If your hair never seems to hold a deep conditioner or takes forever to dry, the culprit is likely your hair's porosity. Knowing whether you have low vs high porosity hair is the fastest way to stop guessing and start building a routine that actually works. Once you've confirmed which side of low vs high porosity hair you fall on, the right routine follows naturally.
What is Hair Porosity?
Hair porosity is the measure of how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture, based on how tightly the outer cuticle layer is packed. Hair falls into low, medium, or high porosity and the category isn't fixed. This is because friction, heat styling and chemical treatments can shift it over time.
Porosity definition shows the level at which your hair can absorb and retain moisture. Heat opens the cuticle, which is why a low-heat blow-dryer or warm towel before a deep conditioner helps low porosity hair absorb product. Keep tools on a low setting and limit heat styling elsewhere, since repeated high-heat exposure is what alters porosity and causes long-term damage.
Our stylists recommend a low-heat blow-dry before applying a mask on low porosity hair: opening the cuticle this way lets the mask absorb in a single session instead of sitting on the surface for repeated applications.
According to the Journal of Cosmetic Science, exposure to extreme heat and chemical processing like bleaching can impact your hair's porosity. Our formulation team factors in climate and water hardness when developing porosity-focused formulas for the 75+ countries where the brand is used, since both are known environmental contributors to cuticle condition.
What is Low Porosity Hair?
Hair with low porosity have tightly bound cuticles. This means that moisture cannot penetrate into and cannot escape easily out of your hair. Other characteristics of this type of hair is that they may take longer time to dry since water does not get in easily.
What is High Porosity Hair?
Unlike low porous hair, the cuticles of hair with high porosity are widely spaced. This allows moisture to move in and out easily. Unfortunately, this is not too good because if they do not receive lots of quality care and attention, they can break out, get frizzy and look unhealthy.
How to Do a Hair Porosity Test
Two simple at-home tests, the float test and the bump test, can confirm your hair porosity in under five minutes. Run both for the most reliable read, since porosity can shift across a single head of hair.
The Float Test
For this, you need to follow a few steps:
- Take one or two strands of hair. You could get this easily from your brush or comb. Ensure the strand(s) is from clean hair. Hair with product build-up could alter results.
- Drop them in a glass or bowl of clear water. Use room-temperature water, since hot water can make even low porosity strands sink and skew your result. Repeat the test on 3-4 different strands, since porosity can vary across a single head of hair.
- Set the time to a few minutes, say 2-3 minutes. If your hair floats, you have low porous hair and if it sinks in, your hair is highly porous. Hair with medium/normal porosity will float but in the middle of the water.
The Bump Test
You could confirm the first test with this method to be super sure. To do this, lift a strand of hair and slide your fingers up your hair from tip to scalp. If you notice small bumps as you go up, you have high porosity. If it is rather smooth to touch, you have low porosity. Basically, the bumpier the cuticle, the higher the porosity.
Run both tests back to back for the most reliable read: the float test shows how your hair behaves in water, while the bump test confirms it by feel.
Low vs. High Porosity Hair: Quick Comparison
The biggest difference between low and high porous hair is how easily your hair absorbs and holds moisture. Low porous hair resists water and products, while high porous hair absorbs moisture quickly but also loses it faster. Understanding these differences makes it much easier to choose the right hair care routine.
| Features | Low Porosity | High Porosity |
|---|---|---|
| Cuticle Structure | Tightly packed and lie flat | Raised or have gaps |
| Moisture Absorption | Absorbs moisture slowly. | Absorbs moisture very quickly. |
| Moisture Retention | Holds moisture well once absorbed. | Loses moisture quickly and dries out faster. |
| Product Absorption | Products tend to sit on the surface before absorbing. | Products absorb easily but may need frequent reapplication. |
| Drying Time | Takes longer to become fully wet and longer to dry. | Gets wet quickly and usually dries faster. |
| Common Concerns | Product buildup, difficulty moisturizing, slow drying. | Dryness, frizz, tangles, and breakage. |
| Best Product Types | Lightweight, water-based products are best for this hair so that they won't weigh hair down. | Rich creams, deep conditioners, and nourishing oils are best for this hair. |
| Heat During Conditioning | Gentle heat helps open the cuticle for better moisture absorption. | Heat is optional; focus on sealing in moisture after conditioning. |
| Overall Hair Goal | Help moisture penetrate the hair. | Help moisture stay locked inside the hair. |
Porosity also affects how your hair reacts to protein. Low porosity hair can feel stiff or straw-like if you use protein treatments too often, since the tightly packed cuticle already limits how much moisture escapes. High porosity hair usually tolerates protein better and often needs it more, since the open cuticle lets protein bond into the gaps and temporarily smooth the surface.
