Slightly porous hair

So what is the porosity of the hair?
Hair porosity is the hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is influenced by the flexibility of the outer layer of hair, the so-called cuticle. This determines how easily moisture and oils get in and out of your hair.

Do you know your hair porosity type? Your hair can be either normal, low or high porosity. Always remember that within each scale, you can be on the low, middle, or high end. For example, you can have a low porosity type that's more on the normal side of things, or extremely low on the scale..

Now that we know the basics of porosity, let's dive into low porosity hair and the best oils for this hair type.

If your hair has low porosity, it means the cuticle is tightly closed and moisture cannot be absorbed as easily. Low porosity hair takes longer to "saturate" with water and natural oils. If inappropriate oils are used, build-up will result as the oils sit on the hair but do not penetrate. So, low porosity requires products that attract moisture and stay in the hair.

Here are the best oils for low porosity hair.

The best oils for low porosity hair are light oils that won't weigh down your hair and are easily absorbed. The best are:

argan oil

Baobab Oil

sweet almond oil

apricot oil

avocado oil

sunflower oil

(Also pay attention to the quality of the oils! Because, for example, the cheap sunflower oil from the supermarket usually has few nutrients, which you can also tell from the neutral taste)

If you have low porosity hair, you should avoid heavier oils like olive oil and castor oil. These oils are not easily absorbed, so they just sit on your hair.

Some people tend to mix different oils and use techniques like "hot oil treatments" to increase the absorption rate of the heavier oils. If you like experimenting, you can try different blends and see which combination absorbs easily into your hair.

Oils aren't the only things to consider when you have low porosity hair.

Below are a few tips that I have found helpful with my low porosity 4C natural hair.

Use products rich in emollient ingredients to soften the cuticle and moisturize the hair. In the warmer months, moisturizing products are beneficial as they draw moisture from the air into your hair.

In general, you should use products that contain little protein. Proteins tend to deposit on low porosity hair, making the hair even more porous.

Heat is a good way to open up the cuticle so moisture can get in.

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