Straight Hair vs Curls: Which Look Is Best For You?

Does straight hair suit you better? Or should you embrace curls? Both straight and curly hair can look great and each one lends itself to a range of hairstyles. Most of us stick with our natural texture. However, it’s possible you may want to try a radical new look. This post explores the different hair types, how to change the texture of your hair and how to decide whether to go straight or curly. 

What natural hair type do you have?

Some people naturally have straight hair and some people naturally have very curly hair. Altering the state of your hair can mean having to use heat or chemicals (more about this later) – which can damage your hair if you use them repeatedly. Embracing your natural hair type is much healthier for your hair. But just what is your natural hair type? 

All hair can be divided into four types: straight, wavy, curly or coily. It can be useful to know your hair type when choosing products like shampoos and conditioners, as well as exploring different hairstyles that you can pull off naturally. 

Let’s take a deeper look into the four different hair types:

Type 1: Straight

80% of Asian people and 45% of white people have straight hair. This hair type has a natural shine to it and is a lot more low-maintenance than other hair types, however it does need to be washed more regularly than other hair types due to getting more oily and lacks volume unless you add product to it. 

Type 2: Wavy

Wavy hair isn’t entirely straight, but isn’t curly either. It consists of s-shaped strands of hair. This gives it some volume, while still being relatively low maintenance; it may not need to be washed as frequently as straight hair, but can still benefit from conditioning.

Type 3: Curly

Curly hair has more of a spiral texture. It is common for both white and black people to have curly hair, but you’re less likely to have curly hair if you’re Asian. Curly hair requires more conditioning to keep it lush and healthy, but is not as prone to oiliness as straight and wavy hair. 

Type 4: Coily

Coily hair consists of much tighter curls. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Afro’ hair as it is the natural hair type that many people of African descent have. Coily hair is the most high-maintenance hair type and easily knots, but it has the most volume and does not get as oily as other hair types. 

You can change the texture of wavy hair and curly hair more easily than you can straight hair and coily hair. Turning straight hair into coily hair is particularly difficult without using heat or chemicals, as is straightening coily hair. This is something to consider when thinking of deviating from your natural hair type. 

What are the best ways to straighten hair?

If you’ve got type 2, type 3 or type 4 hair and you want to straighten it, there are a few solutions you can explore. These are:

Heat

One of the most common ways to straighten hair is to use hair straighteners. This usually only lasts 6 to 12 hours, depending on how naturally curly your hair is, but is easy to do at home. Of course, doing this frequently can damage your hair, so it’s not a good long-term solution. 

Rebonding

Also known as chemical straightening, this is a treatment that is done at a salon that involves straightening the hair with chemicals. It takes a few hours to carry out and can be quite expensive, but the effects can last for several months or even a year depending on how slowly your hair grows. Unfortunately, as with using hair straighteners regularly, regular rebonding can damage your hair. 

Relaxers

Relaxers are chemical lotions and creams that you can apply to your hair at home. They can temporarily straighten hair until new hair grows out (you may have to reapply relaxer every few weeks). Using a relaxer product is cheaper than going to a salon, but not as long-lasting. Some relaxer products may not be very effective on coily hair. It’s worth also noting that repeated use of relaxers again can cause hair damage. 

Wrapping

Wrapping hair while wet overnight is a way of straightening hair without heat or chemicals. It is the least damaging way of straightening your hair. It is less effective if you have curly or coily hair, but can still help to reduce frizz. This video explains the wrap method is more detail: 

What are the best ways to add curls to hair?

If you’ve got type 1, type 2 or type 3 hair and you want to add more curls, there are similarly a number of ways that you can achieve this. These include:

Heat

Heat can also be used to curl hair. Hair curler wands can allow you to achieve wavy or curly hair for up to 2 to 3 days. This is a hair curling method you can do at home, but you need to be careful to not do it too often, as just like using heat to straighten hair, it can damage your hair. 

Perming

A perm is a hair curling treatment using chemicals that is typically done at a salon. It involves breaking down bonds in the hair with relaxers, and then using a neutraliser to add a new curl pattern. Perms can come in many styles (it’s even possible to achieve coily hair with a perm) and can last 3 to 6 months (although ‘perm’ is short for ‘permanent’, a perm only affects your current hair and won’t impact new hair that grows through). Regular perming can damage hair, so be wary of getting it done too often.

Braids

Braiding hair while it is damp and letting it dry overnight can be a way to achieve curls without heat or chemicals. Smaller braids will help to create tighter curls, while larger braids will help create looser wavy hair. These curls can last 24 hours to several weeks depending on how naturally curly your hair already is. Check out the video below for a tutorial on how to braid hair to create curls. 

Rollers

Leaving rollers in your hair overnight is a traditional way of adding curls that also doesn’t require heat or chemicals. Foam rollers are designed for sleeping in – the longer you leave them in, the longer your curls will last. 

Which is better for you: straight or curly hair? 

Ultimately, you need to consider your natural hair type and which treatments you are willing to undertake to change the texture of your hair. If you don’t want to use heat or chemicals, you may be greatly limited by your options and may find it easier to embrace your natural hair type. 

Which type of hair you personally find to look better is completely subjective. Some people love the silkiness and simplicity of straight hair, while others prefer the volume and exciting shape of curls. Experimenting with different hair textures is the best way to work out which type of hair you feel more confident in.