Porosity and Curly Hair Care Strategies for Each Type:
Caring for Low Porosity Curly Hair: The main challenge is getting moisture into the hair. Because cuticles are closed, products can just sit on the hair surface. Key strategies:
Heat and Steam are Your Friends: Use warm water to wash and rinse (not super hot, which can damage, but comfortably warm) to help slightly lift the cuticle during washing. When deep conditioning, use a shower cap and apply heat either wrap a warm towel around your head, sit under a hooded dryer, or use a heat conditioning cap. The heat will gently open cuticles so the conditioner can penetrate.
Clarify Regularly: Low porosity hair easily gets buildup (from products, hard water, etc.) because things just sit on it. Buildup further prevents moisture from entering. Use a clarifying shampoo once a month or as needed to remove buildup. You might need a sulfate clarifier if you use heavy products. Always follow clarifying with a good deep conditioner since you’ll have lifted the cuticle a great chance to get moisture in.
Lightweight, Water-Based Products: Look for conditioners and stylers that are lighter in texture lotions, milks, light creams, or gels that aren’t too sticky. Products labeled “for low porosity” often are protein-free (because protein can form a film low-po hair doesn’t need much of) and have humectants like glycerin or honey to draw moisture in. They also avoid heavy oils that just sit on the hair. For example, low porosity hair often likes ingredients like glycerin, aloe vera, honey (which attract moisture) and hates things like raw shea butter or mineral oil coating it.
Avoid Product Overload: Use moderate amounts and fully rinse out rinse-off products. With low-po hair, less is often more. If you apply too many layers (leave-in + cream + oil + gel), you might find your hair feels producty and the moisture still isn’t in the strand. A good approach might be leave-in + gel only, skipping heavy creams. Also ensure your products don’t contain silicones or waxes which definitely will build up on low-po hair.
Dilute and Distribute: A trick for low porosity is to apply products on very wet hair (the water helps it penetrate) and even dilute thick conditioners with a little water before applying, so they spread easier. Use the “praying hands” method and really work products in, maybe even gently scrunch or squeeze to encourage absorption.
Keep Hair Warm While Conditioning: We mentioned heat for deep conditioning, but even your regular conditioner can work better if you don’t let your hair get cold in the shower. Some low-po folks wear a shower cap while conditioning in-shower to trap body heat.
Beware of Protein Overload: Low porosity hair often doesn’t need frequent protein treatments. It tends to hold onto protein and can get brittle if you use a lot of protein-rich products (like some curl creams or strengthening masks). Signs of too much protein: hair feels stiff, straw-like, and breaks easily. In that case, lay off protein and focus on moisturizers. Use protein-free conditioners more often, and if you use a protein treatment, do it sparingly.
Porosity and Styling: Low-po hair might take longer to dry. One hack: after styling, you can diffuse a bit to kickstart drying since air drying could take many hours. Also, since low-po hair cuticles are flat, it might resist taking in styling products using a mousse or gel after a good leave-in can seal what moisture you did get in. But again, don’t go too heavy. You may find that a little gel is enough for hold and you don’t need extra oils. If you do use oil, choose a penetrating oil like argan or jojoba in tiny amounts; avoid slathering coconut or castor oil which might just coat the hair.
Observation: If you find beads of product or white residue sitting on your hair after styling, that’s a sign your low-po hair isn’t absorbing something. Next time, try using less or a lighter formula, or adding a bit of water and heat to help it sink in.
Caring for High Porosity Curly Hair: The challenge here is keeping moisture in the hair and strengthening the hair structure. Key strategies:
Layer Moisture and Seal it: A popular method for high porosity curls is the L.O.C. method (Leave-in, Oil, Cream) or L.C.O. basically, layer a water-based leave-in conditioner first (adds moisture), then an oil to seal the cuticle somewhat, then a cream to further lock in moisture and provide definition. You can tweak the order, but the idea is multiple layers to prevent moisture escaping. High porosity hair “can’t get enough” moisture, so even after using a rinse-out conditioner, apply a generous leave-in conditioner on damp hair. Choose leave-ins with ingredients like aloe vera, panthenol, or glycerin that hydrate, and also oils/butters that help seal (many leave-ins for high-po have some shea or cocoa butter, etc.).
