Shop Now Summer FavoritesWelcome the sunniest season with stylist-approved haircare
Hair Porosity: Tests and Tips for Healthy Strands
Updated on June 29, 2026 | 3 min read
Jaclyn LaBadia, Davines Writer
Hair porosity refers to your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. Understanding your hair porosity can help you choose the right products and care techniques for your specific hair type, whether your strands are straight, wavy, curly, or coily.
Knowing how to measure your hair porosity and care for each level is key to unlocking your best hair yet. Keep reading for all you need to know about the hair porosity test.
Key Takeaways
Everything You Need to Know Hair Porosity
- Understanding what hair porosity is and whether your hair is low, medium, or high porosity helps you choose the right products and techniques.
- Simple at-home tests, like the Float, Spray Bottle, and Slip ‘n Slide, can determine your hair's porosity.
- Each porosity level requires a different approach to maintenance for balanced, moisturized, healthy hair.
In This Article
What Is Hair Porosity?
What Do Low, Medium, and High Porosity Hair Types Look Like?
Identifying Hair Porosity
Low Porosity Hair Care Tips
Medium Porosity Hair Care Tips
High Porosity Hair Care Tips
Final Thoughts on Hair Porosity
What Is Hair Porosity?
Hair porosity is a measure of how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. It is influenced by the hair structure, specifically the cuticle layer—the outermost layer of the hair shaft—which determines how easily moisture enters and exits the hair. Hair is typically categorized as low porosity, medium porosity, or high porosity.
Knowing which category your hair falls into directly influences the way you should care for your hair. Using products or techniques that don’t align with your specific porosity level can lead to issues like dryness, breakage, and frizz.
What Do Low, Medium, and High Porosity Hair Types Look Like?
Low porosity hair has a tightly packed cuticle layer, like shingles on a roof, making it difficult for it to absorb and retain hydration. Medium porosity hair has a balanced cuticle layer that is slightly raised and requires the least maintenance. High porosity hair absorbs moisture quickly because its cuticles are more open, but it also loses moisture just as fast. Hair that has high porosity typically signals damaged strands that need a little more attention.
Identifying Hair Porosity
Creating the haircare routine that will work best for your strands starts with knowing your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. So, what are the signs of high porosity? While curlier hair tends to be more porous, because of how difficult it is for scalp oils to make their way through the coils from root to tip, that doesn’t mean that all highly textured hair has the same porosity. For example, 3C hair and 3B hair can have very different porosities. To test your hair’s porosity, try these simple methods at home.
The Float Test
Place a strand of clean hair in a glass of water. Low porosity hair will float. Medium porosity hair will float, and then sink slowly. High porosity hair will sink immediately.
The Spray Test
Mist a section of your hair with a spray bottle to dampen it. If the water beads absorb easily, your hair has high porosity. If the droplets sit on your hair and slowly absorb over a few minutes, your hair has low to medium porosity.
The Slip 'n Slide Test
Run a thumb and finger up a single strand of your hair from tip to root. If you feel little bumps along the way, your cuticle is lifted, and your hair has high porosity. If your fingers slip smoothly up the strand, then your hair has low porosity.
Low Porosity Hair Care Tips
What are common signs of low porosity hair? If your hair is resistant to moisture absorption and often feels dry or layered with product buildup, your hair might have low porosity. But with the right hair care routine, you can heal your strands for healthy, hydrated hair.
Choosing the Right Products
Opt for lightweight, water-based products that won't weigh down your hair or leave behind residue. Look for leave-in conditioners, hair milk, or light oils that penetrate the hair shaft without causing buildup.
Moisturizing Techniques
Low porosity hair benefits from techniques that help open the hair cuticles, allowing moisture to penetrate. Try the greenhouse method: Apply a water-based product and cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap to trap heat and encourage product absorption.
Heat and Hair Porosity
Approach heat styling cautiously, as it can cause damage to the hair cuticles, making it even more challenging for moisture to penetrate. Always prime your hair with a heat protectant anytime you plan to style your strands with hot tools.
Deep Conditioning
Regular deep conditioning treatments are essential for low porosity hair. Using a hooded dryer or steamer takes it one step further, helping the conditioner penetrate your strands even deeper.
Avoid Product Build-Up
Low porosity hair is susceptible to product buildup, leading to dull, lifeless strands, so it’s especially important to occasionally wash your hair using a gentle clarifying shampoo.
