Type 4A hair is part of the type 4, coily natural hair club. It has a looser curl pattern than 4B and 4C. This curl pattern is more coily with a S-shaped spiral curl.
Most people tend to confuse 4A with 3C curl patterns.
That’s because they do have similar spirals, however, 3C is larger in diameter than 4A.
It is a bit more manageable than 4B and 4C, and also has less shrinkage. Which is also debatable.
But with the right hair products, this curl type is great for a wash and go style, because it is less likely to shrink more than 50% of its length.
When it comes to natural hair, there are many types you can fall under.
Most people look on the internet just to see what their natural hair type could be.
But what you may not know is you likely have more than one hair type.
Many of us have different hair types, whether you have type 4A around your hairline and type 4B in the middle.
Or you may have majority type 4A hair, but have type 3B just in your neck nape area.
Either way, it’s important to know how to care for your curls. So read on to learn more about this curl pattern and products that work well with it.
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What’s So Great About 4A Curly Hair?
Has Lots of Volume
One thing for sure, 4A curly hair is gonna give you volume.
No matter what style you choose, this hair type is ready to fill up a room, and be the center of attention.
Since coily hair is naturally dense and full of tight curls, it will automatically give you fullness and movement.
Very Defined Wash and Go Styles
Wash and go styles on 4A natural hair types are absolutely gorgeous.
Like I said before, with the right hair products, this curl pattern will elongate while wet and only shrink up to 40 percent of its length when dry.
The best products to use for your wash and go sets are gel or foam based products.
I prefer products that have more natural ingredients, with absolutely no alcohol in them.
The alcohol can make your hair feel dry, and takes away moisture.
Here are some great products to use for your next wash and go set.
Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic
$29.99 (12oz) – Amazon
Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic is made with aloe vera. This curl magic gel has a firm hold with great curl definition.
It is best used when hair is wet, not damp for curls that pop! It helps reduce stubborn frizz.
The Marshmallow Extract helps prevent dry scalp and provides slip.
Honey Curl Forming Custard
$17.99 – Design Essentials
Design Essentials Honey Curl Custard defines curly type 3 to coily type 4 hair types in a breeze.
It helps fight frizz AND curl shrinkage. Oh My! That’s a pretty bold statement to claim.
Most reviewers say that it helps soften their hair, provides hold, but note, use it when hair is wet!
Mielle Curl Smoothie
$9.49 – Amazon
When it comes to this Mielle Curl Smoothie, it does everything the rest of the custards do, except it is infused with honey and pomegranate.
These ingredients help nourish, strengthen, detangle, and smooth your curls without the frizz.
Best Haircare Tips For Type 4A Hair?
Use Sulfate-free, Paraben-free Products
When shopping for hair products, it is important to read the ingredient list before making your purchase.
Using a sulfate-free shampoo won’t strip the natural oils from your hair and scalp, and will help strengthen and moisturize your hair strands.
Parabens will dry out your scalp, which is no good, since healthy hair is created from the scalp.
Use A Silk or Satin Bonnet
You always want to cover your hair at night to protect it from your cotton fabrics. When we sleep at night, our head moves a lot.
When you sleep without a bonnet, your hair and your cotton sheets can cause friction.
This friction then causes breakage to your hairline, neck area, and the ends of your hair strands.
Since 4A hair is naturally dry, you want to keep it moisturized and protected at night with your silk or satin bonnet.
Moisturize Your Type 4A Hair Daily
Speaking of moisture, you want to aim to moisturize your hair everyday or every other day as needed.
Type 4A hair is prone to dryness and breakage because our natural sebum can’t travel down our hair strands fast enough to protect it.
So we need to do our part in moisturizing it ourselves with water and cream or oil.
Keep it simple by putting water or rose water in a mist spray bottle or a regular hand sized spray bottle.
Lightly mist your hair to your liking, and then apply a cream-based moisturizer or an oil sealant.
Here are great mist spray bottles to check out.
360 Mist Spray Bottle
$14.99 / Sale Price: $5.99 – Amazon
The new spray bottles everyone seems to love are the 360 mist bottles. And for good reason.
As a hairstylist, I loved this mist spray bottle because it continuously sprayed without having to keep squeezing the trigger.
3-Pack Spray Bottles
$9.99 – Amazon
Sometimes, your old reliable is the best choice when it comes to spray bottles.
These 3-pack spray bottles will always be a go to because of the ability to control how water comes out.
It can stream out with force, or as soft as a mist. You choose.
Limit the Heat Usage on Your Hair
Be careful when using heat on your hair. The more you use heat, the faster you’ll see a change in your curls.
I am not gonna go to the extreme of saying you will instantly get heat damage.
But depending on the temperature on your blow dryer and flat iron, you can see your curls go from perfect spirals to limp noodles.
I promise that is no exaggeration.
When using heat, please use a great heat protection cream, oil, or spray.
Here are some heat protectants I used and loved.
CHI 44 Iron Guard Heat Protectant
$11.99 (8oz) – Amazon
If you thought CHI was only for straighter hair textures, think again.
This CHI 44 Iron Thermal Protectant contains vitamin A and E, which protects hair against heat damage.
The keratin and silk proteins help protect and strengthen the hair strands.
While the Jojoba oil conditions and gives it shine.
Silk Essentials Thermal Heat Protectant Serum
$22.00 – Design Essentials
If you want a serum, rather than a heat protectant spray, the Design Essentials Silk Essentials Serum is a great choice.
It makes the blow drying process easy by softening and detangling the hair.
The hair is soft when wet and dry, which makes the flat iron glide through the hair like butter.
If you have type 4A hair, what are your favorite hair products you use that you keep buying over and over again?
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