The Best Products for High-Porosity and Low-Porosity Hair (and How to Tell If You Have It)

High-porosityhair

Diane Da Costa, hairstylist and owner ofSimplee Beautifulsalon, says that hydrating high-porosity hair starts with shampoo and conditioner. “The shampoo and conditioning regimen is the only way to solve the porosity challenge,” she says. Da Costa recommends ultranourishingMaria NilaRepair Shampoo and Conditioner, which contains reparative algae extract. She likes to pair the combination with a steam treatment, which helps the products to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft.

Ebony Clark-Bomani, a cosmetologist and educator, recommends moisturizing in layers because it slows down evaporation. After using a nourishingshampooand conditioner, she recommends using a lightweight leave-in likeMizani 25 Miracle Milk. This conditioner also protects against heat damage and cuts down frizz. While this works well for all hair types, its texture makes it particularly good for fine hair types, which require moisture but can’t handle heavy products.

Clark-Bomani also likesBriogeo Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioning Spraybecause it uses a blend of nourishing oils (rose hip, argan, and coconut) to lock in moisture and prevent frizz.

Celebrity hairstylist Christin Brown uses a combination ofOlaplexNo. 1 Bond Multiplier and No. 2 Bond Perfector to fill in gaps in the hair shaft. “This is a major ace in the pocket for high-porosity hair because it really helps to calm down the cuticle, providing the hair with some real repair instead of placing a Band-Aid on it,” she says. While Olaplex No. 1 and No. 2 are salon-only treatments, No. 3 offers similar (albeit less potent) benefits but can be used at home. Brown also recommends washing high-porosity hair in warm water (but not hot — it creates frizz). “I know it sounds easy, and yet everyone is still not doing it,” she says. She also recommends rinsing with cool water as your final shampooing step. “Cooling the hair down after you condition can really help high-porosity hair dry frizz free.”

All that moisture from conditioning is useless if it isn’t locked in. Products with an acidic pH cause the cuticle to contract and act as hydration sealants. Hairstylist and author ofNatural Hair: HairversationsPat G. Williams likes this after-conditioner rinse from Creme of Nature. The apple-cider vinegar in the formula makes it slightly acidic, plus argan oil helps lock in moisture.

High-porosity hair is already prone to breakage, so you should insulate it from damage during heat-styling. HairstylistLeigh Hardgesof the Maxine Salon always starts with this Oribe detangling primer that doubles as a heat protectant. It has a lotionlike consistency and cuticle-sealing technology that protects the hair from heat. Amino acids repair the strand and moisturize both the hair and scalp. Next, she layers on Kérastase Nutritive Blow-Dry Primer for Dry Hair. “It penetrates into the hair strand and gives the ‘slip’ I need to style easily,” she says.

If your hair is thick and coarse, heavy creams and butters will best hydrate your hair and minimize frizz. Gruny likes Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Curl Defining Butter for its avocado oil and honey (a humectant). Agave nectar provides curl-defining hold.

Clark-Bomani styles high-porosity hair with gel because it forms a barrier around each strand, locking in moisture and setting the style. The Mane Choice Alpha Crystal Orchid Biotin Infused Styling Gel contains biotin and vitamin D to prevent breakage.

Low-porosityhair

It’s essential that low-porosity hair be truly clean after shampooing because it’s prone to buildup. Wash with really warm water to open up the hair cuticle. And use a clarifying shampoo regularly. Brown likes this one from Kinky Curly. “It gives your hair a chance to let go of ingredients that build up, which prevent proper hydration,” she says. This shampoo deeply cleanses using phytic acid, which removes hard-water mineral buildup along with excess product and oils.

Da Costa recommends a double wash, starting with a clarifying shampoo (like the Kinky Curly) to open the cuticle, then following it up with a rich, moisturizing shampoo with humectants (think glycerin and hyaluronic acid), like this one from Be Care Love. Its shea butter and vitamin B5 pull hydration to the hair. “A super-hydrating, humectant shampoo like this one can handle low porosity,” she says.

Clark-Bomani likes lightweight conditioners like this one for low-porosity hair. It uses glycerin, a humectant, to attract moisture to the hair. Thick or heavy conditioners just sit on top of low-porosity strands. She cautions against products with protein, which can build up on the hair and make it brittle.

Avoid oils, too, says Clark-Bomani. They sit on top of the hair, seal the cuticle, and are difficult to rinse out, all of which are counterproductive to moisturizing low-porosity hair. Use gels instead. Her favorite from DevaCurl defines and holds curls without the crunch you might get with other gels.

If an oil is a must-have, Brown recommends this water-soluble version from Olaplex, which easily rinses out with warm water. This oil can be used on wet or dry hair and protects against heat damage up to 450 degrees. It also helps minimize flyaways and frizz but is incredibly lightweight.

Getting moisture to penetrate is key. Most of the hairstylists we spoke to recommended steaming before applying your conditioner, regardless of porosity. Brown likes the Q-Redew Hair Steamer, a handheld option that’s easy to use. “The steam, like hot water, opens up the hair cuticle and allows for more hydration, moisturization, and deep conditioning to take place,” says Brown. Steamers can also be used to refresh two- or three-day-old styles so you don’t have to completely wet the hair.