Do you have a hard time styling your mane? We hear you. Most of the time the reason why your hair is going against you is that you aren’t using the right products for your hair type. If you can relate, one of the first things you can do is determine your hair’s porosity. Keep reading and find out exactly what is low porosity hair.
Knowing your hair’s porosity is key to selecting the right products and coming up with a hair care routine that keeps it looking and feeling its best at all times. If you do determine you have this type of hair, one of the best ways to maintain this type of hair moisturized is the use of hair oils for low porosity hair.
But it doesn’t end with the right oils, having low porosity hair requires doing your research and learning about what is good for low porosity hair, what is the best shampoo for low porosity hair, etc. If you use the wrong hair care products, they will stay on the surface of your hair rather than being absorbed.
The correct products for low porosity hair will penetrate into the hair shaft and keep the hair moisturized and feeling fresh. If you are at a loss on what is low porosity hair and how to tell if you have it, stick around, do your hair a favor, and find out once and for all.
Products Reviewed In this Article
Best Clarifying Shampoo: ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo
⇣ Jump to ReviewBest Hair Mask: Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Hair Mask
⇣ Jump to ReviewBest Hair Oil: Argan and Avocado, Hair Oil
⇣ Jump to ReviewBest Hair Cap: Deep Conditioning Hair Cap
⇣ Jump to ReviewBest Humectant: Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave In Conditioner
⇣ Jump to ReviewIntro To Low Porosity Hair
Let’s start from the beginning, hair porosity it’s your hair’s ability to take in and retain water and other cosmetic products. A human hair shaft is typically made up of three layers; cuticle, cortex, and medulla.
Your hair cuticle, which is the external layer of the hair’s surface, often determines your hair porosity. It’s made of plates that overlap each other in a structure very much like roof shingles.
Hair porosity comes in three categories:
- Low porosity: Very tight cuticles making it difficult for moisture to enter or escape
- Medium porosity: Slightly less tightly bound cuticles
- High porosity: Raised cuticles that look like scales on a rooftop; these cuticles easily allow moisture to penetrate through
So what is low porosity hair mean?
‌Low porosity hair is human hair that doesn’t readily absorb water and treatments. Your hair may be low porosity if it takes a long time to wet and dry.
If you use hair care products, they tend to stay on the surface of your hair rather than being absorbed. This makes hair care treatments less effective.
The cuticles of low porosity hair are tightly packed together and lie flat, leaving no gaps for moisture to enter. This means that moisture and treatments cannot penetrate the hair.
Hair porosity is often due to genetics or specific hair grooming procedures. Low porosity hair is more common in people that have straight hair as compared with those with naturally coiled or curly hair.
Low Porosity Hair Pros
- People with this hair generally have thicker strands. Compared to those with thinner hair, thicker strands make it harder for our hair to get damaged.
- Low porosity hair is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. This attribute makes it harder for hair to suffer from fatigue (over-moisture).
- It may take forever to get that moisture into our hair. But, once it’s in there, it retains moisture longer.
Low Porosity Hair Cons
- Low porosity takes forever to absorb moisture. More often than not, products sit on top of our hair. So we have to do more for our hair to absorb those products.
- This hair doesn’t always have a defined curl pattern and doesn’t clump that easily. Notice how the roots are poofier yet, the ends have a defined curl to them.
- Low porosity hair makes product buildup occur easily. That’s because our hair doesn’t absorb the product so, it sits on our hair. So you want to avoid using raw oils, kinds of butter, and waxes.
Best Shampoo For Low Porosity Hair
In order to know what is the best shampoo for low porosity hair, you’ll want to make sure it’s sulfate-free. Sulfates can be harsh on low porosity hair, stripping it of its natural oils and moisture.
You’ll also want to look for a shampoo that contains humectants. Humectants help to draw moisture into the hair shaft, keeping low porosity hair hydrated.
These shampoos are all sulfate-free and contain humectants to help keep low porosity hair hydrated.
