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Hair-care guide

4C hair

TheWashDay editorial · Updated · From Wikipedia and the American Academy of Dermatology · How we compare

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4C hair has the tightest pattern of all, with coils so small that little definition shows unless you look closely, and it has the most shrinkage. It breaks easily when combed dry, so the usual 4C wash day is gentle and sectioned: lots of conditioner, finger-detangling, leave-in sealed with a cream or oil, and protective or stretched styles that keep handling down.

Start a wash-day plan for 4C hair

Choose your next step

Breakage and short ends

Detangle only with conditioner in, and handle the ends as little as you can.

Fix breakage

Hair looks much shorter than it is

Stretch after washing with twists, braids or banding.

Work with shrinkage

Dry by the next day

Seal leave-in with a cream or oil, and cover with satin at night.

Fix dry hair

What 4C hair looks like

4C strands form tiny, tight coils packed closely together, so little pattern shows unless you look up close; 4B bends in sharp Z-shapes instead. The hair looks dense and soft, shrinks to a fraction of its stretched length, and shows defined coils only when styled in small sections. Many heads mix 4C with 4B and 4A areas.

A 4C wash day

The American Academy of Dermatology suggests washing Black hair once a week or every other week and conditioning every time, with the ends covered.

  • Pre-poo dry lengths with oil or conditioner to soften knots before water goes on.
  • Wash in four or more sections, cleansing the scalp.
  • Condition every wash; finger-detangle, then use a wide-tooth comb, always from the ends up.
  • Put leave-in on wet hair, then seal with a cream, butter or oil.
  • Twist, braid or band each section to dry stretched, or define small sections with gel.

A 4C hair routine and what it costs

One product for each wash-day step, chosen only from products whose makers say they’re for 4C hair, priced at each maker’s own store. The left column takes the cheapest per ounce at every step; the right takes the one in the middle. We haven’t tested them, and how your own hair responds matters more than the price.

Lowest price per ounce

The product at each step that costs least per ounce.

  1. Shampoo or co-wash As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner · its maker says every curl pattern 16 oz, $8.99 at As I Am ($0.56/oz) What a wash costs at your amount
  2. Conditioner Aunt Jackie's In Control Moisturizing Softening Conditioner · its maker says every curl pattern 15 oz, $10.95 at Aunt Jackie's ($0.73/oz) What a wash costs at your amount
  3. Leave-in PATTERN Leave-In Conditioner 25 fl oz, $49.00 at PATTERN ($1.96/fl oz); 3 fl oz to try, $12.00 What a wash costs at your amount
  4. Styler The Doux BIG POPPA Defining Gel · its maker says every curl pattern 16 oz, $14.99 at The Doux ($0.94/oz) What a wash costs at your amount

To try it in the smallest sizes: $46.93
In the sizes above: $83.93

Open this routine in the planner

Middle of the price range

The product in the middle of each step’s prices per ounce.

  1. Shampoo or co-wash Curlsmith Essential Moisture Shampoo · its maker says every curl pattern Full 12 fl oz, $26.00 at Curlsmith ($2.17/fl oz); Mini 3 oz to try, $12.50 What a wash costs at your amount
  2. Conditioner Bouclème Curl Conditioner · its maker says every curl pattern 1 liter, $78.00 at Bouclème ($2.31/fl oz); 100 mL to try, $18.00 What a wash costs at your amount
  3. Leave-in Bouclème Curl Cream 1 liter, $85.00 at Bouclème ($2.51/fl oz); 100 mL to try, $19.00 What a wash costs at your amount
  4. Styler Not Your Mother's Curl Talk Fragrance & Protein Free Sculpting Gel · its maker says every curl pattern 6 fl oz, $10.99 at Not Your Mother's ($1.83/fl oz) What a wash costs at your amount

To try it in the smallest sizes: $60.49
In the sizes above: $199.99

Open this routine in the planner

34 of the 41 products we list for 4C hair at these steps had a size in stock at the maker’s store when we read it, so only those are ranked. Some makers print “oz” without saying fluid or weight; we compare them as printed. Prices checked between and ; stores change them. Every price per ounce.

What usually goes wrong

4C hair breaks mostly from handling: combing dry, detangling big sections, rough towels and tight styles. Keeping it moisturized and touching it less matter more than any single product. If breakage, thinning or scalp pain continues after gentler care, the AAD advises seeing a board-certified dermatologist.

Breakage Shrinkage Deep conditioners compared

Products whose makers say they’re for 4C hair

These products’ own pages say they’re made for 4C hair, or for a range of curl patterns that includes it. The words are the maker’s; we haven’t tested these products, and how your own hair responds decides more than the label.

Named for 4C hair or a range that includes it (18)

Made for every curl pattern (42)

Updated · The sources for this guide are on our Sources page. Report a changed detail.

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Coily hair →

All hair types →