Heavy Creams and Butters: Unlike low-po, high porosity hair often loves rich butters, creams, and oils because they help fill the gaps in the cuticle and reduce moisture loss. Ingredients like shea butter, mango butter, olive oil, etc., in stylers or moisturizers will coat the hair and create a protective barrier. For styling, you might opt for a curl cream instead of a gel, or use cream under gel to avoid the gel making hair feel crunchy or dry. Also consider using thick butters or pomades on the ends of your hair to really seal those porous ends (ends are oldest and often most porous).
Protein is Your Pal: High porosity hair (especially due to damage) benefits greatly from protein treatments. Proteins temporarily patch up the holes in the cuticle, strengthening the hair shaft and helping it retain moisture better. Use a deep conditioner or mask with proteins (keratin, silk, wheat protein, etc.) maybe every 2-4 weeks, depending on how your hair feels. You can also use protein-rich leave-ins or stylers. Be mindful though: if hair gets too much protein it can feel stiff; balance protein treatments with moisturizing treatments on alternate weeks.
Cold Water Rinses: After conditioning, try a cool or cold water rinse on your hair. Cold water helps the cuticle lay down a bit more, which can trap some of that moisture and make hair shinier. Some high-po folks swear by finishing their wash with cold water or even doing an apple cider vinegar rinse (slightly acidic) to help close the cuticle.
Never Skip the Final Sealing Step: For high porosity curls, after all your leave-in and cream, often applying a final sealant is key. This could be a few drops of oil smoothed over the hair or a butter-based cream. A popular oil for high porosity is castor oil because it’s very thick and excellent at sealing moisture (just use a small amount, focusing on ends or frizziest areas). Other great ones: jojoba, olive, sweet almond, or specialized blend oils. The idea is to create a barrier that slows water loss from the hair.
Frequent Deep Conditioning: Make deep conditioning a routine, not a rare treat. Use a deep moisture mask at least once a week. High porosity hair often “drinks” conditioner, so you might even leave a mask on for longer than directed (30+ minutes) with a shower cap for extra penetration. Some may even do a quick conditioning mid-week (just wet hair, apply a mask for 10 minutes, rinse) to rehydrate curls that have dried out.
Gentle Handling: Porous hair can be fragile, so be extra gentle when detangling (lots of conditioner, slow movements) and avoid rough towels or anything that could snag. Also limit heat styling your hair has been through enough if it’s porous due to damage. If you diffuse, use low heat. The blow dryer tension method or flat ironing can wreck already porous curls, so use sparingly or not at all.
Prevent Frizz: High porosity curls are prone to frizz because the lifted cuticles let moisture from the air in, causing hair to swell. Using anti-humectant serums or creams (like those containing natural oils/butters or even a bit of silicone if you’re not strictly CGM) can help in high humidity by coating the hair. Also, make sure you apply stylers to soaking wet hair this traps water in the hair as it dries rather than evaporating out too quickly. Using a gel can also help by forming a cast that locks moisture in during drying. After scrunching out the crunch, if you still see frizz, you can smooth a tiny bit more oil or cream over those spots.
Trimming: Highly porous ends can’t really be “fixed” if your ends are fried and constantly tangly, consider a trim. It will prevent splits from traveling up and will make it easier to keep the rest of your hair healthy.
UV and Environmental Protection: Porous hair is more vulnerable to sun and environmental damage. Wear a hat or use hair products with UV protection when in strong sun. Also after swimming (chlorine or salt water), do a clarifying rinse and deep condition, because those can further dry out porous hair.
