Low-porosity hair requires special care. The overlapping cuticles of the hair fibre mean that it’s not easy for water or moisture to penetrate deeply to cover all your hair. If you have seen water coming off a duck’s back, you have a clearer picture of what’s happening when you try to wash or condition low-porosity hair. Additionally, low-porosity hair is protein-rich. That’s usually a good thing, but in this case it makes the hair dry and brittle.
No surprise, therefore, that finding the right products for this type of hair is often a difficult task. How do you find a single product that can penetrate your strands right to the scalp, lather your hair with moisture while avoiding buildup?
You may need to use two different types of hair products to ensure your hair gets enough moisture. Firstly, use a humectant that helps your hair become soft and shiny by attracting moisture. It is like an adhesive for humidity, and it allows the water to penetrate the cuticle. Secondly, use an oil-based moisture source that is rich in lipids such as avocado oil or shea. These fatty-acid oils bind to the humectant and fill up the hair shaft with goodness.
Choosing The Right Shampoo
Choosing the right shampoo for washing low-porosity hair is vital. Pick a clarifying shampoo for its ability to break down the protein layers of the hair fibres. Once the protein structure breaks, moisture and humectants can penetrate deeper into the shaft, delivering nutrients where they are needed.
Soothing ingredients like chamomile and mint are also perfect for this type of hair, as they help purify the scalp while removing buildup.
The key to a good shampoo is to find one with the right ingredients which open up the cuticle and allow moisture to enter. Exfoliant shampoos perform this role very well. These products are typically labelled as detox shampoos or something similar. They not only open up the cuticle, but contain ingredients that gently exfoliate the scalp at the same time.
Best Conditioners For Low-Porosity Hair
Heavy conditioners do not work for low-porosity hair because they sit heavily on the hair strands and weigh them down. Instead, choose light lotions, dilute a rich conditioner or opt for water-based leave-in conditioners.
A leave-in mist or lotion containing shea butter is a perfect source of moisture for your hair throughout the day. The purpose of the conditioner is to prevent frizzy hair while hydrating low-porosity hair.
How To Treat Low-Porosity Hair
Another way to help your low-porosity hair retain more moisture is to mask as much as possible. A rich and nurturing treatment mask will work wonders for your hair if applied regularly and used in conjunction with the right products. That’s when the magic begins to happen for your hair!
Dampen your hair before applying the mask. Next, massage the ingredients into your hair to make sure it penetrates right to your scalp; you want to make sure that every part of your hair benefits from the treatment. If you have a steamer or a hooded dryer, you can add heat to your hair to open up the cuticles. Finally, rinse off the mask in cold water so that you can seal the cuticle, lock in the moisture and tame the frizz.
Things To Avoid If You Have Low-Porosity Hair
While most of this article contains tips on caring for your hair, it wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention some stuff that’s not good for you.
Avoid Silicones
For a start, avoid using hair products that contain silicones. Silicones create a film around your strands which repel water or moisture. Since your low-porosity hair already struggles to absorb enough moisture as it is, you don’t want to make it worse.
Do Not Use Heavy Oils
Light oils will penetrate your hair cuticle faster, while heavy oils will stay on your hair and weigh it down. Examples of heavy oils to avoid in caring for low-porosity hair include olive oil and castor oil.
Conclusion
Understanding the unique needs of your hair type will ensure you use the correct hair product in caring for it. If you have low-porosity hair, you must provide the proper kind of moisture. Choose a suitable nurturing hair mask and apply it regularly to keep your hair’s hydration levels high. Stop using those heavy oils that make it harder for moisture to reach deep within the hair shafts.
Vinci Hair Clinic trichologists are on hand to help if you need advice about your hair or have concerns about hair loss. We offer a free consultation to help you identify the treatment that suits your needs. Get in touch and book yours now!