The Missing Piece of the Hair Care Puzzle?Testing For Hair Porosity and What It Means For Your Hair
- OOF!
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
Hint: It's worth the read.
The secret to hair care just might lie in understanding your hair's porosity. Hair porosity refers to the hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture.
Hair porosity is an important but mostly overlooked piece of the hair care puzzle. You can certainly find hair care products for different hair types, damage levels, and even colors, not many are geared toward the specific needs of low vs. high porosity hair.
Your hair’s porosity level can (and should) influence the hair care products you use and when you use them. So, let's take a closer look at hair porosity, figuring out your hair's porosity, and what you should be looking for in hair care based on your results.
My Story With Hair Porosity
I used to blindly take any and all curly hair advice. This resulted in me slathering my hair in super heavy moisturizing products. I didn't know it at the time, but this was leaving it in a constant state of moisture overload.
I was using products and treatments with a LOT of heavy moisturizers. I would even regularly use coconut and olive oil hair masks. Then I would use a strong hold gels because I thought my hair was so frizzy.
What is different now? I learned that I had low porosity hair. My hair didn't need all that moisture. After changing up my routine to water based products and light moisture, my hair was so much shinier, healthier looking, and was way easier to style.
Understanding hair porosity
Hair porosity refers to the hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is determined by the condition of the cuticle, the outermost layer of the hair strand. The cuticle can have three different states: open, partially open, or closed.
You can think of this like shingles on a roof. If your "shingles" are lifted (open), water can get through. This would be high porosity hair. While if they are flat and smooth (closed), water can't get through. This would be low porosity hair. Medium porosity lies somewhere in between.
High Porosity Hair
High porosity hair has cuticles that are open, allowing moisture to be easily absorbed. However, it also loses moisture quickly. This hair type tends to absorb water and products quickly but may struggle to retain moisture.
Medium Porosity Hair
The cuticles are partially open, striking a balance between absorbing and retaining moisture.
This is generally considered the ideal porosity as it can absorb and retain moisture effectively.
Low Porosity Hair
Low porosity hair has a tightly closed cuticle, making it more difficult for moisture to penetrate. This hair type takes longer to absorb water or products, but once absorbed, it retains moisture well.
How to Test Your Hair Porosity
To identify your hair porosity type, you can perform a simple test at home. Take a strand of hair and place it in a glass of water. Wait about 5 minutes and see where the hair ends up.
Developing a hair care routine tailored to your hair porosity is super helpful for finding the right products. It may be the missing puzzle piece in finding the right hair care products.
Hair floats on top of the water
This hair type is low porosity. This means that the cuticle is tightly closed, making it difficult for moisture to penetrate.
Hair floats in the middle of the glass
This means your hair has medium porosity. The cuticle is partially open, striking a balance between moisture absorption and retention. Medium porosity hair retains moisture well while allowing products to penetrate effectively.
Hair sinks to the bottom of the glass
Your hair has high porosity. The cuticle is fully open, allowing moisture to enter and escape easily. To combat this, incorporate products that provide intense hydration and seal the cuticles.
Hair Care for Your High Porosity Hair
If the results of your hair porosity test point to having highly porous hair, don’t panic. We have some great tips to help you protect and nourish your hair.
1. Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
Your high porosity hair needs moisture. Start at the beginning of your routine with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner system. Look for ingredients with heavy moisturizers like shea butter, argan oil, and coconut oil.
2. Protein Treatments for High Porosity Hair
Protein can help fill in gaps in the cuticle and strengthens your hair. Use protein treatment masks for a deep boost every few weeks, and in conditioners for light, regular strengthening. Just remember to balance it with plenty of moisture to avoid protein overload.
Protein treatments can make hair feel stronger and less frizzy. Look for hydrolyzed or amino acid forms — these are broken down into small enough molecules to actually bind to the hair shaft.
3. Avoid Hot Tools or Use Heat Protectant
When you have high porosity hair you should avoid hot tools as much as possible. When you do use them, set them to their lowest temperature and make sure to use a heat protectant.
Products We Recommend for High Porosity Hair
Hare Care for Medium Porosity Hair
Got medium porosity hair? Lucky you — it’s the “sweet spot”. It soaks up just the right amount of moisture and keeps it in, making it easier to maintain. Stick with a consistent, balanced hair care routine.
1. Balanced Moisture and Protein
Look for products that list both moisturizing ingredients (like aloe, glycerin, or oils) and light proteins (like hydrolyzed silk, wheat, or keratin).
Consider rotating between a moisturizing conditioner one wash and a light protein conditioner the next to keep hair balanced.
2. Avoid extremes
Skip heavy protein treatments or overly rich moisture masks unless your hair feels dry or weak — balance is key.
Wash your hair with a gentle shampoo and follow with a moisturizing conditioner. Apply a leave-in conditioner and seal with a natural oil or butter. Deep condition your hair once a week to maintain moisture balance.
2. Stick to Light Leave-ins
Pick a leave-in that hydrates without weighing hair down. Look for lightweight oils like argan or jojoba.
Products We Recommend For Medium Porosity Hair
Hair Care for Low Porosity Hair
Do you have low porosity hair? That means your cuticle layer is tightly packed, making it harder for moisture to get in, but once it’s in, it stays put. The right routine will help your hair absorb hydration without weighing it down.
1. Occasionally Use a Clarifying Shampoo
Use a clarifying shampoo once a month to remove product buildup and allow moisture to penetrate the hair.
2. Lightweight Moisture
Look for water based shampoos and conditioners with lightweight moisturizers like aloe vera, glycerin, or honey that draw moisture in, and avoid heavy butters or oils that can cause buildup. If your hair feel mushy when it's wet it could be over moisturized.
3. Add in Some Heat
Conditioning with heat is particularly beneficial for low porosity hair. It helps open the cuticle for better product absorption. Using gentle heat like warm water during washes or a heat cap with your conditioner can help open the cuticle so products absorb better.
4. Go Easy on Protein
Low porosity hair doesn’t usually need a lot of protein (too much can cause protein overload), and small amounts can help with strength. Choose light proteins such as silk amino acids or hydrolyzed wheat protein, and use them occasionally rather than in every wash.
Why the OOF! HALO Hair Towel Works for Every Porosity
Whether your hair is low, medium, or high porosity, the OOF! HALO Hair Towel is your new BFF. Here’s why:
Less Frizz and Damage
Our t-shirt-soft cotton jersey knit means way less friction than microfiber or terry cloth, so your cuticles stay smooth.
Breathable & Curl-Friendly
Lets curls and waves dry in their natural pattern without trapping heat or moisture the wrong way.
Custom Fit
No buttons, loops, or elastic to pull at your strands — just wrap and tie however you like.
MoistureLock Magic
Absorbs just enough water to speed up drying without sucking out the moisture your hair needs.
The Bottom Line
Once you know your porosity, picking the right products and routine is so much easier. No more random deep treatments that make you frizzier, no more protein overload… just healthy, shiny, touchable hair that does what you want.
Your mission? Figure out your porosity, tweak your routine, and watch the magic happen. We’ll cheer you on every step of the way. Comment and let us know your porosity results and the difference it made in your hair care.
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