Care for Medium Porosity Hair: If you have medium porosity curly hair, congratulations you have the least tricky porosity! Your cuticle lets moisture in and keeps it reasonably well. Care tips:
Maintain with regular conditioning and the occasional protein treatment to keep porosity from increasing. Heat style and color in moderation to avoid bumping it to high porosity.
Use balanced products (not too heavy, not too light). Medium porosity often does well with a mix of humectants, light oils, etc. Just watch that you don’t load on too many heavy products that could overload and temporarily make it act low porosity (if you notice buildup, clarify).
Keep up good habits like satin pillowcase, gentle detangling, etc., to preserve that healthy cuticle.
Essentially, medium porosity hair should continue doing whatever it’s been doing right just minor tweaks if needed. If you notice your hair shifting (becoming drier or harder to moisturize), reassess if perhaps damage has changed it, and then apply the appropriate strategies.
Product Suggestions by Porosity (Category-wise, brand-neutral): For Low Porosity: Look for protein-free, lightweight conditioners (often marketed for moisture or for fine hair). Use clarifying shampoo with EDTA or sulfates occasionally to remove buildup. Stylers like flaxseed gel or light mousse can define without buildup. For High Porosity: Use deep conditioners with proteins (strengthening masks). Rich leave-in conditioners with butters/oils high on the ingredient list. Buttery creams and puddings to style, and maybe finish with an oil serum. If high-po due to damage, also consider bond-building treatments (like those that repair disulfide bonds) to structurally strengthen hair while not porosity per se, it can help reduce breakage and porosity long-term.
Porosity Pitfalls to Avoid: Using the wrong products: For instance, if you slather a heavy butter on low porosity hair, it will likely just sit there and make hair feel waxy leading to dullness and breakage from buildup. Conversely, if you use a super light conditioner on high porosity hair, it might absorb it and still be frizzy and dry because it’s not enough leaving hair under-moisturized. Over-clarifying low porosity hair: Yes, clarify low-po hair, but don’t go overboard or you’ll strip what little moisture it has. Find a schedule that keeps hair receptive but not dry (maybe once a month or when needed). Forgetting to seal high porosity hair: If you skip oils or sealants on high-po hair, you might notice your hair feels awesome when wet with conditioner, but as soon as it dries, it’s rough again. That’s because moisture escaped. Always lock it in with something. Ignoring porosity changes: Hair porosity isn’t static. If you henna your hair (which can actually make hair more dense and lower porosity) or if you bleach it (raising porosity), you need to adjust your routine. Also different parts of your hair can have different porosities (e.g., colored ends vs virgin roots). You might apply products differently (heavier on ends, lighter on roots) accordingly. Not considering water type: Hard water can cause mineral buildup especially on low porosity hair, exacerbating issues. A clarifying treatment or using a chelating shampoo occasionally (with EDTA) helps remove minerals. For high porosity, mineral buildup can make hair feel rough too, so address that if relevant (like with a vinegar rinse or chelating shampoo).
Real-Life Example: Imagine two friends, Alice and Brenda, both have curly hair. Alice’s curls always feel like products sit on them; her hair takes hours to dry and if she puts too much cream, it almost feels sticky and coated. Brenda’s curls, on the other hand, drink up everything; she can never seem to moisturize enough and her hair dries very fast but then feels frizzy by midday. Alice likely has low porosity curls we’d advise her to use warm water and maybe a steamer during deep conditioning, switch to lighter leave-in and stylers, and clarify her hair which might be coated. Brenda likely has high porosity we’d suggest she layer a leave-in, cream, and oil, do regular protein masks, and perhaps incorporate a cold rinse to seal cuticles. After adjusting, Alice finds her hair no longer has beads of water sitting on it in the shower; by using heat, her deep conditioner actually penetrates and her curls feel softer. And Brenda finds that by sealing with a butter and doing protein treatments, her curls stay hydrated longer and frizz less. This shows the power of tailoring routine to porosity.