Coconut Oil Dried Out My Thick, Curly Hair

Table Of Content

• Best Hair Mask
• Best Shampoo For Low-Porosity Hair
• First of All, What Is Hair Porosity?
• The Product Absorption Test
• Bomba Curls Dominican Forbidden Hair Mask

When trying to soak the hair in the shower, it seems like water bounces right off of it. Any hair type can be low porosity, but coily hair is the most common. The best products for low-porosity hair are deeply hydrating and won't weigh down strands. This is another great product from Bounce Curl that adds so much hydration and softness to the hair.

Best Hair Mask

14 Best Low Porosity Hair Products of 2024 (Tested & Reviewed) - Cosmopolitan

14 Best Low Porosity Hair Products of 2024 (Tested & Reviewed).

Posted: Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

If you have low porosity hair, you know how frustrating it can be to try to retain moisture. Your hair may feel dry and brittle, and no matter what products you use or test, it always seems to fall flat. There are plenty of great products out there that can help you get the moisture your hair needs. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing products for low porosity hair.

Best Shampoo For Low-Porosity Hair

DevaCurl’s styler is free of silicones, so it won’t weigh hair down, and the humectant glycerin draws moisture into hair without leaving a heavy feel. The result is a light hold and no crunchy feel—instead, waves and curls retain movement and bounce. It’s important to use products that support your hair’s porosity and moisture retention levels.

First of All, What Is Hair Porosity?

My hair feels soft and hydrated, but not greasy like it does after I use a lot of conditioners. One thing to note, which Francis points out, is that having low porosity hair isn't a bad thing. "Everyone wants small 'poreless' skin, but when it comes to hair, there is confusion." Ultimately, for healthy hair, you want moisture to get in and stay in. Now that you have the why and how-tos in place, check out some expert-approved products that will hydrate low-porosity curls, and ultimately make wash day a whole lot easier. Hill explains that extremely low porosity hair requires a little alkalinity for best results.

These don't absorb quickly, so they'll likely just leave a residue on your low-porosity hair. Trichologist Bridgette Hill also recommends avoiding protein overload on any hair type, of course, but especially for low-porosity hair that's prone to looking flat and stringy, according to a previous Cosmo article. Breaking down protein may not seem like a good idea for hair, but Hill explains that this process allows humectants and moisture to penetrate the hair fiber deeper, giving the hair more elasticity, softness, and shine. She also notes that your hair won't feel great to touch after shampoo, but says that it will after you properly condition it. This conditioner from Ouidad is perfect for low porosity hair, especially since it’s free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and non-water soluble silicones. This means it won’t form any nasty buildup on your hair, and will foster a smoother, more hydrated look as well as better defined curls.

The formula also comprises burdock root along with nettle leaf which help in nourishing the scalp and adding shine. This product initially has a light-cream consistency, but it thickens over time. The formula offers lasting nourishment, promotes healthy hair growth while reducing hair shedding.

"Such hair often feels smooth and can seem resistant to styling products," says Park. Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with five years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from shampoos for oily hair to hair-straightening products. Once you've found what products work best for you, Dominique Burton, curl expert and founder of La Fleur Hair Studio, says you should adopt the LCO (liquid, cream, oil) method.

The Product Absorption Test

With the right products and techniques, low-porosity hair can be healthy and beautiful. Transitioning from these carrier oils, I would also like to mention the potent benefits of essential oils. When diluted correctly, certain essential oils can be highly effective for low porosity hair, enhancing the beneficial properties of the carrier oils and adding their unique touches. A major downside of the film formed by flaxseed oil is that it can make hair look and feel weighed down. This weighted-down appearance is most noticeable in those with fine, thin, or limp hair.

And if it stays in the middle of the glass, you likely have medium to normal porosity. Restore your hair’s manageability with this conditioner, made for nourishing and repairing damaged strands. For starters, hair texture exists on a spectrum from 2a to 4c, and once you I.D. Your own, you then have to assess your hair's density (i.e., the number of strands on your scalp) and your hair porosity. Folks with low porosity hair will need an entirely different product lineup than those with high porosity hair—which brings me to this handy little buying guide below.

On the other hand, low porosity can also be the result of intense product buildup that's acting as a kind of temporary shield between the hair and outside elements—even beneficial ones. "Caring for low-porosity hair involves utilizing heat, such as warm water and heat-based treatments, to enhance product absorption," Park says. Warmth has the ability to open hair's cuticles, allowing for nourishing products to penetrate deep into strands. If you plan on using hot styling tools on your low porosity hair, Park recommends the Kérastase Nutritive Heat Protecting Leave-In Spray ($46) "because it offers both heat protection, while it also deeply moisturizes." A good scalp scrub is key for buffing away product buildup—a common issue for those with low-porosity hair—as long as you're using one without heavy oils.

