Your hair porosity determines how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture and it’s the reason some products work while others don’t.

If your hair feels dry, frizzy, or hard to manage, your porosity type could be the missing piece. Take this quick quiz to find your hair porosity and get a personalized routine that actually works for your hair.

Hair Porosity Quiz – Blush Fizz

Hair Guide by Blush Fizz

What Is Your Hair
Porosity Type?

Your hair porosity decides how well your hair absorbs moisture, why some products work and others do not, and what your hair truly needs. Answer 7 simple questions to find out yours.

7 Questions Instant Results Personalized Routine

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Your Hair Porosity Type

Moisture Routine

Products to Use

Signs Your Routine Needs Fixing

What Is Hair Porosity?

Hair porosity refers to how easily your hair absorbs and holds onto moisture. It is determined by the condition and spacing of your cuticles, the tiny overlapping scales that run along the outside of every strand of hair, like shingles on a roof.

When those cuticles are tightly packed and flat, moisture struggles to get inside but stays in for a long time once it does. When they are raised or have gaps, moisture rushes in instantly but escapes just as fast.

When they sit somewhere in between, the hair behaves in a balanced way that is easiest to manage.

There are three porosity types: Low, Medium, and High. Each one comes with a different set of behaviours, needs, and product rules.

HOW YOUR CUTICLES LOOK AT EACH POROSITY LEVEL

Low Porosity Cuticles tightly closed, overlapping flat

Medium Porosity Cuticles slightly open, balanced gaps

High Porosity Cuticles raised wide open with gaps

What Determines Your Hair Porosity?

Porosity can be genetic, meaning you were simply born with a certain cuticle structure. But it can also change over time depending on how you treat your hair.

Heat styling, chemical treatments like relaxers and colour, sun exposure, harsh shampoos, and even hard water can all raise and damage your cuticles over time, pushing your hair toward higher porosity.

Protective styles, gentle handling, and the right products help keep your cuticles smooth and your porosity in check.

What Is Hair Porosity? All 3 Types Explained – Blush Fizz

Low Porosity

Low Porosity Hair

Closed Cuticle Type · Resistant to Moisture

Low porosity hair has cuticles that lie flat and very close together with almost no gaps. Think of it like trying to pour water onto a surface covered in tightly overlapping tiles the water rolls off instead of soaking in. Moisture has a hard time getting inside, but once it does, it stays in for a long time. This also means products tend to sit on top of the hair rather than absorbing, which leads to buildup over time.

What It Feels Like Day to Day “My hair takes forever to get wet in the shower. Products seem to coat my hair but not actually do anything. It can feel a little waxy or weighed down, especially if I use too much conditioner. But once I find what works, my hair actually holds moisture well.”

Common Signs of Low Porosity Hair

Takes a very long time to fully wet in the shower

Products sit on top and do not seem to soak in

Hair feels coated or weighed down after conditioning

Dries very slowly, sometimes taking half a day

Hair looks shiny and smooth most of the time

Color takes very long to process or barely lifts

Humidity makes hair feel softer, not frizzier

Build-up appears quickly even without heavy products

Key Routine Focus

Use steam or heat to open cuticles Apply products to soaking wet hair Clarify every 1–2 weeks Choose lightweight water-based products Avoid heavy butters as a first step

Medium Porosity

Medium Porosity Hair

Balanced Cuticle Type · Most Manageable

Medium porosity hair has cuticles that sit at just the right angle open enough to let moisture flow in at a healthy pace, but not so open that it escapes too quickly. This is the most balanced of the three types. Products absorb well, hair styles predictably, and the overall level of frizz is easier to control. Most hair care products are formulated with this porosity type in mind, which is why nearly everything works reasonably well for medium porosity hair.

What It Feels Like Day to Day “My hair is pretty easy to work with. Products absorb nicely, it air dries in a couple of hours, and it holds styles well. I do not have major frizz or dryness issues most of the time. When my routine stops working, it usually means I need a little more protein or I have been using too much heat.”

Common Signs of Medium Porosity Hair

Gets wet quickly and dries in about 2–3 hours

Conditioners and creams absorb easily

Hair looks healthy and has a moderate natural shine

Styles hold well without too much product

Colour processes within the expected time frame

Humidity causes minimal frizz most of the time

Does not feel excessively dry or unusually greasy

Most hair products give decent results

Key Routine Focus

Deep condition every 2–3 weeks Alternate moisture and protein treatments Always use heat protection Seal with a light oil after moisturising Protect to prevent shifting to higher porosity

High Porosity

High Porosity Hair

Open Cuticle Type · Absorbs Quickly, Loses Quickly

High porosity hair has cuticles with significant gaps or damage, so moisture rushes in almost instantly but escapes just as fast. You may notice your hair feels wet one moment and completely dry the next. Frizz, dryness, tangles, and breakage are common struggles because the hair shaft is constantly losing whatever moisture it absorbs. High porosity can be genetic, but it is often the result of chemical treatments, years of heat damage, or rough handling that has permanently raised and chipped the cuticle surface.

What It Feels Like Day to Day “My hair soaks up any product I put on, but it still feels dry within an hour. Frizz is a constant battle, especially when it rains or the weather is humid. I feel like I use a lot of product but never get the moisture to actually stay. My hair breaks easily and feels rough at the ends.”

Common Signs of High Porosity Hair

Hair absorbs water almost instantly in the shower

Dries very fast, often within 30–45 minutes

Frizz appears immediately in humid weather

Hair feels dry or rough even after conditioning

Products absorb fast but moisture does not last

Tangles and breakage are frequent

Colour processed very quickly or got damaged easily

Hair looks dull even after a wash day

Key Routine Focus

Cold water rinse after every wash Use the LOC method to seal moisture Protein treatments every 2–3 weeks Rich butters and heavy oils to seal Avoid further chemical or heat damage

Quick Comparison: All Three Types at a Glance

Feature	Low	Medium	High
Cuticle state	Tightly closed	Slightly open	Raised or damaged
Absorbs moisture	Slowly / resists	At a healthy pace	Instantly
Retains moisture	Well, once inside	Well for days	Poorly, escapes fast
Drying time	Very long	2–3 hours	Very fast
Frizz in humidity	Gets softer	Minimal change	Swells immediately
Product behaviour	Sits on top	Absorbs well	Absorbs but dries out
Main challenge	Getting moisture in	Maintaining balance	Keeping moisture in

The Float Test — Find Your Type in 5 Minutes

The easiest at-home way to check your porosity right now

Take a clean strand of hair from your brush or comb
Fill a clear glass with room temperature water
Drop the hair strand gently onto the surface of the water
Wait 2–4 minutes without touching or stirring
Watch where the strand ends up

Floats Stays on top for a long time, you likely have low porosity hair. Your cuticles are closed and water is not entering the strand.

Midway Slowly drifts down and hovers in the middle, you likely have medium porosity hair. Your cuticles are balanced.

Sinks Goes straight to the bottom quickly, you likely have high porosity hair. Your cuticles are open and absorbing water fast.

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Hair Porosity Quiz: Find Your Type & Routine (2-Min Tool)

What Is Your Hair
Porosity Type?

What Is Hair Porosity?