Low porosity hair has tightly packed cuticles that make it difficult for moisture to penetrate.

As a result, this hair type tends to be very dry and prone to breakage. In this article, we will explore how to lock in moisture and ensure that hair care products penetrate deeply.

Achieving this requires the right products and daily practices to restore the suppleness and vitality of low porosity hair.

14 Ways to Moisturise Your Low Porosity Hair 

To effectively hydrate low porosity hair, it’s essential to use techniques and products tailored to its unique structure. Here are 14 ways to maximize hydration for low porosity hair:

1. Choose The Best Products

Opt for lightweight, hydrating products rich in humectants like glycerin, aloe vera, and provitamin B5, which help attract and retain moisture within the hair shaft. Lightweight oils such as jojoba or argan oil are also recommended as they penetrate the hair shaft well without weighing the hair down.

2. Heat 

Heat can help open the cuticles of low porosity hair, allowing hydrating products to penetrate more deeply. Apply masks or oils under a shower cap or wrap a warm towel around your head. Heated caps are also an option.

3. Pre-Shampoo Treatment

Before washing, apply a lightweight natural oil to protect the hair from the drying effects of shampoo. This helps to prepare the hair and prevents it from becoming too dry after washing.

4. Opt for Gentle Shampoos and Leave-In Conditioners

Use sulfate-free shampoos to avoid stripping the hair of its natural oils. Hydrating shampoos containing ingredients like aloe vera, argan oil, and glycerin are particularly beneficial. Follow up with a leave-in conditioner for prolonged hydration throughout the day. You can alternate with a nourishing conditioner for intense hydration after washing and easier detangling.

5. Avoid Product Buildup

Clarify your hair once a month with a gentle clarifying shampoo to remove product buildup, which can block moisture from penetrating.

6. Rinse with Warm Water

Rinsing your hair with warm water instead of cold keeps the cuticles slightly open, making it easier for hydrating products to be absorbed afterward.

7. Daily Hydration Sprays

Each day, spritz your hair with a mixture of water and aloe vera or glycerin to maintain hydration. You can also use lightweight hydrating mists to help your hair stay moisturized throughout the day.

8. Regular Deep Conditioning Treatments

Once or twice a week, apply a deep repairing mask to nourish your hair and repair weakened strands. Choose masks that contain aloe vera, honey, or shea butter for intense hydration.

9. Use Nourishing Styling Creams

To define your curls, opt for nourishing styling creams enriched with flaxseed, which softens and elongates curls without weighing them down. These products create a protective barrier around the hair shaft, sealing in moisture and preventing it from evaporating.

10. Seal in Moisture with a Light Oil

After hydrating your hair, apply a lightweight oil like grapeseed or jojoba oil to seal in the moisture.

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11. Protect Hair at Night

Sleep on a silk pillowcase or wear a satin bonnet to reduce moisture loss during the night.

12. Use Silicone-Free Products

Silicones can form a barrier on low porosity hair, preventing moisture from penetrating. Choose silicone-free products for better hydration and to avoid product buildup.

13. Avoid protein-rich products

Hair with low porosity doesn't absorb protein well, which can make it even stiffer and drier. Opt for moisturizing products with a low protein content to avoid overload.

14. Use the right protective hairstyles

Use protective hairstyles that minimize handling and exposure to external elements. Braids and vanilles, for example, protect hair while allowing moisture to hold longer.

What Is Low Porosity Hair? 

Low-porosity hair, also known as low-porosity hair, is characterized by very tight cuticles. Their dense structure acts as a barrier, preventing hair care products from penetrating the hair fiber.

As a result, hair products tend to accumulate on the surface, making the roots feel heavy. Because it has difficulty retaining moisture, hair with low porosity is often dry and dull, and takes longer to dry. 

How Do You Know Your Hair is Low Porosity?

There is a very simple test to determine your porosity. Take a clean, dry hair and place it in a glass of water:

• If it floats on the surface, you have low porosity.
• If it sinks slowly and stays in the middle of the glass, you have medium porosity.
• If it sinks instantly to the bottom of the glass, you have high porosity.

The Connection Between Moisture and Low Porosity 

Although hair with low porosity is able to retain moisture once it has been absorbed, it has difficulty absorbing it initially. This can lead to severe dryness, dull hair and longer drying times.

Hydration is therefore crucial for this type of hair. The aim is to find the right ways to get moisture into the hair fiber, then seal it in to prevent dryness and breakage.

FAQ

How often should you moisturize low porosity hair?

EVERYDAY! Use a daily moisturizing mist to spray onto dry or damp hair, and as the week progresses, complete your routine with a deep moisturizing mask, which you leave on under a charlotte or heated cap. Not glamorous, but super effective!

What dries low porosity hair?

• Products containing excess proteins or heavy ingredients, such as silicones and thick oils (avocado, olive...), which can remain on the surface and prevent moisture from penetrating, leaving hair even drier.
  
  
• Water with a high concentration of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. This can leave residues at the roots, making hair with low porosity even drier and harder to moisturize.
  
  
• Product build-up
  
  
• Over-frequent washing
  
  
• Excessive sun exposure
  
  
• Not using CHÉRIBÉ products!

Which moisture method is best for low porosity hair?

The L.O.C. (Liquid, Oil, Cream) method is highly effective for hair with low porosity. It consists of successively applying a liquid (such as water or a moisturizing leave-in), a light oil to seal in moisture, and then a nourishing cream to reinforce hydration. This technique helps maximize hair's absorption of moisture.

Final Thoughts 

To avoid the dehydration associated with low-porosity hair, it's essential to use lightweight products that don't contain (too much) protein or silicone, to incorporate heat into your hair routine, and to add a dose of hydration every day.

This can be with hair milk to spray all over the hair, a nourishing styling cream, which moisturizes and protects hair throughout the day without weighing it down, or with a light oil to seal in moisture.

And for wash days, a gentle shampoo and nourishing conditioner (alternating with a leave-in conditioner) are the way to go. That's the magic recipe for healthy, low-porosity hair!