Hair porosity

HOW IMPORTANT IS DETERMINING YOUR HAIR POROSITY?

Determining your hair porosity is very important for proper hair care. Hair porosity refers to how well your hair can absorb and retain moisture, which affects how products work on your hair. By knowing your hair porosity, you can:

1. Choosing products that work: Knowing whether your hair has low, medium, or high porosity will help you select products that effectively hydrate and nourish.

2. Improve moisture retention: High porosity hair loses moisture faster, while low porosity hair has a hard time absorbing it. With the right care, you can respond to this.

3. Preventing damage: High porosity hair can be more vulnerable to damage from heat and chemical treatments. Knowing your porosity can help you protect your hair.

Tailoring your hair routine to what your hair needs is a crucial step.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS, BUT HOW DO I DO THAT?

There are several methods to determine the porosity of your hair. Here are some simple techniques:

1. The float test

• Supplies: A glass of water and a few clean strands of hair (without product).
• Method: Place a lock of hair in a glass of water and wait for 2-4 minutes.
  • Results:
    • Sinks quickly: Your hair has high porosity and absorbs water quickly.
    • Stays afloat: Your hair has low porosity and has difficulty absorbing moisture.
    • Floating in the middle: Your hair has average porosity , a healthy balance between moisture absorption and loss.

2. The slip test (or slipperiness test)

• Method: Take a section of hair and slide your fingers from the tip to the root.
  • Results:
    • Rough or bumpy: Your hair has high porosity , with open hair scales.
    • Smooth: Your hair has low porosity , where the hair cuticles lie close together.

3. The drying time test

• Method: Wash your hair and pay attention to how long it takes to dry.
  • Results:
    • Dries quickly: Your hair has high porosity , because it absorbs and loses water quickly.
    • Dries slowly: Your hair has low porosity , because it absorbs moisture more difficultly.
    • Average drying time: Your hair has average porosity .

4. Product absorption test

• Method: Pay attention to how your hair reacts to products such as conditioners, oils or leave-ins.
  • Results:
    • Quickly absorbs product and feels dry: High porosity .
    • Product remains on your hair and has difficulty penetrating: Low porosity .
    • Absorbs product well without drying quickly: Average porosity .

Each method provides insight into how porous your hair is, helping you choose the right hair care and products.