Taking care of your curls is sometimes time-consuming enough. However, learning about your hair’s porosity is another lesson. When your hair is still dry as the desert even after your tried-and-true three-step L.O.C. method, it’s time to address your high porosity hair.
How to Moisturize High Porosity Hair
Dealing with high-porosity hair means first testing your hair’s porosity. High porosity hair usually entails your hair getting wet easily, but not retaining moisture easily. It may feel dry, brittle and even a little damaged. In a microscopic sense, high porosity hair features cuticle layers that are open and lifted, which allow water and moisture to easily slide through, but not necessarily stay. With the right products, you can effectively manage your high porosity hair.
- Best Hair Mask: Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Hair Mask with Hyaluronic Acid
- Best Conditioner: Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Conditioner for Dry + Damaged Hair
- Best Co-Wash: As I Am Jamaican Black Castor Oil Cowash
- Best Hair Gel: Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel
- Best Leave-In: Camille Rose Honey Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner
- Best Hair Oil: Pattern By Tracee Ellis Ross Jojoba Hair & Scalp Oil Blend
- Best Shampoo: Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo
- Best Pre-Poo: Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Hair Salve
Best Hair Mask
The Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Hair Mask provides lots of moisture for dry, brittle hair. According to the brand, this mask will leave your strands 5 times more hydrated after just one use. Plus, it contains hyaluronic acid, which is a humectant that helps draw moisture to your hair. This is the deep conditioner perfect for your hair care regimen.
Best Conditioner
The key to moisturized hair is your conditioner. Sometimes, when high porosity hair is wet, it’s prone to more breakage. Re-infuse your hair with moisture when wet with Briogeo’s Don’t Despair, Repair! Super Moisture Conditioner. Packed with hydrating oils, like micro-encapsulated argan oil, this conditioner contains fatty acids and antioxidants to repair damaged strands.
Best Co-Wash
If shampooing is doing your hair more harm than good, then it may be time to invest in a co-wash. Those with high porosity hair should try the As I Am Jamaican Black Castor Oil Cowash. It cleanses, conditions, moisturizes and detangles your hair. It’s also infused with Jamaican black castor oil, a certified staple in the natural hair community for sealing moisture into your strands.
Best Hair Gel
Aloe vera is a great ingredient for hydrating high porosity hair, because it’s over 90 percent water. The Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel is aloe-focused to give your dry curls hydration, shine and a lightweight hold. In addition, it’s glycerin-free, so it won’t cause your hair to frizz-up in humid environments.
Best Leave-In
Usually, you’d want a leave-in product with water as the main ingredient. But with high porosity hair, your hair isn’t skimping on water, it’s missing moisture. Camille Rose’s Honey Hydrate Leave-In Conditioner is like the golden nectar of haircare. It’s thick enough to coat your dry strands when wet, with ingredients including honey, castor oil and aloe leaf juice.
Best Hair Oil
According to the internet, a trick for keeping your high porosity hair moisturized is by lightly coating it in oil before applying your shampoo. It helps your hair retain moisture from the stripping effects of certain shampoos. Pattern By Tracee Ellis Ross offers the Jojoba Hair & Scalp Oil Blend, which can even be used on your scalp to relieve itchiness and flaking.
Best Shampoo
Most high porosity hair has a slight touch of hair damage. To repair your strands while also keeping your hair clean, reach for the Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Deep Clean Clarifying Shampoo. This shampoo effectively removes product build up, pollution, all while repairing your hair’s broken bonds.
Best Pre-Poo
If pre-pooing is your thing, then invest in one that caters to high porosity hair. The Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Hair Salve is your hair’s new pick-me-up. With chia portenins and sweet almond oil, this salve targets split ends and damaged hair.
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