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The Role of Porosity in Black Hair
If you’re a luxury hair care fangirl, there’s probably a term you’ve come across on more than one occasion: porosity.
So, what the heck is porosity, anyway? To put it simply, it refers to your hair’s ability to absorb, retain, or repel moisture, especially deep within the hair cuticle’s layers and cortex. In lay terms, it’s what makes your hair stay moist, strong, and manageable (low porosity) or dry, delicate, and swelled to the max (high porosity). Low porosity hair tends to have tightly bound cuticles that retain moisture and keep the frizzies at bay, whereas the cuticles in high porosity hair are spaced widely apart, letting all kinds of moisture escape, leaving you with dry, fuzzy, and depending on your treatments, damaged hair. The lucky few in the middle (medium porosity) don’t even have to keep reading this blog. Grrr.
Once you identify how porous your hair is, you can make the best decisions on how you treat it to keep it optimally healthy. This is especially important for Black hair, as its natural structure and lack of moisture tends to lean towards high porosity status for many. Add to the mix the fact that Black women have long been proponents of all kinds of heat and chemical treatments which make dryness even worse, you have a recipe for trouble with a capital T. While your hair might look fantastic when you’ve finished styling it, once you walk outside, it’s all over. Traditional Wash Day steps, such as pre-poos, oils, and leave-in moisturizers, are important for Black hair care, as they help keep moisture close to the hair strands, making hair softer and styling more manageable. Even more important, moist hair is healthier, and natural, chemical-free, and heat-free hair is even better!
There are several ways to determine just how porous your hair is, but the gold standard still seems to be what’s called the Float/Sink Test:
If your hair strand floats to the top of the glass, you have low porosity hair. If it meanders to the middle, you’re one of the lucky medium porosity gals. And you guessed it – if your hair strand sinks to the bottom of the glass, you fall into the high porosity category, which means moisture is elusive, or worse, anxious to escape at all costs.
So if you’re confused about where your hair lands on the porosity spectrum, try the Float/Sink Test. This way, you can be certain which products can and should be included in your hair care regimen to keep it soft, shiny, and healthy. And while we’re on the subject, let’s not forget that’s where Hairwell’s amazing products come in so handily. For example, My Mane Cape will be your new best friend once you’ve used it during Wash Day treatments, and our overnight protectors, including the Luxe Turban and Bedtime Beauty Bonnet, will definitely help you achieve and preserve the moisture you worked so hard to attain. Plus, they’re pretty, luxurious, and fun to use. Talk about a Win-Win! Pick one up today and let us know what you think.
