Hair Porosity 101 with the Ultimate Care and Styling Tips

hair is porous

This affects how well oils and moisture pass in and out of the outermost layer of your hair, known as the cuticle. Different porosities require different care, and making sure they get it is the secret to healthy, beautiful curls. It is possible to have different levels of porosity within your curly hair, especially if you are transitioning to natural hair.

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Typically, this will involve using hair care products that include “heavier” ingredients like oils or butters. If you have high porosity hair, it means that water, oils, and other types of products can be easily absorbed by your hair. On the flip side, because your hair is highly porous, it may not be able to retain moisture as well as other types of hair. You should also add a moisture shampoo and conditioner into your rotation. Moisture Hero™ Shampoo and Moisture Hero™ Conditioner are specifically formulated with a medley of deeply hydrating botanicals and hydrolysed proteins to replenish and repair ultra-porous, dry hair. For everyday styling, use a heat protectant before blow drying or using hot tools to shield your strands against damage.

Signs of High-Porosity Hair and How to Choose Products - Shape Magazine

Signs of High-Porosity Hair and How to Choose Products.

Posted: Thu, 29 Dec 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]

The Float Test (aka the Strand Test)

The fiber swelling porosity test is based on the principle that hair strands with high porosity will absorb more water and other substances than hair strands with low porosity. To perform the test, a small section of hair is inserted into the porosity meter, and the device is turned on. The device will then measure the electrical resistance of the hair and display the results on a screen. The results can then be used to determine the hair’s porosity level.

Hair porosity test

Medium porosity hair can appear shiny and healthy with unwanted frizz under control. The ongoing challenge for this porosity type is to get the cuticles to lift just enough for proper water and product absorption. Just like the pores on our face, warm steamy environments can encourage the cuticles to lift and stay open long enough to apply your favorite products. If you have low porosity hair, apply your styling products in a steamy shower once the water is turned off. When a deep conditioning treatment is needed, opt for hot oils treatment or arrange a hair spa using a hot towel or a home hair steamer for best results.

The Water Droplet Test

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to ensure it’s clean and free from product build up. Otherwise, buildup and residues can interfere and skew the test result. In other words, you won’t get a true representation of your hair’s porosity level. Hair porosity refers to the amount of space between the cuticles of the hair shaft. It is a characteristic that determines how well the hair can absorb moisture and nutrients from hair products.

Cater to Your Hair’s Porosity Level

It is impossible to feel a raised cuticle by running fingers through the hair unless you have severely damaged cuticles. Shampooing, towel drying, and combing your hair can damage the cuticle. These techniques are common since most people use them to some extent. As your hair ages, the hair’s cuticle layers begin to crack, peel, and lift away.

hair is porous

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1 Spray, 5 Uses: Matrix Opti Repair Porosity Spray Is Trending In The Haircare World & We Know Why!.

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High porosity hair can be genetic, which means that it runs in your family. Many times, though, it’s caused by hair processing and styling treatments like straightening, blow-drying, bleaching, and other chemical applications. Protein treatments can help repair the hair cuticle and reduce hair porosity.

Generally, the color will gradually fade with each wash, so regular use is often necessary to maintain the desired tone, says Benson. Tina Moretti, a passionate hair care enthusiast with over a decade of expertise, dedicates herself to empowering women with proven hair care advice. Recognized for her hands-on experience and trusted guidance, Tina turns every strand into a statement of beauty and confidence.

hair is porous

The tightly compacted cuticles prevent moisture and product from entering the hair shaft, causing it to accumulate on the surface of your hair. A sulfate-free clarifying shampoo like Scalp Delight™ Detox Scrub helps open up the cuticles to let moisture in while sloughing away grease, oils, and product. Due to the closed cuticles, low porosity hair will feel sleek and smooth. High porosity hair has open cuticles that will feel rough and coarse to the touch. If you want to conduct a third hair porosity test to be sure, try air drying the faster your hair dries, the higher the porosity.

Intensive treatment for fragile, damaged hair prone to split ends and breakage. Hair growth shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair with AnaGain™ and rosemary oil. Refreshing, sulfate-free shampoo scalp scrub for dry, itchy, or oily scalp. There are scientific tests to determine hair porosity, but they’re usually complex and expensive. These aren’t the kind of tests that can be reliably conducted at home. We were not able to find scientific evidence that supports that cold water can help close the hair cuticle, but it’s unlikely that the water temperature has any impact.

Your hair can have 3 different porosity degrees – whether its scales are too closed, half-open or extremely open. This means hair porosity can be divided into low, medium and high hair porosity. Traction alopecia is the result of environmental factors, such as wearing your hair in tight hairstyles, Agbai says. Telogen effluvium refers to the excessive shedding of hair follicles, and it occurs when hair follicles prematurely skip to the end of the hair growth cycle, she adds.

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