If you’ve spent any time in the curly hair world, you’ve probably heard the word “porosity” thrown around a lot. But what does it actually mean — and why does it matter so much for your routine?
What is Hair Porosity?
Porosity refers to how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. It all comes down to the outer layer of your hair strand, called the cuticle. Think of the cuticle like tiny overlapping scales. How open or closed these scales are determines your porosity type.
There are three main porosity types: low, medium and high.
Low Porosity Hair
Low porosity hair has cuticles that lie very flat and tight. This makes it harder for moisture to get in, but once it does, it stays locked in well. Low porosity hair often takes a long time to dry and can feel like products just sit on top without absorbing.
Medium Porosity Hair
Medium porosity is often considered the easiest to manage. The cuticle is balanced — not too tight, not too open — so moisture goes in and stays in fairly easily. If you have medium porosity, most products probably work well for you already.
High Porosity Hair
High porosity hair has cuticles that are more raised or even damaged, often from heat styling, coloring, or chemical treatments. This hair type absorbs moisture quickly but loses it just as fast, which can lead to dryness and frizz.
Why Does Porosity Matter?
Knowing your porosity helps you choose the right products and techniques. For example, low porosity hair benefits from lighter products and sometimes a little heat to help things absorb. High porosity hair needs richer products and ingredients that help seal in moisture.
Without knowing your porosity, you might be using products that are actually working against your hair type — which is often why so many people feel like “nothing works” for their curls.
How to Find Your Porosity
The good news is you don’t need fancy equipment to figure this out. There are simple at-home tests — like the float test, the slip test, and a few observation-based questions about how your hair behaves day to day.
We’ve put together a free quiz that combines these real tests with simple questions, so you can find out your porosity in just a couple of minutes.
Take the Free Porosity Quiz →
Once you know your porosity type, you’ll have a much clearer idea of what your hair actually needs — and that’s the first step to a routine that finally works.