How to Determine Your Hair Type

Put down that 2-in-1, buddy, because we have news for you. You can’t just use any old hair product, and the same hair routine isn’t right for everyone. That’s why now is the time to determine your hair type, the single-most important step you can take to achieve your goals in hair length, look, style, and health.

There is a science behind every type of hair, so we decided to pull in our favorite follicle fact-checker, the founder of Mannered Manes, Trav White.

Let’s say you’ve decided to grow long hair. Things are different now from when you were making bi-monthly visits to the barber. You never realized you have a wave to your hair, or it’s thinner than you thought, or maybe the same short hair routine just isn’t working for your long hair.

Perhaps you aren’t getting the performance out of your hair products, or you want to try a new hair regimen. Knowing your type will allow you to adjust your hair routine and choose the products that are most likely to work for you.

There are five essential parts to each person’s hair type: curl pattern, scalp moisture levels, hair density, hair texture, and hair porosity. With three or more possibilities for each variable, there are literally hundreds of unique combinations.

You’ll recognize him from busting hair growth myths and alleviating your concerns about that receding hairline, or from his groundbreaking collaboration fostering community among guys with long hair, How To Handle Long Hair Haters.

In his first exclusive video with The Longhairs, Trav White explains the variables that make up your hair and introduces his hair type quiz in the Mannered Manes app.

Once you know, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions on hair products, styling, and the best care for your mane.