LOW vs HIGH POROSITY HAIR:
THE KEY TO HAIR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Low-porosity hair 

• is notoriously difficult because its tight, "shingled" cuticles resist moisture and are extremely prone to product buildup.
  
  

• This creates a frustrating "compressible straw" sensation: your hair feels stiff and crunchy to the touch, yet goes limp and greasy the moment you try to hydrate it.
  
  

• Traditional "nourishing" products simply sit on the surface, leaving the hair feeling coated and heavy while remaining starved for moisture on the inside.

High-porosity hair 

• is uniquely high-maintenance because its raised, compromised cuticles act like a sieve, losing moisture as quickly as it’s absorbed.
  
  

• Most traditional "hydrating" shampoos only offer a fleeting surface-fix, as the hair lacks the structural "plugs" needed to lock in nutrients.
  
  

• This leaves the hair feeling "mushy" and fragile when wet, only to turn brittle and frizzy the moment it dries.

The Diagnostic "Feel" Test

• LOW POROSITY: Does it feel like stiff straw that "crunches" when you press on it, even after a mask?
  
  

• HIGH POROSITY: Does it feel mushy or stretchy like wet cotton when you wash it?

The Diagnostic "Behaviour" Test

• LOW POROSITY: Takes forever to get fully saturated in the shower and even longer to dry; products feel like they sit on the surface like a waxy film
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• HIGH POROSITY: Your hair drinks up water instantly; it’s likely coloured or heat-damaged; it feels dry, parched, and frizzy just 10 minutes after you step out of the shower.

The Diagnostic “Float” Test

Place a strand of hair in a glass of water for 5 minutes & observe:

• LOW POROSITY: Floats on the surface. The cuticles are so tight that the water can’t get inside to weigh the strand down.
  

• HIGH POROSITY: Sinks to the bottom. The gaps in the cuticle allow water to rush in immediately, making the strand heavy and submerged.