What is hair porosity?
A hair typing method that is used to describe how easily your hair absorbs and retains moisture through the cuticle.
context: Your hair strand is made up of layers. The outter layer (cuticle) is shaped like fish scales that lay flat on the hair strand. These cuticles can be naturally or changed to be more lifted or quite flat.
Your hair may be classified as having high (lifted cuticle), medium, or low (flat cuticle) porosity.
What are the characteristics of low porosity hair?
The hair shaft is packed with cuticles that grow really close to each other - laying very flat. This makes the cuticle layer thicker than medium and low porosity hair.
It's hard for product to penetrate the hair shaft. But once it does, hair feels nourished the longest.
What are the characteristics of medium porosity hair?
Hair cuticles are spaced out in a way that eases product penetration and retention - they are neither too wide or narrow.
Hair texture retains moisture longer than high porosity hair.
What are the characteristics of high porosity hair?
Hair cuticles are widely spaced and slightly lifted, making it easy for hair to absorb hair products and lose moisture.
High porosity hair is characterised by hair feeling dry or dehydrated sooner than other porosity types.
How can I accurately test my hair's porosity?
Wash and dry hair with minimal product (e.g. use a rinse out conditioner. no additional product if you air dry & heat protectant if you use heat).
Take a few dry hairs and slide your fingers along the hair shaft towards the root.
low porosity - the cuticle feels mostly smooth
high porosity - the cuticle feels mostly rough
porosity can vary throughout the whole head.
Low porosity hair products
Low porosity products are those that easily seep into the hair shaft for nourishment.
Medium porosity hair products
Medium porosity products are those that enhance the hair health.
Our entire range loves on medium porosity textures. DISCOVER MEDIUM POROSITY PRODUCTS
High porosity hair products
High porosity results in dry & dehydrated hair that can be remedied by using hydrating, moisturising and nourishing products.
Our entire range loves on high porosity textures. DISCOVER HIGH POROSITY PRODUCTS
TIP: After application of the right products and redoing the porosity test, your cuticles should feel smoother.
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