3 Reasons Why We’re Eliminating the Curl Chart in 2023
This year, we’re eliminating the curl chart once and for all. The number/letter system was originally created by Oprah’s hair stylist Andre Walker, based in the degree of curl in the hair.
However, what many tight curlies + naturals don’t realize is you can have multiple different curl patterns in one head of hair. What?! Yep, that’s right. Also, your curl pattern is about as relevant as your eye color—it’s not an indication of what products will “work” best for your hair or even help you establish a good hair care routine.
This blog post will explain our reasons for why the curl chart should be eliminated and how your Essential Elements are used to actually evaluate hair.
Reason #1: It Doesn’t Give You the Full Picture
Simply knowing your curl diameter, which is defined as “the circumference of a curl, kink or wave” is simply not enough information to learn how to truly care for your hair. Contrary to popular belief, curl diameter doesn’t mean much when choosing products that are the most beneficial to your hair. It does however have a bearing on what type of styles work for your hair.
“It is common to have multiple curl diameters on the same head, even right next to each other.”
Reason #2: It Doesn’t Help With Choosing Products
The curl chart is completely useless when determining which products are the most beneficial for your natural hair. Product selection is not trial and error. There’s a common belief amongst the natural hair community that you have to keep experimenting until you find the products that work for you. That’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
Before looking for any products it’s imperative that we understand what a product is used for, why we would use it, and what is the desired result from using it. Products are tools. If you don’t know the purpose of the tool or how to properly use it, it makes no difference how many tools you amass for your arsenal.
Reason #3: It Creates a Ton of Division, Creating Texturism
Texturism can be the thought of as the discrimination faced by those with coarser hair, commonly referred to in the natural hair community as “4C hair.” When we have the beliefs that coarser hair is more difficult to manage, requires a special set of products, can’t wear wash and go’s (all untrue claims by the way), etc it creates a ton of division within our own community.
Yes, we acknowledge that racism and the history of oppression of black people around the world has led to spoken and unspoken codes about what is acceptable for tight curly + natural hair in public spaces. What we aren’t doing is feeding into the narrative that your number/letter combination or the combination of your essential elements determine how you are able to experience living with your hair.
Here at Black Girl Curls, we’re here to tell you that your hair isn’t difficult or impossible to manage. This is where having the proper knowledge/education on how to care for your natural hair is important. In our consumer education platform, The SeeSomeCurls Visual Library, we teach tight curlies + naturals from all around the world how to simplify their hair care routines.
How Cosmetologists Evaluate Hair
As cosmetologists we know the exact things to look for when working with clients' hair and we are sharing them with you. So, what factors do cosmetologists use to evaluate your hair? A little thing we like to call The Essential Elements of Hair. These are the generally accepted principles (GAP) in the study of hair as understood by cosmetologists, dermatologists, and lay people alike.
Now let us caveat by saying although knowing the essential elements of your hair is a good thing, product selection, application, and styling technique are minimally affected by these factors. We are not explaining these terms to inspire you to put your hair in another box and devise plans for it.
The Essential Elements are as follows:
Texture: The width of the hair shaft as determined by the diameter of the follicle, which is organized into 3 types: fine, medium and coarse.
Surface Texture: The natural appearance of your hair, ranging from cotton candy to glassy sleek. Your surface texture also determines if the hair will have a sheen or a shine.
Density: The number of individual strands per square inch, which is organized into 3 types: low, average and high.
Porosity: The hair’s ability to absorb moisture as determined by the condition of the cuticle. Porosity is most important to the licensed professional working on your hair when you’re receiving chemical or heat services.
Elasticity: The hair’s ability to stretch and return to its original length without breaking.
Curl Diameter: The circumference of a curl, kink or wave.
Hydration Level: The current level of moisture within the hair strand. Repeat after us: Hydration is not a feeling it is a behavior it is in fact something that can vary day to day, hour to hour.
Climate: The average weather in a given area over a longer period of time. Climate is one of those things we have absolutely no control over and at the same time it can make or break our hair styling choices.
Lifestyle: Our individual lifestyles help us determine how much time we have to put into our hair and will impact how often you will have to cleanse your hair to remove dirt, debris, etc.
Water Quality: The condition of the water, including chemical, physical and biological characteristics. Your water is often the most important ingredient in your hair care.
Most of us have lusted over our internet hair twin and been inspired to run to the Target aisle and grab every product she used on a style that resulted in an abysmal finish. Different essential elements are often why what worked on her ain’t working on you.
Want to learn more about how to identify/evaluate your own Essential Elements? We cover all the natural hair fundamentals and more in our digital consumer education platform, The SeeSomeCurls Visual Library.
Our 1.1K+ course community of tight curl + naturals are shaving more than 50% of time off their wash day, being showered left and right with hair compliments, and are receiving direct support of a very encouraging community of tight curlies + naturals who have been exactly where you are.
