8 Low Porosity Haircare Tips You Should Know

It probably goes without saying, but haircare is not one-size-fits-all. If you have low porosity hair, products designed to hydrate your drier strands—like rich oils or heavy conditioners—may make your strands feel limp or weighed down. This may prompt you to use lighter-weight options, but those may not provide enough nourishment to fully moisturize your hair. If you don’t understand hair porosity, it can feel like a catch-22.

Fortunately, it’s not as confusing as it may sound. The key to mastering low porosity hair care is simply knowing what low porosity hair products to use and how. It’s also important to know what not to use on low porosity hair. We’ll explain it all and share our top low porosity hair tips ahead. Keep scrolling for your all-in-one guide to caring for low-porosity hair.

What Is Low Porosity Hair?

It may not look like it from afar, but your hair is structured similarly to a sponge—each strand of hair has tiny little pores that allow moisture to enter (and escape). Porosity refers to how well your hair is able to absorb and retain that moisture.

If you need a visual, it can be helpful to think of your hair cuticles as akin to shingles on a roof. When the cuticles (or “shingles”) are lifted, the hair is more porous, and your strands will more readily absorb moisture. When the cuticles are laid tightly together, however—as in the case with low porosity hair—it becomes difficult for moisture to get in or out.

Anyone can have low porosity hair, but it’s especially common for those with thicker, straight strands. Certain haircare habits can alter your hair’s porosity (bleaching your strands, for instance, may make your hair more porous), but on the whole, porosity is determined primarily by genetics.

How To Know if You Have Low Porosity Hair

A clear indicator of low porosity hair is when you notice that it’s difficult to moisturize your strands. No matter how much you try to hydrate your hair with water or other haircare products, it will take a while for your hair to get fully hydrated. Low porosity hair can also take a long time to air dry or be more prone to product buildup than other hair types.

If you want to really understand your hair porosity, there are a few easy tests you can try. The most well-known is the float test. Simply take a clean strand of your hair (snag one from your hairbrush if you don’t want to pluck a strand from your scalp) and drop it into a glass of water. Low porosity hair will sink on top of the water before (eventually) sinking down to the bottom of the glass. More porous hair, meanwhile, will sink immediately.

You can also spritz your clean, dry strands with water and see what happens. If the water beads up on the surface of your hair, rather than absorbing into the strands, that’s a good indication your hair is low porosity.

What Are The Best Products for Low Porosity Hair?

When looking for low porosity hair products, it’s important to prioritize formulas that can provide hydration without weighing down your strands. It’s also a good idea to know what not to use on low porosity hair. In general, you’ll want to steer clear of rich creams, pomades, and oils—these heavier formulas can leave your hair feeling weighed down.

Shampoo for low porosity hair should typically be geared toward removing buildup and product residue without stripping your strands of moisture. Having a clarifying shampoo on hand in case of buildup is a good idea, too. Pair your shampoo with a lightweight low porosity conditioner—formulas designated as being suitable for oily strands will probably be your best bet. The L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Weightless Blow Dry Primer for 48HR Frizz Control is one of our favorite styling products for low porosity hair, as it protects against heat, tames frizz, and nourishes the hair without any weigh-down.

How To Care for Low Porosity Hair

While it can be hard to get moisture into your low porosity hair, it’s not impossible—you just need the right approach. Consider these low porosity hair tips below to get started.

Skip the hot water

We know how relaxing a long, blazing hot shower can be at the end of a long day, but all that heat can dry your strands—which is the last thing low porosity hair needs. Switch to lukewarm water and aim to keep your showers on the shorter side to help protect your strands from unnecessary moisture loss.

Try a hair steamer

While soaking your hair in hot water can be drying, steaming your hair may have the opposite effect. Incorporating a hair steamer into your routine can help open the hair cuticle, allowing your moisturizing low porosity hair products to better penetrate your strands. With that said, be careful not to steam your hair too often as excessive heat can damage your tresses. Pay attention to how your hair responds and modify your usage accordingly.

