Hair Porosity Guide: High vs Low Porosity Hair and Why It Matters
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In general, blondes should use purple shampoo, redheads should use green and brunettes should choose a blue shampoo. There are several tests available to identify one’s hair porosity, but not all of them are as accurate. Silicone-free pre-styling spray that protects from heat damage up to 200°C. If your hair sinks, it could be related to hair damage, but it could also be related to the natural density of hair.
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Apply this lightweight cream to towel-dried hair before using your hot styling tool for shinier, frizz-reduced hair. For people with high porosity hair, the hair cuticle is compromised in some way. The twists in curly or coiled hair can disrupt the layers of cells. The more curly or coiled the hair fibers are, the more disrupted the cuticle may be. Other things that can damage your hair cuticle and lead to porous hair include chemical treatments, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and even basic grooming like brushing and combing your hair.
How Can I Improve My Hair Porosity?
While identifying your hair type and building a solid haircare routine around it is important, it's only half the equation to a good hair day. Your hair's porosity is also a factor when it comes to determining the best products for your hair needs. If you still have no idea whether your hair has high or low porosity, there are two easy at-home tests you can conduct to give yourself a better idea of your hair’s porosity level. In addition to using nourishing, hydrating hair care products, the following tips may help cut down on hair breakage. Here are some examples of conditioners that may be especially helpful for highly porous hair.
Choose Lightweight, Hydrating Ingredients
Before I explain the potential problems with these DIY hair porosity test methods, it’s important to understand how these tests are often conducted. You can use coconut oil as a pre-wash to prevent the hair shaft from swelling. This pre-wash treatment may reduce the extent to which the cuticle is raised. The hair cuticle rises when the hair is wet, and people will need to wet their hair and handle it regularly.
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The more lifted the hair cuticles are, the higher porosity the hair will be. Another way to tell is if your hair color processes really quickly, which means your hair is definitely porous. “It’s also a good idea to test the pH of the water you wash your hair in—you can use a water pH test kit to determine what the pH of the water you’re showering or washing your hair in is,” suggests Cucinello. From the kinkiest coils to loose waves, we're celebrating natural hair in its many forms by sharing expert tips for styling, maintenance, and haircare.
How to determine your hair porosity
When you have low porosity hair, you may be tempted to apply a larger quantity of a product, or more than one hair product at a time, in an effort to saturate your hair. Or why your favorite hair product may not yield the same results as it once did? These issues may be due to your hair porosity, which has much to do with how moisture interacts with your hair.
Is Low or High Porosity Hair Better?
People with normal porosity hair usually have an easy time getting their hair to hold bleach, hair dye, or relaxer, and the results tend to be predictable. If you have low porosity hair, Chambers-Harris says that it means your hair is technically in a healthy state, which goes against the common myth that low porosity hair is unhealthy. "Low porosity [hair] is actually healthy hair that is not being moisturized correctly. The cuticle layer is intact, but you're not moisturizing it properly, so it becomes dry and tangled." Hair porosity is the hair’s capacity to absorb and keep water, nutrients and hair product chemicals.
Every strand of hair on your head has a protective outer casing of cuticles layered with overlapping scale cell “shingles” that open to allow moisture through and close to seal it in. For some people, these layers naturally remain more open and exposed, while others may have hair cuticles that open enough to draw in moisture and then quickly shut to lock it in. Because medium porosity hair is naturally balanced, the only concern during styling is to ensure your hair continues to remain healthy. Use products that are best suited for your hair type and always use a heat protectant when styling.
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What is low porosity hair and how do you care for it?
Then, follow up with another hair cream to target dehydrated strands that need a lot of moisture. Try L’Oreal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Moisture Plump Serum to deliver intense moisture without coating hair in a thick texture that may lead to excessive product buildup. The serum helps detangle hair, shape curls and add shine, making it ideal for all hair types. This shampoo cleanses hairs of impurities like dirt, oil and product buildup while revitalizing strands with intense shine and softness.
Using a protein treatment can help fill in the areas in your cuticle that have damaged cells. This can help smooth the cuticle down and create a protective coat over the hair shaft. She says pre-pooing can not only help moisturize the hair, but it can prevent nicks in your strands. Dr. Chambers-Harris recommends NaturAll Club Pure Avocado Oil ($12). "It's an amazing emollient oil, and it actually will penetrate the hair strands, and it helps to moisturize it from within."
But what I didn't realize is that I could adopt different methods and use a bevy of products to give my hair its best life, but none of that matters if I don't understand my hair's porosity. Alternatively, you can try an elasticity test with wet hair (again, don't pull any hair out of your head for this) to see if your hair breaks easily when you gently pull it. If so, it means the hair cuticles are closed together so that it's difficult for water or any other product to moisturize the hair shaft—in other words, you have low porosity.
As a dynamic husband and wife duo behind Curl Centric, our passion for curly hair has fueled a transformative journey. This oil is the naturally occurring sebum and any other hair products you may choose to include in your hair care routine. With low porosity hair, the cuticles tend to overlap each other and are tightly packed together. Because there are no spaces between the cuticles, it makes it harder for water, as well as products like oils and conditioners, to deliver moisture to the hair shaft.
Additionally, be sure to steer clear of products that are clarifying or high alcohol content sprays, since these also zap moisture. If you live in an area with high humidity, avoid products with humectants. Humectants are products that draw in moisture from the environment.
"If you feel roughness, this means your cuticle is lifted and you have high porosity hair. If your fingers glide evenly, then you have low porosity hair," says Fitzsimons. If it feels smooth with slight texture, you have medium porosity hair. This may be more difficult to discern if you have a finer hair type, but those with coarser hair may find it another effect test. "Exposure to these things leads to an increase in porosity levels, causing your hair to have high porosity." Aside from using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, you should also regularly apply a deep conditioning treatment to your mane once or twice a week.
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