Are you suspecting your hair is Low Porosity but aren’t very sure? Then you need to look out for the typical low porosity hair characteristics that we shall cover in this article.
Low porosity hair has compact cuticles that overlap over each other making it harder for water and other products to deliver moisture into the hair shaft.
Summary,
Here are 11 Low porosity hair characteristics :
- Hair takes time to get wet
- Products tend to sit on the hair
- Heat is needed for better moisture absorption
- High tendency for product build up on the hair
- Hair takes time to dry
- Water beads up on hair
- Higher probability of getting dandruff
- Hair resists color treatments
- Hair needs to be clarified for better moisture retention
- Hair reacts better to humectants
- Resists conditioners
Read on for an in-depth assessment of each of these characteristics.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
11 Low Porosity Hair Characteristics to Look Out For
1. Hair takes time to get wet
Low porosity hair has a closed cuticle structure that does not easily allow water and other products to penetrate. (1) What this means is that it will take you longer than you’d expect to get your mane wet during a wash.
2. Products tend to sit on the hair
No matter how much amount of product you use on your low porosity hair, it may still seem unattractive and lifeless.
Low porosity hair is tightly packed on the outside and does not easily allow penetration of products. As a result, the products used on the hair tend to accumulate on the surface and may cause a buildup that weighs down your hair.
It’s important to select the right products for your low porosity hair to ensure that your hair reaps off the maximum benefits of these products.(2)
3. Heat is needed for better moisture absorption
If you notice that your hair absorbs products better after the use of heat, then chances are that you have low porosity hair.
Heat helps in lifting up the hair cuticles thus allowing oils and moisture to easily penetrate into the hair shaft.
Use a Deep Conditioning Heat Cap when deep conditioning your low porosity hair to open up the cuticles and improve the hair’s ability to absorb the product.
4. High tendency for product build up on the hair
If you are constantly dealing with a greasy situation on your hair, then your hair likely has low porosity. This type of hair tends to be oily and greasy most times as the products sit on the hair surface without easily getting absorbed into the hair shaft.
As mentioned above, low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles that make it harder for moisture and product penetration. This causes products to sit on the hair leading to a build-up on the hair and scalp.
To deal with this kind of problem, low porosity hair should be washed with a clarifying shampoo that will help remove the buildup and dirt from the hair. (4)
5. Hair takes time to dry
Washing and drying of low porosity hair needs patience. It will usually take longer to get water through the hair and when it does, drying the hair also takes longer than other hair types. If this is part of your experience, then you probably have low porosity hair.
6. Water beads up on hair
Low porosity hair has tightly closed and overlapping cuticles. When this type of hair is exposed to water, the water tends to bead up on the hair and roll off its surface rather than getting absorbed into it. The water molecules are too big to penetrate into the hair shaft and this results in the beading up the surface of the hair.
7. Higher probability of getting dandruff
Have you constantly been fighting dandruff and experiencing an itchy scalp regardless of the remedies you’ve tried? It’s time you checked your hair porosity.
Low porosity hair contains hair fiber with overlapping cuticles which makes it difficult to observe water and oils that would retain moisture. When products applied are not able to penetrate the hair shaft, the result is a buildup of product and dirt that causes dandruff.
8. Hair resists color treatments
Low porosity hair is also known as resistant hair as it repels moisture absorption as well as any forms of chemical treatments. If you notice that your hair is not taking up color treatments that you fancy, a porosity test will likely reveal that you have low porosity hair.
9. Hair needs to be clarified for better moisture retention
Do your strands seem more beautiful and healthy after washing with a clarifying shampoos? Then you probably are dealing with low porosity hair.
Low porosity hair is prone to product build-up as the closed cuticle structure prevents the penetration of water and oils, and products tend to sit on the hair instead of penetrating the hair shaft.
Clarifying shampoos help to cleanse off your hair getting rid of accumulated dirt and gunk on your hair and scalp. Clarifying your hair is important as it makes it easier to moisturize your hair.
10. Hair reacts better to humectants
Humectants are moisturizing agents found in shampoos and other hair care products. If you find that your hair reacts better when you use products with humectants, then this is a sign that you have low porosity hair.
Humectants help to attract water and other moisturizing products to your hair. They help in drawing in and retaining moisture to your strands.
Part of your hair care routine for low porosity hair should be to include humectants to your deep conditioners and leave in as this helps in moisture retention. Some of the commonly available humectants include glycerin and honey.
11. Resists conditioners
By now you may know that low porosity hair does not retain moisture. As a result, low porosity hair also resists conditioners which are packed with protein and are therefore heavy and greasy and may weigh down your hair.
The secret to keeping your hair popping is by finding lightweight conditioners that can penetrate your strands. Using heat also goes a long way in ensuring you low porosity hair benefits from the conditioner.
Understanding your hair porosity is just the beginning of a beautiful journey of loving and caring for your hair.
Here is more on Low Porosity Hair:
- How to care for low porosity hair
- Best oils for low porosity hair
- 4 easy tests to determine your hair porosity
Before you leave, you may find this recommended products page useful. Here you will find the natural hair products that my friends & I have found to be very good for natural hair.
Pin Me For Later 🙂
