The benefits of hair oils are indisputable. When it comes to hair health, they are always praised for their ability to protect and strengthen the hair shaft to promote growth and length retention. Before jumping in and start incorporating oils in your haircare routine, you need to ensure that you are using the right product according to your porosity. Porosity can often be overlooked but is a vital aspect of your hair type to be aware of. When you have high porosity hair, you might experience dry and fragile hair quickly. Using oils for high porosity hair will help you to seal in moisture and therefore protect your curls against breakage due to moisture loss.
Does oiling help high porosity hair?
Your porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is determined by the structure of your hair’s outer layer which is the cuticle. High porosity hair has cuticles that are lifted or even chipped, which makes it absorb moisture very quickly but unfortunately will lose the moisture as quick as it entered the hair cuticle.
Oils are a great benefit to high porosity hair as it will help your hair to retain moisture and soften raised or chipped cuticles. Their sealant property will help to seal your hair shaft preventing your hair to rapidly become dry and brittle. They are great to strengthen your hair and adding a beautiful shine.
Why you have high porosity hair might depend on your genetic or external factors like styling your hair with heat or a recent hair dye. Other signs of high porosity hair could be quick drying, frizz, tangles, and the most common, a tendency to absorb products quickly, only to become dry again in no time.
What type of oil is good for high porosity hair?
The perfect oils for high porosity hair are the ones which will be able to penetrate your hair shaft and seal the moisture for a longer period. The one you choose will also depend on the thickness of your hair, if you have fine hair using oils that are too heavy might weight down your curls and give your hair less volume. If you have thick hair, select oils that can penetrate the thickness of your hair and retain the moisture to preserve your hair from becoming dry.
Natural oils are convenient due to their price and their versatility. You can easily leverage natural oils as a pre-poo treatment to pre-condition your hair, adding a few drops to your deep-in conditioner or create other at home remedies for your hair.
Here are natural oils for high porosity hair that you can integrate in your haircare routine:
Coconut Oil
A staple in natural hair care, primarily due to its ability to deeply penetrate the hair shaft and promote hair shine. It replenishes lost moisture and can also prevent protein loss, making it a favorite for high porosity hair.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is not just a staple in the kitchen but can also work perfectly for high porosity hair. With high antioxidant content and vitamin E, it improves overall hair health and provides a protective layer against damage. Its ability to penetrate the hair shaft and hydrate from within makes it perfect for dry, porous hair.
Avocado Oil
Rich in vitamins A, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids, its lightweight consistency makes it a good moisturizer for high porosity and thin hair types, delivering hydration without causing a heavy or greasy feel.
Argan Oil
With high concentrations of vitamin E and essential fatty acids it deeply nourishes the hair. It’s the solution to repair hair that is been damaged from heat styling and its protective properties will also prevent further breakage. Like avocado oil, argan oil has a lightweight consistency.
Castor Oil
Castor oil is known to be a popular oil to be used for naturals who are on a hair growth’s journey. It’s is one of the thickest oils which has the property to moisture the hair follicle. It’s great to prevent hair damage and breakage.
In addition to natural oils, oils formulated by brands are also a great way to treat natural hair issues such as dryness and breakage. These oils formulated by brands specialized in natural hair care focus on specific issues such as treating scalp issues, breakage or frizz. Using hair oils formulated by brands can be preferable if you’re looking for lighter weight oils that can be used for multiple purposes.
Brands focus on creating the best of hair oils available and to include the properties that are the most helpful for natural hair. The benefit of using branded hair oils is that they clearly state the benefits and the intended use of the product.
Our recommendation for high porosity hair oils
1. Mielle Organics Rosemary Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil (9$)
The tik-tok famous hair oil is known to deeply strengthen your hair by nourishing hair follicles, smoothing split ends as well as treating dry scalp. This oil is suitable to use when putting your hair in a protective style and for scalp massages.
- Pros: Multi-use, specially created for dry hair and scalp.
- Cons: Strong smell.
2. Briogeo Farewell Frizz Oil Blend (25$)
This oil has been scientifically formulated with rosehip oil to smooth and seal the hair cuticle to prevent frizz by locking in hydration and locking out humidity. It also restores luster and adds shine to dry hai
- Pros:Ultra rich oil formulated with 98% naturally derived, vegan ingredients.
- Cons: Too rich for thin hair types.
3. Pattern Beauty Argan Oil Blend (25$)
Featuring argan oil, sunflower oil, castor oil and sweet almond oil, the pattern beauty oil blend has been designed to promote hair strength and keep your hair strands moisturized. This oil blend will ensure to protect your hair against moisture loss that high porosity hair often experiences.
- Pros: Can be used to refresh your hair and scalp in a protective style. Perfectly blends with the Pattern Beauty leave-in conditioner.
- Cons: Watery texture which requires to use more product.
4. Bread Hair Oil (24$)
The brand describes their oil to be “just like a lip gloss but for your hair”. This hair oil adds shine without sticky residue while softening and moisturizing your hair. The blend of midweight oils works for low and high porosity hair.
- Pros: Created to be used daily. Can be mixed with water to be added in your spray bottle.
- Cons: The bottle does not include a dropper which can make the application messy.
5. Melanin Haircare Multi-Use Pure Oil Blend (22$)
This lightweight formula contains some of the most nourishing oils: baobab oil, argan oil and sweet almond oil. This oil blend was specifically curated to nourish the hair shaft while locking in the moisture of high porosity hair.
- Pros: Smooths down knots to aid the detangling and styling process.
- Cons: Not the thickest hair oil for the ones who are after rich oil texture.
With high porosity hair, hair oils can make a difference in managing breakage due to dry hair. Branded oils offer an easy solution for sealing in moisture and ensuring your hair remains hydrated. Nevertheless, it’s important to use oils for high porosity hair only when needed and to not overuse. Applying hair oils too often could lead to product build up, preventing your hair to absorb the nutrients that it needs. Start by adding oils on wash days as pre-wash treatment or to lock in the moisture from your hair cream. Understanding how your hair can absorb natural oils can make your haircare journey easier.