Besides carrier oils and essential oils, another excellent way to maximize the benefits of an oil is by using it to make it a hot oil treatment. This method amplifies the oil’s hydrating properties, ensuring deeper penetration into the hair shaft. Grapeseed oil benefits low porosity hair because of its high smoking point of 240°F (215°C). The high smoking point allows the oil to withstand higher temperatures without breaking down into harmful compounds. High temperatures when heat styling is often employed by those with low porosity hair to open up the hair cuticles for better product penetration. Because porosity indicates your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, it significantly influences how various oils can benefit or harm your hair.

7 Best Oils for Low Porosity Hair CG-Approved + Ones to Avoid!

Table Of Content

• Best hair serum: adwoa beauty Blue Tansy Treatment Serum
• Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
• Best Shampoo for Low Porosity Hair
• Tips For A High Porosity Routine
• Using leave-in conditioners too often
• Avocado + Kiwi Mega Moisture Superfood Hair Mask
• Kim Kimble Premier Hair & Scalp Detox

Do your strands get super dry right after washing and styling your hair? This might be a sign that you have low porosity hair, which means that any styling products you apply to it has a harder time penetrating the surface of your strands, so it all tends to just sit on top. Beyond weighing your hair down, this can lead to more dryness, breakage and tangles. And while all hair types can exhibit some level of low porosity, it’s usually more common within the curly community. Whether you’re searching for a shampoo, conditioner or leave-in styler, we found 15 products for low porosity hair that will finally bring moisture back to your strands. Essentially porosity refers to how your hair reacts to—and holds onto—moisture.

Best hair serum: adwoa beauty Blue Tansy Treatment Serum

Ahead, we've put together a crash course on all things low-porosity hair, including the best products to care for it. First, take this quiz from CurlsBot (it asks Qs like how often your hair takes to dry and how oils sit on your hair strands). FWIW, low-porosity hair usually doesn't have a ton of natural volume, looks limp easily, takes a very-long time to dry, and also takes a long time to get fully saturated with water when in the shower.

Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo

"Ingredients in these shampoos open the cuticle to allow for moisture to enter and break down the protein structures," says Hill. Francis further explains that the best ingredients for low porosity hair should be smaller, molecule-based, and more polar. "Alkaline ingredients will open the cuticle to make absorption easier; acidic closes the cuticle," says Francis. This particular conditioner is popular among reviewers, too, who laud the product for how moisturizing and detangling it is. If you’re dealing with low porosity hair, you will want to stay away from heavy oils and heavy butters.

Best Shampoo for Low Porosity Hair

"The heat can be applied by using a plastic cap over the hair under a pre-heated hooded dryer, or a steamer without a cap," she advises. "The heat allows the cuticle to expand and allows the conditioner to penetrate the hair strands." Then, she recommends washing the conditioner out with lukewarm water. This cap, which is lined with terry cloth, is perfect for comfortably sitting under a steamer or hooded dryer. She also notes that the products in the line are “lightweight and prevent frizz”—an absolute lifesaver during humid summers.

16 Best Deep Conditioners for Dry Hair (Tested & Reviewed 2024) - Cosmopolitan

16 Best Deep Conditioners for Dry Hair (Tested & Reviewed .

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Tips For A High Porosity Routine

"It's also best to use detoxing products so that your hair can absorb more water." Since low-porosity hair has a hard time absorbing moisture, it can sometimes suffer from breakage and flyaways. This leave-in styling treatment transforms dry, brittle hair with patented ingredient bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate—which repairs hair bonds and increases its strength. It also contains powerful moisturizing ingredients such as coconut oil, fermented argan oil and vitamin E to moisturize and nourish deep into the hair shaft.

Using leave-in conditioners too often

It can also make fine or thin hair look greasy due to its high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. To maximize the deep moisturizing benefits of olive oil for low porosity hair, use it as a pre-shampoo treatment. Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the Argan tree (Argania spinosa), which is native to the southwest region of Morocco, between Agadir and Essaouira. Historically, the Berber people of Morocco have used argan oil for centuries for its dietary and therapeutic benefits for skin and hair. It is one of the few oils used for culinary purposes (edible, nutty-tasting) and cosmetic/skin applications. Different from your hair type, porosity just means how much moisture your hair can retain.

15 Best Curly Hair Gels in 2024, Tested and Reviewed - Cosmopolitan

15 Best Curly Hair Gels in 2024, Tested and Reviewed.

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Since products aren't able to penetrate low-porosity hair well, using super-thick formulations can lead to product buildup that weighs down the strands. Instead, Spellmanrecommends reaching for conditioner and multitasking products with penetrative qualities, like this hair mask by Matrix. "The product provides the hair with penetrative moisture that also protects from future breakage," she explains. Low-porosity hair, or hair that is the least porous compared to normal and high porosity hair types, has strong bonds that are tightly closed and lay flat. "Low-porosity hair doesn't absorb or retain moisture well at all. When your cuticle is tightly packed together it creates no space between the cuticles, which makes it difficult to retain all that your hair requires," says Spellman.

