Hair Test

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Hair porosity

Hair Porosity Test

Eight quick questions about how your hair behaves with water and product. You will find out whether your porosity is low, medium or high, why, and exactly what that means for the products and routine that will work for you.

8 questions. No email needed. Nothing is saved.

Question 1 of 8

What does a strand do in a glass of water?

Drop a clean, shed hair into a glass of room temperature water and leave it for three or four minutes. Use hair washed with no product, because oils make strands float.

What does a strand do in a glass of water?

Question 2 of 8

What happens when you spray water on dry hair?

Mist a section of clean, dry hair with a spray bottle and watch the surface for a few seconds.

What happens when you spray water on dry hair?

Question 3 of 8

How long does your hair take to air dry?

From towel dried to fully dry at the roots, with no heat. Very long or very dense hair takes longer anyway, so compare yourself with people who have similar hair.

How long does your hair take to air dry?

Question 4 of 8

What happens when you put in a leave-in or cream?

Think about the first few minutes after applying, before you style.

What happens when you put in a leave-in or cream?

Question 5 of 8

How long does your hair stay moisturised?

After a wash day, before it starts feeling dry and needs refreshing.

How long does your hair stay moisturised?

Question 6 of 8

How does your hair respond to deep conditioning?

A mask or deep conditioner left on for ten minutes or more.

How does your hair respond to deep conditioning?

Question 7 of 8

How does a strand feel when you slide up it?

Pinch a single dry strand and run your fingers from the tip towards the root. You are feeling the cuticle scales, which point down the shaft.

How does a strand feel when you slide up it?

Question 8 of 8

Has your hair been chemically treated?

Bleach, relaxers, perms and frequent high heat all lift the cuticle, and that damage stays in the lengths until it grows out.

Has your hair been chemically treated?

The 3 hair porosity types

Scoring needs JavaScript. With it switched off you can still read all three porosity types below and match yourself by eye.

Your hair porosity

Low Porosity

Tightly closed cuticle

Your cuticle scales lie flat and overlap tightly. Water and product struggle to get in, but once moisture is inside, your hair holds onto it well.

This is why products seem to sit on top, why wash day takes a while to get your hair properly wet, and why buildup is your most common problem. Low porosity hair is usually healthy hair. It does not need heavier products, it needs lighter ones, a little warmth to lift the cuticle, and regular clarifying so there is a clean surface for moisture to get through.

Look for

  • Water-based leave-ins and light milks
  • Humectants like glycerin and aloe
  • Light oils: argan, grapeseed, jojoba
  • A clarifying shampoo every few weeks

Go easy on

  • Heavy butters and thick creams as a first layer
  • Frequent protein treatments
  • Layering several products on top of each other

How to look after it

  1. Deep condition with heat. A warm towel, heat cap or hooded dryer for 15 to 20 minutes lifts the cuticle enough to let it in.
  2. Apply products to damp, not dripping, hair, in small amounts. If it is still sitting on the surface after a minute, you have used too much.
  3. Wash and rinse with warm water rather than cold.
  4. Clarify every two to four weeks to clear the buildup that a closed cuticle collects.

Your hair porosity

Medium Porosity

Balanced cuticle

Your cuticle is slightly raised, enough to let moisture in easily and still tight enough to keep it there. This is often called normal porosity, and it is the easiest to work with.

Your hair takes colour, holds a style and responds to most products the way the label says it will. The job here is protecting what you have. Heat, colour and rough handling all push hair towards high porosity over time, so a light routine and a little prevention go further than any treatment.

Look for

  • Balanced moisturising conditioners
  • Medium-weight creams and leave-ins
  • A light protein treatment once a month
  • Heat protectant whenever you use tools

Go easy on

  • Overdoing protein, which can make hair stiff
  • High heat without protection
  • Harsh sulphate shampoos every wash

How to look after it

  1. Deep condition every week or two, alternating moisture and the occasional protein mask.
  2. Choose products by your curl pattern and density, not your porosity. You have the freedom to.
  3. Keep heat tools on a medium setting and always use a protectant.
  4. Trim the ends regularly. They are the oldest hair and the first to turn high porosity.

Your hair porosity

High Porosity

Open, raised cuticle

Your cuticle is lifted or has gaps in it. Water rushes in, which is why your hair wets and dries so fast, and it escapes just as quickly, which is why it feels dry again so soon.

High porosity is sometimes genetic, but it is usually the result of bleach, relaxers, heat or sun lifting the cuticle. The fix is a two-part routine: get moisture in, then seal it there with something heavier, and use protein to temporarily fill the gaps in the strand. Expect it to frizz in humidity until the damaged lengths grow out.

Look for

  • Protein treatments: keratin, amino acids, rice water
  • Rich creams, butters (shea, mango) and sealing oils
  • Leave-in conditioner on every wash
  • Anti-humectants in humid weather

Go easy on

  • More bleach, relaxer or high heat
  • Harsh sulphate shampoos
  • Glycerin-heavy products in high humidity

How to look after it

  1. Layer with the LOC method: liquid or leave-in, then oil, then cream. Seal while hair is still damp.
  2. Do a protein treatment every two to four weeks, followed by a moisturising deep conditioner.
  3. Finish with a cool rinse to help the cuticle lie flatter.
  4. Sleep on satin or silk and cut back on heat. Every pass of a hot tool lifts the cuticle further.

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