Hair Porosity 101: The First Step to Healthy Natural Hair

September 19, 2020

Black Owned Business, Hair Care, Hair Porosity, healthy hair, Natural Hair, natural hair products

How do you have a hair regimen if you do not know what your hair needs? Understanding your hair porosity is the first step to creating the hair routine to make your hair flourish.

What is hair porosity?

Hair porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. There is low, normal, and high porosity hair.

Low Porosity

The hair shaft is smooth with little to no holes. Therefore, the hair is resistant to absorbing moisture. But once the hair receives water, it is locked in, and the hair stays moisturized for an extended time. If you have low porosity hair, it takes a long time to air dry.

Low Porosity Hair Tips:

Use heat when deep conditioning
Use warm or hot water when washing to open up the hair cuticles
Use lighter products (light oils and hair milk) to combat product build-up
Apply products to damp hair

Low Porosity Product Recommendations:

Oyin Handmade Detangling Conditioner

Naturall Club Fresh Avocado Deep Conditioner

Camille Rose Moroccan Pear Conditioning Custard

Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner

Grapeseed Oil

Normal Porosity

Moisture can easily penetrate the hair. The hair also retains moisture without losing it quickly.If you have normal porosity hair, it takes a moderate time to air dry.

Normal Porosity Hair Tips:

Deep condition occasionally
Do not include protein in your regular regimen
Use hot water when styling hair
Use water-based leave-in conditioners

Normal Porosity Product Recommendations:

Naturall Club Thirst Quenching Avocado Moisturizer

Camille Rose Fresh Curl

Mielle Organics Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk

Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Coconut Oil

High Porosity

The hair shaft has a lot of holes. The holes help the hair absorb moisture quickly, but the holes do not seal moisture, so the hair becomes dry fast. If you have high porosity hair, your hair drys quickly.

High Porosity Hair Tips:

Use thicker products and layering products will help the hair retain moisture
Rinse your hair with cold water to close the hair cuticles
Do not need to use heat when deep conditioning
Apply products to soaking wet hair

High Porosity Product Recommendations:

Castor Oil

Shea Moisture High Porosity Moisture Correct Masque

As I Am Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner

As I Am Double Butter Cream

Shea Moisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Styling Milk

It is imperative to know your hair porosity because then you can create a hair regimen that provides maximum moisture for your hair. When your hair is hydrated and moisturized often, it is healthy, retains length, and grows faster!

There are multiple ways to figure out your hair porosity. Click here to take the hair porosity quiz.

We love teaching girls how to love and tend to their hair! The first step to loving the curls is growing to its needs, and that is how understanding your porosity helps!

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