3 Simple Tests You Can Do At Home To Determine Your Hair Type & How To Care For It
Using the right products for your hair will help to improve the look, feel and condition of it. But with so many hair care products on the market, it can be overwhelming especially if you don't know your own hair type.
Well, determining your hair type is easier than you think! Here are three simple tests you can do in the comfort of your own home to find out your hair type and how to care for it.
Read on to find out more about the tests and see recommended products!
#1 Hair thickness test
A hair thickness test will help you to determine whether you have a fine, medium or coarse hair texture. Fine hair requires lightweight products to ensure no further weigh down, while coarse hair would require richer formulas to ensure it is sufficiently nourished.
Simply compare a strand of hair with a sewing thread.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
A: The strand of hair looks a lot thinner than the thread.
B: The strand of hair looks somewhat similar to the thread in thickness.
C: The strand of hair looks thicker than the thread.
If you chose A, it means you have fairly thin hair. If you chose B, you have medium hair. If you chose C, you have thick hair.
#2 Hair health test
A hair health test aims to determine your hair's elasticity and strength, and the amount of keratin in the hair affects the result. Keratin is lost through chemical treatments and environmental stressors, causing hair to be damaged and break easily.
Pluck a wet strand of hair from the root and stretch it on both sides as far as you can.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
A: The strand of hair stretches for a bit before breaking.
B: The strand of hair stretches a lot before breaking.
C: The strand of hair breaks almost immediately.
If you chose A, your hair has medium elasticity which implies some damage and frizziness. If you chose B, your hair has high elasticity and is considered healthy. If you chose C, your hair has low elasticity which means it's weak and prone to breakage due to the lack of keratin.
#3 Scalp & hair greasiness test
Too much oil on your scalp and hair can clog pores, which prevents hair from growing. This may result in hair loss in the long run! Knowing whether your scalp and hair is oily, normal or dry will help you choose the right products to care for them.
Use an oil blotter to dab on your scalp.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
A: The oil blotter shows a significant amount of oil.
B: The oil blotter shows a small amount of oil.
C: The oil blotter shows little to no oil.
If you chose A, you probably have an oily scalp which tends to make your crown look extra flat and greasy by the end of the day. If you chose B, your scalp has a good balance of natural sebum to keep it moisturised without being overly greasy. If you chose C, you probably have a dry scalp.
So what is your hair type and what products should you use?
If you chose more As:
You have a fine hair texture that has medium elasticity with an oily scalp. It indicates that your hair could be dry and frizzy, and tends to tangle easily.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
We suggest using the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Sleek range.
The shampoo and conditioner are infused with rare French Amber Cedarwood Oil extracted using a tedious 6-step process to ensure high purity. Amber Cedarwood Oil is known to repair damaged hair cuticles for sleeker, smoother and silkier locks.
Finish off with the Extraordinary Oil Gold Hair Treatment Oil for an even better smoothening effect for hair that feels incredibly soft with no tangles. It's enriched with six flower oils that are rich in omega-6 to replenish fatty acids back to the hair, further moisturising any dry and frizzy hair.
I tried the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Sleek range, and compared it with my usual hair products.
I separated my hair into two and used Brand X on one side, and the Sleek range on the other. Both sides went through shampooing and conditioning, followed by applying hair oil.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
I did a wet combing test on both sides to see how easily my fine tooth comb could travel through my hair. The smoother and further it went, the less tangles my hair had, and the clear winner was the side I used the Sleek range on!
My comb stopped midway through my locks for Brand X and I found myself exerting more strength just to comb through the tangles. In comparison, the side using the Sleek range was a breeze to comb all the way through.
Take a closer look and you will be able to see that my hair on the Brand X side looked a lot frizzier with damaged hair ends sticking out in every direction. The side I used the Sleek range on already looked healthier with just one wash!
It is also worthy to note that the Sleek range can be used on greasy scalp, thanks to the micro-purification deep cleansing technology in the formula which removes dirt, grime and PM2.5 pollutants to keep the scalp non-greasy until the next wash, but also keeps your strands nourished and moisturised.
If you chose more Bs:
You have medium hair thickness, high hair elasticity and a normal greasiness level for both your scalp and hair. Congratulations, your hair is probably somewhat healthy and smooth to the touch. The key here is to maintain its condition and add a healthy shine to it for picture-perfect hair every day.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
We suggest using the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Shine range.
The shampoo and conditioner are infused with L'Oréal Paris' iconic Precious French Rose Oil extracted from French rose fields. These roses are then dried within controlled temperature for a few days, before going through a 48-hour long maceration process to achieve precious French Rose Oil. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and E to fight aggressors, such as colour fading from heat exposure and UV damage, for impeccable hair radiance from within.
Finish off with the Extraordinary Oil Rose hair oil with real Rose infusion visible within the bottle! The scent is inspired by luxury fragrances and formulated by French perfumeries for a light and pleasant floral scent.
