Published 12th December 2021

What Is My Hair Porosity?

Porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is determined by how easily moisture and oils can move in and out of your hair cells.

Genetics and external factors, such as the use of heat and chemicals on the hair, can affect porosity.

Knowing your hair’s porosity is key to choosing the right treatments and oils to keep your hair soft, strong, and hydrated.

how to determine your hair porosity

Figuring out your hair porosity is easy.

All you need to do is take a strand of your hair and place it in a glass of water. Then closely observe how your hair responds to the water.

- High porosity hair will quickly sink to the bottom of the glass because it absorbs the water quickly.

- Medium porosity hair will sink more slowly to the bottom of the glass.

- Low porosity hair will take a while to sink because it absorbs the water much more slowly.

high porosity hair

High porosity hair is prone to becoming dry, frizzy, and tangled. It dries quickly in the air and readily absorbs hair products.

Looking after high porosity hair will involve reducing cuticle damage and moisturising the hair. Typically, you'll need heavier products, such as shea butter, however heavier products aren't great for wavy hair as they weigh your waves down.

Therefore, opt for lighter conditioning products to ensure your hair stays nourished. You should also deep condition once a week to really feed your hair with the nutrients it needs to stay moisturised. This will reduce the chances of dryness or breakages.

Image of a woman that was covered with a wavy hair on her face

low porosity hair

Low porosity hair has a cuticle layer that overlaps and lays flat. Usually, this type of hair is shiny, especially when it’s a darker colour. It is resistant to penetration by chemicals and doesn’t readily absorb water.

If you have low porosity hair, you might find that your hair feels stiff after deep conditioning. This is because low porosity hair is prone to build up after the use of protein-rich hair treatments.

To care for low porosity hair, find conditioners that contain glycerin to hydrate the hair strands and encourage the cuticles to open up. Focus on using moisturising products that contain natural oils, such as jojoba. The Merwave Repair conditioner contains this.

medium porosity hair

Hair with medium porosity requires less maintenance. It naturally absorbs the right amount of moisture and oils, and will hold styles well. The dream hair porosity for minimum maintenance.

Damage can affect your hair’s porosity. So you will still need to be careful not to use too many heated styling tools or chemicals on your hair to avoid damaging the strands.

If your hair is medium porosity you can simply follow the Merwave process to awaken your waves.