Seal in Moisture
To help lock in hydration, seal in moisture with a lightweight oil or serum after towel drying your hair or applying a water-based product.
Protective Styling
Adding protective styles into your routine, like braids, twists, and buns, can help retain moisture and protect your hair by minimizing manipulation and friction.
Medium Porosity Hair Care Tips
Hair with medium porosity is the easiest type to manage. Medium porosity hair has slightly raised cuticles, allowing for better moisture absorption and moisture retention. Following a routine tailored to its unique needs is still crucial, though.
Moisturizing Techniques
To keep medium porosity hair well-hydrated, use moisturizing techniques like the LOC (Liquid-Oil-Cream) or LCO (Liquid-Cream-Oil) method.
Recommended Products
Opt for hair care products specifically formulated for medium porosity hair. Look for conditioners and styling products that strike a balance of humectants, emollients, and proteins to nourish and strengthen your strands.
Regular Deep Conditioning
Deep conditioners, like hair masks with balanced formulations, can provide extra hydration, improve elasticity, and enhance your hair's overall health.
Heat Styling Precautions
While medium porosity hair is more forgiving to heat styling than other types, it's still essential to use heat protectant and take precautions to avoid excessive hair damage.
Protect from Environmental Damage
To shield medium porosity hair from environmental factors that cause dryness and damage, wear a hat or use a scarf when exposed to sun, wind, or cold weather.
High Porosity Hair Care Tips
If your at-home testing indicates your strands have high porosity, they likely experience dryness, frizz, and breakage. Combatting these effects takes intensive care, as high porosity hair’s widely spaced cuticles make it prone to absorbing and losing moisture quickly.
Sealants and Protein Treatments
Help lock in hydration and prevent excessive moisture loss by sealing your hair with an oil or hair butter after washing. Look for moisturizing products with lightweight oils, like argan oil or jojoba oil, that won't weigh down your hair. Pairing these with occasional protein-rich products can help strengthen damaged strands, reduce breakage, and support overall hair health.
Avoiding Heat Damage
High porosity hair is already susceptible to damage, so limiting heat styling is a must. Minimize the use of heat-styling tools like flat irons and curling wands, but if you must use heat for styling, always prep your strands with a heat protectant first.
Protective Styling
Protective hairstyles like braids, twists, or updos can help reduce moisture loss and breakage. These styles shield your strands from external elements, helping retain moisture and strengthen hair health.
Regular Deep Conditioning
Frequent deep conditioning treatments are essential for high porosity hair. Use a deep conditioner containing rich emollients and humectants to provide intense moisture.
Avoiding Harsh Ingredients
Steer clear of hair products that contain harsh chemicals or sulfates, as these further strip your hair’s moisture. Opt for gentle, sulfate-free shampoos and products with natural ingredients to nourish and hydrate high porosity strands.
Leave-In Conditioners and Moisturizers
Incorporate leave-in conditioners and moisturizing products into your hair care routine to provide an extra layer of moisture and keep your hair hydrated throughout the day.
Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
An occasional apple cider vinegar rinse can help balance the pH of your hair and close the cuticles, reducing porosity. Mix one part apple cider vinegar with three parts water, pour it over your hair after shampooing, and rinse thoroughly.
Final Thoughts on Hair Porosity
Understanding your hair's porosity is the key to unlocking your happiest, healthiest strands. Whether you have straight, wavy, or curly hair, understanding porosity levels will help tailor your hair care routine to your specific strands.
Ready to end frizz and breakage for good? Take the hair porosity test first, then build a routine of expert-formulated Davines products around your results.
Ready for a New Look?
Visit your local Davines salon for customized color, cuts, and care.
You Might Also Like...
by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor
OCEAN KEEPER Be the voice of water Water is one of our planet’s most precious resources, but it is increasingly...
by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor
Meet Essential Haircare Shampoo Refill Pouches Take the next step on your sustainability hair care journey and join our ‘refillution’...
by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor
Rescue mission: how to bring brittle hair back to life You’re trying so hard to brush gently but no matter...
1 Comment
1 Response
Dodie
November 29, 2023
I greatly appreciate the knowledgeable information and techniques you’ve provided. I would like more in-depth information about your products and how they help hair. Having more educated and informed customers is the best way to buy your products. Thank you
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.