We know that our hair type dictates how we should care for our strands, but do we know that not only our hair type needs to be considered before crafting the perfect hair routine? For example, the porosity of our hair is also crucial to understand.
The porosity of the hair refers to its ability to hold and retain moisture. So, even if you feel like your products fit your hair type, it may be time to think again, especially if they aren’t working for you. Figuring out your porosity will be very helpful for figuring out exactly what your hair needs to look and feel its best.
So, what is the best low porosity hair routine? The ideal low porosity hair routine will allow moisture to penetrate your hair and help you retain that moisture. However, having low porosity hair can make it challenging for water to get your hair thoroughly wet.
In addition, like most things with hair, not every routine is one-size-fits-all. Figuring out if you have low porosity hair should add to your hair routine, not take away crucial steps that nourish your hair type. It would help if you still keep your hair type in mind.
This may sound overwhelming, but thankfully testing to see if you have low porosity hair is quick and straightforward to do. In addition, we’ll share how you can adjust your hair routine to cater to your low porosity strands.
What Is Porosity?
To understand the differences between low and high porosity, let’s do a quick refresher on what porosity means and how it can affect your hair type. In addition, we will have to understand the makeup of our hair to determine our porosity.
1. Hair Structure
Each strand of hair that’s on our head has three layers that make up its structure. The cuticle is the outermost layer of our hair shaft. Unfortunately, the cuticle can easily be damaged through improper use of hot tools and excessive chemical treatments.
According to Design Essentials, the most crucial function of the cuticle is to “definitively prevent damage to the hair’s inner structure, and to control the water content of the hair fiber.” Thus cuticles play a vital position in determining your hair’s porosity.
The middle structure of the hair is the cortex, which gives your hair its color, texture, and resiliency. Finally, the innermost layer of the hair is the medulla. Design Essentials also states that the medulla is only found in large and thick hairs.
2. Porosity
Now that we know about our hair’s structure, we will understand what porosity is and how we can adjust our hair routine to fit our needs.
According to Healthline, “porosity is about your hair’s ability to retain and absorb moisture. It affects how well oils and moisture pass in and out of the outermost layer of the hair known as the cuticle.” The cuticle will help determine your porosity level.
Now, there are three different types of porosity: low, normal, and high. The kinds of porosity are determined by how tightly packed or widely spaced out your cuticles are from each other and how well you retain moisture.
Low porosity hair will have cuticles that are tightly packed and close together, while normal porosity is less filled but not as open as high porosity hair types. Conversely, high porosity hair has open and widely spaced cuticles.
How tight or open your cuticles are will determine how easily your hair can absorb water and how long it can hold onto it.
How To Test Your Hair’s Porosity
Now, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, that is entirely normal. However, it can take a lot of time and patience to figure out your hair and adjust your routine accordingly. Thankfully, if you’re looking to find out your hair’s porosity, you can do it at home easily.
All you will need is a strand of your hair and a glass of water. Healthline recommends following these steps below to conduct a hair porosity test at home to gain the most accurate results:
- They first recommended washing your hair to remove any potential product buildup on your strands.
- Next, it’s time to get a glass and fill it up with water.
- Now that your hair is clean and dry, take one particular strand from your head to test and drop it in the glass of water.
- Now notice if your strand of hair is sinking, floating, or swimming in the middle of the glass.
Healthline states that “if the strand floats at the top before sinking, you likely have low porosity hair.” Low porosity hair is water-resistant, so if the strand is floating or taking a long time to sink, you most likely have low porosity hair.
Suppose the strand of hair is swimming in the middle of the glass; your hair is most likely normal porosity. In addition, if your strand of hair sinks to the bottom of the glass, you then probably have high porosity hair.
This test is easy and accessible to conduct at home.
Hair Routine For Low Porosity Hair
To build the ultimate hair routine for low porosity hair, you must consider your hair type and the characteristics of low porosity hair. Once you figure out these characteristics, you will be able to create a routine your hair loves.
According to Hair Story, “low porosity hair has very compact cuticles, so it’s challenging to inject moisture into the hair shaft, although it does retain moisture once it’s absorbed.” In addition, Hair Story lists other characteristics of low porosity hair:
- Low porosity hair takes a while to wet thoroughly because tightly packed cuticles will repel water.
- Oils and hair styling products will sit on the surface of your hair rather than penetrate the strands, leaving your hair looking greasy, stringy, and weighed down.
- It will take a long time for your hair to air dry on its own without any heat.
What are some tips you can implement into your routine for low porosity hair? From avoiding oils to learning how to use heat to your advantage, managing low porosity hair is a lot easier than you may think.
Some stylists and hair experts claim that low porosity hair is more likely to be healthier than other porosity types. However, low porosity hair can get damaged quickly if you heat-style, color, or chemically treat your hair frequently.
Update Your Hair Routine
Each hair type has its own needs. For example, what works for straight hair types won’t work for curly hair types. However, each hair type can have different hair porosities.
Whether you are straight or curly, there are some general tips to follow if you want to manage your low porosity strands. This can ensure you aren’t weighing your hair down, and you know the proper techniques to implement moisture in your strands.
1. Apply Heat While You Condition
The issue with low porosity hair is that it can be highly challenging for moisture to penetrate your strands. However, once your hair absorbs the water, it will retain it for a long time because the tightly packed cuticles won’t release it quickly.
