Knowing Your Hair Is Loving Your Hair
One of the main things our hair needs is moisture, moisture, moisture. Whether you have natural hair or processed hair, knowing what type of hair you have is key in providing it with the proper treatment. This is where porosity comes into play. There are 2 main moisture resistant types of hair porosity: low porosity and high porosity. One quick way to determine your hair type is the buoyancy test – better known as the float test. Let’s dive into these hair porosity types, how to test the type, and how to properly care for your hair.
The hair cuticles in low porosity naturals are tightly closed. Since these cuticles are so tightly shut, both water and products have a difficult time entering into the hair shaft. Naturals that are low porosity commonly experience the following:
- Deep conditioner doesn’t absorb into the hair
- The hair takes a long time to dry after it’s washed
- Product buildup occurs very quickly
High porosity hair cuticles do not close. They constantly stay open. High porosity naturals commonly experience the following:
- Hair dries quickly after being washed
- The hair is commonly frizzy with little to no definition
- A style doesn’t last for more than a couple of days
One of the quickest ways to test your hair porosity is the buoyancy or float test. Take a few pieces of freshly washed and dried hair. Place in a glass of room temperature water. If the hair floats, you have low porosity hair. If the hair sinks, you have high porosity hair. It is important to know your hair porosity type so that you can have the best treatment for your hair.
Low porosity hair works best using the liquid, cream, oil (LCO) method. After washing your hair, use a liquid or leave in conditioner as your first step. Follow this with a lightweight, penetrating cream. Finally, seal in all of the nutrient rich moisture with an oil such as coconut oil.
High porosity hair works best using the liquid, oil, cream (LOC) method. After washing your hair, use a liquid or leave in conditioner as your first step. Follow this with a lightweight, penetrating oil. Finally, seal in all of the nutrient rich moisture with a heavier cream.
Once you determine which treatment works best for your hair, you will see a major difference in your hair’s health and moisture.
If you cannot find the best products to use, Formulaica can create a custom haircare regimen specifically for your unique needs.
