What is Hair Porosity? How Do You Determine Your Type and How Do You Care for It?

No matter how many products you use for your hair, are you still not getting the results you want? The problem might not be the products, but rather not knowing your hair's porosity type. The key to proper care is understanding how well your hair absorbs water and moisture.

What is Hair Porosity?

Hair porosity refers to how well the outer layer of the hair strand, the cuticle, absorbs moisture and products. The cuticle can be open, closed, or moderately open. This indicates whether your hair has low, medium, or high porosity.

How to Determine Your Hair Porosity?

The Water Test (Easiest Method)

1. Take a clean strand of hair (it should be free of cream, spray, etc.)
2. Place it in a glass of water
3. Wait 3-5 minutes

• If the strand floats → Low porosity
• If the strand hovers in the middle → Medium porosity
• If the strand sinks to the bottom → High porosity

The Slide Test

Slide a hair strand between your thumb and forefinger from root to tip:

• If it feels smooth → Low porosity (cuticle is closed)
• If it feels slightly rough → Medium porosity
• If it feels very rough or brittle → High porosity (cuticle is open)

Hair Care Guide by Porosity Type

🔒 Low Porosity Hair

Characteristics: The cuticle is tightly closed. Hair products are difficult to absorb, hair stays wet for a long time, and products build up. For more information on why low porosity hair tends to get greasy quickly and look dull, you can check out our Why Does Hair Get Greasy Quickly? Guide.

Care recommendations:

• After washing, opt for lightweight, water-based products
• Apply products to wet hair (when the cuticle is open)
• Use hair oils with heat before washing — you can choose 360° Multi-Use Oil for this (after applying the oil, you can apply warm blow dry for 3-5 minutes to hair wrapped in a towel)
• Leave-in oils can weigh hair down; prefer pre-wash application
• Avoid protein-containing products. Since the cuticle is tightly closed, protein molecules cannot penetrate the hair; they accumulate on the hair surface, weighing it down and making it dull. When buying shampoo, conditioner, or mask, if the label says keratin, hydrolyzed protein, collagen, or amino acid, that product may not be suitable for low porosity hair.

✨ Medium Porosity Hair

Characteristics: This is the most ideal porosity type. Moisture is easily absorbed and retained. Most products work well.

Care recommendations:

• Regular moisturizing is sufficient
• Once a week, perform a deep conditioning treatment with 360° Multi-Use Oil; leave it on for at least 1-2 hours before washing or overnight
• Do not apply hot tools like curling irons or straighteners to wet hair; use them after your hair is dry

💧 High Porosity Hair

Characteristics: The cuticle is open or damaged. Moisture is absorbed quickly but also lost quickly. Hair appears dry, dull, and brittle. Chemical treatments, heat, and sun damage can cause this type.

Care recommendations:

• Use intensely moisturizing and repairing products
• Once a week, perform a deep conditioning treatment with 360° Multi-Use Oil; leave it on for at least 1-2 hours before washing or overnight
• Use cold water as the final rinse; this helps close the cuticle and retain moisture in the hair
• Do not comb wet hair; wet hair is more fragile, so gently comb dry hair from the ends towards the roots using a wide-tooth comb. To facilitate combing, you can apply a few drops of 360° Multi-Use Oil to the ends — it both detangles and nourishes the hair.
• Do not apply hot tools like curling irons or straighteners to wet hair; use them after your hair is dry
• Do regular protein treatments. Since the cuticle is open, products containing keratin, hydrolyzed protein, or collagen easily penetrate the hair; they repair damaged areas and reduce breakage.

For high porosity hair, botanical oils are your best friend. Due to their open cuticle structure, these hairs are more affected by surfactants (foaming and cleansing agents) in shampoos. Oils applied before washing create a protective barrier between these substances and the hair strand, preventing excessive drying of the hair. Malen's Natural Skincare 360° Multi-Use Oil, with its 17 different plant extracts and Vitamin E content, not only provides this protective barrier but also repairs the cuticle. You can apply a deep conditioning treatment by leaving it on for at least 1-2 hours or overnight before washing.

Conclusion

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for hair care. Learning your porosity type is the fastest way to understand which products will work for you. Try the water test today and discover what your hair truly needs!