Curly hair is all the rage—and for good reason: It looks gorgeous and takes less effort than straight locks. But decoding your curl type and finding products and styling techniques that work for you isn’t always easy. The key is finding the right combination of ingredients, balancing your moisture levels and prioritizing scalp health to reduce breakage. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding and caring for your strands.

Your curl pattern can vary within a single head of hair—or even on one side of your head versus the other. And that’s not surprising: Your hair’s texture and shape can change with the seasons, hormone fluctuations (such as those that occur during pregnancy or menopause), and even environmental changes, like a move to a humid city or a dry climate.

But the good news is that there’s a way to identify your hair’s texture at a glance. “Look at your strands while they’re wet to see how the pattern is formed,” says Bailey. “Then match the shape of your strands to the icon in this article.” It’s important to note, however, that it’s also possible to have more than one texture on your head, and many people fall between curl types or have a mix of textures.

For example, if your strands form loose loops, or a wavy-curl pattern, you have a 3a hair texture. This type of hair is prone to frizz, but on a good day it’s hydrated, shiny and has a defined loop shape.

To best care for this hair type, sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners with added moisture—such as the ones that ranked highest in Good Housekeeping’s Beauty Lab test—will help keep your locks hydrated and frizz-free. A light mousse can also help create movement in your waves without adding unnecessary volume.

Having a 4b curl pattern means your strands are tight, forming tiny zigzagged and S-shaped coils. This type of hair is often drier than others, because the strands don’t have as much space to stretch and expand. That’s why it’s especially important to add a good volumizing mousse to your routine, such as the one that ranked first in our Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab test. You can also use a volumizing oil to add extra lift to your curls, such as the one that ranked second in our test.