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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
Brand: Odele

Remove buildup from products, pollutants, and hard water with this salon-grade clarifying wash

Gentle Clarifying Shampoo
Brand: Bounce Curl

A shampoo that clarifies without stripping your hair.

Water Works Clarifying Shampoo
Brand: Ouidad

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
Lightweight
Low Porosity
Brand: California Naturals

A gentle sulfate-free shampoo to nourish and hydrate your strands with a small touch of protein

Cleansing Shampoo
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Fix My Curls

A mild shampoo that rids your scalp of buildup without stripping it of any natural oils

Hydration Shampoo
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Rahua

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
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: The Ordinary

With only 7 ingredients and no oils, this conditioner is ideal for those with low porosity hair.

Cream Conditioner
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Curl Keeper
Tropical Coconut Conditioner
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Suave

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
Brand: Ecoslay

A rich, plant-powered treatment ideal for restoring and repairing curly, dry, or damaged hair

Deep Conditioning Treatment
Brand: Jessicurl

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

Deep Conditioner & Repair
Brand: Love Ur Curls

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
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Ecoslay

CurlsBot note: This is the main styling product I use on my own hair- Melissa

Jello Shot Curl Defining Gel
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Ecoslay
I Create Volume
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Innersense

custards

Thick styling products that provide moisture and definition. Useful for all porosity types.

Gelebration Spray
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Jessicurl

Technically not a custard, but serves the same purpose

Rockin' Ringlets Styling Potion
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Jessicurl

A unique liquid gel that moisturizes with natural film-forming humectants and helps enhance and define curls

Curling Custard
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Kinky Curly

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
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: The Doux

Light to medium-hold curl mousse that is great for creating curl definition

Bouncy Strength Volume Foam
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Curlsmith

A lightweight foam helps build volume and provides humidity protection

Curl Boosting Hair Mousse
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Herbal Essences

sprays

Optional finishing products that can help seal in moisture and lock in styles.

Spray Gel
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Curl Keeper

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
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Inashi

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
Brand: Bounce Curl

The Define EdgeLift Brush is a unique brush that helps define your curls/waves

Volume EdgeLift Brush
Brand: Bounce Curl

The Volume EdgeLift Brush is a unique tool that helps you create voluminous curls/waves

Volume Root Clips
Brand: Bounce Curl

These clips are specially designed to help you create volume at the roots of your hair

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Disclaimer: We're here to have fun and learn about haircare ingredients! 🧪 While our tool can provide some basic insights, it's not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with a hair care expert for personalized recommendations, especially if you have specific hair concerns or allergies. This web site is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, maintained, authorized, or sponsored by The Curly Girl Method by Lorraine Massey™️ or her Curly Girl Handbook. Some links on Curlsbot are Affiliate links. Shopping through these links supports the further development of Curlsbot.