What is Type 3 Hair and How To Care For It?

When it comes to type 3 natural hair, you are going to get the 3 Bs: beauty, bouncy, and body ody ody. This hair type is mostly loose and springy curls that have three subcategories: 3A, 3B, and 3C. You won’t see any tight curls like type 4 natural hair. But this type is considered tighter than type 2 hair.

Type 3 curls can be fine, normal, and coarse. Remember, your curl pattern has nothing to do with your hair density or how thick each hair strand is. I’ve seen many clients who had type 3 curls, but their hair was thin.

I’ve also seen many with thick, type 2 curls and naturally straight type 1 hair. Matter of fact, one of my favorite clients who became one of my good friends has type 2 curls, with the thickest, coarsest hair I’ve had my hands into.

This curl type has more naturally defined curls. That means wash and go hairstyles are literally effortless. It comes with a lot of volume and body. You will also notice that the curls will start closer to the root than type 2 curls, which normally start an inch or two from the scalp.

Type 3 hair tends to be dry, but not as dry as type 4 curls. This is because the natural sebum we produce can travel faster down the hair strands due to larger curls than the smaller, tighter curls of type 4.

3A, 3B, and 3C hair still needs moisture, just like 4A, 4B, and 4C curls. If your curls are dry, you are more vulnerable to breakage and damaged ends. From personal past experience, breakage will give you an indirect and unwanted hair cut. So make sure to keep your curls hydrated.

Let’s dive deeper into the three different type 3 hair categories.

Type 3A natural hair has the loosest curl pattern out of 3B and 3C. These curls are large, S-shaped curls about the diameter of an one inch curling iron. They are well defined, without even trying. With some curl mousse and a curl diffuser, these curls will be poppin’. The texture is very soft and bouncy. It is mostly manageable, though frizz can be an endless battle.

Photo: PrismaxUSA

Type 3B natural hair is more springier than its sibling 3A. It resembles corkscrew or ringlet curls that are a bit tighter. Just like 3A curls, this curl pattern comes with a lot of body and volume. It visually looks heavier than 3A hair, due to its curl texture and density. Once again, frizz is the main concern when it comes to 3B hair. So make sure you use a good cream moisturizer that will help fight off the frizz and tangles.

Type 3C curls are a step away from resembling type 4A curls. However, 3C curls are visually looser than 4A hair. This has the tightest curls out of the type 3 curl patterns. It’s considered very coily, not kinky. The tight corkscrew curl pattern has S-shaped curls and can be extremely dense. You will have the most volume from this curl type. But more volume and curls means more shrinkage. So when choosing a hair product, make sure it moisturizes, defines, and elongates your curls to help fight frizz and shrinkage.

The first rule to maintain type 4 hair is one word: moisture. Giving your hair as much moisture as possible will be one of the best ways to manage your natural hair. Second, regular hair trims to remove dead ends or split ends are a great way to keep your hair strands strong and healthy looking. Third, low maintenance styles are great for keeping your hands out of your head. Type 3 hair needs its space to breathe and simply be what it is.

This curl type needs moisture, just like every other curl out there. When it comes to daily moisture, water or a water-based leave-in conditioner are great ways to nourish your hair strands. Afterwards, you will want to seal in that moisture with a hair cream or a light oil sealant to keep the moisture locked in on your hair.

The L.O.C method is great for keeping your hair nourished. If you haven’t heard of these methods, the L.O.C., which stands for Liquid, Oil, and Cream, is a method some naturals use for moisture. The liquid can be water or a water-based leave-in that goes on your hair first. Then, you apply your oil, and finally you apply a cream based moisturizer.

This is when you apply your liquid first, your cream, and then your oil. With oil coming last, this truly seals in the moisture from the liquid and the cream. I call this the ultimate moisturizing method. Depending on your hair’s density, doing this method every day could over moisture your hair, because it can eventually weigh it down. So my advice is to do this method as needed, preferably every other day.

CAUTION: For this curl type, I would recommend as lightweight hair products as possible. Since type 3A and 3B have less density, heavy creams, butters, and oils will weigh your hair down.

Keeping your ends trimmed is great for hair. I know that this advice coming from a hairstylist may seem like we are trying to cut all your hair off, but that’s far from the truth. Let’s walk through what actually happens when we keep our split ends for length purposes.

Split ends can come from many things. Not keeping your ends moisturized, over styling your ends, damage from not covering your hair at night, or friction from rubbing up against your back. When your ends become split, the split will travel upward on your hair strand and create what we call holes.

To keep your ends healthy, those split ends have to go. They are no longer serving you, and you can politely say goodbye to them. If you don’t, you will end up cutting more off over time than the half of an inch of hair right now.

You should use a clarifying shampoo weekly, bi-weekly, or once a month to ensure your hair is rid of dirt and product buildup. This is very important for type 3 curl patterns, because heavy product buildup can cause limp curls. You will notice your hair won’t accept the products like it used to. Your curls will go from springy to limp noodle-like behavior.

Clarifying shampoo will ensure you are working with a clean canvas and will properly accept your moisturizing shampoo, deep conditioners, leave-ins, and styling products.

RELATED POST: Learn All About the Best Clarifying Shampoo for Natural Hair

Your type 3 natural hair is more prone to frizz than any other hair type. To help control it, use a t-shirt to dry your hair instead of a cotton towel. Towels will create tangles and snags in your hair that can be challenging to detangle afterwards.

Since a t-shirt has a soft, flat surface than a cotton towel with rough ridges, it is perfect for your hair. Also, don’t rough up your hair when drying. Instead, gently squeeze your hair onto the towel to get most of the water out.