How do hair care formulas differ between ethnicity

Asian hair

Asian hair is by far the thickest of all hair types – 80 - 120 µm in diameter. Because of its extra diameter, it is also the strongest, and most resistant to damage. It is normally straight or only lightly wavy with a good amount of volume, because of its thicker diameter, even though there are typically less hairs per head (around 500,000). It is generally quite dark brown to black until it greys with old age.

Structurally speaking, Asian hair typically has a round cross section.

Caucasian hair

Caucasian hair has a thinner diameter than Asian hair (60 – 80 µm in diameter), and therefore tends to appear ‘finer’ than Asian hair, even though there is typically more hair on the head (around 700,000).  Caucasian hair has a low to moderate resistance to damage, and will accrue considerable damage over time with UV, chemical exposure, bleaching, styling, heat. Caucasian hair can be a myriad of colours naturally, from light blonde through to bright red and even through to black, until it too greys with age.

It is usually straight or wavy, although curls can be quite common too. Structurally, it has an oval cross section.

African/Caribbean hair

While this type of hair looks to be the most dense, it is actually the most fragile. It has an elliptical cross section which causes it to grow in tight curls or kinks, giving the appearance of significant volume even though the diameter of African/Caribbean hair is 60-90 µm in diameter, and there is typically only 200,000 hairs on the head.

It is very susceptible to damage and is generally only dark brown to black until ageing turns it grey.

The 4 hair types

Hair can be described as ‘thick’ or ‘thin’ depending on its diameter – and a person can have ‘thin’ hair (diameter) but a lot of it (around 700,000 hairs on their head) giving the appearance of fullness. Similarly, people can have ‘thick’ hair but less of it (500,000 hairs) and it still appears equally full. Whether the hair is thick or thin is usually ethnic and genetically determined, as is the number of hairs on their head. In addition to these differences, there are also 4 known hair types:

·         Straight – typically Caucasian and Asian

·         Wavy – typically Caucasian, some waves in Asian hair

·         Curly – typically African/Caribbean and Caucasian

·         Kinky – typically African/Caribbean and rarely in Caucasians

Here is a summary of how products need to cater to the individual needs of different hair types:

Formulating products for different ethnicities takes a strong understanding of the needs of each hair type, but once mastered, can help consumers achieve the best possible style and condition of their hair.

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