Do you know that feeling when your hair is always thirsty? You can pour liters of leave-in conditioner, oil, and mask into it, but a few hours later it feels like you've just walked through a desert? Chances are your hair is highly porous . And that's nothing to be ashamed of—it's just a hair type that needs a little more love, layering, and smart products.
What does 'high porosity hair' mean?
Simply put, the hair scales (cuticle) of highly porous hair are open like a blooming flower.
With low-porosity hair, those scales are more closed — like a raincoat.
Because of that open structure, highly porous hair absorbs moisture quickly , but also loses it just as quickly. The result?
- Lint
- Drought
- And curls that lose their definition within a day.
This can be due to genetic predisposition, but also to heat, chemical treatments, discoloration or sun damage .
How do you know if you have high porosity hair?
A few recognizable signs:
- Your hair absorbs products like a sponge , but dries out quickly again.
- You often get static cling , especially in humid weather.
- Your hair tangles easily and feels rough or straw-like.
- Your curls will quickly lose their shape or shine.
- The color adheres quickly , but also fades very rapidly.
Want to test it? Take the porosity test :
Take a clean (product-free) strand of hair and place it in a glass of water.
- Does it sink immediately? → Highly porous.
- Does it float? → Low porosity.
- Does it stay somewhere in the middle? → Moderately porous.
Please note: Don't believe everything you read in Facebook groups.
A frequently heard statement there is:
"High porosity hair is only temporary; it will eventually become medium porosity on its own."
Sounds good, but unfortunately, that's not quite true.
You can even be born with high-porosity hair . That's just how your hair cuticles are naturally structured.
What is true, however, is that proper care can make the hair stronger and more tightly closed , causing it to behave like medium-porosity hair.
But that doesn't mean that the porosity itself changes structurally.
So, if someone in a group says that after three weeks of deep conditioning you suddenly became 'medium porous'... smile, nod kindly, and just continue with your own routine.
The right styling approach for high-porosity hair.
It's all about retaining moisture . You want to hydrate, seal, and protect.
1. Always work on wet hair.
Your hair cuticles are open, so this is the perfect time to let moisture in — and then seal it in with the right products.
2. Use the LOC or LCO method.
That stands for Leave-in / Oil / Cream , or vice versa, depending on what your hair likes best.
- First, a moisturizing base ,
- then an oil to seal in the moisture,
- and optionally, a styling cream or gel to keep everything in place.
3. Avoid heat — blow-dry with a diffuser on medium heat, or if you're using the Hoover technique, you can use high heat.
High temperature close to your hair = even more open hair cuticles = even more moisture loss.
The best products for high-porosity hair (Amazing Curls recommendation)
Step 1: Clean without drying out
Use the Smart Clean Shampoo – it removes build-up and hard water residue, but is gentle enough to preserve your natural oils.
→ Ideal for cleaning your hair without making it even more porous.
Step 2: Intense hydration
The All-in-One Treatment is your best friend here.
Use it as a mask or as a nourishing conditioner. Thanks to nourishing oils and proteins, it restores the moisture balance and strengthens damaged locks.
Step 3: Hydrate + Define in one
Use the All-in-One Styling Cream to keep your curls smooth, soft, and bouncy.
It contains, among other things, jojoba and avocado oil — exactly what high-porosity hair needs to prevent frizz.
Step 4: Seal in the moisture
Then, apply the Super Sealing Oil to wet hair.
This luxury oil contains, among other things, Meadowfoam Seed Oil – an ingredient that acts as a smart 'sealer' around your hair, preventing moisture from escaping.
Tip: Use it as the final step for extremely dry hair.
Step 5: Hold & Shine
Finish it off with a little Styling Gel. This locks in the definition and gives you such a strong shine that you'll almost forget your mirror.
Strengthen from within.
High-porosity hair often also needs protein to strengthen the open cuticles.
Our Protein Drops are the solution: add a few drops to your Treatment or Styling Cream and turn any product into a protein-rich boost.
This is how you give your hair the strength it's missing — without overloading it.
If you want to know more about proteins, then read this.
Styling tips specifically for high-porosity hair.
- Use lukewarm to cold water when rinsing – this closes the scales.
- Apply products in sections so that each strand gets some.
- Use a satin pillowcase – less friction = less lint.
- Use your diffuser on a low setting , and not too close to your hair.
- Scrunch with love, not with force.
Or read our blog about Styling Tips here.
And now, to be honest: it's trial and error.
No two hair types are exactly the same — not even two curly-haired people with seemingly the same hair.
What works perfectly for one person may be too heavy, too light, or too sticky for another.
Caring for high-porosity hair is a journey of discovery.
It's about testing, trying, adjusting, and sometimes starting all over again.
So if you find that a particular method or sequence isn't quite working for you — give yourself (and your curls) some time.
Mix, match, and experiment. Eventually, you'll know exactly what your hair really needs.
A little reality check.
High-porosity hair is like that friend who always forgets to refill her water bottle—she means well, but she just needs to be reminded to hydrate.
With the right routine and products, you can transform your curls from dry and brittle to shiny, bouncy, and silky smooth.
Highly porous hair requires attention, but rewards you with curls that truly come alive .