Hair porosity

Hair porosity is your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. The porosity of your hair affects how well oils and moisture pass in and out of the outermost layer of your hair, aka the cuticle. 

There are three types of hair porosity:

hair porosity strand test

 

Low porosity

Low porosity hair means your hair doesn't easily allow moisture to be absorbed into your hair cuticle. This can make it harder for water to saturate your hair when it's washed. It also means that once moisture does penetrate the surface, the hair retains it for longer.

Because of this, look for products which are water-based, lightweight to make absorption easier. 

Avoid protein treatments as they can increase the risk of hair breakage since they tend to pull moisture out of the hair.

Typically speaking, the best order of product application follows the LCO method.

Liquid Cream Oil - 

  1. Liquid - something lightweight and water-based must be applied to your hair first, even simply water itself. Our moisturiser is the best product for this step.
  2. Cream - an additional product which can help to lock in the moisture. It is usually oil based but can also be a product that provides extra moisture and additional slip. Our curling custard is the best product for this step.
  3. Oil - to seal in the moisture. Any of our oils can be used for this step.

 

High porosity

High porosity hair attracts and loses moisture easily. It means that water, oils, and other types of products can be easily absorbed by your hair, but may not be able to retain moisture as well as other types of hair.

Because of this, look for products which are rich in butters or oils that can help to seal in the moisture. Also look for products to help reduce and manage frizz.

Protein treatments are beneficial as they aim to temporarily strengthen the hair.

Typically speaking, the best order of product application follows the LOC method.

Liquid Oil Cream - 

  1. Liquid - something lightweight and water-based must be applied to your hair first, even simply water itself. Our moisturiser is the best product for this step.
  2. Oil - to seal in the moisture and act as a buffer between the liquid and the cream. Any of our oils can be used for this step.
  3. Cream - an additional product which can help to lock in the moisture. It is usually oil based but can also be a product that provides extra moisture and additional slip. Our curling custard is the best product for this step.


It's always important however to test which method works best for your hair. The steps outlined above are only for guidance, you may find that your hair does not require every single step. Also, the amount of product you use can also influence your results, so ensure to experiment when styling your hair in order to determine the best routine for you!

Products mentioned in this blog post can be found here:
Liquid and Cream - also sold separately
Oils - also sold separately

Back to blog