2C HAIR: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CARING FOR YOUR WAVES

Wavy or curly? One day you’re a beach wave babe, other days you’re bouncing with a head full of curls. If this sounds familiar, then you’re probably a 2C hair type on the hair typing system. And if you’re wondering why it matters, read on. Once you’ve cracked the code, you can then narrow down the right products (and frankly, who doesn’t need a hand with that) and best natural hair care routine worthy of your waves.

What Is 2C Hair? (And How to Tell If That's You)

2C hair type is the most wavy on the scale, with some strands even forming loose spirals. It’s what’s known as ‘a wave with attitude’. The S-shaped bend begins at the root, as opposed to further down the hair shaft like 2B hair, and the hair texture is often thicker. You’ll notice minimal shrinkage between when your hair is wet and once it’s dried, which is more characteristic of coily hair. While 2C curl types have the enviable flexibility to turn up their waves or tone them down, one of the challenges is usually frizz. Yes, the dreaded ‘f’ word. But for every frizz, there’s a fix. Here, we’ll guide you step-by-step through the perfect hair care routine for 2C hair types and how to layer in the correct amount of moisture to put the wow into your waves.

Why Lightweight Care Matters Most for 2C Hair

When your hair is more than a wave, but not quite a fully formed curl, there’s a delicate balance to strike to avoid limp looking locks. Your wavy hair texture does not like to be fussed and faffed. Less is more in this curly case. The more you try to wrangle your waves into shape, the more they will lose their natural curves. Beware heavy moisturising products too, like curl creams, as these can also weigh down your waves leaving them lifeless. But seeing as 2C hair is prone to dryness and frizz, how exactly do you keep it hydrated and happy?

Building a Weightless Moisture Routine for 2C Waves

The holy grail of hydration for 2C hair types is a weightless moisture routine. It’s all about layering just enough moisture without flattening the wave pattern.

1. Start with a frizz-fighting shampoo and conditioner that’s specially formulated to cleanse and moisturise without weighing down your hair. Also look for leave-in conditioners that can be very effective for frizz control.
2. If you need to detangle your hair, ensure you do it when it’s wet and preferably slathered in conditioner. Use a wide-toothed comb or your fingers to gently separate your waves.
3. Once a week use a deep conditioning mask to nourish your waves and take care of those curlier spirals.
4. After washing don’t reach for a towel straight away. 2C hair is delicate, so gently squeeze out excess moisture with a microfiber towel or favourite old cotton t-shirt. Traditional towels and rubbing your scalp are big no-no’s for this hair type.  
5. Lightweight styling products, like mousse, are the key to enhancing your wave pattern and giving it definition. Add a little to the palms of your hands and gently run it through your hair distributing it with your fingers. Or use the praying hands technique - popular to help fight frizz and smooth product evening. Gently pressing sections of your hair between your palms and sliding your hands down the length of your hair.
6. Scrunch upwards and let your hair air dry to avoid over-handling, but if you do prefer to blow dry, make sure to use a heat-protecting product.
7. Most important of all though for 2C hair types, never brush it when it’s dry. That will guarantee frizzy hair in an instant.
8. Lightweight hair oil or silicone-free serum is the perfect finishing touch to fight flyaways and add shine.  

Why Natural, Sulphate-Free Formulas Suit 2C Hair Best

The curly community love a natural hair care routine, avoiding harsh ingredients like sulphates that strip away moisture, or heavy synthetic silicones that weigh down your waves. This is especially true for 2C hair types who are trying to maintain a balance of all-important hydration while avoiding the perils of product build-up. With so many products to choose from, here are our recommendations from the Faith In Nature hair care range.

Faith In Nature's Picks for 2C Hair Care

Our Jojoba Shampoo and Jojoba Conditioner are popular with wavy hair types, as it’s made with organic jojoba seed oil rich in vitamins and minerals, renowned for moisturising, softening and restoring hair, and leaving it smooth and shiny. Made with 99.5% natural origin ingredients, without SLS, SLES, parabens or silicones. Our Shea & Argan Nourishing Hair Mask is a great pick for a weekly deep conditioning treatment. Specially formulated for curly hair and dry scalps, it contains organic shea butter and organic argan oil, both hydrating hair heroes. As one happy customer put it, “gentle on my dry scalp and leaves my curls soft, bouncy and super hydrated, just what they needed!”    

