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For the longest time, I didn't understand why so many popular products just didn't seem to make my hair look like the tresses you see in shampoo commercials... and then I learned about hair porosity. My long, wavy hair has never looked healthier—in fact, it may be my most-complimented asset.
It turns out, understanding whether your hair is low or high porosity can make a big difference in terms of the products you select and how you style your hair. We've got a quick quiz to help you figure out your hair's porosity, but there's an easy at-home test that'll show you exactly how porous your hair is. All you need is a glass of water and a strand of hair. After washing your hair to remove any product buildup, put a clean strand into a glass of water and let it sit for a few minutes. If the hair floats, it's low porosity, but if it sinks to the bottom, it's high porosity.
Why does this all matter? Hair porosity refers to how your hair reacts to—and holds onto—moisture. In low porosity hair, the cuticle tends to be tightly packed, meaning moisture stays in the hair shaft (a good thing) but products have a harder time penetrating (a challenging thing). That also means that heavy products like oils and butters can just sit on your hair and cause buildup. If this happens to be your hair type, you’ll want to go for lighter, water-based products that can easily penetrate and nourish the hair, says celebrity hairstylist Sophie Gutterman.
The best products for low-porosity hair
What to consider
Type
People with low porosity hair can benefit from incorporating a clarifying shampoo and moisturizing, water-based leave-in conditioners into their routine, says Joey Scandizzo, a celebrity hairstylist and co-creative director of ELEVEN Australia. Clarifying shampoos “will help remove any buildup that may tend to form on the hair from products that we put on,” says Mahogany Grace, a New York City-based hairstylist and owner of the Mahogany Grace Salon. "Water-based hair products are normally lightweight, so they can easily penetrate low porosity hair," adds celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble. On the flip side, people with low porosity hair should avoid heavy conditioners and heavy oils and butters, such as castor oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter, says Scandizzo.
Key ingredients
"Ingredients that are best for low porosity hair are humectants, light oils, and emollients," says Scandizzo. "A few examples of humectants include glycerin, honey, and aloe vera," he says. "Light oils include argan oil, sunflower oil, and jojoba oil, while emollients include avocado oil and sweet almond oil." You’ll definitely want to avoid products with protein and silicone, because they can cause buildup on the hair, says Grace.
How we chose
For months, Women’s Health editors, including our assistant editor Addison Aloian and contributor Brigitt Earley, researched the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated low porosity hair products. We also consulted four professional hairstylists to find out what they recommend to their clients and even use on themselves. Once we narrowed down the list, we put the top contenders to the test, evaluating each product for important attributes like key ingredients, consistency, scent, and overall efficacy. Below, shop the best products for low porosity hair—shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in products—all vetted by experts and tested by beauty editors.
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Best Overall
Moroccanoil Clarifying Shampoo
Pros
- A little bit goes a long way
- Doesn't irritate sensitive scalps
Cons
- Not for daily use
For those with low porosity hair, clarifying shampoos are necessary for removing buildup from products—and this one is a solid pick, says Grace. It's color-safe, full of keratin, and has extracts of lavender, chamomile, and jojoba plants that hydrate hair without heavy oils, butters, or emollients.
It's technically suitable for all hair types, but users with sensitive scalps and oily hair are particularly drawn to the formula for its ability to remove buildup without leaving hair feeling dry and brittle. They say it lathers like a dream, so a little bit goes a long way. It's also a great pick for anyone with particularly hard water in their home. As a nice bonus, it has a great beach-like scent. Just don't use it daily, as it's really meant for a good, deep clean.
Type | Shampoo |
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Key ingredients | Argan oil, lavender extract, rosemary extract, chamomile exctract, jojoba extract, keratin |
Pros
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Not stripping
Cons
- Though technically unscented, some users don't like the smell
Made with grapeseed, tea tree, and sunflower oils, Grace says this is a lightweight and hydrating shampoo that's unscented and nourishing for dry hair. Plus, there are no added proteins, which all of the experts we spoke to said you should avoid if you have low porosity hair. "It purifies, but is also pretty lightweight and hydrating, so it's not going to be really stripping," she says of the budget-friendly pick.
Users say the formula is on the thicker side, but lathers relatively well. Some users say the product has even helped clear up an itchy scalp due to product buildup. We also like that SheaMoisture—an affordable and widely available brand—also makes a companion conditioner for best results.
Type | Shampoo |
---|---|
Key ingredients | Grapeseed oil, tea tree oil, sunflower oil, shea butter |
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Best Detox Shampoo
K18 Peptide Prep Color-Safe Detox Clarifying Shampoo
Pros
- Only need to use once per week for results
- Light floral scent
Cons
- Small bottle, especially given the price
This is a solid shampoo for detoxing your hair and removing buildup. It's color-safe, gentle, helps reduces frizz, and brings the hair back to its proper pH balance. This not only helps lock in natural oils and prevent breakage, but also helps keep the scalp and hair follicles healthier.
