Skip to content
It is a well-known fact that curly hair is difficult to manage as compared to other hair types. It becomes dry and frizzy almost easily. During extreme climatic conditions, your curls start behaving in an unruly manner. Thanks to the gusty winds and harsh UV radiations.! Some extra effort is required to tame curly, coily and kinky hair.
Do you feel that despite taking good care of your curls and using the best hair care products available in the market, your hair is always dry, frizzy with frayed ends? Then you should understand that the main culprit here could be your low hair porosity. If you have low porosity hair and not able to understand why hair care products are not effective on your curls, then go through this article which will help you to gain complete knowledge on how to treat your low porosity hair and how to get rid of product build-up.
What Is Hair Porosity?
The porosity of your hair is the deciding factor for determining the ability of your hair to absorb liquid and retain moisture inside the cuticle, which is the outermost layer of your shaft. The cuticle determines the liquid absorbing ability of your hair.
It is vital to know the porosity of your hair before you start with your hair care regime, to harness all the benefits of the hair care products.
Also Read : How Hair Porosity Can Be a Deciding Factor While Picking Haircare Products
Types Of Hair Porosity
Hair porosity is mainly categorised into 3 main types based on the placement of the cuticles.
- Low Porosity Hair- In this type of hair, the cuticles are tightly packed and clamped down. The low porosity hair does not easily absorb moisture, but once absorbed, it retains the moisture for a long time.
- Normal Porosity Hair- In this type of hair, the cuticles remain loosely packed as compared to low porosity hair. In the normal porosity hair, the liquid or moisture penetrates easily into the shaft, thus making your hair care regime hassle-free. It is easier to take care of this type of hair, as hair with normal porosity absorbs the right amount of moisture and retains it as well.
- High Porosity Hair- In this type of hair, the cuticles are raised and loosely packed. High porosity hair easily absorbs moisture but cannot retain it for a longer time, thus making your hair more prone to dryness and frizz.
How To Determine Hair Porosity?
Before continuing with your hair care journey, it is essential to have complete knowledge about the texture and porosity of your hair, so that you can treat your hair accordingly. For determining the porosity of your hair, a simple strand float test is enough. Before performing the strand float test it is required to get rid of any product build-up as it can interfere with the accuracy of the result. Use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of any product build-up on your strands.
Strand Float Test
Drop a few strands in a glass of water and observe. If the strand settles down immediately then the porosity level of your hair is very high, if it floats on top, then the porosity level of your strands is low. If it floats on top and starts sinking slowly, then your hair has normal porosity.
But for the accurate result, it is always better to consult a professional to determine your hair porosity. Once you are aware of the porosity level of your hair, you can select a hair care regime accordingly.
Limitations Of Low Porosity Hair
Though low porosity hair is considered to be healthier than high porosity hair, it is quite difficult to manage low porosity hair. The reason being, low porosity hair does not readily absorb moisture and nutrients, as the cuticles are tightly packed. Low porosity hair is not ideal when it comes to moisture absorption and responsiveness to hair treatment. This can leave your hair dry, dull and frizzy. Moreover, low porosity hair is fragile and more prone to product build-up as products do not get absorbed into the shaft, instead gets deposited on the surface, leading to product build-up.
Low porosity hair is reluctant to chemical treatments such as hair colouring, or perming. While dealing with low porosity hair always remember that it takes longer for hair care products to penetrate the hair shaft. But the good news is that low porosity is stronger and more elastic in nature as once the moisture is absorbed, it retains the moisture for a longer time.
How To Get Rid Of Product Build Up On Low Porosity Hair
The cuticles are tightly placed in low porosity hair, so product absorption is a problem with low porosity hair type. And when the haircare product you apply does not get absorbed into the hair shaft, it sits on the surface leading to product build-up. Now the thought of how to get rid of product buildup might be lingering in your mind. No worries, as here we will be sharing a few hacks to get rid of product build-up.
1. Use Heat Or Steam
Heat can open up the cuticles and makes the penetration of the hair care products easier. Evenly distribute deep conditioner all over your strands and apply heat with the help of a hooded dryer or a steam cap.
2. Use Water-Based Hair care Products
Always use a water-based hair care product as products which are devoid of water will not effectively penetrate through the hair shaft and won't moisturize your strands.
Also Read : 15 Chemicals to Avoid from Hair Care Products
3. Use Clarifying Shampoo
Your regular cleansing shampoo may not be effective in cleaning your hair, so always use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of product build-up. You can wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo once or twice a month. Clarifying shampoo effectively eliminates product build-up from your hair and scalp. Observe your hair and check what works best for you. Incase, you are a curlyhead you can use Anveya's Curls Cleansing Shampoo, The moisturizing formula of this incredible shampoo is perfect for quenching the dry curls and attaining well-defined, supremely hydrated, soft, bouncy, tangle-free, frizz-free curls.
ANVEYA CURLS CLEANSING SHAMPOO,250ML
- Specially curated for Indian curly hair
- Provides intense hydration
- Strengthens hair & reduces frizz
- Add shines to hair
- Promotes well-defined curls
For low porosity hair, product absorption may be difficult but retaining it is not difficult. Once you know the porosity of your hair, you can treat your hair accordingly.
DIY's For Getting Rid Of Product Build Up On Low Porosity Hair
Let us have a look at some home remedies for product build-up. You can easily do it from the comfort of your home and with ingredients which are easily available in your kitchen cabinet.
1. Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar or ACV is known to be effective in removing debris and product build-up on your strands by loosening the debris.
Ingredients
- Water- 1 cup
- Apple Cider Vinegar- 1 tablespoon
Method
Take 1 cup of water and to this add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, mix well. After you have washed your hair with a shampoo, rinse it with ACV mixture. Apply it evenly all over your hair and scalp and let it rest for 3-4 minutes. Rinse off with plain water and use a leave-in conditioner.
Also Read : How to Perfect the Art of Using Leave-In Conditioner
2. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is also effective in getting rid of product build-up. It also works in the same way as apple cider vinegar.
Ingredients
- Water- 3 tablespoon
- Baking Soda- 2 tablespoon
Method
Make a thick paste of baking soda using water and apply this mixture evenly on your scalp. Rinse and apply shampoo and condition it as usual.
3. Use Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay and other clays like rhassoul clay are beneficial in treating product build up because of the presence of negatively charged ions. Low porosity hair has positive ions in excess which makes the penetration of hair care products difficult. The negative ions in bentonite clay neutralize the effect and quickly get into action by withdrawing the chemicals and heavy metals from your hair. You can consider bentonite clay as a magnet for product build-up.
Ingredients
- Bentonite Clay- 2 tablespoons
- Water – 3 cups
- Apple Cider Vinegar- 1 cup
Method
Mix water and ACV in the ratio of (3:1), i.e. 3 parts of water and 1 part of AVC. To this add bentonite clay and mix well to attain a thick consistency. If required you can add a little more clay if the mixture is runny. Apply this mixture on wet hair as bentonite clay can be very drying. If you apply bentonite clay on dry hair, it will make your hair dry and brittle. So make sure that you apply it on wet or damp hair. Wear a shower cap to prevent the mixture from drying out. If you feel that the mixture is becoming dry, spray a little bit of water all over your strands. Let it rest for 30 minutes, wash off using shampoo and then use a deep conditioner to hydrate your strands.
I am sure that this article will help to treat your low porosity hair and get rid of product build-up effectively. After going through this article, you may feel that managing your low porosity hair has never been easier.
Disclaimer: All the content on anveya.com/blogs is solely for information. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health care provider. The information, suggestion or remedies mentioned on this site are provided without warranty of any kind, whether express or implied.