My colleague, Karmen, tried the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Shine range.
Check out the before and after using the shampoo, conditioner and hair oil. Strong studio lights were both shone onto her hair in the before and after to show the difference in her hair's health and shine.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
In the before image, you can see that her dyed hair looks dull and lifeless, with practically no shine to it at all. The ends of her hair also looked dry and damaged, possibly from all those years of dyeing her hair.
In the after image, her hair colour looks more vibrant and you can see a subtle shine, especially at the middle portion of her hair. What blew us away even more was that her hair did not look frizzy even after using a hair dryer to blow dry! The hair oil from the Shine range certainly helped at moisturising and acting as a heat protectant.
Karmen also noticed that her hair felt a lot smoother and softer while she was washing it, and added a bit more hair oil when she was done blow drying her locks for that extra shine. Although she has an oily scalp, the products managed to keep her tresses fresh and non-greasy till the next day.
If you chose more Cs:
You have coarse hair that has low elasticity with a dry scalp. This indicates that your hair is very damaged and lacks elasticity, which is probably why you don’t see any of that healthy bounciness for your tresses. You may also have wavy or curly hair that needs a bit of taming to look voluminous without being messy or looking like a lion's mane.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
We recommend using the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Wave range.
Don't be fooled by the word 'Wave', as the shampoo and conditioner are great for any damaged hair. They are infused with French White Truffle Complex, an ingredient prized for its restorative properties. It deeply nourishes and plumps up keratin to improve hair quality so that bounciness is restored. It cleanses effectively without drying out the scalp and hair, so it works even for those with a dry scalp.
Use the Extraordinary Oil Extra Rich Hair Treatment Oil with a brown nozzle on wet hair before styling your curls to protect it from heat and to give it that extra bounce and shine. You will find that your straight hair looks more lively and if you have curls, they will look more defined too.
Take note that the Wave range is not just for those with wavy or curly hair. It is specially formulated for chemically-treated and coarse hair, and can be used on any severely damaged hair that requires additional keratin boost for healthier locks.
My colleague, Rachel, tried the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil Sublime Wave range on her naturally wavy hair, and compared it with her usual hair products.
She separated her hair into two, then used Brand Y on one side and the Wave range on the other. Both sides went through shampooing and conditioning, followed by applying hair oil.
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
Rachel blew dry her hair on both sides as she would usually do, but as you can see, there was a distinct difference in how her curls looked.
The side using the Wave range had defined and flattering curls even without styling, while the side using Brand Y was limp and lifeless.
Aside from more defined curls, her hair got a lot bouncier after using the Wave range! See how her curls bounced back to the same position after gently tugging on them. This is good news, as that means that elasticity has been restored, resulting in livelier locks.
Rachel also has very damaged hair as she enjoys experimenting with different hairstyles that usually require heat to replicate. But after using the Wave range, her hair felt extremely soft to the touch, as if she just had it done at a salon!
If you chose A, B & C:
You probably have a combination hair type. Any range would work for you or use a mix of them according to your hair condition on that day.
Where to get the L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil products in Singapore
Photo from GirlStyle Singapore
L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil is the No. 1 Hair Treatment Brand in the world, in 31 countries to be exact*! Their products are catered to Asian hair, with 3313 scientists worldwide studying women's hair of all types.
You can get the shampoos, conditioners and hair oils mentioned above on Watsons, Guardian, Fairprice and Shopee at $16.90 for the shampoos and conditioners, and $26.90 for the hair oils.
L'Oréal Paris x Oak and Sand Limited Time Collaboration
Photo from Oak and Sand
For even better results, L'Oréal Paris has teamed up with Oak & Sand, a local luxury bedding brand to launch an Extraordinary Oil Hair Regimen Kit with Luxury Anti-Frizz Pillowcase. It comes with a shampoo, conditioner, hair oil and free luxury anti-frizz pillowcase (worth $18.90)!
Switching to a pillowcase made from a smoother and premium material, such as Tencel, can drastically reduce friction that causes hair frizz and breakage. Self-care has never been more important in these extraordinary times, so make use of this promotion to pamper yourself!
On 16 and 17 June, the first 10 shoppers who spend a minimum of $80 on L'Oréal Paris Hair products and at least one Extraordinary Oil hair care bundle from L'Oréal Paris Official Store on Shopee get to redeem a FREE $200 Oak & Sand gift card^.
*L'Oréal calculation based in part on data reported by Nielsen through its Retail Index Service for the Hair Treatment (Client-defined) for the 52-weeks period ending December 2019, for consolidation of 31 countries. (Copyright © 2019, The Nielsen Company.)
**Limited to first 100 purchases.
^Valid for transactions made on 16-17 June 2021 during L'Oreal Paris Brand Days only. Extraordinary Oil haircare bundles include this, this and this. T&Cs apply.
This post is brought to you by L'Oréal.
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