Hair Porosity 101

No matter how many shampoos and conditioners you’ve tried for your hair type, you can’t seem to get it right. Your hair feels too oily, too dry, and no matter how many products you try, it’s hopeless. What if we told you that you’re hair type, whether it’s straight, curly, or somewhere in between, plays only a small part in your hair’s needs. Here, Source Beauty, lets you in on a simple, but revolutionary piece of information.

What is Hair Porosity?

Your hair is made up of several layers. The outermost layer of your hair, the cuticle, is responsible for allowing moisture into the hair shaft. Hair porosity is basically a measure for your hair’s ability to absorb and maintain moisture, all of which depend on the condition of your hair cuticles.

Hair porosity is a spectrum that ranges from low, normal, to high. Low porosity hair has very flat, tight cuticles which makes it difficult for moisture to be absorbed. This hair type tends to feel dry and may take a long time to dry.

Normal porosity hair is the ideal type. The hair cuticle is only slightly lifted, making it very easy for moisture to be absorbed.

High porosity hair can be the most difficult to deal with. The hair cuticles are cracked and lifted due to damage. This allows products and moisture to be absorbed very quickly, but this also means that the hair also loses moisture fast as well.

How Do I Measure My Hair’s Porosity?

You can conduct a simple strand test at home. With clean hair, pull out a few strands and place them in a bowl of water. Allow the strands to sit in the water for three minutes. If your hair sits on the surface of the water you have low porosity hair. Hair that sinks to the middle of the bowl is normal. Strands that sink to the bottom of the bowl have high porosity.

Hair Care for Each Porosity:

Low: In order to allow moisture in, you need to open up your hair cuticles and pores to allow products in. When applying a hair mask wrap your head in a warm towel, or use a steamer to open up the hair cuticles. We also suggest using a diluted apple cider vinegar, or baking soda treatment to prevent product buildup on the hair-which can affect its porosity.

Recommended Product: Areej Aromatherapy, Nourish Hair Mask

Normal: Luckily there isn’t much you need to change about your routine, but to maintain your hair’s condition do a weekly deep-conditioning treatment.

Recommended Product: EarthBath, Super Greens Hair Mask

High: Steer clear of heat and styling tools. Chemical treatments are also a cause of high porosity as they break down and damage your hair-so take a break. In order to prevent frizz, we suggest washing your hair with cold water. When washing and combing your hair you need to be gentle, being too aggressive can cause further damage.

Recommended Product: Eva Cosmetics, Aloe Eva Argan Hair Oil

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