Normal Porosity Hair Guide and Best Products
Normal porosity hair has a healthy cuticle layer that allows for balanced moisture absorption and retention. This type of hair is generally easier to maintain and style.
Want to master your normal porosity hair?
Characteristics
- Requires minimal time to get wet and dry
- Holds styles well
- Takes color treatments well
- Maintains healthy shine
- Products absorb well without buildup
Care Tips
- Maintain balance with regular conditioning
- Use a variety of products as hair can handle most types
- Regular trims to maintain health
- Protect hair during heat styling
- Deep condition occasionally for maintenance
Build Your Routine
Product links are affiliate links that help support the site
1. Cleanse
Choose your cleanser based on your needs
For normal porosity hair, we recommend: Use shampoo, clarify monthly. Can use cowash occasionally.
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
Water Works Clarifying Shampoo
Brand: Ouidad
A strong, 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.
No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Olaplex
Uses Olaplex’s bonding technology to gently cleanse, strengthen, and add shine while repairing damage
Hydration Shampoo
Brand: Rahua
Replenishes dry, thirsty hair with a medium cleanse and a touch of protein for added bounce
Water Works Clarifying Shampoo
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Ouidad
A strong, sulfate-based cleanser designed to deep-clean the scalp and hair, removing product buildup, oils, and residues.
2. Condition
Choose your conditioner based on your needs
For normal porosity hair, we recommend: Use conditioner every wash and deep conditioner every 1-2 months
conditioners
Products that add protection, softness, and shine, as well as helping to detangle hair. Almost everyone needs conditioner!
Cream Daily Conditioner
High Porosity
Brand: All About Curls
This conditoner leaves your strands silky-soft and easy to detangle and style
Illumin8 Conditioner
High Porosity
Brand: Malibu C
An oil-fusion treatment that infuses lightweight, non-greasy emollients to boost shine
Rehabilit8 Smoothing Protein Conditioner
Brand: Malibu C
Restores amino acids and proteins to strengthen damaged hair, improve elasticity, and prevent breakage
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.
Healing Moisture Moi Moi Hair Masque
Brand: L'Anza
A rich, hydrating masque to restore extremely dry, brittle hair.
Hydration Mask
Brand: Rahua
Amazonian oils and protein-bonding sugars that deliver deep hydration for revitalized, shiny, and smooth hair
Omega 9 Hair Mask
Brand: Rahua
Moisture and low protein penetrate deeply to strengthen, soften, and hydrate hair from root to tip
3. Protect
Choose a product that helps protect your hair
For normal porosity hair, we recommend: Use a leave in or cream as needed
leave ins
Light conditioners that stay in your hair to provide ongoing protection and softness. Most important for high-porosity hair. May weigh down low-porosity hair.
Leave-in Detangler
High Porosity
Brand: All About Curls
Softens curls, controls frizz on no-cleanse days, and makes detangling and styling easy for all curl types
Curl Wow Flo-etry Vital Natural Serum
High Porosity
Brand: Color Wow
A lightweight curl primer that delivers deep conditioning without buildup to leave hair feeling product-free
No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
Brand: Olaplex
Shields hair from pollution and protects against heat damage while adding satin shine and reducing static and tangles
creams
Rich moisturizers that help define and shape curls, and provide a barrier to protect against damage. Essential for high-porosity hair. May weigh down low-porosity hair.
Curl Passion Curl Perfectionist
Humidity Resistant
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Milk_Shake
Tames frizz, enhances natural texture, provides light hold, and contains protein for added strength
Lemon Buttercream Styling Cream
Brand: Ecoslay
A botanical-rich, moisturizing, and detangling cream designed to condition, soften, and support hair and scalp health
Curly Hair Cream
Brand: MopTop
A multi-functional protective hair styling cream that helps protect and define curls
4. Enhance
Choose a product that helps enhance your curls
For normal porosity hair, we recommend: Choose either a gel or custard
gels
Styling products that provide hold and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
No. 10 Bond Shaper Gel
Lightweight
High Porosity
Low Porosity
Brand: Olaplex
A humidity-resistant gel with flexible hold that fights frizz, hydrates, and strengthens curl bonds
Aloe Vera Hair Gel
Brand: Rahua
A soft hold, protein free hair gel that shapes strands; infusing hair with nutrients to promote optimal health
All About Curls High Definition Gel
Brand: Zotos
A color-safe styling gel that delivers strong hold, locks in moisture, and enhances shine for firmly defined, frizz-free curls
custards
Thick styling products that provide hold and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
Gelebration Spray
Brand: Jessicurl
Technically not a custard, but serves the same purpose
Curl Enhancing Custard
Brand: MopTop
A lightweight custard that provides hold, enhances volume, and conditions with seaweed and honey
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 normal porosity hair, we recommend: Use a foam, oil, or spray
oils
Optional finishing products that can help provide more protection and shine. Best for high porosity hair.
Neem Plant Silk Serum
Brand: L'Anza
A styling serum formulated to add softness and silkiness to dry, rough hair and protect from heat damage.
No. 7 Bonding Oil
Brand: Olaplex
Lightweight oil that adds shine, reduces breakage, controls frizz for 72 hours, and protects against heat up to 450°F
A Walk in The Sun Luxury Hair Oil
Brand: Voir
A lightweight, hair oil that conditions without the grease, unlocks beachy waves, and uplifts your shine.
foams
Light styling products that add volume and definition without weight. A great option for low-porosity hair.
Butter Whip Styling Foam
Humidity Resistant
High Porosity
Brand: L’ANZA
A lightweight mousse that defines curls and waves with flexible hold and adds brilliant shine
sprays
Optional finishing products that can help provide more protection and shine. Best for high porosity hair.
Spray Gel
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
Brand: Inashi
A lightweight, oil-free mist that moisturizes and refreshes curls without weighing them down
Hair Spray
Brand: Bounce Curl
A lightweight spray that helps set your style in place and resist humidity