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Type 2C is the strongest of the wavy patterns, and the one most often mistaken for something else. It is too wavy to behave like the loose waves of 2A and 2B, and not quite coiled enough to be a 3A curl. People with 2C hair tend to spend years following advice written for one neighbor or the other, with mixed results.
How to recognize it
- Defined S-shaped waves that begin at or near the root, not halfway down.
- A few true ringlets, usually underneath or around the face.
- Thick, often coarse strands, with a good deal of volume.
- Frizz, particularly at the crown and in humid weather.
- A pattern that drops when the hair is long, heavy or weighed down with product.
If your waves start lower down and the roots lie flat, you are closer to 2B. If most of your hair forms complete spirals, you are a 3A. Many heads are a mixture, and the routine below suits all three.
What 2C hair needs
2C hair has a split personality. It is thick and frizz-prone like curly hair, so it needs moisture. It is easily pulled straight like wavy hair, so it cannot take weight. The whole routine is a balance between those two facts: moderate moisture, light products, firm hold.
The routine
Cleanse
Wash every two or three days with a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo. 2C hair usually has an oilier scalp than curlier patterns, and it does not do well on co-washing alone.
Once a month, clarify to remove buildup, which flattens waves quickly. See Product Buildup: Signs and Fixes.
Condition
Use a light conditioner from the ears down, and detangle with a wide-tooth comb while it is in. Scrunch water into the hair before rinsing to encourage the waves to clump.
Style
On soaking wet hair:
- A light leave-in, on the mid-lengths and ends only.
- Gel or mousse for hold, glazed over the surface and scrunched upward.
Dry
Scrunch out water with a microfiber towel, then plop for ten to fifteen minutes. Diffuse on low with your head tipped to the side for lift at the root, and scrunch out the cast when fully dry.
2C hair wants the moisture of a curl routine and the lightness of a wave routine.
Common 2C problems
Flat roots, wavy ends. The weight of the hair is stretching the top. Diffuse with your head tipped over, clip the roots while drying, and ask about layers at your next cut.
Frizz at the crown. Usually too little hold, or hair that was touched while drying. Smooth a little extra gel over the top layer with flat palms.
Waves that vanish by the afternoon. Your products are too heavy, or you are not using enough hold. Remove the cream and add gel. More in Why Your Curls Fall Flat.
Stringy, separated waves. Too much product on hair that was not wet enough. Apply to wetter hair and use less.
What to avoid
- Heavy butters, raw oils and thick curl creams.
- Brushing dry hair.
- Conditioner on the scalp.
- Layering four or five products.
- Long, one-length cuts, which pull the wave out.
Between washes
Mist lightly with water, scrunch, and add a small amount of mousse if needed. Sleep with your hair in a loose braid or pineapple on a satin pillowcase. Details are in The Second-Day Refresh and How to Sleep With Curly Hair.
A note on your haircut
2C hair responds well to long layers, which take weight off the crown and let the wave spring up. A blunt, one-length cut tends to produce a flat top and a wide, triangular base. Find a stylist who is comfortable with wavy and curly hair, and ask how they plan to add shape.
For the wider family, see the Wavy hair guide.