Good Oils For Low Porosity Hair
If you’ve been wondering about what oil is good for low porosity hair, below find the top five:
- Jojoba Oil: This oil is closest to your own hair’s natural sebum. Aside from this jojoba oil has many benefits such as it helps to control dandruff. It also has antibacterial properties which help prevent scalp conditions that cause itchiness and flaking.
- Camellia Oil: Camellia oil is an antioxidant meaning that if you have dry hair it can help to lock in moisture and help to get rid of dryness. Camellia oil is high in vitamin E which is good for your scalp.
- Argan: Argan oil is a really great oil. Is it most popularly known for its wonderful moisturizing properties. Argan oil is extremely effective at penetrating your hair because it is so lightweight, which makes it perfect for low porosity hair.
- Pomegranate Oil: Pomegranate oil has many powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals that break down collagen and elastin in your hair. Collagen and elastin are both vital for maintaining the elasticity of your hair strands.
- Grapeseed Oil: Grapeseed oil is perfect for low porosity hair because it contains vitamin A which has moisturizing properties and promotes healthy growth in your hair.
How To Tell If You Have Low Porosity Hair Test
Step 1 Wash The Hair
Shampoo and rinse your hair to remove any product buildup.
Step 2 Fill A Glass With Water
Since porosity is all about moisture retention, you can test how well your hair absorbs moisture by analyzing your hair in the water.
Step 3 Grab One Hair Strand and Drop It In The Glass
As previously mentioned, your hair’s porosity can change depending on your styling habits and the types of products you use. You likely also have different curl patterns around your head, so it’s best to gather strands from different parts of your head.
Once your hair is clean and dry, drop a single strand of your hair into the glass of water.
Step 4 See Where It Lands
Watch the strand to see if it sinks to the bottom of the glass or floats at the top. If your hair immediately sinks to the bottom, then it’s highly porous.
If it floats in the middle, then it’s in the medium to normal porosity range, and if it sits on top, then it has low porosity.
What Is Low Porosity Hair Care Routine
Clarify: ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo
Clarifying hair involves using a deep cleaning shampoo to remove the build-up of old products on your hair and scalp. Treatments and oils barely penetrate low porosity hair, so they are more likely to remain on the hair and the scalp. These build-ups block hair follicles and adversely affect the health of your hair.
We recommend ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo. Clarifying shampoo treats your hair to a double dose of beneficial oils infused with lemongrass; gentle enough for everyday cleansing.
It cleanses and removes product buildup without stripping hair; boosts shine and replenishes moisture with refreshing lemongrass.
This shampoo is 100% vegan, formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Mineral Oil, Petrolatum, or Formaldehyde; certified cruelty-free
How to use ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo:
- Apply to wet hair
- Massage into scalp and hair, working through the ends
- Rinse thoroughly
Moisturize: Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Hair Mask
Your hair needs moisture to make it soft, supple, and resilient. The moisture that is naturally stored within your hair strand may not be enough to keep it flexible. That is why you need to regularly moisturize your hair with a leave-in conditioner and other moisturizing products.
We love Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Hair Mask. This is a deep conditioning and hydrating hair masque that helps to strengthen and restore damaged or chemically processed hair.
This hair mask and deep conditioner replenishes moisture and softens hair by supporting elasticity, reducing the appearance of breakage and shedding; it’s our best hair mask for curls.
The deep conditioning hair mask is perfect for those who regularly color, straighten, perm, or heat style their natural hair. This SheaMoisture hair mask is formulated with no silicones, no sulfates, no parabens, no phthalates, or petrolatum.
Lightweight oils: Argan and Avocado, Hair Oil
Light oils are more absorbent and thus better suited for low porosity hair. They don’t burden your hair and can penetrate deep into the hair shaft.
You can try Argan and Avocado, Hair Oil. Feed your hair with Hair Food Avocado & Argan Oil Sulfate Free Smoothing Color Safe Hair Oil treatment. Infused with the gentle essences of moisturizing avocado and smoothing argan oil.