Use a moisturizing hair care system

One of our best tips for low porosity hair is to prioritize moisture above all else. If you’re in need of a great moisturizing shampoo and conditioner to add to your in-shower lineup, we suggest trying the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Moisture Shampoo for Hydrating Dry Hair and L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Moisture Conditioner for Hydrating Dry Hair. The nourishing duo provides deep hydration and promotes softness and shine for healthy-looking hair. It also helps protect against color fade—a serious bonus for those who dye their hair. Two to three times per week, add in L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Flash Hydration Wonder Water, Sulfate-Free between shampooing and conditioning. This unique treatment hydrates dry, dehydrated hair in just eight seconds and helps it retain moisture for long-lasting hydration.

Try the LCO method

If there is one natural hair technique that was made with low porosity hair in mind, it’s the LCO method. The LCO involves applying your products in order of weight to help them absorb better—typically, liquid products first, then creams, then oils. Check out our guide to get a step-by-step low porosity haircare routine that uses this method.

Deep condition regularly

One of the easiest ways to help your low porosity hair get moisture fast is to use a deep conditioner. This beauty staple is one of the best low porosity hair products because it goes the extra mile to provide your hair with more thorough conditioning that leaves you with long-lasting moisture. Try the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Simply Clean Elastic Fiber Masque. The cream-to-fiber formula envelops hair in intense nourishment while helping to boost softness and shine. How often you’ll want to deep condition your low porosity hair depends on your strands—we suggest starting with once weekly and adjusting your schedule as needed.

Use hair serums

Hair serums can help smooth the hair and boost hydration, making them a great addition to your low porosity haircare routine. That said, it’s important to choose the right formula, as some hair serums can be a bit heavy on your less-absorbent strands. We’re fans of the L’Oréal Elvive Hyaluron + Plump Moisture Plump Serum, Paraben Free, which contains hyaluronic acid and helps lock in moisture for up to 72 hours without any weigh-down. Spritz a generous amount of the lightweight formula onto damp or dry hair for bouncier, shinier-looking strands.

Cover your hair at night

Wrapping up your hair at night isn’t just for keeping your style fresh—it can also help protect against moisture loss. Sleeping on cotton sheets and pillowcases can draw out moisture from your hair, resulting in dryness. Silk and satin, by contrast, are less absorbent, and thus less likely to absorb moisture from your strands. To help seal in hydration consider popping on a silk or satin bonnet before you hit the hay. If you’re one of those people who always finds their bonnet on the floor by morning, consider switching to a silk or satin pillowcase as an extra protective measure.

Try a pre-shampoo treatment

While getting moisture into low porosity hair is no easy feat, using a pre-shampoo treatment can help make the process a bit simpler. Not only do pre-shampoo treatments provide your hair with extra protection on wash days, but they also help reduce the signs of damage, too. That’s why we love the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment. The repairing treatment features a 14% Bonding Care Complex with Citric Acid and penetrates deep into the hair cortex to help rebuild weak hair bonds. Use it before lathering up with the color-safe L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo with Citric Acid and replenishing moisture with the coordinating L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid.

Use a clarifying treatment

After a few days of regular styling, even low porosity hair products can start to build up on your scalp, resulting in greasy-looking roots. Start fresh by adding L’Oréal Paris Elvive Hyaluron + Pure Oil-Erasing Serum for Oily Hair to your routine once a week or as needed. The lightweight formula with hyaluronic acid and salicylic acid helps remove scalp residue and minimize excess oil to help purify the scalp.

What To Avoid for Low Porosity Hair

As we mentioned earlier, anything too rich, viscous, or heavy runs the risk of weighing down your low porosity hair. Typically, that includes products like heavy hair oils, thick serums, and rich leave-in conditioners. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of anything too drying, as your low porosity hair needs all the moisture it can get.

Aside from that, caring for low porosity hair is much the same as caring for other hair types. To keep it looking its best, you’ll want to maintain a consistent haircare routine, avoid frequent exposure to stressors like heat and chemical treatments, and get regular trims to help keep split ends to a minimum.

Next Up: How To Moisturize Dry Hair for Shiny, Healthy-Looking Strands