Do you wonder why your hair feels dry and brittle shortly after your wash day or after moisturizing it?

 How well your hair holds onto moisture has a lot to do with your hair’s porosity. Sealing in moisture properly can make your hair feel hydrated for longer so you don’t have to continue struggling with dry brittle hair.

 Learning about the porosity of your hair and the different types of oils can help you choose the right oil that will keep your mane looking luscious for longer.

 Hair porosity

Hair porosity is a measure of how easily your hair strands absorb and lose water.

 Hair that is not mechanically, heat, or chemically damaged has low porosity. The porosity of your hair can also change from the roots to the ends. The older your hair strands are, then the more likely it is that they will have increased porosity.

 Low-porosity hair takes a while to become wet, but it holds onto moisture for a long time. Product buildup can be an issue for low-porosity hair since products don’t easily move past the hair cuticles. Regularly washing hair can help prevent product buildup. Using heat right before or after applying your hair products can help your hair absorb them better. An easy way to do this is taking a shower with your hair uncovered to allow the steam to lift your cuticles and then applying your products once you are out of the shower. You can use a steamer, plastic cap, or a hooded dryer to make your deep conditioning treatments even more moisturizing.

Medium/normal porosity hair absorbs water easily, but not too quickly, and can hold onto water better than high-porosity hair. This type of hair is generally very manageable.

 High-porosity hair easily becomes wet and dries quickly. Having high-porosity hair is a sign that the cuticles of the hair are not lying completely flat. If your hair is very porous, then it would be good to use a non-penetrating oil to help keep moisture in your hair for longer. Using protein-rich products will strengthen the cuticles to help them lay flat. pH balanced products that are slightly acidic will also help your cuticles lay flat, so that your hair is more manageable.

 Three ways to test your hair’s porosity  

1. Mist water onto freshly washed hair

• You can check your hair’s porosity by applying water to a small section of your hair after it has been freshly cleaned. Does it feel very damp? Or does the water sit on top of your hair?
• If your hair feels very damp then that is a sign that your hair has high porosity.
• If your hair feels like it needs more water to feel wet, then your hair has low porosity.

2. Gently run your finger along your hair

• You can find out your hair’s porosity by gently running your hands along a strand or small section of freshly washed hair without any products on it.
• If it feels smooth then you have low-porosity hair
• If it feels rough and bumpy then you have high-porosity hair in that area

3. Watch how quickly a strand of your hair sinks in water

• You can measure your hair’s porosity by placing a strand of shedded hair into a glass of water and watching to see how long it takes for your strand of hair to sink. This method works best on hair that has been freshly washed and does not have any products on it.
• If your hair floats at the top of the water for some time before sinking, then you have low-porosity hair since it did not absorb much water.
• If your hair stays around the middle of the glass of water, then your hair has moderate/normal porosity
• If your hair quickly floats to the bottom of the glass, then your hair has high porosity since it quickly absorbed enough water to sink.

If you have high-porosity hair

use the Condition + Calm Tea Rinse during your wash day while deep conditioning to strengthen your cuticles to give your hair a smoother and shinier appearance. Follow up with the CUPUAÇU + KOKUM CREAM to lock in all of the moisture, so you can keep your hair looking hydrated throughout the week.

If you have low-porosity hair

applying the CUPUAÇU + KOKUM CREAM on the ends of your hair would be a great way to seal in moisture for the oldest parts of your hair, which are more likely to be porous.