Low Porosity Support Thread

[Evolving78]

I read somewhere that baggying or ghe is good because it traps in steam and heat for moisture to absorb in

it's ok, but not for long periods of time for low porous hair. The hair can only absorb so much moisture, so you don't want moisture overload. Low porous hair can get moisture overload quickly. If your hair can take the baggy method for days at a time, you may not be low po or you may have sections that require more moisture than others.

 

[Evolving78]

My hair seems to really like being clarified. Do you think using a daily clarifying shampoo weekly in place of a normal shampoo a good idea or a bad idea??

that's too much. Use a moisturizing shampoo and clarify once a month. Unless you are super heavy handed with product.

 

[Evolving78]

Im having trouble moistirizing my hair while in its natural state. If i blowdry first and then moisturize and do a bantu know out or whatever, when i take the style out my hair is moistirized. If i dont blowdry first my hair is a oily dry hot mess. I DC every week consistantly and wash with a moisturizing low sulfate shampoo as well as clarify and protein treatments as need be. I use a water.based leave in and seal with grape seed oil or EVOO. Sometimes i use unrefined shea butter mixed with grapeseed oil which im finding to be too heavy. Besides omitting the shea buttrr how can i moisturize and seal without having to blowdry my hair?? And jerry curl juoce doesnt work because i live in a dry cold climate

you should spritz with water, then add moisturizer/oil. You could use a refresher spray daily. Nothing with a lot of ingredients. Just something to hydrate the hair. Oyin juices are good.

 

[Beany]

What do u do about moisturizing? I have been using my Shea Butter mix and as I am double butter. But I guess I need to find something lighter

I use a water based moisturizer (right now it's bellezzanaturaleskin hair spray) then baggy. (I have recently discovered that my hair absorbs product better if i use my heat cap after i moisturize.) It's really light and seems to absorb well. When I baggy for 1 or 2 days it's usually out of laziness. I haven't had moisture overload since I stopped using straight shea butter on my hair (a few years). I also haven't done a proper protein treatment in years unless cherry lola and caramel treatments count.

My hair has been cooperative as of late *knocks on wood*

 

[H0tPinkButtafly]

I use a water based moisturizer (right now it's bellezzanaturaleskin hair spray) then baggy. (I have recently discovered that my hair absorbs product better if i use my heat cap after i moisturize.) It's really light and seems to absorb well. When I baggy for 1 or 2 days it's usually out of laziness. I haven't had moisture overload since I stopped using straight shea butter on my hair (a few years). I also haven't done a proper protein treatment in years unless cherry lola and caramel treatments count.

My hair has been cooperative as of late *knocks on wood*

I can't do the water spraying and bagging right now since my hair is roller set and flat ironed straight

 

[Evolving78]

Found this blog on Low porosity hair! A good read and it has a lot of what I was trying to convey! http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/moisturizing-low-porosity-hair.html?m=1

 

[faithVA]

shortdub78;21129849[/USER]]it's ok, but not for long periods of time for low porous hair. The hair can only absorb so much moisture, so you don't want moisture overload. Low porous hair can get moisture overload quickly. If your hair can take the baggy method for days at a time, you may not be low po or you may have sections that require more moisture than others.

Can you explain this more. I thought it was high porosity hair that was quick to get moisture overload. My hair is low porosity and I don't think I've ever had moisture overload no matter how long I baggy.

 

[faithVA]

Found this blog on Low porosity hair! A good read and it has a lot of what I was trying to convey! http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/moisturizing-low-porosity-hair.html?m=1

Thanks. I'm going to reread this again.

 

[Evolving78]

Can you explain this more. I thought it was high porosity hair that was quick to get moisture overload. My hair is low porosity and I don't think I've ever had moisture overload no matter how long I baggy.

it has more to do with overexposure to moisture. Like a crunchy cereal taking longer to get soggy, but you leave it long enough in milk, it will get soggy like the rest.

