Image: MomJunction Design Team
Low hair porosity means the shafts of your hair are closed tightly, which prevents oils, water, and other hair care products from getting absorbed into your hair. It also prevents you from trying various hairstyles as it becomes difficult to maintain. However, the best low porosity hair products can help your hair absorb the nutrients and moisture better for healthy growth, allowing you to try various hairstyles that you may like. If you are wondering which products suit low porosity hair, look at our list of most popular hair care products with their descriptions to help you make a better choice. Soon, you will find your hair shiny and smooth.
Top Picks
13 Best Low Porosity Hair Products
1. Best Anti-Residue:Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo
Image:Leapfrog
Low porosity hair will also have difficulty absorbing the products you use for hair care, leading to buildup that tends to weigh your hair down. Hence, it is important to opt for a clarifyingshampoo that will keep your hair and scalp clean and healthy. Thisanti-residue shampoo claims to rinse away buildup and help add volume.
Pros
- The mild formula does not cause skin irritation
- 不含染料或着色剂
- Also suitable for chemically treated hair
Cons
- 包含SLS
- May not be ideal for sensitive scalp
2. Best To Reduce Frizz:Thank God It’s Natural (tgin) Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer
Image:Tgin
Fortified with the goodness of shea butter, this daily hair moisturizer claims to promotehair growthandcontrols hair loss. It helps reduce frizz and adds shine to hair. Thisvideowill help you make an informed decision about your purchase.
Pros
- Shea butter keeps the moisture locked
- Vitamin E and cocoa butter help strengthen hair
- Makes hair smooth without making it greasy
- Helps tame flyaways
- Suitable for thick curly hair
Cons
- May not suit a sensitive scalp
- Can weigh down hair
Do remember3. Best For Deep Hydration:Biolage Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo
Image:Biolage
The Biolage Ultra Hydra Source Shampoo is formulated to provide intense moisture to extremely coarse, thick, dry hair while cleansing the hair thoroughly, leaving them shiny. This shampoo contains the combined goodness of aloe vera, apricot kernel oil, and cupuacu butter which nourishes the hair and regulates its natural moisture balance.
Pros
- Free of parabens
- Safe for color-treated hair
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- 72 hours of frizz control
Cons
- May have a runny consistency
- May weigh down the hair
4. Best With Almond Oil:Carol’s Daughter Almond Milk Leave-In Conditioner
Image:Carols Daughter
Low porosity hair often tends to be dry due to a lack of nourishment. This leave-in conditionerclaims to moisturize dry and damaged hair. Its combination of almond oil, aloe, and shea butter can help strengthen and smoothen the hair. Check out this product review video and pick the best-suited one for your needs.
Pros
- Lightweight formula strengthens the hair
- Soya bean oil helps absorb and retain moisture in the hair
- Help manage and detangle dry, damaged hair
- Boosts bounce and shine in hair
- Free of paraben, petroleum, mineral oil
Cons
- The smell may be a bit strong for some
- May not be effective on extremely coarse hair
5. Best For Color Treated Hair:Pure Nature Lux SpaArgan Oil Hair Mask
Image:Ouai Store
With argan oil as its star ingredient, this hair mask claims todeep condition the hair to make it soft and shiny. Since argan oil is light, it will not cause product buildup or weight down your hair like other oils. It also contains the hydrating blend of jojoba oil, collagen protein, and hydrolyzed keratin that strengthen the hair.
Pros
- Argan kernel oil tames frizzy hair
- Jojoba oil helps retain moisture
- Hydrolyzed keratin helps hydrate hair
- Also suitable for color-treated hair
Cons
- Gritty consistency could make application inconvenient
- Could dry out hair in some cases
6. Best For Fighting Dryness:Aunt Jackie’s Quench, Moisture Intensive Leave-in Conditioner
Image:Aunt Jackie’s
Fortified with shea butter and olive oil, this moisture intensive leave-in conditioner claims to replenish dry hair. Its formula, containing natural ingredients, helps keep curls and coils bouncy and healthy.
Pros
- Helps fight dryness
- The slippery texture of marshmallow roots makes detangling hair easy and quick
- Extra virgin olive oil helps deeply nourish hair
- Free of paraben, petrolatum, mineral oil and sulfate
Cons
- May not be able to control the frizz fully
- Can leave hair a little dry
7. Best For Curly Hair:Design Essentials Natural Honey Curl Forming Custard
Image:Design Essentials
We know how difficult it is to maintain those lively, bouncy curls, and hence added this curl forming custard to this list. Enriched with honey and chamomile, this hair custard claims to enhance the texture of all kinds of curls. Watch thisvideoto get a detailed review of this hair product.
Pros
- Honey helps moisturize low porosity hair
- Chamomile helps make the hair smooth and shiny
- Helps fight shrinkage and frizz
- Free of parabens, paraffin, petrolatum, mineral oil
Cons
- Can be difficult to wash out
- Tends to leave a residue after drying
Quick tip8. Best For All Hair Types:Camille Rose Naturals Curl Love Moisture Milk
Image:Camille Rose
制定与天然油脂、黄油和牛奶,this moisture milk claims to provide intense nourishment. Its moisturizing formula helps add life to curly and coiled hair.
Pros
- Moisture lasts long
- Makes hair shiny and soft
- Suitable for all types of hair
Cons
- Can leave residue behind after drying
9. Best Sulphate-Free:Majestic Pure Avocado and Coconut Hair Mask
Image:Majestic Pure Store
Enriched with biotin, this hair mask claims to thicken hair and deep condition it. This sulfate-free formula is suitable for all hair types.
