For those with 1A hair, haircare can be both frustrating and rewarding, depending on what you know about your own hair type and caring for it. If you have fine, pin-straight hair, it may sometimes feel like you’re adrift in a sea of waves, curls, and kinks. There’s a reason for that: It’s the rarest of all hair types, so you may actually be the only person in the room with the thin, straight strands. Understanding your hair type can make a world of difference for your strands. The tricky part is actually figuring out the type of hair you have and what products to use. That’s where we’re here to share everything you need to know about 1A hair, including what it is, the products to use, and the best hairstyles.
Those with 1a hair have lots of advantages. For one thing, this hair type is rare, so you can relish in the fact that what you have is special. The 1a hair type is straight, soft, and grows quickly. It's important to note that this article focuses on 1a hair type rather than 1a hair color. The hair type scale offers invaluable insights into the texture, curl pattern, and structure of your hair, but please note that this article does not specifically cover tips related to the nuances of the 1a hair color.
This hair category is the straightest of all the hair types. “It lies flat, with no natural wave or curl,” says Vanessa Ocando, a hairstylist in New York City. “It’s typically very soft and can sometimes appear almost slippery.” Everyone with type 1 hair has straight hair, but what sets 1A apart from 1B and 1C hair types? We’re so glad you asked. This hair type is as straight as can be and doesn’t have any sort of volume or body. This hair type does tend to be pretty rare, however. Not many people actually have stick-straight strands. Still, there are a handful of people who do and they deserve to know how to care for their hair.
Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Shafer Clinic in New York City, adds that its effortless shine can be a boon to some. “Because of [1A’s] smooth structure, oil from the scalp can easily travel down the hair shaft, often resulting in shinier hair compared to more textured types,” says Dr. Engelman. The downside? It tends to get overly greasy quickly. Here’s a hypothetical situation that might help you determine if this is your hair type: You’re away for a long weekend with your girlfriends, and all of you washed your hair before you left home on Thursday. If you’re aghast and reaching for a beanie at the mere thought of waiting until you’re back home on Sunday to shampoo again, you might have 1A hair.
Still not sure if you have this hair type? Think back to the last time you let your hair air-dry with zero assistance from products or styling tools. If it dried completely straight, it’s likely you have 1A. Because 1A hair is so fine and thin, you may also notice that you can see through your strands to your scalp, says Raven Hurtado, a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. (A dear friend with 1A hair calls the areas of scalp that show through “holes” in her hair.)
Read also: Top Dry Shampoos for Waves
The good news is that this hair type is relatively low-maintenance. You don’t need to do too much to your strands to ensure they’re well taken care of.
“This hair, because it’s fine and delicate, you want to treat it like silk,” says Sanae Furutani, a stylist at Jerome Lordet Salon in New York City. Our hairstylists have tips for that.
First, let’s talk brushes. You want a gentle brush for use at all times, but especially when your hair is wet. Ocando recommends a brush like the Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Detangler (which has soft, flexible teeth), a wide-tooth comb, or a boar bristle brush. The latter options can run the gamut on pricing, but Allure editors recommend the Mason Pearson Boar Bristle Hair Brush (if you’re ready to make an investment) or The Hair Edit Boar Bristle Finishing Brush (if you’re looking to give boar bristles a try on a budget).
After your hair is washed, brushed, and ready for styling, make sure the products you’re reaching for aren’t so heavy that they weigh down the hair. According to Ocando, that might mean avoiding creamy styling products entirely, as well as oils or oily serums. (With so much natural shine, you won’t need those oils anyway.) Instead, “opt for lightweight serums or mists to enhance shine without compromising movement,” Furutani says. Try a spray like the Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Fekkai Full Blown Volume Dry Texturizing Spray, which adds bounce and absorbs excess oil, or Olaplex Volumizing Blow Dry Mist, which protects hair from heat and enhances the volume you’ll get from a blowout.
Lastly, plan to visit the salon every 10 to 12 weeks for a trim. This will “prevent split ends from traveling up the hair shaft,” Furutani says.
Read also: Healthy Natural Hair Guide
Washing 1a hair can be a bit of a balancing act. While you don’t want to overwash hair, which can make your scalp produce more oils, you also don’t want to go too long between washes. As for conditioning, use conditioner on the ends of your hair but not the scalp, and be sure to use a leave-in formula once in a while.
Maintaining a regular wash schedule is critical to control your oil production. It’s recommended you wash your hair every two to three days to keep it clean and also give it some oomph. Refreshed hair always tends to look a little bit more voluminous than dirty hair. Be careful not to wash it too often, because that can actually cause your strands to produce more oil.
You might have heard your friends or favorite content creators say that you don’t need to wash your hair every day. If you have 1A hair, that advice might not be for you. “Because type 1A hair is more prone to oiliness, it typically needs to be shampooed more frequently,” says Dr. Engelman. “This varies, though, based on the individual.”
Many people with 1A hair wash their hair every other day. Since 1A-ers will be shampooing often, Dr. Engelman implores you to “avoid harsh or overly drying formulas.” Choose a gentle option like Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, which was formulated specifically to strengthen and thicken fine hair. Hurtado recommends Seaweed Bath Co. Volumizing Shampoo, which contains “barley protein that adds both thickening and fullness.”
Styling 1A hair is relatively easy, given that it’s already straight. You don’t need to take a flat iron to your strands because they’re, well, straight. Adding curl and volume, however, is a whole other story. When you use a blow dryer, blow dry upside down to give your strands some added body. Speaking of heat styling tools, it’s best to use lower settings to protect your strands from damage and frizz. As far as curling your hair goes, this can be pretty tricky with your hair type. You may be able to get your hair to curl, though it’ll likely fall out relatively quickly. To prevent this, use hairspray.
Read also: Natural Shampoo for Oily Hair: A Guide
When asked for the best hairstyles for 1A hair, all three of our expert stylists had two words: blunt bob. “It will create an illusion of thicker hair, and it’s easy to maintain,” says Hurtado. “The style accentuates its sleekness and is fashion-forward,” Furutani adds. “It creates structure and movement without looking too flat,” Ocando says. Blunt bobs require regular trims to keep their shape and clean lines, so the style will encourage you to do your 1A duty and get to your hairstylist’s chair every 10 to 12 weeks.
If you prefer to have long hair, Hurtado recommends face-framing layers to add movement and volume. Furutani takes that shape a step further, suggesting curtain bangs. “The layers add dimension, while the curtain bangs frame the face without overwhelming that fine texture,” she says.
When it comes to styling, take advantage of your hair’s naturally smooth texture and lean into slick styles.
A common problem those who have 1a hair may experience is that hair is not naturally voluminous. Adding product to hair to help can take the pain out of having what might be considered limp locks.
Having 1a hair means contending with an oily scalp which can throw off your whole look.
Unfortunately for those with the 1a hair type, changing up your look can be difficult. Hair naturally wants to stay straight, so using products to add in volume and curls is a must.
Now that you know basically everything there is to know about your strands, we had to share some of our favorite 1A hair products. Hey mane muse, we wanted to give you a heads up that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. Okay, so what does that mean for you?
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