If you feel like your conditioner isn’t working for you, try using a steamer or blow-dryer to disperse heat into your strands. Apply your conditioner, wear a shower cap, and blow dry or steam your hair to open your cuticle and the conditioner to work its magic.
Adding heat to your strands is one way to lift your cuticle for the conditioner to penetrate them. However, there is another way to get more use out of your conditioner. All you need to do is dilute the conditioner with water and apply it to wet hair.
According to Healthline, “diluting the conditioner may make it easier to be absorbed into your hair.” In addition, if you have a little extra time in the shower, let the conditioner sit on the hair for a few additional minutes to get the max benefits.
2. Avoid Oils And Heavy Butters
Most of the time, if someone has low porosity hair, their strands are thin and delicate in texture. However, that’s not always the case. In addition, low porosity hair can have difficulty handling thick conditioning butters and oils for several reasons.
For starters, those who have fine hair and low porosity can get greasy and stringy strands quickly. In addition, Butters and oils can weigh the hair down quickly for any hair type and leave an unflattering residue because it’s difficult to absorb.
According to Naturally Curly, “thick products accumulate quickly, causing product buildup that leads to dryness, especially with multiple applications between wash days.” This is especially true for curly and coily hair types.
Instead, opt for lightweight oils or styling products. Apply these products a little at a time to avoid product buildup and keep your hair shiny and bouncy, not greasy or heavy.
3. Switch Out Your Shampoo
Your shampoo could be the reason to blame why your hair isn’t at its best, especially if you have low porosity. Sulfate-free shampoos are a great option because sulfates can cause scalp irritations and over-strip your hair leading to issues retaining moisture.
In addition, low porosity hair is prone to product buildup. So, low porosity hair can benefit from a clarifying shampoo. This will remove unwanted buildup from your strands to make room for moisture to penetrate the hair.
For those who have curly and coily hair, Naturally Curly states that “solely using cleansing conditioner or co-washes more than shampoo may not be the best regimen for low porosity hair.” Curly and coily types can also benefit from a clarifying shampoo.
Low Porosity Routine For Straight Hair
Straight hair types can be both challenging and easy to deal with at the same time. However, when you throw low porosity into the mix, you’re playing in a whole new ballpark. Thankfully, there is an accessible and straightforward routine you can follow.
Straight hair can already struggle looking greasy on its own, but having low porosity can make it even more noticeable. The oils from your scalp can quickly reach the ends of your hair without a problem, so you may always feel greasy.
When you add low porosity into the mix, your cuticles are tightly sealed and compact, making a smoother surface for oil, water, and moisture to slide right off your ends. So, what can you do to eliminate excess oil or product buildup and still retain moisture?
1. Shampoo
When it comes to shampoo, opt for a formula free of harsh cleansing agents like sulfates and other sensitizing ingredients. Not only will your scalp feel less irritated, but your ends won’t feel over stripped and devoid of what little moisture you had left.
Once a month or every two weeks, use a clarifying shampoo or a clean scalp scrub. This will remove all excess product buildup and oils from your hair without overly stripping your natural oils. In addition, it’s beneficial if you use styling products frequently.
2. Conditioner
You don’t need to deep condition frequently with conditioner, and you don’t need any thick products. You don’t want to weigh the hair down or make it look greasy. Instead, deep condition once a month and heat your hair to open the cuticle for the moisture to penetrate.
For a regular wash day, use a lightweight gel-like conditioner. It won’t weigh you down, and it can easily be diluted with water to help the conditioner penetrate your hair. Say hello to beautifully hydrated hair that doesn’t look oily.
Low Porosity Routine For Wavy, Curly, and Coily Hair
Wavy, Curly, and Coily hair has different needs than straight hair types. These hair types are more prone to frizz and dry hair since it’s more difficult for the natural scalp oils to reach down the hair shaft. Also, adding low porosity hair can be tricky to deal with.
You will want to take care of your curls without weighing them down with tons of product. In addition, you may be tempted to use heavy deep conditioners to hydrate your curls and give them definition, but that can do more harm than good.
Co-washing is another popular technique within the curly community that may not be beneficial for low porosity hair. While its goal is to provide moisture, it can be challenging to allow the positives of co-washing to alter low porosity hair types.
1. Shampoo
Wavy, curly, and coily hair types can also benefit from clarifying and sulfate-free shampoos. This will reduce the product buildup that can be dragging down your curls instead of giving them bounce and life.
You can co-wash, just not as frequently as someone with high porosity hair. Naturally Curly states, “shampoo slightly opens the cuticle for deep conditioning after, so do not rely solely on co-washing.” Make sure to alternate between shampoo and a co-wash.
2. Conditioner
Wavy, curly, and coily hair types can also benefit from heated deep conditioning. Heat will allow the cuticle to lift so you can reap the maximum benefits from your conditioner. However, remember once the moisture is in, it will be challenging for it to leave.
Naturally Curly also recommends avoiding frequent use of leave-in conditioners because “your hair might become stiff from protein overload.”
They recommend alternating between leave-ins and hair milk formulated with humectants to achieve soft curls, waves, and coils. Opting for a lightweight oil or curl refresher can help keep your texture lively for additional styling products.
Now your curls or waves will be defined and lively instead of dull and dragged down. Altering your hair routine for your low porosity strands can make a massive difference in your styling.
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