Pros
- Lightweight avocado oil moisturizes hair without weighing it down
- Shea butter nourishes hair and leaves it smooth
- 椰子油容易穿透hair shaftand makes it soft and manageable
- Safe to use on colored hair
Cons
- May not suit sensitive scalp
Do remember10. Best Cleansing:SheaMoisture猴面包树&茶树油低孔隙度Hydro-Infusion Shampoo
Boasting of a formula containing shea butter, baobab, andtea tree oils, this clarifying shampoo claims to cleanse hair while nourishing it. This sulfate-free shampooensures that dry and lackluster hair looks healthy and shiny
Pros
- Spearmint oil helps stimulate the scalp to boost hair growth
- Clary sage can make hair silky and shiny
- Baobab oil deeply nourishes, and hydrates dry the hair
- 茶树油有助于舒缓头皮
- Free of parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, and petroleum
Cons
- 香味可以be overwhelming for a sensitive nose
- Can dry out the scalp
11. Best For Moisturizing Hair:ApHogeeCurlific Moisture Rich Leave-In
Image:Aphogee
Detangling and styling textured hair can be a serious task, but not with this leave-in conditioner. This conditioner claims to moisturize curly hair so it can detangle and style easily.
Pros
- Shea butter helps moisturize dry hair and make it soft
- Can detangle hair easily to make styling smooth
Cons
- Can leave a white residue after drying
12. Best To Hydrate Hair:OGX Replenishing + Water Cream Hydrating Treatment
Image:Image: Ogx
Created to suit low porosity hair, this water cream claims to hydrate hair, so it does not look or feel dry. It can nourish hair, so it becomes shiny and healthy.
Pros
- Helps add volume to hair
- Smoothen dry hair strands
- Also suitable for colored hair
Cons
- Contains alcohol
13. Best Nourishment:Latinoil Chia Oil Hair Mask Treatment
Image:Latinoil
Specially formulated for low porosity hair, this hair mask claims to fortify hair and seal open ends. It can help get rid of split ends andmake hair shiny and healthy.
Pros
- Helps nourish and repair damaged hair
- Softens and smoothes hair
- Can help detangle artificial hair too
- Also suited for chemically-treated and colored hair
Cons
- May not suit every buyer
What Are The Signs Of Low Porosity Hair?
If you are not sure of the porosity of your hair, you can determine it through this simple and common ‘water test’.
Take a glass of regular water and drop a strand of your hair in it. If your hair sinks quickly to the bottom of the glass, then it means that your hair has high porosity. If it sinks slowly and stops midway in the glass, then it has normal porosity. If it does not sink at all and remains floating on the surface, it means that it has low porosity.
Other than this, low porosity hair exhibits the following characteristics:
- Does not get wet easily
- Wet hair does not dry quickly
- Products tend to build up on hair instead of getting absorbed
- Lacks elasticity
- Most likely to have dandruff since product buildup contributes to lack of a clean scalp
Tiffany Young, a trichologist and founder of ThinHairThick, says,“Low porosity hair has a tightly knit hair cuticle shaft–picture a scale armor. When the scales are tightly woven, they offer better protection. While it may make styling curls difficult, the positive side is that the hair is typically in good condition because it is able to avoid environmental stressors better than high porosity hair.”
How To Find The Right Low Porosity Hair Products?
Not all products come with the label indicating that they are suitable for hair with low porosity. So, you have to judge every product based entirely on its ingredients.
With hair cuticles tightly bound, it is difficult for hair products to penetrate the hair shaft easily. It is essential you treat your hair to products containing moisturizing oils that are high on fatty acids such as lauric and caprylic acids. Natural ingredients such as shea butter, avocado oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, and aloe vera are known to penetrate the hair shaft and nourish hair easily.
These ingredients can effectively penetrate through the shaft and moisturize your hair. You can also look for hair milk formulae that are light on the hair and do not weigh it down.
To ensure good health of hair with low porosity, you must avoid using products high in protein content. It is because such products tend to build up and leave the hair feeling stiff. Opt for products without protein or with relatively less protein and look for moisture-retaining ingredients such as honey or glycerin. Also, ensure your hair is free of build-up before applying any moisturizing agents.
How Often Should You Wash Low Porosity Hair?
This depends on how your hair behaves after every wash. If your scalp tends to get oily easily, you may need to wash it more often. If you are using a clarifying shampoo that keeps your head free of buildup for a long time, then you can wash it once a week.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Poulami Nag is a hair and skincare enthusiast who conducts extensive research on products to ensure she recommends the best ones for your skin and hair. She has analyzed numerous user reviews and product descriptions to compile this list of the best products for low-porosity hair that can help make your hair healthier and more manageable. She has also included a buying guide to help you make an informed decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What causes low hair porosity?
Low hair porosity is caused due to genetics, and other factors such as chemical treatments or exposure to heat do not affect hair porosity.
2. How do I keep my low-porosity hair moisturized?
Washing your hair to remove build-up, and applying different oils, conditioners, and hydrating serums can help moisturize your hair. You can also try hair steaming to expand the hair cuticles for better absorption of products.
3. What kind of shampoo is good for low-porosity hair?
You can choose a sulfate-free shampoo, as sulfate may flatten the hair even more. A gentle shampoo enriched with the goodness of oils and one that replenishes moisture instead of stripping the strands of their natural oil can benefit low-porosity hair.
Maintaining the porosity of hair may not be a priority for most of us, but it can make all the difference to the quality of your hair. The best low-porosity hair products are formulated to help you maximize the benefits of your hair care routine by improving your scalp’s ability to absorb nutrients. The options listed here include a wide variety of reputed brands with mild, chemical-free products that are safe to use for most skin types. They help rinse away buildup and add more volume while enhancing the hair growth rate so you can enjoy beautiful, healthy tresses that are easy to manage and style.
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