Curly vs. Kinky: How can you tell?

[cocoberry10]

Okay, I've posted a similar thread in the past, but this one is a little different. That one was on texture vs. type.

This one is really about whether a person has curly or kinky hair. I know some people have both (I think that's my type).

However, I am really trying to figure this out.

Here are some pics to try to distinguish the hair types, and some "ambiguous" ones.

Curly

Now, her hair is undoubtedly curly, but it has "texture" if you know what I mean. Although, i wouldn't classify that texture as being kinky!

Kinky

Her hair at the top is more questionable, but it appears kinky, so I put it here!

Both/Ambiguous
This model (dayana Pires) has what I would call "combination" hair. In this pic it looks "curly," but at the same time, it looks kinky.

 

[tatiana]

I think it depends on the person who has the hair and the person that is looking at it. IMO, curly hair is more "down" and kinky is more "out". Also if I can see the curls from across the room it is curly but if I got to get up close to see the curls it is kinky.

 

[BeetleBug]

If your hair can fro, I call that kinky.

 

[crazydaze911]

the confusing thing is sometimes it depends on the products/styling implements one uses. alot of people can do curly or kinky depending on their mood and how they comb out their hair.

 

[Neith]

If your hair can fro, I call that kinky.

Even the girl at top can wear a fro if she wanted to.



IMO you will not find a person with kinky hair that is NOT curly.

All kinky hair is curly, but all curly hair is not kinky.

Kinky hair is undefined, small curls that tends to be coarser than our curly cousins. Always. There is no kink without curl. 4b is composed of very tiny coils.

There is no kink without curl. - lol, that'd be a good quote.

 

[_belle]

we need some better pictures for the kinky exhibit

 

[Allandra]

Oh my, that is a serious fro.

 

[SheenaVee]

Oh my, that is a serious fro.

you talking about the white guy right? lol i thought the same thing.

 

[Allandra]

you talking about the white guy right? lol i thought the same thing.

Yep, that white guy.

 

[NikStarrr]

Who said hair had to be either-or? I don't think all curly hair is kinky--but definitely some kinky hair is still curly.

 

[BostonMaria]

I haven't nothing to add except wow they all have beautiful hair

 

[FlowerHair]

the confusing thing is sometimes it depends on the products/styling implements one uses. alot of people can do curly or kinky depending on their mood and how they comb out their hair.

That's me. My hair can easily (without heat or chemicals) look like anything from 2c to 4a. It's all in how I style it.

 

[cocoberry10]

I think it depends on the person who has the hair and the person that is looking at it. IMO, curly hair is more "down" and kinky is more "out". Also if I can see the curls from across the room it is curly but if I got to get up close to see the curls it is kinky.

That's a good way to look at it!

 

[cocoberry10]

the confusing thing is sometimes it depends on the products/styling implements one uses. alot of people can do curly or kinky depending on their mood and how they comb out their hair.

This is very true! Good point!

 

[cocoberry10]

Even the girl at top can wear a fro if she wanted to.



IMO you will not find a person with kinky hair that is NOT curly.

All kinky hair is curly, but all curly hair is not kinky.

Kinky hair is undefined, small curls that tends to be coarser than our curly cousins. Always. There is no kink without curl. 4b is composed of very tiny coils.

There is no kink without curl. - lol, that'd be a good quote.

Thanks. But would you consider C-Napp hair curly?

 

[cocoberry10]

Just added some to the OP and in another post. See below

we need some better pictures for the kinky exhibit

Thanks. But would you consider C-Napp hair curly?

we need some better pictures for the kinky exhibit

 

[cocoberry10]

Who said hair had to be either-or? I don't think all curly hair is kinky--but definitely some kinky hair is still curly.

That's the truth! That's why I started the thread. Thanks for the responses ladies!

 

[cocoberry10]

That's me. My hair can easily (without heat or chemicals) look like anything from 2c to 4a. It's all in how I style it.

