The Right Way To Moisturize Low Porosity Hair, According To Hairstylists

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If you don’t know your hair’s porosity level, there are plenty of ways to figure it out—and you should. Knowing 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.

Essentially 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). If this happens to be your hair type, you’ll want to go for lighter, water-based products that’ll nourish the hair, according to celebrity hairstylist Sophie Gutterman. "Water-based hair products are normally lightweight, so they can easily penetrate low porosity hair," adds celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble. "It's also best to use detoxing products so that your hair can absorb more water."

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. Gutterman recommends leave-in conditioners, since they’re not too heavy.

Meet the experts: Mahogany Grace, a New York City-based hairstylist and owner of the Mahogany Grace Salon. Sophie Gutterman, a celebrity hairstylist. Kim Kimble is a celebrity hairstylist.

You’ll definitely want to avoid products with protein and silicone, because they can cause buildup on the hair, she adds. If you want to try a product, try putting it on the ends of your hair first as opposed to the root, and see how your hair reacts.

For more specific recs, check out the best low porosity hair products, per expert and rave reviews.

Low Porosity Weightless Hydrating Shampoo

A recommendation from Grace, this lightweight and hydrating shampoo is unscented and nourishing for dry hair, made with grapeseed, tea tree, and sunflower oils. Plus, there are no added proteins, which Grace says to avoid if you have low porosity hair. "It purifies, but it also is pretty lightweight and also hydrating, so it's not going to be really stripping," she adds.

Rave review: "It changed my hair within a couple of washes and my family has said my hair looks more moisturized."

Peptide Prep Color-Safe Detox Clarifying Shampoo

It's a solid shampoo for detoxing your hair and removing buildup, and not only does my own hairstylist recommend it, but so does Grace. "That one's color safe, it's gentle, it help reduces frizz and brings the hair back to its proper pH balance," she says.

Editor review: "I have this shampoo, and I adore it. A little bit goes a long way, and you don't need to use it super often to see results." — Addison Aloian, editorial assistant

Premier Hair & Scalp Detox

Kimble recommends this formula with bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar for removing excessive product buildup from the scalp. The apple cider vinegar has anti-fungal properties that can help balance the pH of your scalp and keep the follicle clean, reducing hair loss.

Clarifying Shampoo

Clarifying shampoos are totally necessary for removing buildup from products, and this one is a solid pick, Grace says. It's color-safe, full of keratin, and has extracts of lavender, chamomile, and jojoba plants. Reviewers love it for sensitive scalps and say it works great for oily hair.

Rave review: "I’ve been dealing with the build up from hard water for years leaving my hair feeling greasy and limp, and have been trying to nail down my hair products to remedy that impact.THIS SHAMPOO WORKS! After just one use my hair felt light, voluminous and like it did before the hard water."

No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo

"This shampoo is great because that also helps with cleansing the scalp and increasing hair softness, which will give you volume," says Grace. Reviewers adore the scent and how it's sulfate-free, so it won't strip your hair's natural oils, plus, it makes hair soft and strong.

Rave review: "WOW! I can’t remember the last time my hair had this much volume!! I’m on my third day of not washing my hair and it’s STILL fresh."

Leave-In Conditioner

One of Pattern's bestsellers, this leave-in conditioner is built with oils, biotin, and honey for detangling and locking in moisture. Aaand it helps curl definition. Reviewers love how thick this conditioner is, how it keeps their coils in place, and how it softens their hair.

Rave Review: "More importantly, this makes combing my 10 year-old’s curly hair much easier. I honestly wish I had found it several years ago."

Low Porosity Weightless Hydrating Conditioner

This conditioner is awesome for moisture-resistant hair, and is made with grapeseed, tea tree, and sunflower oils to soften the hair. It's great for curls and coils especially, and can help hair retain hydration. Customers online love that it doesn't weigh their hair down, and one reviewer says it's even helped them stop their hair from falling out.

Rave review: "I think this is good conditioner especially for low porosity hair. It absorbs well into my hair and makes it very soft. I add a little oil like grape seed oil to my conditioner to make my hair even softer."

Hydrating Styling Cream

This light styling cream is great if you have curly hair, Grace says. "[It's] pretty light and can give you great curl definition," she says.

It can also calm frizz, hydrate, and prep hair for styling. You only need one or two pumps to feel the full effects of the product. A reviewer says it's really helped in reducing their flyaways, too.

Rave review: "I have curly hair and live in a humid area! Omg! This product works like magic; it keeps my curls in place without making them frizzy. It smells nice, too. Overall, I give it a solid 5 out of 5."

Curl Charisma Rice Amino + Avocado Hydrating Shampoo

This shampoo—for curly and coily hair types—will cleanse the hair without getting rid of the natural oils. Its rice amino acids will seal the hair cuticle and block humidity from getting in, and the avocado oil helps for softness. Reviewers love that it makes their hair soft while being gentle.

Rave review: "Very moisturizing shampoo, that left my hair feeling soft and healthy. Didn't break the bank for the comparable results as the more expensive brands. Will repurchase."

7SECONDS Detangler Leave-In Conditioner

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," she says. "It's good to detangle the hair with—it's pretty much amazing." It also works well with color and strengthens hair, plus, it's safe for extensions and chemically-treated hair. It's even vegan.

Rave review: "Curly girls. This will hydrate your hair, zero tangles, and it doesn't weigh it down AT ALL. I've been using it for six years and I cannot imagine trying to style my hair without this."

Mousse Def Texture Foam

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.

Editor review: "I've tried tons of mousses, but I'll never let go of this one. 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!" — Danielle Jackson, beauty editor

Nutritive Nectar Thermique Heat Protectant

Gutterman also likes this primer from Kérastase because "targeted specifically to rebuilding that compound in the hair," she says. It's perfect for protecting your hair from heat—just apply it before you blowdry. Reviewers say it's great for frizz and flyaways, which is a total W.

Editor review: "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. Her hair gets weighed down easily and this one leaves it silky and soft and not greasy or heavy. I'm a fan." — Brian Underwood, beauty director

Intensive Conditioner

This conditioner is great for tight textured hair, meaning 4A-4C, but works on all hair types. It softens and hydrates the hair and is perfect if you're in the mood for a deep conditioner. Reviewers say it really does help pull moisture back into their hair and makes it actually feel healthy.

Rave Review: "I've had a very long struggle with how dry my hair gets, especially in the summer time. I've tried so many different products, but when I tell you, I haven't seen my hair look so beautiful before! I could cry. I definitely recommend."

What is porosity?

“Hair porosity is the hair's ability to be able to retain and absorb moisture,” says Grace.

Hair porosity is broken up into three categories: low, normal, and high. To have low porosity hair means that your cuticle is closed, making it harder for water and product to absorb. That also means that heavy products like oils and butters can just sit on your hair and cause buildup. People with curly or textured hair tend to have low porosity more often, since it’s harder for the scalp's natural oils to travel down the shaft of the hair.

How our team chose the best products for low porosity hair

For months, Women’s Health editors, including our editorial assistant Addison Aloian, researched the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated low porosity hair products. Our team consulted Mahogany Grace, Sophie Gutterman, and Kim Kimble, and then evaluated thousands of customer reviews and ratings to narrow down the best items for a wide range of needs and preferences.

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