Hair Porosity, Build-Up and Clarifying

BEAUTY · UNITED STATES

Hair Porosity, Build-Up and Clarifying

What porosity means, signs of build-up, clarifying properly and product routines

Hair that suddenly stops responding to products usually has build-up rather than a new problem, and the fix is straightforward.

Porosity

Porosity describes how readily the cuticle lets moisture in and out. Low porosity hair resists absorption, so products sit on top; high porosity hair absorbs quickly and loses moisture as fast, which is common after bleaching or heat damage.

It is a useful frame rather than a precise science, and the float test widely passed around is unreliable.

Signs of build-up

Hair that feels coated, limp or waxy, will not hold a style, takes longer to wet through, and looks dull however much conditioner is used. Silicones, heavy oils, butters and hard water minerals all contribute.

Clarifying

A clarifying shampoo every few weeks removes it, and using one every wash strips the hair. For hard water, a chelating shampoo removes mineral deposits that ordinary clarifying does not.

Follow with a proper conditioner or a mask, since clarifying leaves hair thirsty.

Building a routine

Low porosity hair generally suits lighter products, warmth to help absorption and less heavy oil. High porosity hair suits richer conditioners, leave-ins and sealing with an oil afterwards.

Change one thing at a time and give it a few weeks, since hair takes time to show a difference.

What products cannot do

Hair is not living tissue, so nothing repairs it. Products smooth, coat and protect, and trimming removes what is already damaged.

Washing frequency

Personal, and washing less does not train the scalp to produce less oil, which is a persistent myth. Wash the scalp and condition the lengths.

Between washes, dry shampoo absorbs oil and adds to build-up, so it is a delay rather than a substitute.

Water

Hard water leaves mineral deposits that make hair feel coated however good the products are. A shower filter helps some people, and a chelating shampoo is the more reliable answer.

Reading a label

Silicones ending in \-cone and \-xane smooth and build up, and most wash out with a normal shampoo. Heavy butters and oils need more, which is where the coated feeling comes from.

Protein and moisture need balancing — hair that feels stiff and brittle after treatment usually needs moisture rather than more protein.

Trims and length

Hair grows around a centimetre a month, and length is limited by breakage rather than growth for most people. Regular trims remove split ends before they travel up the strand.

Reducing heat, friction and tight styles does more for length than any product.

Scalp

Persistent flaking, itching or soreness needs a doctor rather than another product.

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