How to Moisturize Low Porosity Hair

Is your naturally curly hair feeling dry or lifeless? Does it struggle to retain moisture? If so, you’re probably dealing with low porosity hair. The porosity of your hair determines how well it absorbs moisture, and low porosity hair often needs a bit of help to retain hydration. That’s why in this article we’ll tell you all about low porosity hair, including how to know you have it and tips for moisturizing it. Keep reading to achieve the moisturized hair of your dreams!

This article is based on an interview with our licensed cosmetologist, certified hair loss practitioner, and cosmetology educator, Courtney Foster. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Low porosity hair doesn’t absorb water or hydrating products very well, because the cuticle layers are flat.
If your hair takes a long time to dry, gets weighed down easily, or feels dry, you probably have low porosity hair.
To moisturize low porosity hair, use clarifying shampoo once a week and do a steam treatment before a shower.
Always use moisturizing products, and use a lightweight oil for extra hydration.

Section 1 of 4:

What is low porosity hair?

Low porosity hair means the hair shaft doesn’t absorb adequate water or moisture. Your hair’s porosity refers to how it absorbs and retains water and moisturizing products. In low porosity hair, the cuticle layers lay flat, meaning that water and moisture has a harder time penetrating the hair shaft.^{[1]XResearch source}
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Section 2 of 4:

Signs of Low Porosity Hair

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Your hair takes a long time to get wet and to dry. In the shower, notice how long it takes for your hair to feel fully saturated underneath the water. If it’s more than a couple of minutes, you probably have low porosity hair. Similarly, try timing how long it takes your hair to air dry. Low porosity hair can take hours (or even a full day) to dry completely.^{[2]XResearch source}
- With low porosity hair, even drying your hair with a hair dryer might take a long time (think up to an hour or more).
2
Products tend to build up and weigh down your hair. Do products like gels, conditioners, and oils weigh down your hair? It’s probably because low porosity hair has trouble absorbing the products. Instead, they’re sitting on top of your hair shafts and weighing them down, causing your hair to look a bit less voluminous than you’d like it to.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If you have a lot of product buildup, you might also notice that while the mids and ends of your hair are dry, your scalp feels greasy.
3
Your hair is dry or rough to the touch. Low porosity hair is often dry because of its trouble with absorbing moisture. When you touch your hair, does it feel dry, rough, or coarse? This could mean that you have low porosity hair.
- People with low porosity hair also often have split ends, mainly because their hair is so dry. Your hair might also look dull or lack shine.
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Section 3 of 4:

How to Test Hair Porosity

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Float test Fill a cup with room temperature water, then place a single strand of hair on top of the water. If the hair floats, it’s most likely low porosity, since it’s unable to absorb the water and sink to the bottom.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If the hair sinks, it’s probably medium or high porosity.
2
Spray test Make sure your hair is clean and dry, then spritz it with water from a spray bottle. If the water beads up on your hair and doesn’t absorb into it, then you most likely have low porosity hair.^{[5]XResearch source}
- On the flip side, if your hair is immediately saturated and damp, you probably have medium or high porosity hair.
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Section 4 of 4:

Tips for Moisturizing Low Porosity Hair

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Wash with clarifying shampoo once a week. Low porosity hair gets weighed down easily, and clarifying shampoo will remove any heavy products. Once a week, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove any oils, gels, or moisturizers that might be weighing down your follicles.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Clarifying shampoo can be drying, so stick to using it once a week instead of every time you wash your hair.
2
Try a steam treatment with deep conditioner. Doing a steam treatment will open up your hair follicles and make it more likely that your hair will absorb moisture. Wash your hair and pat it dry so it isn’t dripping wet. Apply a deep conditioner and massage it into your hair. Use a handheld steamer to steam your hair for 30 to 40 minutes before rinsing out the conditioner.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you don’t have a steamer, simply put a plastic show cap or bag over your hair and take a hot shower. The steam from the shower will open up your cuticles and help your hair absorb the moisture.
3
Use moisturizing shampoos and hair masks. The more moisture you can add to your hair care routine, the better. Look for moisturizing products, like shampoos, conditioners, and hair masks, and use them every time you wash your hair.
- Look for ingredients like glycerin, seed butters, aloe vera, honey, and oils for intense hydration.
- When you rinse your hair, use cool water to close your cuticles and lock in moisture.
4
Use lightweight, water-based styling products. If you use gel, curl cream, or hairspray, look for lightweight formulas that won’t weigh down your hair. In the case of low porosity hair, the fewer products you use, the better.^{[8]XResearch source}
5
Add lightweight oils to your hair for extra hydration. Oils like grapeseed oil, shea butter, and Argan oil will penetrate your hair shaft without weighing down your hair. If your hair feels dry, add a bit of lightweight oil to the mids and ends of your hair for extra hydration.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Stay away from thick, heavy oils, like coconut oil, which tend to weigh hair down.
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