This sulfate-free avocado and argan oil recipe works to soften and smooth hair that might feel a little thirsty, and leave your hair looking, feeling, and smelling totally pampered.
Hair Food is all sulfate-free, color safe & has 8 collections of treatments to nourish all different hair types. Smooth and shiny hair by working a small amount from mid-length to ends.
How to use Argan and Avocado, Hair Oil:
- Apply a small amount to damp or dry hair from scalp to ends for nourishment and shine
- Style as usual
Deep condition with heat: Deep Conditioning Hair Cap
Apply a conditioning product and use a steamer, thermal cap, or hooded dryer to heat up your hair. Heat opens up the tightly woven cuticle and allows the conditioner to push moisture into your hair shaft. Trap the moisture by rinsing it off with cold water, which closes the cuticle.
Use this Deep Conditioning Hair Cap, it can be used for multiple applications. Simply spot clean with warm water and mild soap and it’s ready for your next application.
It is double sealed to prevent leaking. When heated, the Treatment Cap gently opens hair cuticles allowing the treatment to deeply penetrate the hair shaft and nourish your hair from inside out.
The Heat Cap for Deep Conditioning smooths the cuticle, eliminates frizz, moisturizes the hair, and infuses outstanding shine.
How to use the Deep Conditioning Hair Cap:
- Place the Thermal Treatment Cap in the microwave for 2-3 minutes and it will produce up to 30-45 minutes of gentle heat.
Humectants are key: Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave In Conditioner
Humectants are formulas that love water and are great for low porosity hair. These include pectin, honey, glycerin, and aloe vera.
Try Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave In Conditioner. Start reversing hair damage with this lightweight leave-in conditioner that also helps shield your weakened, over-processed hair from future damage.
Created for naturally curly hair, from the short-cropped 4c curly hairstyle to 1c waves, we use the ingredients your curls crave, like Sweet Almond Oil, Aloe, and Shea Butters, and proteins.
Made with Almond Milk’s best nutrients like proteins and vitamins it fortifies and eases detangling without breakage, leaving a stronger bounce and shine. Go ahead, spray it on any day or every day.
Common Question About What Is Low Porosity Hair
What is good for low porosity hair?
Since low porosity hair is prone to build-up, it’s important to avoid heavy products that can sit on the hair shaft.
What oils are good for low porosity hair?
If you have low porosity hair, you will notice that most hair products will rest on your hair but do not get absorbed. Certain oils like jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, argan oil, sweet almond oil, sesame oil, and baobab oil are the best oils for low porosity hair.
Lighter-weight oils such as almond oil and argan oil are great to use on low porosity hair because they can penetrate past the tight cuticles and get deeper into the hair core.
How often should you wash low porosity hair?
Washing your hair weekly or every 2 weeks will keep it free of product build-up and give it another opportunity to absorb some moisture. Remember to wash your hair with warm water to open up the cuticles and then cold water at the end to seal in the moisture.
What are other ways to test for low porosity hair?
You can tell what is low porosity hair by running a finger down a strand of your hair. Low porosity hair will feel smooth, whereas high porosity hair will feel rough and bumpy because the cuticles are open.
Spray some water on your hair and observe it. Low porosity hair won’t easily absorb the water and will still have visible beads of water on the strand. ‌
What Is Low Porosity Hair Video Tutorial
Products Mentioned In This Article
- ACURE Curiously Clarifying Shampoo
- SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Treatment Masque
- Argan and Avocado, Hair Oil
- Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave In Conditioner
- Deep Conditioning Hair Cap
Disclosure: The Hair Products recommended in this article are our top favorites because they have a great combination of quality, features, and affordability. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through the links as a way to support this site. If you buy a qualifying product, you’re not charged anything extra, but I’ll get a small commission to help pay for my expenses. I hope you find our advice helpful and discover the Best Hair Products for your needs on this list.
