Knowing Your Hair Porosity Will Change Your Life

Have you ever wondered why your hair is so dry, frizzy, and no matter how many products you use, it always seems to have a mind of its own? The answer may be low hair porosity. Let me tell you, knowing your hair porosity is LIFE CHANGING. It changed my life! 

I’ve always noticed that when I shower, my hair takes FOREVER to dry. I also noticed no matter how many products and oils I used, my hair would look like I dunked it in a deep fryer. And then a few days later, my hair would still become frizzy and dry. Determined to figure what the heck was going on, I scoured the internet and discovered HAIR POROSITY. 

My haircare journey was long and arduous to say the least. After figuring out what my hair porosity was, I followed a hair routine and used recommended products for my low porosity hair. Needless to say, my hair looked better than ever. I felt like Mia Thermapolis after her makeover from the Princess Diaries. I became a new woman.

So What is Hair Porosity?

According to Healthline, hair porosity is the ability of your hair to absorb and retain moisture.

The type of porosity dictates how well your hair is able to let moisture into your hair cuticle. Your hair cuticle is made up of smaller cuticles that overlap, which together make up the tough outer layer of your hair. 

Low porosity hair is when your cuticles are tightly packed and close together, making it more difficult for moisture to penetrate your hair.

Medium porosity is when your cuticles are not as close together.

High porosity indicates that your cuticles are more spaced out and open, which allows your hair to readily absorb moisture but makes it hard for your hair to retain it. 

How to Determine Hair Porosity? What are the Signs?

Low Porosity: If you notice you have dry, frizzy hair that seems to take forever to dry after showering, you may have low porosity hair. Usually heavy oils like coconut oil or castor oils, tend to weigh down your hair (my hair looked like a greaseball after I used coconut oil even though everyone said it was good for your hair!) You may also notice products tend to sit on your hair. 

Medium porosity: Your hair is easy to style, it doesn’t take long to dry, and it looks shiny. 

High Porosity: Your hair easily absorbs water and dries quickly, but tends to break easily and may be dry/frizzy. 

To really make sure what porosity you have, you can try out this test!

1. Fill a glass or bowl with water. 
2. Take a clean strand of hair and place it on the surface of the water.
3. Wait a few minutes and observe whether it sinks or floats.

If your hair floats, you may have low porosity hair. If your hair sinks and stays in the middle of the glass, you may have medium porosity hair. If your hair quickly sinks to the bottom of the glass, you may have high porosity hair. 

How to CARE for Your Hair!

Low Porosity: 

• Use a lightweight oil on your hair before shampooing as this helps moisturize your hair and prevents breakage.
• Use low protein, water based shampoos so that your hair can easily absorb moisture.

• Too much protein leads to buildup on the cuticle. 
• Select lightweight oils and use a leave-in conditioner. 
• Try using a heat cap to open your hair cuticles and optimize moisture absorption.
• Before going to bed, sleep on a silk/satin pillowcase to prevent frizz. 
• Look for products with glycerin or honey which are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture in the air. 

Medium Porosity hair: Use a deep conditioning mask to hydrate your hair.

High Porosity: 

• Look for ingredients like oils and butters in your hair products to close the cuticle. Heavier oils like coconut oil and shea butter are great. 
• Always use a heat protectant before using tools to seal the cuticle. 
• Wash with lukewarm water (No hot water! I know, very tragic for those of you who love hot showers. But remember your hair will thank you for it.)

Social media influencers recommend all kinds of products and tell you their hair care routine is the best, promising beautiful glassy hair. In reality, what works for someone else may not work best for you, and that’s ok because everyone’s hair is different! I encourage you to do your own research and experiment. Best of luck to your hair care journey! The best hair day equals the best day!

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