This is why GK Hair's Juvexin-based treatments are matched to porosity: high porosity hair typically responds well to a full Juvexin protein treatment, while low porosity hair does better with lighter, moisture-first formulas and only occasional protein use.
How to Care for Low, Medium and High Porous Hair
Here are the best methods to tend to your strand porosity:
For Low Porosity Hair
Low porosity hair is simply healthy hair that is not well maintained. Don't let yourself believe your hair is bad because it has low porosity. Rather, embrace it and take to these steps:
- Wash with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of product build-up. Go for GK Hair's Moisturizing Shampoo that cleanses as well as hydrates. Try this moisturizing shampoo — best for low porosity hair that needs a clarifying cleanse without stripping moisture — to clear product build-up before your next treatment.
- Avoid using several products on hair at a time to avoid weighing it down.
- Use cream-based lightweight formula conditioners and gel. Our Deep Conditioner is best for this hair type.
Pro-tip: Apply our Argan Oil Serum to clean, dry, or damp hair before shampooing. Work the serum into your ends up to mid-hair length. This serum delivers intense moisture and nutrients to each strand, opening up the cuticle for easy absorption of moisture.
For Medium Porosity Hair
As many people may think, this hair type isn't more healthy than the rest. It can get really messy, frizzy and dry if not properly maintained. If you are lucky to have medium or normal hair, maintain it with the right products or else they can move from medium porosity to low or high porosity. Be sure to include a deep conditioner in your routine.
Medium porosity hair holds a healthy balance: it absorbs moisture at a reasonable pace and retains most of what it takes in. That balance is easy to lose. Over-washing, heat styling, or skipping conditioner can push it toward high porosity, while heavy, rich products can weigh it down toward low porosity behavior. Stick to a light-to-medium conditioner every wash, use heat protectant before styling, and space out clarifying washes to keep the cuticle in its current state.
For High Porosity Hair
A frequent occurrence with those with curls and waves is less bounce and that hair snaps easily. What you need to look out for is retaining water that gets in. You could go all out to keep your hair hydrated, how about retaining the moisture with Leave-In Conditioner Cream.
GK Hair stylists see the best results on damaged high porosity hair with a weekly deep conditioning treatment followed by the Leave-In Conditioner Cream to smooth the raised cuticle and reduce further breakage, while trimming split ends stops damage from traveling up the strand.
Stylist's Corner
One of the easiest ways to improve any hair care routine is to apply products in layers rather than all at once. Start with the lightest product, such as a leave-in conditioner, and follow with styling products as needed. This helps each product do its job without overwhelming the hair, giving you better results regardless of your strand porosity.
FAQs About Hair Porosity
What is hair porosity test?
A hair porosity test is a simple at-home method used to determine your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. Most people use an at-home method for the determination of their strand porosity. This involves the use of either a spray bottle, a glass of water or just your fingers.
What does low porous hair mean?
Low porous hair means that your hair cannot hold water. Its cuticles are tightly packed and lay flat, making it difficult for moisture and hair products to penetrate the hair shaft. This situation helps the hair retain moisture once it successfully enters, but it can lead to slow drying times or even persistent product buildup.
Which is better low porosity or high porous hair?
Neither is better. Low and high porosity hair simply need different routines. Low porosity hair often looks shinier since its flat cuticle reflects light evenly, while high porosity hair absorbs moisture fastest but loses it just as quickly. Porosity isn't a measure of hair strength; both types can be healthy or fragile depending on care.
Conclusion
Experts say hair can change from low or medium porosity to high porosity if they get more dye chemicals and heat treatment regularly. Now that you know the difference between low vs high porosity hair, minimize the frequency of product use and elongate washing intervals. You'd certainly enjoy taking care of your hair regardless of its porosity with our Moisture and Hydration collection which has been used in 75+ countries.
Leave a Comment