Please read below for more resources and information! Note, these are my thoughts on hair typing and how it is perceived – while I understand that some may find it helpful, I think it’s more confusing and harmful more than anything, and often other characteristics are at play when curl pattern-hair behavior correlations occur. Also, I want to make it clear that I’m not referring to the LOIS system in this video – only the 1-4c system.
Books Mentioned:
The Science of Black Hair: http://amzn.to/2gdx5Ys
Thank God I’m Natural: http://amzn.to/2gw1Qpi
I mention additional books in my video (below) about what do to after the big chop.
Also check out:
Why I Can’t Stand Hair Typing: http://bit.ly/2gW7CkO
Porosity and Natural Hair: http://bit.ly/2gW60Yd
Hair Texture vs. Curl Pattern: http://bit.ly/2g3Cy13
Emphasis on Porosity and Hair Texture: http://bit.ly/2gJyWVD
For Healthy Hair and Length Retention: http://bit.ly/2gvNKo9
So You Did The Big Chop, Now What?: http://bit.ly/2gZCO37
Follow Quest for the Perfect Curl on social media for more hair care, beauty, and fitness updates! Handles below:
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questfortheperfectcurl.com 
Thanks for this video fit like this for a while. Actually left natural world as I could not truly understand the hair typing. I completely agree to look more into textures, absorption of products and how my hair reacts to products. I certainly know my hair hates shea butter and coconut oil two mainstays for naturals.🙏🏽
Whew, what a relief, thanks for this video, Elle!
I kinda gave up on trying to determine my hair type and all those videos where people went in depth on hair type made me feel inadequate- like there was something everyone with a full head of healthy hair knew that I didn’t.
After awhile though, I just started to focus on just making sure my hair wasn’t dry and building strength so it wouldn’t keep breaking.
I had been subscribing to Ms. Sivasothy’s YT page but there hasn’t been much activity so I think I need to finally go on ahead and purchase The Science of Black Hair because it’s been on my reading list for sometime now. I’m also definitely going to see if I can get/borrow/read Thank God I’m Natural!
I’m still learning. I have fine/thin hair so I had long accepted that my hair wouldn’t look like most of the natural hair I tend to see on YT or on blogs and natural hair products’ websites. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to being discouraged at times but in retrospect, I think it was a function of lack of knowledge of how to get my hair to its healthiest state-rather than achieving a specific curl pattern.
This video was a good reminder of what to focus on and what not to focus on when trying to get my hair to its healthiest state. Thanks again.
Thanks for posting the video. Very informative.
Hi Elle. I saw your video the other day about hair typing and wanted to let it (and all the comments) resonate. I agree with you completely about hair typing. It does absolutely nothing for women who are unfamiliar with how to take care of their natural hair. My first attempt at going natural (summer 2011) was a fail because I could not deal with sun, swimming, sweating, blow drying, and flat ironing on a daily basis. My hair was tortured. It was not until a year later when I found YT videos on natural hair care that I was successful. I gave up the heating tools and discovered my natural coils. All that to say, I embraced all manner of information about natural hair, including curl pattern, hair typing, good product ingredients, porosity, protein, moisture, etc. I realized healthy hair care is most important. Period. I don’t have a problem with identifying curl pattern; quite frankly, I am fascinated by my kinky corkscrew curls. I do, however, find the whole hair typing classification system dumb, and denigrating to women of color. It serves no real purpose. Thanks for such an honest discussion.