Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Mizani Releases a New Hair Typing System

Look out Andre Walker, Mizani is challenging the four-part hair typing system that many naturals have deemed unfit to describe their hair textures. Walker's system creates four categories to describe hair of all types, with each category having up to three sub-categories:

Type 1a - Straight (Fine/Thin) - Hair tends to be very Soft, Shiny, difficult to hold a curl, hair also tends to be oily, and difficult to damage. 
Type 1b - Straight (Medium) - Hair has lots of volume & body. 
Type 1c - Straight (Coarse) - Hair is normally bone straight and difficult to Curl. Asian women usually fall into this category. 

Type 2a - Wavy (Fine/Thin) - Hair has a definite "S" pattern. Normally can accomplish various styles. 
Type 2b - Wavy (Medium) - Hair tends to be frizzy, and a little resistant to styling. 
Type 2c - Wavy (Coarse) - Hair is also resistant to styling and normally very frizzy;tends to have thicker waves. 

Type 3a - Curly (Loose Curls) - Hair tends to have a combination texture. It can be thick & full with lots of body, with a definite "S" pattern. It aslo tends to be frizzy. 
Type 3b - Curly (Tight Curls) - Also tends to have a combination texture, with a medium amount of curl. 

Type 4a - Kinky (Soft) - Hair tends to be very Fragile, tightly coiled, and has a more defined curly pattern. 
Type 4b - Kinky (Wiry) - Also very fragile and tightly coiled; however with a less defined curly pattern -has more of a "Z" pattern shape.

To address the shortcomings of this system, many kinky-haired naturals have added a Type 4c category, for hair that is a combination of 4a and 4b. Yet after Walker's comment in Elle magazine July 2011 issue "kinky hair can have limited styling options; that is the only hair type that I suggest altering with chemical relaxing" many naturals are discarding his system (along with any respect for him).

In steps Mizani with the "Natural Curl Key" developed "after years of researching and testing" with "a scientific approach." This system names "eight distinctive hair types worldwide." I don't know about the rest of y'all but I'm sick of these systems designed to tell me (or a so-called professional) how to care for my hair. The best research and testing I have found is doing my own hair and my scientific approach is trial and error. But check it out and you be the judge.


2 comments:

  1. hi pia!! i just discovered your blog. rock on girl! these categories are a bit "off" i feel like my hair is a mix, different textures in different parts of my head. and even in the different areas they fit more than one of the "categories" for each hair type. Though I guess i'm somewhere between 5,6, and 7. At any rate, what are these things even used for? ALSO I wanted to ask you...I'm not ready to totally give up my non natural products (Miss Jessie's baby butter cream really is amazing for my hair) BUT I was wondering if you have a list somewhere of ingredients to look for in products (shampoos, conditioners especially) to absolutely make sure NOT to EVER put in one's hair? Thanks girl!!!

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  2. Hey Ellie,
    Just backtracking through comments and just noticed this. THANK YOU!!! When it comes down to it, I truly believe "to each his own." But there are some ingredients that are pretty harmful and just unnecessary. I will start putting that list together!

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