Low Porosity Hair Guide and Best Products
Low porosity hair has a tightly bound cuticle layer, making it difficult for moisture to penetrate the hair shaft. This type of hair is often resistant to treatments and can be prone to product buildup.
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Characteristics
- Takes a long time to get wet and dry
- Products tend to sit on top of hair rather than absorb
- Resistant to chemical processes
- Prone to product buildup
- Often appears shiny when healthy
Care Tips
- Use heat or steam to help products penetrate
- Focus on lightweight, easily absorbed products
- Regular clarifying treatments to remove buildup
- Apply products to damp hair to improve absorption
- May better tolerate sulfates than other porosity types and even benefit from them
Build Your Routine
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1. Cleanse
Choose your cleanser based on your needs
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use clarifying or regular shampoo to prevent buildup, avoid cowash. Clarify every 1-2 weeks.
clarifying shampoos
Heavier shampoos meant to remove long-term buildup from oils, products, and hard water. Meant to be used occasionally, as they are much stronger than regular shampoos.
Fable & Mane SahaScalp Wild Ginger Purifying Scrub
A protein-rich exfoliating shampoo to boost circulation, reduce buildup, and gently remove flakiness
Perfect Clean 2-in-1 Scalp Scrub & Shampoo
A 2-in-1 scalp scrub and clarifying shampoo that gently removes buildup and impurities to reveal a healthy scalp and immensely shiny hair
Clarifying Shampoo
Remove buildup from products, pollutants, and hard water with this salon-grade clarifying wash
shampoos
Cleansers that remove buildup and oil from your hair. Essential for low-porosity hair and should be used on other porosity types at least occasionally.
Super Moisture Shampoo
A gentle sulfate-free shampoo to nourish and hydrate your strands with a small touch of protein
Big Energy Volumizing Shampoo
Cleanses and stimulates your scalp, giving you the perfect foundation for voluminous curls.
Bond Building Shampoo
Gently cleanses while repairing bonds to reduce breakage, tame frizz, and enhance curl definition
2. Condition
Choose your conditioner based on your needs
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use conditioner every wash and deep conditioner every 1-2 months
conditioners
Products that add moisture and help detangle hair. Almost everyone needs conditioner!
Big Energy Conditioner
An ultra-lightweight conditione to keep hair big, bouncy, and full of life
No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner
A highly concentrated conditioner with Olaplex’s bonding technology that repairs, strengthens, and moisturizes hair prone to damage or dryness
Sunset Rituals: Signature Conditioner
Smooths frizz, restores shine, and deeply hydrates with moisturizing botanicals plus hyaluronic and lactic acids
deep conditioners
Intensive treatments that restore moisture and repair damage. Essential at least weekly for high porosity hair and good for all porosity types occasionally.
Bonding Hydration Mask
Boosts moisture without weighing hair down and improves wet detangling by up to 90% after just one use
Rapid Hair Repair
Restores strength, shine, and pH balance to damaged or color-treated curls while adding volume
Therapy Session Hair Mask
Delivers 48-hour smoothness while deeply conditioning and repairing hair to be 2X stronger and 3X more hydrated
4. Enhance
Choose a product that helps enhance your curls
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Choose either a gel or custard
gels
Styling products that provide hold and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
Curl Keeper Original Liquid Styler
A water-based formula that reactivates with water for frizz control and curl refresh without buildup
Spray Gel
Spray gel that delivers the hold of a gel with added definition, volume, and shine—made with gentle, natural ingredients
Pamper My Curls Curl Sculpting Glaze Strong Hold Gel
A protein-free strong-hold glaze that defines curls, fights frizz, adds shine, and holds styles without white residue
custards
Thick styling products that provide moisture and definition. Useful for all porosity types.
Orange Marmalade Flaxseed and Aloe Curl Definer
CurlsBot note: This is the main styling product I use on my own hair- Melissa
Gelebration Spray
Technically not a custard, but serves the same purpose
Rockin' Ringlets Styling Potion
5. Seal
Choose a product that helps seal in moisture, some gels from the previous step do this so if you already used a gel meant to seal, skip this step
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Use a foam or spray
foams
Light styling products that add volume and definition without weight. A great option for low-porosity hair.
SET Gel to Foam Styling Mousse
A gel-to-foam with medium hold that adds definition and volume while leaving curls soft, touchable, and healthy-looking
Mousse Def Texture Foam
Light to medium-hold curl mousse that is great for creating curl definition
Bouncy Strength Volume Foam
sprays
Optional finishing products that can help seal in moisture and lock in styles.
Spray Gel
Spray gel that delivers the hold of a gel with added definition, volume, and shine—made with gentle, natural ingredients
Pamper My Curls All-in-One Moisture Mist
A lightweight, oil-free mist that moisturizes and refreshes curls without weighing them down
6. Accessories
Choose your accessories
For low porosity hair, we recommend: Optional accessories
accessories
Useful items for anyone with curly or wavy hair.
Mint Satin Scrunchie
This super-soft satin scrunchie is adorable paired with any outfit
The Puff Cuff
A durable, damage-free hair clamp made for thick, curly hair that holds securely without pulling
Universal Diffuser
Turn any hairdryer into a diffuser with this attachment
Define EdgeLift Brush
The Define EdgeLift Brush is a unique brush that helps define your curls/waves
Volume EdgeLift Brush
The Volume EdgeLift Brush is a unique tool that helps you create voluminous curls/waves
Volume Root Clips
These clips are specially designed to help you create volume at the roots of your hair