The speediest and easiest techniques to find hair types and porosity levels

Porosity and hair types.

Those are the basics to knowing your hair.

And the two are important in their own way.

Knowing your hair type will help you understand how your hair may react to certain things such as humidity, water and hair products.

Knowing your porosity tells you how to properly moisturize your hair.

You might have been so excited and eager to be a part of a movement that embraces black beauty that you haven’t thought about the work, patience, and commitment it takes to be successful.

Don’t be selfish.

When your hair was relaxed, she completely surrendered to what you wanted because she had no choice. She was weak because of the chemicals overpowering her.

But things are going to be different now.

You are now 50% and your hair is the other 50% of your hair journey.

It’s time to listen to what your hair needs and give it to her. If you don’t, you are setting yourself up for an unsuccessful and very frustrating natural hair journey.
And it doesn’t have to be.

So if you are unclear on your hair type or porosity and already natural or transitioning, it’s time to clarify that uncertainty before you step into danger zones.

Hair Type

This is the quickest way for you to determine your hair type. I will admit it is not as easy to decipher your hair type as it may seem. Some naturals have more than one hair type. That’s completely normal.

So just take some time to study your hair.

What do you think it is right now?

It may take a few days and a few washes for you to really see your true curl pattern. Look back at this chart in a couple days and see if your conclusion is still the same or if it’s changed or you’ve added another hair type in the mix.

Porosity Level

There are three ways to test your porosity level:

The cup test

Take some strands of hair from your comb or brush and drop into a clear glass of water at room temperature. You don’t need to push the hair down, just drop it in and see if it sinks, floats or stays in the middle of the glass. Wait about 5-10 to see the results.

Hair that sinks = High porosity

Hair that stays in middle of glass = Normal porosity

Hair that floats = Low porosity

The air dry test

This test is for after you’ve washed your hair in the shower.

This also requires some waiting around. You are determining if your body or your hair dry first.

After getting out of the shower, do NOT grab your towel. Just wait to see whether your hair completely dries first or your body does.

If your hair dries first = High porosity

If your body dries first = Normal/Low porosity

The finger test

This will require just one more strand from your comb or brush.

Take the hair and run your thumb and index finger feel up and down the strand to feel for uplifted ridges.

If you feel rough or uplifted ridges your hair likely has high porosity.

If your hair feels smooth, that is an indication of normal/low porosity.

Of all these tests, the cup test is probably the most accurate but I encourage you to try all the test to get a more accurate conclusion of your porosity level.

So as a natural newbie (or not), this is what you need to know right now!

Remaining oblivious to the basic things about your hair will only hurt you in the long run. What if two years passed you by and your hair is the same length it is right now.

Would you be upset?

If the answer is yes, find out your hair type and porosity level tonight!