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Curls 101: Mandee Tauber’s Texture Textbook
The secret to caring for curls isn’t chasing trends or piling on products — it’s understanding what your hair actually needs. Unsure where to begin? Oribe Principal Artist of Global Content, Mandee Tauber, has you covered.
What Is Porosity?
There are plenty of misconceptions about curls, Mandee tells Oribe — including the assumption that all type 4 hair is coarse or needs heavier duty products to stay hydrated. In reality, textured hair is never one-size-fits-all. Curl pattern alone doesn’t determine what hair needs; porosity does. While some type 4 hair thrives with richer formulas, others respond better to lighter, more water-friendly products. Understanding how your hair absorbs and retains moisture, or its porosity, is key to choosing the right formulas (and using them correctly).
Low vs. High Porosity
Low-porosity hair resists moisture. Water and products tend to sit on the surface instead of absorbing, leading to buildup, flakes, and hair that takes a long time to fully wet or dry. Mandee recommends using The Cleanse Clarifying Shampoo to reset and remove buildup every few weeks and washing with warm water to open up the cuticle. Sticking to lightweight formulas, warming product in your hands before applying, and working section by section also help encourage proper absorption.
High-porosity hair absorbs moisture quickly — and can lose it just as fast. It often dries rapidly, tangles easily, or appears frizzy without consistent hydration. Mandee suggests dividing hair into four quadrants and applying Priming Lotion Leave-In Conditioning Detangler to each section to detangle, starting at the ends and working upwards with the Italian Resin Wide Tooth Comb to minimize breakage.
Determining Your Curl Type (or Types)
Referring to Oribe's Curl Chart, start with hair that’s clean, well-moisturized, and air dried naturally for the most accurate read — no styling, stretching, or manipulation. Curl patterns often vary across the scalp, so remember it’s common to identify with more than one type.
Step One: Curl Category
Begin by looking at the overall shape of the curl.
Type 2 or 3: Hair forms an “S” shape
Type 3: Hair forms a tighter “S” shape or defined ringlets
Type 4: Hair forms tight coils, zig-zags, or a “Z” pattern
Step Two: Curl Subtypes
Once you’ve identified your curl category, subtypes (A, B, and C) help describe the size and definition of the curl pattern.
Type 2: Wavy
2A: Soft, loose bends with minimal definition
2B: Defined “S” shaped waves with a beachy texture and little root lift
2C: Strong, well-defined S-waves with volume
Type 3: Curly
3A: Loose spirals about the diameter of your thumb
3B: Springy ringlets roughly the diameter of your index finger
3C: Tight corkscrew curls about the diameter of your pinky finger
Type 4: Coily
4A: Smaller than pinky finger with smooth loops and springy bounce
4B: Smaller than pinky finger with zigzag formation
4C: Smaller than pinky finger with tight zigzag texture and slightly less defined pattern
Common Needs and Concerns for Textured Hair
Shedding is a natural part of the hair growth cycle. “The average person loses 50 to 100 strands per day,” Mandee shares. Breakage, however, occurs when hair is weakened by heat, chemical damage, dryness, or improper detangling (we’re looking at you, aggressive brushers). Whether you’re dealing with heat damage, recovering from chemical treatments, or managing everyday shedding, understanding what your hair needs most makes all the difference.
Repairing Heat and Chemical Damage
To treat heat damage, Mandee suggests conditioning treatments that restore strength with protein, like Eternal Curls Intense Conditioner, formulated with hydrolyzed vegetable protein to reinforce hair and improve elasticity. Moisture is equally essential. “Ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil help soften damaged ends and protect the cuticle,” Mandee shares. For deeper hydration, she recommends Eternal Curls Deep Treatment Masque, which nourishes with murumuru and mango seed butters while adding slip, reducing frizz, and combating dryness. Shea butter also helps seal in hydration, while coconut oil supports moisture retention and minimizes protein loss, Mandee notes.
Chemical services—from bleaching and relaxing to keratin treatments and Brazilian blowouts—can leave curls vulnerable to dryness or breakage. “Oiling pre-poo treatments are effective for treating chemically processed curls,” Mandee explains, noting that they help hydrate and protect the hair before cleaning. Eternal Curls Polish & Protect Oil doubles as a pre-poo, creating a shield for your strands on wash day while boosting moisture.
Regularly cleansing is still essential: preventing buildup, keeping the scalp balanced, and supporting healthy growth by stimulating circulation. Selecting the right Oribe shampoo means choosing a formula that best aligns with your hair’s specific needs. Reach for Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo for targeted damage control, Hair Alchemy Resilience Shampoo for strengthening and breakage control, Serene Scalp Balancing Shampoo if irritation or flaking is a concern, or Eternal Curls Moisturizing Shampo as an everyday option that delivers the rich moisture curls crave.
By understanding your curls and their specific concerns, you can build a routine that supports strength, moisture, and long-term hair health. Consider this your starting point.
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