How to Wash 2C Hair Without Losing Definition

Daily washing is not recommended for 2C hair types as it’ll strip your natural oils and leave your scalp dry. This then sets off a chain reaction whereby your scalp starts producing more oil and you end up with greasy hair. Top tips for washing your waves include:

1. Washing hair every 2-3 days is usually ideal without putting too much stress on your hair.
2. Gently massage shampoo into your scalp using just the pads of your fingertips, not scrubbing with your nails.
3. Allowing the foam to run out through the length of your hair is enough to cleanse without applying extra shampoo that could strip your hair.
4. Applying styling products to sopping wet hair can help lock in hydration and encourages defined waves to form.   

Styling 2C Hair for Maximum Definition

When it comes to styling 2C wavy hair, there’s a little bit of trial and error involved, as no 2Cs are the same. But there are a few key ways to make the best of those bends and leave frizzy hair days behind you. You may have heard of scrunching, but what about plopping? These are two different drying techniques to define both waves and curls, but plopping is a good one to start with if you’re struggling with frizzy hair. After applying your curl-enhancing products to wet hair, simply flip your head forward and gently wrap your waves in a cotton t-shirt (or microfibre towel). Leave it on for 15-20 minutes before letting it air-dry or diffusing. Plopping is perfect for maximising definition, minimising frizz and reducing drying time.

What about scrunching? This is ideal on those days when you want to boost your waves more towards curls. Once you’ve applied your styling products, and you may want to try gel for this technique, tip your head forward or to the side, and gently cup sections of your hair pushing them upwards towards your scalp, squeezing very lightly. Scrunch all over your hair to get definition, and allow to air dry or diffuse on a low heat. Pro tip: if you’re using a hold enhancing gel, allow your hair to fully air dry, then scrunch again (not too much) to form soft, bouncy waves. This is known as ‘Scrunch out the crunch’.   

Cuts and Layers That Work With 2C Waves

Do a search for 2C hair cuts, and one word crops up again and again – layers. Layers are your friend for putting the wow into your waves. Long, short or medium length, layers help your hair maintain volume and bounce, and stop them going flat or heavy. If you head for a salon that specialises in curly hair, they’ll usually cut your hair dry so they can work with your natural wave pattern. Shaggy bobs, the wolf cut, wavy pixie cut or face framing long locks are the perfect layered cuts for 2C waves.   

Common 2C Hair Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re still struggling to get beautiful, bouncy waves from your 2C hair type, it might be because you’re committing one of these 6 curly crimes:

1. Avoid heavy styling products that will weigh down your waves.
2. Don’t wash your hair every day. Every 2-3 days should be ideal.
3. Ditch the traditional towel and use a soft microfibre towel, or favourite old cotton t-shirt.
4. Don’t brush your hair when it’s dry. It’s a recipe for frizz-tastic hair.
5. Don’t use curling irons to try to get a tighter curl pattern. They’ll damage your hair. And remember, your waves are fabulous as they are!
6. Don’t skip regular trims. These maintain healthy ends and reduce breakage.
   

Your 2C Hair Care Checklist

So now you’ve established you’ve got ‘waves with attitude’, here’s your at-a-glance checklist for waves worth worshipping:

• Shampoo and condition with frizz-fighting formulas free from sulphates, parabens, synthetic and silicones.
• Use a deep conditioning mask once a week to nourish your delicate tresses.
• Keep your styling products light and hydrating, like a curl enhancing mousse.
• Less handling = more defined waves and curls.
• Apply styling products to completely wet hair and try scrunching or plopping.
• Protect your hair at night with a satin or silk pillowcase or bonnet. Cotton pillowcases suck moisture from your locks.