When you first start embracing your curls there are three characteristics that you need to determine. Your texture, do you have fine or coarse hair? Your density, how much hair do you have in total over your entire head? And then your porosity. Porosity can be a tricky one to figure out but it does play a part in determining what products and techniques will work best for you so it’s worth taking the time to decipher which one you have.
What is porosity?
Porosity, in simple terms, means how well does your hair take on and retain moisture. On the outer surface of the hair strands there are cuticles. If you imagine the scales on a pinecone. When it is cold and the pinecone closes its scales, this is a great example of low porosity hair with its cuticles lying flat and closed. When the pinecone has its scales open this is like high porosity hair, with the cuticles wide open. Medium porosity is seen as the healthiest kind of hair. The cuticles open to allow moisture in and then close again, locking that moisture in. For your hair to remain in peak condition moisture needs to be able to pass through the cuticles and enter into the cortex.
Determining your porosity can be tricky as many of the characteristics mimic other things. For example coarse hair is naturally drier than fine hair so someone with that coarser texture may believe they have high porosity hair due to dryness or frizz when in reality it could simply be because of their texture and not porosity. Not confusing at all, right!?
How Important Is Porosity?
In the grand scheme of things your texture is the most important thing when choosing products, followed by porosity. Knowing your porosity can be helpful though, especially for styling techniques. For example, if you have low porosity hair you wouldn’t want to do a final rinse in cold water before applying your styling products. This is because the cold water will close the hair cuticles and then your products will just sit on top of your hair, leading to weighed down, lifeless curls.
So what are some of the main characteristics of each porosity?
Low Porosity Characteristics
Low porosity hair typically has little to no damage. With the cuticles lying flat and tightly closed together, moisture finds it hard to get into the hair strand but once it is in there, it stays put!
- Hair takes a long time to get wet
- It also takes a long time to dry
- Products can sit on your hair, weighing it down
- You need to clarify more often
- You need to use heat when you deep condition
- Hair prefers lightweight products rather than creams and oils
- You don’t experience a lot of tangles
- Hair may not need as much protein
- Hair can lack volume
High Porosity Characteristics
High porosity hair is typically seen as damaged hair and nearly all heat damaged or coloured hair is a higher porosity. You can get moisture in really easily but it leaves just as quickly through those open cuticles.
- Hair gets wet easily
- Hair dries quickly
- It takes on moisture easily, you do not need heat to open the cuticles
- It can become dry and frizzy quickly
- Hair tangles easily
- Your hair is prone to breakage
- Hair can look dull
- Hair loves protein as it goes into the hair strand and fills in the gaps
- Hair can handle heavier products and likes leave in conditioners/creams etc – although if you have fine hair this may be tricky!
Medium Porosity Characteristic
- Hair takes on moisture easily and retains it well
- Takes on colour well
- Holds it style well
- Has a good amount of shine
The Home Tests – Do they work?
My personal opinion is that the float test in water is so flawed that it’s a waste of time! The results can be affected easily by things such as build up. A simple way to help you determine your porosity is to take a spray bottle of water and spray your hair. With low porosity hair you will see the water droplets sitting on the hair strand rather than soaking in.
You can also take a single strand and hold it at the bottom and slide your thumb and finger up the strand. Do you feel any bumps? This is a sign that you have high porosity hair. Does it feel smooth? You’re likely on the lower end of the spectrum.
Can you change your porosity?
Technically yes! If someone with low porosity hair colours or uses heat tools the damage will make their hair high porosity. If they were to stop colouring and limit the use of heat tools as that damage grows out their hair would return to low porosity. My own hair is naturally low porosity but as I colour it, I’ve made it high porosity (on purpose! I personally find high porosity hair much easier to manage) However as my roots come in they are low porosity so most of the time I have two porosities all over my head.
As with all things curly, it can take time to work out and although knowing your porosity is helpful, do not worry if it’s confusing you! Remember that we can have different porosities over our head and even one strand can have different ones, like me!
Have you been able to work out yours yet? Does it affect how you style your hair?