This is true. I wish it were easier to figure out though. Knowing what products would be best on my hair would help A LOT!

 

[Evolving78]

Thanks. But would you consider C-Napp hair curly?

i would consider that more tightly coiled, wooly-like
than curly.

 

[glamazon386]

I really think it depends on the hair. Many people use the word kinky to describe hair that is coarse, dry and tangly. That could go for any hair type. Because technically isn't a kink a tangle or a bend/loop that gets caught in something?

 

[Neith]

Thanks. But would you consider C-Napp hair curly?

Yep. Your hair is full of coils and curls, just tiny ones that don't like to clump together (it's a very pretty texture too )

Straight hair cannot be kinky, there is no texture to it. Your hair is not devoid of any curl pattern.

 

[Neith]

I really think it depends on the hair. Many people use the word kinky to describe hair that is coarse, dry and tangly. That could go for any hair type. Because technically isn't a kink a tangle or a bend/loop that gets caught in something?

That's true I guess. But we are talking about kinky in the context of hair type. There is a difference in stating that someone with straighter hair is kinky (when they just need to comb tangles out) and stating that someone's hair grows out of their head kinky (comb aint gonna help us )

 

[cocoberry10]

i would consider that more tightly coiled, wooly-like
than curly.

Oh, I agree with you. But someone said all kinky hair is curly, and I guess I don't 100% agree with that!

 

[cocoberry10]

I really think it depends on the hair. Many people use the word kinky to describe hair that is coarse, dry and tangly. That could go for any hair type. Because technically isn't a kink a tangle or a bend/loop that gets caught in something?

Thanks Glam. I think you broke that down really well!

 

[BeetleBug]

Even the girl at top can wear a fro if she wanted to.



IMO you will not find a person with kinky hair that is NOT curly.

All kinky hair is curly, but all curly hair is not kinky.

Kinky hair is undefined, small curls that tends to be coarser than our curly cousins. Always. There is no kink without curl. 4b is composed of very tiny coils.

There is no kink without curl. - lol, that'd be a good quote.

That is not true. There are people w/ hair that has no defined pattern. I'm talking about individual stands not the whole head. It does not form coils at all.

 

[trj1922]

That's me. My hair can easily (without heat or chemicals) look like anything from 2c to 4a. It's all in how I style it.

Someone asked in another thread what the difference between a 3c and a 4a is. I can't precisely quantify it, but I think that this is a lot of what makes the difference. The malleability of the hair and the relatively easy ability of it to take on VERY different looks from kinky to curly and even wavy depending on the type of 3c. 3bs have this characteristic too, but I think it's more pronounced in a 3c. My hair looks very different depending on what I decide to do with it that day.

 

[Nonie]

I agree that all kinky hair is curly but not all curly hair is kinky. Kinky when referring to hair has no other meaning to me than the English definition of the word: "in small tight curls".

So if your curls aren't small or tiny, then your hair is simply curly. But if your hair is made of tiny curls, then it is kinky.

Of course "small" is relative so what may seem kinky to one may not be so to another who might just happen to know hair whose curls are much smaller than the hair in question. I consider my hair kinky as my curls are very tiny. But I also consider it coily, curly, and nappy<--another word that also means "in small tight curls".

 

[Nonie]

That is not true. There are people w/ hair that has no defined pattern. I'm talking about individual stands not the whole head. It does not form coils at all.

If the hair does not form coils or curls then the hair is not kinky.

 

[Nonie]

A kink is not a tangle. A kink is a twist or curve in something that is long. I knew a cat with a kink in his tail. There was no tangle. Just an bend in the tail.

Just double-checked the meaning of kink to be sure

▸ noun: a sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight
▸ verb: form a curl, curve, or kink
▸ verb: curl tightly

 

[titan]

kinky or curly it dosen't matter to me as long as it's thick and healthy. My hair is both kinky and curly.