Low, medium or high porosity: what does that actually tell you?
By CurlCart · Updated October 2, 2026We may earn a commission if you buy through links in this guide, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, CurlCart earns from qualifying purchases.
Someone says your curls need a completely different routine because they're “low porosity.” Now you're wondering whether every bottle you own is wrong. You don't need to start over. Porosity can help describe hair, but it doesn't measure everything that affects your wash day.
What low, medium and high mean
| Label | Broad meaning | What it doesn't establish |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Hair described as relatively resistant to water uptake, often associated with a less permeable cuticle. | That every rich conditioner is unsuitable, or that every lightweight product will suit you. |
| Medium | A middle-range description of water uptake and retention. | That your hair needs no conditioning or that every styling product behaves the same. |
| High | Hair described as more permeable. Damage and treatment history can influence this. | That you need protein at every wash, or that more oil will solve dryness. |
The New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists discusses porosity alongside other descriptors such as texture, density and diameter. Think of it as one piece of information, not your hair's entire identity.
You and someone with the same curl pattern can need different routines
A curl photo doesn't show how much product was used, how thoroughly the hair was saturated, previous chemical treatments, strand size or what the style felt like the next day. Use the routine as an idea to compare, rather than proof that you should buy the same set.
Different areas of your own hair can behave differently too. Notice where tangles, roughness or product residue show up instead of forcing one label to explain everything.
Don't let a glass-of-water test decide your shopping list
A floating or sinking strand isn't a controlled laboratory measurement. There is more happening than a porosity label: which strand you chose, surface residue and how you carried out the test. We don't treat the result as verified porosity or use it to assign products.
If you don't know your porosity, “not sure” is a perfectly useful answer. Our quiz asks about textures, concerns, ingredients and budget; it doesn't require a porosity test.
Keep a few observations instead
- How does your hair feel after you rinse out conditioner?
- Which sections take the most time to detangle?
- Does the dried style feel coated, rough, soft or unusually stiff?
- What changed: a product, its amount, your technique, bleaching or heat use?
These observations don't diagnose porosity either. They help you identify a practical problem you can compare across wash days.
Make the next change small
If getting evenly wet is the issue, compare working in smaller sections before switching the whole routine. If detangling is the issue, allow time for conditioning and gentle handling. If hair feels coated after repeated refreshes, note the layers you've added rather than assuming you need more.
Follow each product's directions. A porosity label isn't a reason to exceed contact time, apply extra heat or use a rinse-out product as a leave-in. Persistent scalp irritation or unusual hair loss needs a different kind of assessment.
Sources and limits
NYSCC: An overview on hair porosity explains the descriptors. Breakspear and colleagues: The kinetics of moisture sorption by hair examines water uptake under measured conditions, rather than validating a home float test. Sources checked October 2, 2026. The observation checklist is editorial guidance, not a porosity measurement or a tested product prescription.
New to your curl routine? Start here · Read a product label before buying