Low Porosity Hair Guide and Best Products
Low porosity hair has a tightly bound cuticle layer, making it difficult for moisture to penetrate the hair shaft. This type of hair is often resistant to treatments and can be prone to product buildup.
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Characteristics
- Takes a long time to get wet and dry
- Products tend to sit on top of hair rather than absorb
- Resistant to chemical processes
- Prone to product buildup
- Often appears shiny when healthy
Care Tips
- Use heat or steam to help products penetrate
- Focus on lightweight, easily absorbed products
- Regular clarifying treatments to remove buildup
- Apply products to damp hair to improve absorption
- May better tolerate sulfates than other porosity types and even benefit from them
Build Your Routine
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1. Cleanse
Choose your cleanser based on your needs
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use clarifying or regular shampoo to prevent buildup, avoid cowash. Clarify every 1-2 weeks.
clarifying shampoos
Heavier shampoos meant to remove long-term buildup from oils, products, and hard water. Meant to be used occasionally, as they are much stronger than regular shampoos.
Clarifying Shampoo
Remove buildup from products, pollutants, and hard water with this salon-grade clarifying wash
Water Works Clarifying Shampoo
Astrong, sulfate-based cleanser designed to deep-clean the scalp and hair, removing product buildup, oils, and residues.
shampoos
Cleansers that remove buildup and oil from your hair. Essential for low-porosity hair and should be used on other porosity types at least occasionally.
Super Moisture Shampoo
A gentle sulfate-free shampoo to nourish and hydrate your strands with a small touch of protein
Cleansing Shampoo
A mild shampoo that rids your scalp of buildup without stripping it of any natural oils
Hydration Shampoo
Replenishes dry, thirsty hair with a medium cleanse and a touch of protein for added bounce
2. Condition
Choose your conditioner based on your needs
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use conditioner every wash and deep conditioner every 1-2 months
conditioners
Products that add moisture and help detangle hair. Almost everyone needs conditioner!
Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner
With only 7 ingredients and no oils, this conditioner is ideal for those with low porosity hair.
deep conditioners
Intensive treatments that restore moisture and repair damage. Essential at least weekly for high porosity hair and good for all porosity types occasionally.
Banana Cream Deep Conditioner
A rich, plant-powered treatment ideal for restoring and repairing curly, dry, or damaged hair
Deep Conditioning Treatment
A deeply moisturizing conditioner ideal for daily use on coarse hair or as a treatment for medium textures, delivering intense hydration with a rich, herbal blend and no buildup
4. Enhance
Choose a product that helps enhance your curls
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Choose either a gel or custard
gels
Styling products that provide hold and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
Orange Marmalade Flaxseed and Aloe Curl Definer
CurlsBot note: This is the main styling product I use on my own hair- Melissa
custards
Thick styling products that provide moisture and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
Gelebration Spray
Technically not a custard, but serves the same purpose
Rockin' Ringlets Styling Potion
A unique liquid gel that moisturizes with natural film-forming humectants and helps enhance and define curls
5. Seal
Choose a product that helps seal in moisture, some gels from the previous step do this so if you already used a gel meant to seal, skip this step
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use a foam or spray
foams
Light styling products that add volume and definition without weight. A great option for low-porosity hair.
Mousse Def Texture Foam
Light to medium-hold curl mousse that is great for creating curl definition
Bouncy Strength Volume Foam
A lightweight foam helps build volume and provides humidity protection
sprays
Optional finishing products that can help seal in moisture and lock in styles.
Spray Gel
Spray gel that delivers the hold of a gel with added definition, volume, and shine—made with gentle, natural ingredients
Pamper My Curls All-in-One Moisture Mist
A lightweight, oil-free mist that moisturizes and refreshes curls without weighing them down
6. Accessories
Choose your accessories
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Optional accessories
accessories
Useful items for anyone with curly or wavy hair.
Define EdgeLift Brush
The Define EdgeLift Brush is a unique brush that helps define your curls/waves
Volume EdgeLift Brush
The Volume EdgeLift Brush is a unique tool that helps you create voluminous curls/waves
Volume Root Clips
These clips are specially designed to help you create volume at the roots of your hair