Curly Hair Society

Curl Types · Wavy · 2B

2B Hair Examples: What Does 2B Hair Look Like?

See 2B waves on long, short, styled and unstyled hair, compare them with 2A and 2C, and find out if this is your type.

A woman facing the camera with long, dark brown waves that start around her cheekbones
Face-framing waves that start around the cheekbones, close to the head at the parting.Long · Front view
Long dark brown hair with lighter ends, seen in profile, with loose S-waves starting just below the ear
From the side, each wave makes a clear S without looping into a curl.Long · Side view
Long dark brown hair seen from above and behind, smooth and flat at the crown, waving from the mid-lengths down
Smooth and flat at the crown, S-shaped from the mid-lengths down: the classic 2B outline.Long · From above
11 photos

What to look for

  • Clearly visible S-shaped waves
  • Waves often become clearer through the mid-lengths
  • Looser than 2C, more defined than 2A

2A vs 2B vs 2C: See the difference

Long blonde 2A hair with a gentle bend through the lengths, nearly straight at the top

2ALoose waves

  • A loose bend rather than a full S
  • Fine, and often nearly straight at the top
  • Falls flat easily
2A guide
Long dark 2B hair seen from behind, with a clear, repeating S from the mid-lengths down

2BDefined waves

  • A clear S from the mid-lengths down
  • A flatter crown
  • Some frizz on the surface
Long dark 2C hair with deep waves from near the root and ringlets through the lengths

2CDeep waves

  • Deep waves that start near the root
  • A few ringlets underneath
  • Thicker, with more frizz
2C guide

A visual guide to the patterns, not a clinical chart. Hair type is a description, and plenty of heads sit between two.

Do I have 2B hair?

Check on clean hair that has air-dried with no product

  1. Does your hair dry into an S, not a spiral?

    Let it air-dry with no product and look at a single section. A 2B wave curves one way, then the other. If it loops back on itself into a ringlet, you are looking at 2C or Type 3.

  2. Does the wave start below your ears?

    2B waves usually form from the mid-lengths down, with the first few inches lying close to the head. Waves from the root point to 2C; a bend only at the ends points to 2A.

  3. Is the crown flatter than the rest?

    A flat crown with waves underneath is the most recognisable sign of 2B hair.

  4. Does the wave survive brushing and wind, but not heavy products?

    2B waves bounce back after a little disturbance, unlike 2A. Rich creams and oils still drag them out within hours.

More than one pattern? That is normal. Many people have a mix, often looser at the crown and tighter underneath or around the face. Go by the pattern over most of your head, and treat the rest as part of the same routine.

What to do next

A routine and products for 2B waves