Ever feel like the haircare products you’re using just aren’t working the way you want them to? It might not be a problem with the brand itself—it might be because you’re not matching the right type of product with your type of hair. So, before you go swapping out your favorite moisturizer, consider how porous your hair is.
That’s right: You need to understand your hair’s porosity. Some people have hair that’s more porous than others, so their hair is going to absorb and retain moisture differently. If your hair isn’t very porous, then using heavy products is going to leave a lot of buildup. On the other hand, if you’ve got highly porous hair but you’re using lightweight products, they’re not going to get the job done.
Understanding your hair’s porosity is one of the best ways for you to know how to properly care for it:
Low Porosity
Just like your fingernails, your hair follicles have cuticles. This is the outermost layer of hair follicle. It’s made up of little cells that overlap and protect the inside of the follicle. When your hair has low porosity, the cuticles are tight and closed, so moisture struggles to get in. When you’ve got low-porosity hair, you might notice: Your hair takes a long time to get wet and a long time to dry, Hair product tends to sit on top of your hair without absorbing, Your hair is often shiny but also dry at the same time
If you’ve got low-porosity hair, your best approach is: Wash using warm water, Apply conditioner followed by heat, such as with a warm towel, Use lightweight products, avoiding heavy oils or thick butters, Clarify your hair occasionally to remove any buildup
Medium Porosity
When the cuticles along your hair follicle are slightly open, you’ll have medium porosity—this is ideal, as it’s the best at maintaining moisture balance, so it looks healthy and styles easily. If you have medium-porosity hair, you might notice: Your hair gets wet fairly easily (but not instantly), Your hair drys moderately quickly, Your hair has a natural shine with no excessive frizziness, dryness, or greasy buildup from products
If you’ve got medium-porosity hair, it will be much easier to care for: Most products will work as advertised (no need for specialty shampoos or conditioners), Avoid overtreating it with too many masks, oils, or proteins
High Porosity
Hair follicles with open cuticles are very porous—water will go into the follicle quickly and easily, and escape just as quickly and easily. Although this can happen naturally, it’s often the result of hair that has been chemically treated or heat damaged. If you have high-porosity hair, you might notice: Your hair gets wet quickly and dries quickly, Your hair is prone to frizziness and breaks easily
High-porosity hair tends to require the most maintenance, but you can keep it under control by: Using heavier conditioners or leave-in conditioners, Sealing moisture in with hair oils, Deep-conditioning it regularly, Avoiding harsh shampoos, excessive heat styling, or over washing
What’s my hair porosity?
Not sure how porous your hair is? A simple way of testing is to spritz your dry hair lightly with water:
If it beads up and sits on your hair: You have low porosity
If it absorbs slowly: You have medium porosity
If it absorbs instantly: You have high porosity
