If you can’t tell if your misbehaving strands can be chalked up to dryness or something else, Leigh Hardges, a hairstylist in Chicago, Ill., says there’s an easy test to find out. The answer lies in your hair’s porosity levels, which indicate the cuticle’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. “Porosity is the characteristic that will help to determine how much moisture hair needs,” says Hardges. “High porosity is dry and needs the most moisture, whereas low porosity needs the least.”
The Float Test for Hair Porosity
Luckily, you don’t need to be a trichologist or have fancy tech materials to measure your hair’s porosity—a simple water test will do. First, shampoo and rinse hair to remove any product buildup. Once your hair is dry and clean, pluck out a precious strand (don’t worry, it will grow back) and drop it in a bowl filled with water. After letting it set for two to four minutes, watch the strand to see if it sinks to the bottom of the bowl or floats at the top.
Low porosity hair will stay on top of the water.Medium porosity hair will float and stay suspended in the middle.High porosity hair will sink to the bottom of the bowl.
After determining your hair’s porosity, you can best determine the right product and treatment your hair needs to keep it hydrated and healthy.
