Curly Hair Tips

Porosity

Let's talk porosity. It can play a big factor regarding what products work best for you and what don't. You'll often see people with similar curl types recommending products to each other but just because your favourite influencer uses specific types of products, doesn't necessarily mean they will work for you too. Curl type and thickness can go as far as checking to see if your hair will be weighed down on or not by certain products that might be geared towards thicker, curlier hair. But porosity can help factor in what techniques and ingredients might work better for your hair. So there are three types of porosities: low porosity, medium porosity and high porosity. 

If you're not sure what type of hair porosity you have, here's two ways you can find out:

1. The Float Test

Shampoo and rinse your hair well to remove any product buildup. Clean hair will give you the most accurate results.Dry your hair as usual.Take a strand of your hair and drop it into a clear glass of water.Watch the hair strand to see where it floats.

Hair that floats to the top for a while before sinking toward the bottom of the glass likely has low porosity. Hair that floats somewhere near the middle of the glass likely has medium porosity. Hair that sinks to the bottom of the glass fairly quickly is typically more porous. That means it has high porosity. 

2. The Slip'n'Slide Test

Take a strand of hair and slide your fingers up the shaft (toward the scalp). If you feel little bumps along the way, this means that your cuticle is lifted and that you have high porosity. If your fingers slip smoothly, then you have low porosity hair.

________________________________________________________________________________

More about the different porosities:

Low porosity hair:  Hair with low porosity has a tightly bound cuticle layer with overlapping scales that lay flat. This type of hair is usually considered healthy, and is often very shiny, especially when it's dark in color. Low porosity hair repels moisture when you try to wet it and is hard to process since it resists penetration of chemicals.

Low porosity hair is also prone to build-up from protein-rich deep conditioning products, which can leave it feeling stiff and straw-like. Stick to protein-free, daily conditioners with humectants such as glycerin or honey. Use moderate heat with protein-free deep conditioning treatments to help open up the tightly bound cuticle.

Low porosity hair requires moisturizers rich in emollients such as shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil and mineral oil. It also benefits from humectant products, which attract and hold moisture to your hair. Choose lighter, liquid-based products such as hair milks that won't sit on your hair and leave it oily or greasy. Here are some characteristics of low porosity hair:

Cuticles are closed, so moisture does not enter easily / resistant to moisture. Products sit on your hair. Does not absorb hair colour or treatments easily. Water beads up on hair. Hair takes a long time to dry. Looks healthy but doesn't have much elasticity or volume.

Medium porosity hair: Hair with medium porosity often requires the least amount of maintenance. The cuticle layer is looser, allowing just the right amount of moisture to enter while preventing too much from escaping. Hair with normal porosity tends to hold styles well, and can be permed and coloured with predictable results. Over time, however, these processes can damage your hair and increase its porosity. Occasional deep conditioning treatments with protein conditioners can benefit medium porosity hair, but proteins should not be included in your daily regimen.

High porosity hair: High porosity can be either an inherent property of hair which is inherited through genetics or the result of damage from chemical processing, rough treatment or environmental damage. High porosity hair has gaps and holes in the cuticle, which let too much moisture into your hair and leave it prone to frizz and tangling in humid weather. Even simple acts such as bathing, swimming and shampooing can create more damage and breakage due to the sheer amount of moisture highly porous hair can absorb.

Be sure to use anti-humectants in climates with high heat and humidity. This will help seal your damaged cuticles and prevent them from absorbing excess moisture in the air.

Because highly porous hair can also lose moisture easily, it's important to use leave-in conditioners, moisturizers and sealers. Layering these products will help your hair hold on to the moisture you're giving it. You can even follow up with a heavy hair butter to help fill the gaps in your damaged cuticles and further protect your hair from losing too much moisture. Here are some characteristics of high porosity hair:

Absorbs too much moisture, but is unable to retain it. Looks and feels dull and dry Generally damaged and over processed with torn cuticles (but not always). Tangles easily because the cuticles get caught on each other. Hair dries quickly. Tends to be frizzy.

________________________________________________________________________________

If you want more advice on how to take care of your hair based on the porosity I suggest taking to the internet. Google tips about your porosity and try finding influencers who have similar porosity and curl type to you.