KEY TAKEAWAYS: Hair porosity can affect everything from the products you use to the techniques you employ. Understanding how porosity changes your approach as a stylist is essential to providing your clients with the personalized service they need to look and feel their best.
Working with a variety of hair styles and types is one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of being a stylist.
Certain hair types might require vastly different care than others, and mastering them is not only worth the effort on a personal level but can also diversify your clientele and grow your beauty business.
Hair porosity is one of the factors that influences the products and treatments that are appropriate for a specific client.
If you want to offer haircare services that truly cater to everyone, you must know how to refresh low porosity curly hair. Thankfully, you don’t have to go at it alone; simply read the guide below to learn about hair porosity and tailor your services to it.
Everything You Need to Know About Hair Porosity as a Stylist
Before we can dive into the specifics of how to adapt your approach to different types of hair, including how to refresh low porosity curly hair, it’s important to understand exactly what hair porosity is and why it matters.
Simply put, hair porosity refers to the ability of hair to absorb moisture and retain it. This is dictated by the outermost protective layer of the hair, which is referred to as the cuticle layer.
Low porosity hair (slow-drying and prone to buildup) has a difficult time absorbing moisture but does an excellent job of preserving it, while high porosity hair (dry and frizzy) easily absorbs moisture but loses it quickly.
"Hair exists on a spectrum between two extremes (low porosity hair and high porosity hair) – practical application of this knowledge can shape the way you treat it."
Hair exists on a spectrum between these two extremes, and the practical application of this knowledge can shape the way you treat it.
How to Test Hair Porosity
Identifying the type of hair your client has is a vital first step to developing a personalized haircare and styling regimen for them. Luckily, determining hair porosity is relatively easy and requires no special equipment or training.
There are two popular ways to test hair porosity: the float test and the spray bottle test. Both can be done quickly in your salon; all you need to do is choose the method that works best for you.
The float test involves taking a few strands of hair (make sure they are clean and free of product) and placing them in a glass of water. After a few minutes, check the glass. Low porosity hair will float at the top of the glass, high porosity hair will quickly sink, and hair that falls between the two (medium or normal porosity) will sink at a slower rate.
The spray bottle test also uses water, but in this scenario, you simply spray clean hair with water. If the water is absorbed immediately, the hair is high porosity; if the water beads up and stays on the surface of the hair, it is low porosity.
Choosing the Right Haircare Products for Low and High Porosity Hair
Because hair porosity can drastically affect the way hair responds to certain products and treatments, adjusting your approach based on the results of your porosity test is a must.
While every client is different, and perfecting your treatment for their hair might require some trial and error, there are a handful of tips that you can use to establish a strong starting point.
Low porosity hair has a tendency to suffer from product buildup if you are not careful and selective. For this reason, you should opt for lightweight haircare products when dealing with low porosity curly hair. Gravitate toward water-based products and lean on heat-assisted deep conditioning for best results. In fact, using heat (such as steam) that helps open the cuticles and facilitates moisture penetration is among the top tips for how to refresh low porosity curly hair.
High porosity curly hair is essentially the complete opposite. For clients with this type of hair, you should choose products that enhance moisture retention, such as deep conditioning masks and protein treatments (keratin, silk, wheat). Additionally, the use of heavy oils is actually beneficial for high porosity hair, as it is more prone to dryness than buildup.
Your Guide to Refreshing Low Porosity Curly Hair
Refreshing your client's curly hair and being mindful of its low porosity requires a combination of in-salon care and educating clients about at-home care as well - so your hard work in the chair doesn't go to waste!
Refreshing Low Porosity Curly Hair in the Salon
- Use lightweight, water-based haircare products to reduce excessive product buildup
- Try heat-assisted, deep conditioning treatments to facilitate moisture penetration
- Open the hair cuticle with warm water in a spray bottle or with steam
- Apply leave-in curl cream, scrunching the curls in your hands to reduce frizz
- Dry curly hair with a diffuser to set those refreshed curls in place
Refreshing Low Porosity Curly Hair at Home
- Avoid heavy oils or creams that will weigh down the curls and create buildup
- Rinse hair with warm water, avoiding cold water that can dry out curls by locking out moisture
- Recommend curl protection like a silk bonnet or pillow cases at night
Expand Your Stylist Career with Elite Beauty Society
Expanding your haircare expertise, product knowledge, and practical skills as a hairstylist is vital to helping every client thrive, no matter what type of hair they have. To learn more about these essential aspects of being a beauty pro, be sure to subscribe to Elite Beauty Society.
You can also check out our blog for the hottest beauty trends, top beauty biz tips, and a wealth of beauty pro resources!
Two Year
Lock in a rate of $150 per year by purchasing our two year policy, with all the same benefits.
$
299
/2 years
One Year
Protect your career for a single year. Get comprehensive coverage at the most affordable rate.
$
179
/year
Meet Hanna Marcus, the Founder and Head Copy Gal behind Boundless Copy, a one-of-a-kind copywriting agency that specializes in big, bold brand voice and industry-disrupting copy that’s all about resonating with the right audience.
Hanna has proudly teamed up with Elite Beauty Society for several years as their go-to copywriter on all things beauty, small biz marketing, and brand voice development. She’s big on feeling-first writing–her personal soapbox is that the best copy starts with telling a story.
When she’s not writing cheeky, converting copy for clients, she’s mentoring other aspiring copywriters and creating digital copywriting resources designed for service pros and focused on taking the stress out of DIY copywriting.
