Are you sporting springy spirals or zigzagging strands? Often confused with curly hair, coily hair is known for its bouncy, tightly corkscrewed hair texture. If you’ve got coily hair, you know just how beautiful it can be, whether it’s rocked in its natural state or amped up with heat styling tools.
Understanding Coily Hair
So just what is coily hair? What makes it different from tightly spiraled curls?
Coily hair is hair that grows in a very tight, dense pattern—think wound-up spirals or zig zags. This is different from curly hair, which usually has a more relaxed curl pattern that can look like anything from a loose wave to a corkscrew curl.
Not sure if you’re dealing with beautiful curls or coils? Here are a few other signs that you’ve got coily hair:
- Hair that looks as if it’s growing up and out from the scalp rather than down
- Individual strands that grow in either a tight spring or a Z-shape
- Coarse strands that have a wiry feel to them
Coily Hair Characteristics
Coily hair’s structure makes it much more brittle and dry than other hair types. This also means it’s easier for coils to break or get damaged, which makes it super important to make sure you’re using the right products and tools on your locks.
Knowing what kind of heat and products to use depends on what kind of coils you have. Coily hair comes in a range of coil patterns and textures, which each have their own uniquely beautiful look and require their own special type of care:
- 4A Coiled Hair – Type 4A hair coils feature well-defined S-shaped curls that are looser and less tightly packed than other types of coily hair. It’s known for being able to retain more moisture than other types of coily hair, and in effect can be slightly less prone to breakage.
- 4B Coiled Hair – Type 4B hair is known for having a zig-zag curl pattern that’s usually a little tighter than 4A hair. While 4A coils’ shape is naturally well-defined, type 4B hair can sometimes be fluffier in appearance. This type of hair also tends to be drier and more prone to shrinkage, which can make it look shorter than it actually is.
- 4C Coiled Hair – Type 4C hair has the tightest texture of all, with coils that lack definition and can benefit from shaping or twisting to structure the coil. Type 4C hair is usually the driest and most prone to breakage, which means moisturizing ingredients are a must.
- While this typing system can serve as a guide for identifying your hair pattern, it’s not exhaustive. All hair is unique, and while some can easily categorize their coily hair, others may have two (or more!) different types. The bottom line: Experiment with care and find what works best for your unique hair.
Coily Hair Care Routine
The most important thing to remember when caring for coily hair is moisture. Coils are the thirstiest, most breakage-prone hair type, but much of that can be avoided with a proper hair care routine. Here are a few ways to keep your hair happy, healthy, and hydrated:
- Avoid overwashing – While those with wavy hair or straight hair might find they need to lather up multiple times a week, coily-hair wearers can make wash day a weekly or biweekly occasion. Overwashing can strip the cuticle of its much-needed natural oils, leaving hair’s innermost layers prone to damage and breakage.
- Think deep (conditioned) – Coily hair is thirsty, so make sure you give it a chance to drink up with nourishing products like hair masks, deep conditioners, and hair oils full of hydrating ingredients like shea butter or argan oil that moisturize and seal each hair strand. Steer clear of products with harsh, stripping cleansers like sulfate-packed shampoos.
- Protect it from tangles – The springy shape of coils makes them prone to tangles and mats. Keep your textured hair snag-free post-wash by using a gentle wide-tooth shower comb and detangling brush designed for wet hair like the T3 Detangle Duo. If you opt to towel dry, absorb excess moisture gently with a microfiber towel turban rather than a traditional body towel.
- Preserve your moisture – If you find your coily hair benefits from heat, be sure to choose a professional hair dryer with multiple heat and speed options to prevent over-drying. Our go-to? The T3 Featherweight StyleMax ionic hair dryer, which helps hair retain up to 60% more of its natural moisture. Pair it with the diffuser attachment to keep your coily pattern looking perfectly springy.
- Sleep easy – Swap out old pillowcases for sleek silk ones. Their smooth texture means there’s no tugging on your textured hair even as you toss and turn, helping you avoid breakage and hang on to all that moisture.
Coily Hair Maintenance
Maintaining coily hair is as much about protecting it as it is styling it to your desired look. Find a stylist who specializes in coily hair and visit them often for trims and cuts to help keep breakage at bay and split ends out of the picture.
Additionally, for coily hair, it is paramount to use a heat protectant product before moving onto any blow drying or heat styling to minimize breakage.
Coily Hair Styling
When styling coily hair, it all comes down to personal preference. Some choose not to manipulate their coils at all, while others opt to diffuse with gentle heat or stretch their hair to switch things up. Whatever your preference, we’re here for it. When it comes to heat styling, follow these tips to keep damage at bay:
- Be choosy – Whether you’re diffusing your coils or stretching them out, a quality hair dryer can help speed up the process. Our number one tip when it comes to dryers? Be a little choosy, and pick one that eliminates temperature fluctuations for healthy styling. The T3 Featherweight StyleMax hair dryer comes equipped with a smart microchip that actively monitors temperature as you style, so you can trust you’re only using as much heat as you intended.
- Avoid overexposure – Keeping strands hydrated is a top priority, and overexposing hair to heat can exacerbate dryness. When reaching for heated styling tools, choose one that specializes in heat management, like the T3 SinglePass StyleMax professional flat iron. It automatically customizes heat to your hair texture and styling goals, so you never use more heat than your style requires.
Coily Hair Products
Products that are designed for coily hair are best, as they’ll be formulated to provide deep moisture without weighing down individual strands. In the hydration department, moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil and Moroccan oil are lightweight and nourishing.
Styling creams that keep styles in place while providing extra moisture and shine are excellent for coily hair, such as products with coconut oil.
Celebrate Your Coily Hair
Whether you stay au-naturale or give heat styling a go, your coily hair deserves celebration—and hydration. When it comes to upkeep, moisture and damage protection go hand in hand. Remember to gravitate toward hydrating ingredients to keep hair strong and healthy, never skimp on heat protectant, and choose quality styling tools that give you maximum temperature control to keep those coils bouncy and full of life.
