Finding the perfect black hair care regimen is every woman’s dream. Having a clear layout of what products to use and how to correctly implement them is the kind of balance we all wish we had. However, products and techniques need to adapt to our specific hair needs. One of the most important factors of hair care is porosity. Hair porosity defines the hair's ability to attract, lock in and release moisture. Let’s take a look at the differences in porosity and how it affects our hair on a day-to-day basis.
Low Hair Porosity
Having low porosity means that the cuticles of the hair are very tight and close together. This can make it hard for moisture to get in. Low porosity hair reacts well to moderate heat in form of a steamer or even warm water on the hair.
Using a steamer while deep conditioning can be very beneficial, as it helps open the cuticles so the hair can absorb the needed moisture. A sign that your hair is low in porosity is that while washing your hair, the water tends to sit on top of the hair rather than penetrating it.
Using water that is on the warmer side is a great countermeasure. Once low porosity hair has locked in moisture, it can stay moisturised for days and sometimes even weeks. Our award-winning Quench is very effective for low porosity.
High Porosity
Hair that is high in porosity is on the complete opposite spectrum and the cuticles of the hair are wide open or missing altogether. Even though genetic high porosity is common, it's not as extreme as high porosity caused by heat damage or harsh chemicals.
Having high porosity hair is characterised by moisture absorbing easily, but also loses it rapidly. You can tell your hair is high in porosity if your hair is already dry only hours after washing the hair. The cuticles being so largely open, the moisture acquired, quickly evaporates.
Helping the cuticles close or flatten is one of the goals you will have to achieve. Shocking the hair with cold water and an apple cider vinegar rinse at the end of a washing session is a great way to help the cuticles close and the hair retain as much moisture as possible.
The open cuticles prevent the hair from being smooth which can cause a lot of tangles and knots. Keeping the hair in a slightly stretched state can help maintain a tangle-free environment. Adding protein to the hair regiment can be of tremendous help. Two protein treatments a month can really make a difference.
Try out our Triple Protein Masque to boost the hair strands.
Medium Porosity
Medium porosity is the most balanced state of porosity. The cuticles are tightly together but open as soon as warm water hits the hair. Rinsing the hair with slightly colder water at the end of your wash session is enough to close the cuticles and lock in the moisture.
Medium Porosity needs a balance between moisture and protein, so alternating between your deep conditioning sessions and protein ones is a great idea.
Our Triple M Milk and Triple Protein Masque are a great combination to help achieve the right balance if you are medium porosity.
To deal with characteristics that seem unpredictable, apply the right products to your hair. Knowing your hair porosity will make taking care of it so much easier and sets you on the way to see amazing results.