Our assistant love and life editor, Addison Aloian, is a big fan. "I have this shampoo, and I adore it," she says. "A little bit goes a long way, and you don't need to use it super often to see results." The brand recommends just once per week, so even though the bottle is small, you'll get plenty of mileage out of it.
Type | Shampoo |
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Key ingredients | Activated charcoal, salicylic acid, K18Peptide |
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Best Leave-In Conditioner
Pattern Beauty Leave-In Conditioner
Pros
- Thick and hydrating without being too heavy
- Great scent
Cons
- Some users say the bottle is slippery
One of Pattern's bestsellers, this leave-in conditioner is built with oils, biotin, and honey for detangling and locking in moisture. Specifically, aloe and honey attract moisture, while jojoba oil locks it in. These superstar ingredients also help with curl definition and style extending, so you can rock shiny and hydrated wavy, curly, or coily hair longer.
Users say they love the consistency of this conditioner—it's very thick and works wonders to keep coils in place and soften hair. They say it also helps tamp down frizz, even in very hot, humid weather—all for a fraction of the price of other styling products.
Type | Leave-in conditioner |
---|---|
Key ingredients | Aloe, honey, jojoba oil |
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Pros
- Expertly detangles
- Very light texture
Cons
- Some users with very fine hair say it's a little too heavy
Gutterman recommends consistently using this lightweight leave-in conditioner. "It is so hydrating, it's good for all hair types, and I just love it for detangling the hair with," she says. It's also strengthening, thanks to ingredients like hydrolyzed rice protein.
We love how versatile the product is. It's safe to use on colored hair, extensions, and chemically-treated hair. It's also a vegan product for those on the hunt for a cleaner beauty product. Overall, users we polled agree with Gutterman: "This has been one of my go-tos for years," says contributor Brigitt Earley. "It makes my dry, wavy, tangle-prone hair so slippery that knots basically slide out, but doesn't leave any irritating residue in its wake."
Type | Leave-in conditioner |
---|---|
Key ingredients | Hydrolyzed rice protein, ProVitamin B |
Pros
- Makes the hair feel soft
- A small amount goes a long way
Cons
- May cause flaking if you use too much
Just a few pumps of this water-to-foam 2022 WH Beauty Award winner is enough to hydrate and add tons of softness to the hair. It perfectly defines curls and gives hair lots of hold without feeling tough or crunchy on your strands.
"I've tried tons of mousses, but I'll never let go of this one," says Danielle Jackson, senior beauty editor. "I don't have to use it on top of other leave-ins to get the best results, it doesn't build up on the hair, and it can make a four-day old twist out look brand new."
Type | Mousse |
---|---|
Key ingredients | Aloe, silk amino acids |
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Pros
- Helps tame frizz and flyaways
- Moisturizes hair
- Great scent
Cons
- Some users with fine hair say it's a bit thick
Gutterman also likes this primer from Kérastase, because it's specifically made with plant-based proteins and niacinamide to nourish hair and maintain moisture without heavy emollients. Just as importantly, it'll help protect your strands from heat damage as a result of styling at temps up to 450 °F—more than the maximum on the majority of hair tools like straighteners and curling irons.
Users say it's great for frizz and flyaways, too. "I've been using this primer on my daughter's type 3A hair as a heat protectant for a while now and it's fantastic, says beauty director Brian Underwood. "Her hair gets weighed down easily and this one leaves it silky and soft and not greasy or heavy. I'm a fan."
Type | Heat protectant |
---|---|
Key ingredients | Plant-based proteins, niacinamide |
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Meet Our Experts
- Sophie Gutterman is a celebrity hairstylist based in California.
- Mahogany Grace, is a New York City-based hairstylist and owner of the Mahogany Grace Salon.
- Kim Kimble is a celebrity hairstylist based in Los Angeles.
- Joey Scandizzo, is a celebrity hairstylist and co-creative director of ELEVEN Australia.
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Shop more of our favorite hair products
Best Volumizing Products | Best Shampoos For Thinning Hair | Best Drugstore Shampoo | Best Dry Shampoo | Best Hair-Thickening Products | Best Leave-In Conditioners | Best Hair Masks | Best Scalp Moisturizers
Addison Aloian
Assistant Love & Life Editor
Addison Aloian is the assistant love & life editor at Women’s Health and a NASM-certified personal trainer (CPT). She covers all things lifestyle, astrology, relationships, and fitness. In her free time, you can find her lifting weights at the gym, running on the West Side Highway in New York City, and watching (and critiquing!) the latest movies that have garnered Oscars buzz. In addition to Women's Health, her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L'Officiel USA, V Magazine, VMAN, and more.
Brigitt Earley
Contributing Writer
Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.
Reviewed byBrian Underwood
Beauty Director
Brian Underwood is the beauty director at Women’s Health. He is an award-winning journalist with more than 15 years of experience covering beauty and lifestyle for several national media outlets and previously served as beauty and wellness director at Oprah Daily. His work has appeared in Woman’s Day, Life & Style Weekly, Good Housekeeping, and many more. He also serves as a member of the Skin Cancer Foundation’s gala committee and lives in New York City with his daughter.