Quote from KirstyMaws on April 30, 2024, 1:46 pm

I am keen to hear from others what words are commonly used to describe the range of hair types across the globe.

Below is text sourced from Google Gemin Ai

There are two main ways we talk about hair: texture and colour.

Texture

• Straight: This is self-explanatory, hair that lays flat without any bends.
• Wavy: Hair that has some natural bends or curves, but not tight curls.
• Curly: Hair that forms distinct coils or ringlets. Tight curls are often called "coily" or "kinky."
• Coily/Kinky: Hair that forms very tight coils or ringlets in its natural state. This term is most commonly used to describe hair textures specific to Black people.

General Terms

• Thick: Hair with a lot of strands close together.
• Thin: Hair with fewer strands, appearing sparse.
• Fine: Hair with individual strands that are very thin.
• Coarse: Hair with thick individual strands.

Other terms

• Unruly/Unmanageable: Hair that is difficult to style or control due to its texture.
• Long/Short: Refers to the overall length of the hair.

Colour

• Black: Self-explanatory, darkest hair colour.
• Brown: Hair that ranges from light to dark brown.
• Blonde: Hair that is light-coloured, and can range from platinum to golden.
• Red: Hair that has a reddish hue, and can range from strawberry blonde to auburn.
• Gray/White: Hair that has lost its pigment and appears grey or white.

It's important to note that these are just general terms, and there can be a lot of variation within each category.

There are also specific terms used in certain cultures to describe hair textures, like "nappies" used in some communities to describe coily hair.