The information I'm going to share will be based on porosity. Feel free to scroll to the part that pertains to you but the information is good to know either way. If you are unsure what your porosity is here is a quick how to on testing for porosity:
STEP 1: Get a bowl. Fill with room temp water.
STEP 2: Place clean, dry shed hair into bowl. (I suggest hair from the shower or sink that has shed during your wash routine NOT pull hairs from you head)
STEP 3: Watch how hair reacts to the water. (Watching over time will increase accuracy) Does it float? Low porosity! Does it sink? High porosity! Hang out in the middle? Normal porosity!
Moisturizing Your Low Porosity Hair
If your hair floated welcome to the low po team! Your hair absorb little to no moisture, yay! (Sarcasm) The key to moisturizing low po hair is opening those cuticles for moisture to absorb better. How do you do this? Use substances with a higher pH or that are known to lift those cuticle layers. So what can you use?
*Warm water
*Baking Soda
*Vegetable Glycerin
*Black Coffee (Yes I said Coffee)
How can they be used?
Wash your in warm water or put warm water in your spray bottle.
You can add baking soda to you deep conditioner.
Vegetable glycerin (a humectant that attracts moisture form the atmosphere) can be put in your spray bottle, added to Deep Conditioner and other mixes.
Black Coffee can be used as a final rinse or rinsed through the hair prior to Deep conditioning.
Now that you've opened the cuticle moisturize with a water based product. This can include leave in sprays, leave in creams, spray moisturizers/creams and those lovely home made concoctions! I believe the LCO method works the best for low porosity hair. I have used water as my L(iquid) in this example. Leave in as the C(ream) which I suggest be creamy with slip, and now O(il)! The Oil you use will be based on the thickness or thinness of your strands. Thin strands will be weighed down by oils like castor oil and possibly EVOO so you might prefer grapseed, coconut, or jojoba oils. Thicker strands will be able to withstand EVOO or castor oil however castor oil is SUPER thick. In winter months I suggest sealing with a butter. I do LOCB or LCOB. Either one work well.
Be generous when moisturizing! Its better to have excess than to starve your hair!
Moisturizing Your High Porosity Hair
So your hair is highly porous! Not a problem. Time to go to work! You have the hardest time retaining moisture. Your hair cuticles aren't closing well enough to lock in moisture and that stuff is just evaporating right out! So what will help close those cuticles? Substances with a lower pH than your hair! Like:
*Lemon Juice
*Aloe Vera juice/gel
*ACV
All of these can be added to your spray bottle, rinsed through your hair as a final rinse, and added to Deep conditioners and other homemade recipes.
Both Porosity Types can...
Moisturize using the LOC or LCO methods! We can all also use the substances that aid in closing the cuticle. I know many say closing the cuticle won't help low po hair BUT if you're opening your cuticle well enough you'll need to close that sucker back up..LOL. You're cuticle will not lock down like the Pentagon under attack and stop moisture from coming in after using a substance with lower pH. They aid in eliminating tangles because the cuticles aren't getting caught up on each other as they are now laying flatter. They also assist in achieveing shinier and healthier lookin hair. Say goodbye to that dry, dull look and feel.
Final Words...
Deep Condition weekly.
If need be to correct dryness co wash with a co wash product or conditioner that doesn't have silicones. (Dimethicone, amodinethicone etc.) Silicones cause build up when not washed or shampooed out with a sulfate shampoo. (And we don't want those sulfates!)
Sulfate free shampoo monthly while correcting dryness is okay. Find one that your hair likes!
Pay attention to your entire hair strand. Root to ends! Many times we neglect those ends.
Clip those ends (as needed!) when they're raggedy and just won't stay moisturized to keep the rest of your hair healthy.
DRINK WATER!!! Become a fish if you have to..LOL!
That's all for now.
Thanks for Reading!
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