High-porosity hair is the leading figure in a drama of moisture loss—it has a wide-open cuticle that acts like orthochromatic film exposed to too much light.
As dumb luck would have it, high-porosity curls can drink up moisture like a Academy Award winner at an after-party, only to look blank and spooky minutes later. This is the technical shift of high porosity: your hair lets moisture in easily, but it can’t hold onto it. You need a routine that focuses on gentler care and stronger hold to assuage the insecurities of a pattern that wants to disappear. Think of it as using a “Flexible Greasepaint” approach—you need products that fill the gaps in the cuticle and lock in the insurance you’ve provided. It’s about doubling your wearability by creating a surface layer that doesn’t crack.
The prep is everything. For high-porosity strands, cold water is your best friend to help “shut the gate” of the cuticle. Mind the resistance when you apply your stylers; use a “slick lip coat” of oil or a heavy cream to seal the moisture into the profile. Avoid harsh sulfates that create a ruddy mess of dryness. For high-porosity hair, the workday habits involve staying protected and sealed. By mastering the art of the “LOC” (Liquid, Oil, Cream) method and using protein-rich treatments, you can ensure your curls capture the glow of incandescent bulbs from lash line to socket. Something I think we’re all still kind of into.
—Lauren Maas