Hair is one of the most eye-grabbing things in the world of beauty. Whether you have the curliest of curls to no hair at all, it has become one of the most defining parts of society. Looking at hair care is an important factor in ensuring that the hair that is loved so much can stay both healthy and beautiful.

With such different types of hair from straight and thin to tight and thick curls it has made people wonder what the perfect hair care routine would be to guarantee that they are protecting their hair.

Understanding the vocabulary that are used to describe the hair is one of the key factors in figuring out your routine. Hair professionals and people who are interested in hair use codes from 1A to 4C when talking about curl patterns. Andre Walker, Oprah Winfrey’s hair stylist, created the chart in the 1990’s originally to promote his own product, but when it was released people hopped on the codes which made it easier to understand the hair types and identify what patterns people have.

Senior Sirah Uwejeyan talked more about the hair patterns and what they usually look like.

“1A is basically like white people’s hair, the straightest of the straight and 4C is like the thickest of curls that you can get like coils more than curls, so you would see that more with black people. Like me, I have 4C hair,” Uwejeyan said.

These hair types require different routines and products to ensure that the hair is staying healthy. At DGS a form was sent out to students about their hair care, there were around 100 participants. This form asked students for their hair pattern and what products they used to keep their hair healthy as well as what they felt about their hair in general.

Uwejeyan spoke about her own hair routine and the products that she uses for her hair to ensure it’s safety.

“It’s a lot of oils, like tea tree oil, peppermint oil and like a mixture of water. [These products] prevent breakage, it keeps the moisture in [my hair] so the water is there but the oil helps prevent it from drying up,” Uwejeyan said.

The products that many students spoke on the form all had one common factor, oil. Different types of oils can affect your hair in different ways. Tea tree oil can help prevent buildup from the shampoos and conditioners in your hair as well as dead skin from your scalp, while peppermint oil may be used for hair growth. There are many more products that can make sure you are keeping your hair healthy.

Hair stylist Nikia Miller has worked on hair part-time for 20 years, she works on all types of curl patterns and she reflected on some bad habits she sees when working with her clients.

“[A lot of people] don’t take care of their hair when they dye it. When they add color to [their hair] it dehydrates it so you see a lot of breakage and damage, it’s coarse and it’s not healthy. I see that a lot in my years of practice,” Miller said.

Miller also touched on some good habits that any hair pattern could focus on.

“Drink water, it all starts with your body and if you’re hydrated then your hair is hydrated and that matters. Clip your ends and make sure you keep your hair moisturized,” Miller said.

Of course depending on your hair type you should focus on different areas that your hair needs; however, this article talks about the basics for anyone who is just starting to understand their hair.

Senior Sammie Wiggins talked about her hair routine and what she does to get ready.

“I shower everyday but I don’t wash my hair everyday, I wash my hair every other day because I feel like it makes it less greasy after like a couple days. Sometimes I use dry shampoo but most of the time I just use shampoo, conditioner, wash it out then done,” Wiggins said.

She also talked about the importance of her hair and how making sure it is presentable is a value she holds dear.

“Being a redhead [my hair] is one of my defining characteristics for people who first meet me, so it’s like one of the things that people see first so I feel like it’s really important for me specifically to keep my hair looking good because that’s my first impression,” Wiggins said.

Hair can play an interesting role in our self confidence, if you would like to hear more about that watch Lily’s video on people at DGS and their feelings towards their hair.

Hair products can be found almost everywhere whether you are going to the nearest CVS or taking a trip to a high end boutique, however, some of the products that many people with tighter curl patterns need are not as easily accessible.

In the survey, many people who had 1 to 3B hair typically would get their hair products from Target or online while people who fell into the 3B-4C hair texture usually got their products from local beauty supply stores and sometimes Target.

Real Simple goes in-depth on each hair type and which products to use for each curl pattern to ensure that the right products are being used for all hair types.