Skip to content
Hair Porosity: How to Determine Yours and Why It’s Important
Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. There are three levels of porosity: low, medium, and high. Low porosity has a very tight, almost closed cuticle. High porosity hair has a very open cuticle. Medium porosity is just right, the cuticle isn’t too loose but it also isn’t too tight. Figuring out your hair’s porosity is the number one step to creating a proper hair care regimen. Keep on reading to learn more about your porosity!
How To Determine What Level Of Porosity You Have
There’s no rocket science involved! It’s very easy to figure out your porosity, just do the hair porosity water test. Before you start, make sure your hair is completely clean; it’s best to do this on freshly shampooed hair but make sure not to add conditioner. Fill a cup with room temperature water, place a hair strand in the water, and leave it in the cup for about 15 minutes without touching it. After the 15 minutes is up, your hair will float to the top if it is low porosity. Medium porosity will slowly sink to the middle. High porosity will immediately sink to the bottom.
Characteristics of Each Porosity Level
Low porosity:
• products don’t absorb easily and tend to sit on top of the hair strands
• takes a very long time to air dry
• hard for water to saturate the hair
• repels moisture
Medium porosity:
• easy to style
• holds styles very well
• tends to be more shiny
• has a pretty decent air drying time
High porosity:
• easily absorbs water and moisturizing products
• more prone to dryness, breakage, and frizz
• air dries very quickly
Porosity & Product Selection
Your level of porosity should always be the number one factor when it comes to determining what products to purchase. Using products that aren’t made for your porosity will throw off your hair and even cause it to fall out or break off. The good news is that we have several products that work for ALL POROSITIES! Check them out⇩
This deep cleansing shampoo bar removes all dirt and build-up, refreshing your hair without leaving it stripped.
I Live!™ Deep Conditioner
Penetrates deep into the hair shaft and restores dry, lifeless hair. Also, it delivers the perfect balance between moisture and protein.
Mu-Moisture, Periodt™
Lightweight leave-in conditioner and detangling mist providing you with maximal moisture and making the detangling process 10x easier.
No Shae'd™ Hair, Scalp & Beard Butter
Crafted with murumuru, mango & kokum butters; provides softness and hydration to your hair and scalp.
Caught Slippin'™ Multi-use Conditioner
Giving you all the moisture and slip you could possibly ask for. Definitely a must-have for detangling!
It's THE OIL for me™
Nourishes the strands and scalp while also providing a lovely sheen.
For specifically medium and high porosity, we recommend Butter Recognize!™ It’s perfect for wash & go’s, twist outs, braid outs, and any other style you can think of! Have a hard time styling your hair? This is your go-to solution!
Leave a comment