hair typing and the systems they use. And ultimately does hair typing unite the community, or divide it?
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