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 not getting the results you want? The problem might be not knowing your hair's porosity type. The key to proper care lies in understanding how well your hair absorbs water and moisture.

What is Hair Porosity?

Hair porosity refers to how well the hair strand's outer layer, 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 not have any cream, spray, or other products on it).
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 strand of hair between your thumb and index finger 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)

Care Guide According to 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 the tendency of low porosity hair to get greasy quickly and look dull, you can check out our Hair Gets Greasy Quickly? Guide.

Care recommendations:

• Opt for light, water-based products after washing.
• Apply products to wet hair (when the cuticle is open).
• Use hair care oils with heat before washing — for this, apply 360° Multi-Use Oil to slightly damp hair, then wrap it in a towel and apply warm blow-dry for 3-5 minutes. This helps the hair absorb the product better.
• Leave-in oils can weigh down low porosity hair; prefer pre-wash application.
• Avoid protein-rich 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. If a shampoo, conditioner, or mask label contains keratin, hydrolyzed protein, collagen, or amino acid, that product might 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, deep condition with 360° Multi-Use Oil; leave it on for at least 1-2 hours before washing or overnight.
• Do not use curling irons, straighteners, etc., on wet hair; use them after the hair dries.

💧 High Porosity Hair

Characteristics: The cuticle is open or damaged. Moisture is absorbed quickly but lost just as 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, deep condition 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 step; this helps close the cuticle, trapping moisture in the hair.
• Do not comb wet hair; wet hair is more fragile, so use a wide-toothed comb to gently comb dry hair starting from the ends towards the roots. To make combing easier, apply a few drops of 360° Multi-Use Oil to the ends while the hair is damp — it will detangle and nourish the hair.
• Do not use curling irons, straighteners, etc., on wet hair; use them after the hair dries.
• Perform protein treatments regularly. 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 hair types are more negatively 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, provides this protective barrier and helps repair the cuticle. You can apply it for at least 1-2 hours before washing or overnight for a deep conditioning treatment.

Conclusion

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