Take this free hair porosity test to find out how well your hair absorbs and holds moisture. Your result, low, medium or high porosity, helps you choose the right oils, conditioners and treatments.
What is hair porosity?
Porosity describes how open the outer layer of your hair (the cuticle) is. Low porosity hair has tightly closed cuticles that resist moisture; high porosity hair has raised or damaged cuticles that soak up water quickly and lose it quickly. Medium porosity sits in between and is the easiest to manage.
How to take the hair porosity test
- Think about how your hair behaves on a normal wash day.
- Answer all 7 questions.
- Tap “See my result” for your porosity type and care tips.
Frequently asked questions
Is the float test for hair porosity accurate?
Not very. Dropping a strand in water is affected by oils, products and how clean the hair is, so results are inconsistent. This hair porosity test uses how your hair behaves day to day instead.
Can hair porosity change?
Yes. Bleaching, colouring, keratin treatments, frequent heat styling and sun exposure raise porosity over time. Gentle care can stop it getting worse, but damaged cuticles do not fully repair.
What oils are good for low porosity hair?
Light oils such as argan, grapeseed or jojoba, used in small amounts on warm, damp hair, tend to absorb better than heavy butters.
What helps high porosity hair?
Leave-in conditioners sealed with an oil or cream, regular protein treatments, cool rinses and less heat styling help high porosity hair hold moisture.
Does hard water affect porosity?
Hard water leaves mineral build-up that makes hair feel rough and dry, which can mimic high porosity. A clarifying or chelating shampoo now and then can help.
Sources
Hair porosity: the test that explains why products work differently · Know your hair porosity
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This free tool is for general information only and is not medical advice.