Keeping your hair moisturized is a challenge, especially if you don’t know your hair porosity. Basically, it's your hair’s ability to take in and retain moisture (i.e water). Your hair cuticle, which is the external layer of the hair’s surface, often determines your hair porosity. "If you have low porosity hair, it usually means the cuticle is tightly closed," says Warren.

Camille Rose Honey Dew Moisture Refresher

Check out the infographic below to learn more about low porosity tresses and the ingredients that you must look for in labels before choosing a product. Understanding hair porosity is crucial for devising an effective hair care regimen. Some top recommended oils for low porosity hair include Argan oil, Jojoba oil, Sweet almond oil, Grapeseed oil, Amla oil, and Baobab oil. Thanks to its rich concentration of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, topical application of mustard oil helps replenish nutrient-starved hair follicles, promoting lush growth. These heart-healthy fats also possess powerful anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties ideal for treating scalp conditions like dandruff, which plague low porosity heads.

Following natural hair bloggers, I had heard about hair porosity but I didn’t realize how much it could affect the overall outcome of wash day and curl definition. “Hair porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and hang on to hydration and moisture,” says Devin Graciano, hair stylist and head of product development at Goldie Locks. When shopping for the best low porosity hair products, opt for lightweight formulas that contain emollients that are easily penetrable such as honey, glycerin, aloe vera, flaxseed gel and panthenol (vitamin B5). Doing so will prevent buildup and residue from weighing down your strands and instead, promote even hydration from your roots down to your ends. Products that contain amino acids and other forms of hair-healthy proteins will help encourage water retention while also performing essential damage and breakage repair. To select the best products for low porosity hair, we first took into account each product’s active ingredients—we sought out lightweight, water-based formulas that effectively deliver moisture, shine and volume.

The presence of residues in your hair will not let even the fast-absorbing products do their job. If you notice residue buildup on your scalp, use a clarifying shampoo once a month to deep clean your hair and scalp. Another plus point for using fractionated coconut oil on low porosity hair is its high heat tolerance of 400°F (204°C). This high smoke point makes the oil work as a layer of protection when heat styling. Baobab oil is also one of the rare natural oils that have omega 3, omega 6, omega 9 fatty acids, linoleic acid, vitamins A, C, D, E, and F, with endless benefits to low porosity hair that’s exceptionally dry or maybe brittle.

To ensure proper nourishment, it also delivers a healthy dose of hydration courtesy of coconut oil, which also helps to heal damage in the hair shaft and protect it from breakage. As a dynamic husband and wife duo behind Curl Centric, our passion for curly hair has fueled a transformative journey. From intricate hair care routines to the simplicity and delight of embracing natural curls, Curl Centric is a beacon for the curly hair community, offering resources for hair growth, care, styling, and support. This is another one of my all-time favorite deep-conditioning treatments.

Alicia Bailey is a licensed master cosmetologist and the CEO and Global Hair Education Director at Iman Yvonne Beauty with over 30 years of experience. She is also an author, life coach, and public speaker, and has owned salons such as Flawless Sessions Hair Salon in Georgia and Flawless Unisex Hair Salon in Hampton, Virginia. She has also worked as an educator for McBride Research Laboratories since 1999, and has worked with a number of women's magazines to promulgate education about black haircare. Usually, if you have low porosity hair, it’s due to genetic factors.

But if you want to find the best products for your healthiest mane, you do need to dabble in some self-education. Consider these products above the créme de la créme for low porosity locks. Low porosity hair can honestly feel like a double-edged sword to deal with, but there’s good news—we know just who to ask about maximizing its potential. For the ins and outs of caring for low porosity hair, we turned to top dermatologist Joyce Park, MD, as well as curl specialists Marissa Rullan of Studio 210 and Leigh Hardges from Maxine Salon. Below, learn everything from how to find out your hair's porosity to what to look for on product labels.

With that in mind, consider these the serums worth trying to achieve your unique hair goals. Keratin treatments can be beneficial for low-porosity hair, as they can help repair and strengthen the hair. However, it is essential to choose a formulation specifically designed for low-porosity hair and consult with a professional. Low porosity hair is not inherently unhealthy but requires special care due to its unique structure.

Designed to deliver deep moisture to dry curls, coils and waves, Aunt Jackie’s Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-in Conditioner instantly quenches parched strands while simultaneously giving your hair more bounce, shine and smoothness. It’s also formulated with bamboo water and pro-vitamin B5, which give your strands an extra defense against breakage and damage while supporting softer, smoother tresses. Upgrade your hair care routine with these top-rated cleansing, hydrating, repairing and styling products from Bomba Curls, Carol's Daughter and more. Because the hair cuticle does its job so well, you need to take some extra steps. People use hot oil treatments to get the ingredients deeper into the hair.