LOIS HAIR TYPE SYSTEM- What do you think?

Would you use the LOIS system?

  • Yes, I find this system to work better than Andre's.

    Votes: 14 24.1%
  • Naw, I'll stick with Andre's system.

    Votes: 21 36.2%
  • I will use both systems.

    Votes: 13 22.4%
  • I think hair type descriptions should not be used.

    Votes: 10 17.2%

  • Total voters
    58

Carrie A

Well-Known Member
Taken from www.tytecurl.com

L - If the hair has all bends, right angles and folds with little to no curve then you are daughter L.

O - If the strand is rolled up into the shape of one or several zeros like a spiral, then you are daughter O.

I - If the hair lies mostly flat with no distinctive curve or bend you are daughter I.

S - If the strand looks like a wavy line with hills and valleys then you are daughter S.

You may have a combination of the LOIS letters, possibly with one dominant. If you cannot see one letter over the others, then combine the letters. Example: LO or IL or OS..

Find Your Strand size:
A strand of frayed thread is about the thickness of a medium sized strand of human hair. If your strand is larger than this, then your hair is thick. If your strand is smaller than this, hair is thin, or fine..

Find Your Texture:
Shine is a sharp reflection of light while Sheen is a dull reflection of light.

Thready - Hair as a low sheen, with high shine if the hair is held taut (as in a braid), with low frizz. Wets easily but water dries out quickly.

Wiry - Hair has a sparkly sheen, with low shine and low frizz. Water beads up or bounces off the hair strands. Hair never seems to get fully wet.

Cottony - Hair has a low sheen, a high shine if the hair is held taunt and has high frizz. Absorbs water quickly but does not get thoroughly wet very fast.

Spongy - Hair has a high sheen with low shine with a compacted looking frizz. Absorbs water before it gets thoroughly wet.

Silky - Hair has low sheen, a very high shine, with a lot or low frizz. Easily wets in water.
 
Last edited:
It looks interresting.....a new way to find your hair type can be helpful to people who can figure out there hair type with the system we use. Im a Wiry S....I guess :look:
 
Last edited:
I think LOIS would give more information, but I have a harder time determining what I am in LOIS. I know I am a 4b, that's easy, but I have no clue about the thready, wire, etc., even when I read the description. And as for the letters, I think I see all of them except I.
 
I'm with Mwedzi...at least I can identify something in this. I am OS and I have small, medium and large strands in my hair but the explanation of texture confuses me. I dont know...with Andre's I can tell I have 3 and 4 texture hair but the letters confuse me. I dont know...maybe hair typing just isnt for me.
 
Last edited:
I tried to figure out my type using this and gave up. I couldn't tell which letter i am. And i can't tell how much sheen and shine i have. i'm confused
 
OOPS My bad. It's www.tytecurl.com
I don't know who originated the system, I just copied it from this particular site. However, if you Google LOIS hair type system you will find reference to it on various hair sites. It is a bit complex but I think in some ways more descriptive.
 
I don't think it clearly defines everyone's hair... especially curly/kinky hair.

For example... an "O" can be anything from 3a to 4b.




 
Hmm, I think it's easier than Andre's system. I see a lot of people who say they're 3c but they're really 3b, etc... You just pluck your hair and look at it :S My hair strand forms an "S" and I guess that's easier than trying to compare my hair to other pictures
 
I tried to figure out my type using this and gave up. I couldn't tell which letter i am. And i can't tell how much sheen and shine i have. i'm confused

you are definitely high shine :yep: I'm blinded

This LOIS system is good. In the interest of being more descriptive, it may be useful in conjunction with Andre's system.

It helps me identify my hair twins.

I'll use both.
 
I don't think it clearly defines everyone's hair... especially curly/kinky hair.

For example... an "O" can be anything from 3a to 4b.




True. I can figure out that I'm an OS, but I can't seem to figure out from those descriptions what texture I would be. I think silky comes the closest, but maybe I'm thready (I don't really get what that is--plus my hair doesn't dry quickly at all).

That's why I never really tried to use this system.
 
I "think" I'm an O with either silk or cottony hair. All I know is that it can look very shiny and it dries quickly.
 
I can't figure out the hair types thing. I used to think my hair was coarse it's not, I don't know if it thick or if I just have alot of it. I have given up typing.
 
I have type 4, OS, fine strands, spongy texture (they didn't add density but my hair is very dense). I always thought both used together seemed better so that you can find others with hair like yours
 
Last edited:
I guess I'm an L most of the time... but it's Os when wet or super-short. :look:

I guess this system would be more useful if more people used it like Andre's, but until then... I have no use for it.
 
I think this is much more descriptive. My hair forms an "O/S" but it doesn't clump. So it's not 4A, and not really 4B (though I call it that because of how tightly it's coiled.) To me the LOIS system actually breaks things down, whereas the Andre system is very basic, and to me seems created by someone that hasn't had a lot of experience with AA hair.

Type" O/S
Spongy
 
I like that the LOIS system is more descriptive than Walker's.

Knowing strand size, amount of sheen and the general pattern of a hair strand is FAR more helpful than someone guessing 1a-4z, with no mentions of hair thickness, density, over all texture, strand texture and the like.

Those things can make or break a product's effectiveness.
 
It's an interesting system, thanks for posting.

As I get further into my own personal hair journey, I prefer not to type hair at all, so that's what I answered on your poll. I try to find people's hair that behaves similarly to mine in some respect and then try to translate things that may or may not work for me. Most times it's a bust, but I have found a few keepers. I have found things that work for me from folks that are typed using Andre's system "2b - 4b." I don't really think it matters.

When people ask me what my hair type is, I just say 4a-ish bc I really have no idea.
 
which is better? andre's is better to me, i know im 3c with some 4a. in the LOIS system none of the strand descriptions really describe my hair.
 
I think i'm an OS thready. I think this covers a lot of bases and Andre's system can leave a lot of people feeling left out becuase a lot of us have more than one texture in our hair. Some parts of my hair does certain things and other parts does something else. I'm going to do some more research on this and see if it's all around better than Andre's. Thank-you for posting :)
 
I'm an L, thick and silky according to this system. I've never thought of my hair as silky and I don't think anyone else would either, but I don't have any trouble getting my hair wet and it doesn't dry quickly, so I guess that makes it silky.
 
Back
Top