Hair Porosity 101

Curl pattern tells you what your hair looks like. Porosity tells you how it behaves. Our curl care is formulated for medium-to-high porosities. Find yours below.

Low Porosity

Cuticles lay flat against the hair shaft, repelling moisture and resisting absorption.

You probably have low porosity if:

Your hair takes forever to fully wet in the shower
Products sit on top instead of soaking in
Your hair feels weighed down or coated even after rinsing
You reach for clarifying shampoo often
Most curl products leave your hair stiff, flaky, or built up

Shop For Low Porosity

Medium Porosity

Cuticles open enough to deposit and retain ingredients, closed enough to hold what they take in.

You probably have medium porosity if:

Your hair absorbs water and products at a normal pace
Products generally do what they say
You haven't had to research curl care much
Your hair holds definition without much fuss
Color and treatments hold reasonably well

Shop For Medium Porosity

High Porosity

Cuticles are raised or damaged, absorbing moisture quickly but losing it just as fast.

You probably have high porosity if:

Your hair feels parched no matter how much conditioner you use
It frizzes easily with humidity
It air dries quickly
Color tends to fade fast
You've had bleach, color, heat damage, or chemical treatments

Shop For High Porosity

P.S. skip the glass of water test

It's all over the internet, but it's not a real diagnostic - individual hair buoyancy depends on residue and oils, not cuticle structure. The bullets above will tell you more than a glass of water can.

P.S. skip the glass of water test

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