Hair porosity is your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture and it is one of the most underrated factors needed to maintain healthy hair. It determines how dry and frizzy you hair gets and even how well your products work.
Now, hair porosity is divided into three categories, so it is important to know which group you fit into to better understand your hair's needs. Not sure which porosity you have? We've got you covered. In this article, we'll be discussing how to determine your hair porosity.
Hair Porosity Types
We all know hair porosity is your hair's ability to absorb moisture. However, to understand how your porosity affects your hair, it is important to know what it really means on a microscopic level. See, your outer layer of your hair strands is made of tiny cells known as the cuticles. For anything to penetrate the hair, it will have to pass through these cuticles. Now, your hair porosity is determined by how easily your cuticles allow things to pass through, and based on the structure of the cuticles, hair porosity is categorised into three groups: Low, high, and medium porosity.
Low Porosity
Low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles that do not open easily, making it very hard for moisture to properly penetrate the hair shaft. As a result, this hair type usually struggles to absorb moisture, takes a long time to get wet and can often feel dry. However, once the moisture is absorbed into the hair, it is slow to evaporate and takes a long time to dry.
High Porosity
High porosity hair features open cuticles that are easily lifted, allowing easy flow of moisture into the hair. However, since the cuticles stay open, the hair also loses moisture just as quickly easily and as result, this hair type often feel dry not too long after it's been moisturised.
Medium/Normal Porosity
Normal porosity hair has perfectly balanced cuticles that are not too open or too tightly packed. This hair type is able to take in adequate moisture easily and also retain it for long enough.
How To Determine Your Hair Porosity
The Float Test
The hair float test is a very common test for checking hair porosity. However, the science behind it is not 100% certain. So, after doing this test, be sure to check your hair for other signs to confirm its porosity. To do the float test, grab a clean strand of hair from your comb and place it in a clear glass filled with water. After 3-5 minutes, check the position of the hair strands. If the hair floats, it is likely low porosity. On the other hand, if it sinks very quickly, it has a high porosity, and if it stays in the middle, then it is medium porosity.
Signs Of Low Porosity Hair
● Hair that takes a long time to dry
● Hair that does not absorb moisture easily and takes a long time to get wet
● Frequent dryness
● Frequent product build-up ( it feels like your hair products just sit on your hair)
Signs Of High Porosity Hair
● Hair that soaks up product easily
● Hair that gets wet and dries very quickly
● Frizz not too long after moisturising and styling your hair
Is Low Or High Porosity Hair Better?
Although the ideal hair porosity type is normal porosity. Low and high porosity hair are the two most common types, especially amongst people with curly hair. Now, onto the question of which is better. The answer is neither. Both low and high porosity hair have their perks and disadvantages; the most important thing is to learn how to care for your hair according to its porosity needs.
Additionally, there is a common misconception that only damaged hair is high in porosity, this is not true at all. Yes, your cuticles can become more lifted when your hair is damaged but there are many people with naturally high porosity cuticles.
High Porosity Hair Tips
Layer Your Styling Products and moisturisers: if your hair is extremely high in porosity, the best way to minimise moisture loss is to layer your hair products together using the LOC (liquid-Oil-Cream) method. First, apply our Manuka Honey Leave-in Conditioner and follow up with the Hair & Scalp Oil. Then, finish up with a styling cream like our Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oil Curling Creme or Curl Activating Smoothie or even our Curl Elongating Gel.
Seal your hair with an oil: Since your high porosity curls loose moisture easily, applying a oil at the end of your styling and moisturising routine is a great way to lock in the moisture and keep it in your hair the longer. The rich blend of lipids in an oil like our Hair & Scalp Oil create a protective barrier around your strands, preventing the moisture from escaping out of your cuticles.
Deep Condition Regularly: Incorporating a powerful deep conditioner like our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask into your routine is a great way to offset the dryness you may often experience. Deep conditioners contain deeply penetrating and nourishing ingredients that are designed to restore and replenish your hydration, and they are amazing for those with high porosity hair. Try to deep condition at least twice a month or once a week, if possible.
Low Porosity Hair Tips
Use Lightweight Products With Humectants: low porosity hair is best suited to lightweight products that are generally water based because they are easier to absorb through the cuticles. So, it is best to avoid heavy butters and creams and opt for light products like our Flaxseed Oil Curling Mousse,Coconut & Jamaican Castor Oil Curl Refresher, Curl Activating Smoothie, and the Flaxseed Oil & Rosewater Curl Elongating Gel.
Additionally, these products contain humectants that will help pull extra moisture from the atmosphere into your hair.
Don't Delay Wash Days: Low porosity is usually prone to product build-up since most of the products applied on the hair are usually not fully absorbed. So clarifying and cleansing your hair with a non-stripping shampoo like our Hydration Shampoo at least 2-3 times a month is very important because if you hair is weighed down by build-up, it will be even harder for it to absorb moisture.
Incorporate Heat Into Your Routine: Introducing heat from a hair steamer is a game-changer for low porosity curls. Whether you're using our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioning Mask or moisturising with our Leave-in conditioner, incorporating a source of heat will open up your cuticles and allow your hair to better absorb the products. You only need about 10-15 minutes of hair steaming to reap the benefits.
Now that you know how to test for your hair porosity, the most important thing is to focus on establishing a hair routine based on your hair porosity. All three porosity types are fine, so whether you have low, high, or normal porosity hair, it does not matter, keep your hair nourished with good quality products like the ones in our Honey Love bundle, and your hair will flourish.