 

[Evolving78]

It's just sitting in moisture. It absorbed what it needed. High porosity hair needs moisture, but people tend to over do. The hair requires a serious balancing act, since it has a lot of cuticle damage and requires more protein. Low porosity needs hydration/water,moisture and humectants to draw moisture in. Not glycerin though, but other ingredients that facilitate with drawing, creating moisture. That is why heat is so important when it comes to deep conditioning. We need something to open the cuticles and products that our hair can drink/absorb.

 

[faithVA]

it has more to do with overexposure to moisture. Like a crunchy cereal taking longer to get soggy, but you leave it long enough in milk, it will get soggy like the rest.

Has your hair ever gotten soggy? My hair has not ever gotten soggy. Perhaps I can leave things on longer. I may have to test this out.

I do understand the acceptance of moisture, heat, etc. I'm just unfamiliar with anyone with low porosity hair having moisture overload.

 

[Evolving78]

That's why i didn't bother with Baking soda. I would add a teaspoon of Castile soap to my conditioner and that would help and wasn't harsh. I don't mess around with aloe, acv, etc... And my hair is resistant when it comes to relaxers, but I have fine hair, so I use normal. Mild will leave me with some serious texlaxed hair. I think it is harder to deal with low porosity hair, since the concept of less is more just doesn't stick with a lot of us (including myself) I can't cowash, I have to use shampoo, I can't use heavy coating products, and my hair can tolerate heat. I use cones because low porosity hair doesn't need a ton of moisturizers, I need them for smoothness and softness. When I was natural, I stayed away from cones, due to that being one of the rules for natural textured hair. I stayed away from shampoo, and my hair would still feel coated.

 

[Evolving78]

Has your hair ever gotten soggy? My hair has not ever gotten soggy. Perhaps I can leave things on longer. I may have to test this out. I do understand the acceptance of moisture, heat, etc. I'm just unfamiliar with anyone with low porosity hair having moisture overload.

Yep, but as a relaxed person. Not with my nature texture, so much, but I may have mistaken mushy hair for soft and well conditioned hair.

 

[faithVA]

That's why i didn't bother with Baking soda. I would add a teaspoon of Castile soap to my conditioner and that would help and wasn't harsh. I don't mess around with aloe, acv, etc... And my hair is resistant when it comes to relaxers, but I have fine hair, so I use normal. Mild will leave me with some serious texlaxed hair. I think it is harder to deal with low porosity hair, since the concept of less is more just doesn't stick with a lot of us (including myself) I can't cowash, I have to use shampoo, I can't use heavy coating products, and my hair can tolerate heat. I use cones because low porosity hair doesn't need a ton of moisturizers, I need them for smoothness and softness. When I was natural, I stayed away from cones, due to that being one of the rules for natural textured hair. I stayed away from shampoo, and my hair would still feel coated.

Yeah you do have to figure out what works for you. And it can be a long road. I was never successful with relaxers. Mild was never an option. Usually normal and sometimes a few supers. But they would never last.

I agree relaxed and BS don't mix.

Finally though I have figured it out. Shampoo is a no But I can do ACV, conditioner with castille soap added or conditioner with baking soda added. And I can cowash once but after that I need to wash with something.

I'm still on the fence with aloe though. I can't tell one way or the other.

 

[faithVA]

Yep, but as a relaxed person. Not with my nature texture, so much, but I may have mistaken mushy hair for soft and well conditioned hair.

Understood. Perhaps if I had known my hair was low porosity when I was relaxed I would have done better with it. It's all for the best

 

[Evolving78]

Because that would mean, low porosity hair wouldn't need protein. And we do require a bit of it. There should be no way we should have to baggy for hours for our hair to be moisturized. It's all in the technique. We should use product and have it melt into the strands. If we see product sitting on our strands, it's overkill, will cause the hair to be weighed down, and it's wasteful. We should deep condition for no longer than 30 mins. I learned most of this stuff in cosmetology school as well as my skincare courses. Dry skin could only be steamed for up 5 mins, normal to oily 10 mins. Doesn't make since right, but overuse of moisture and steam would dry the skin out even more. It as the same for applying a mask and allowing it to sit on the skin. 5 mins for dry skin. The dry skin products were not as thick, more lotion like, instead of creamy.

 

[faithVA]

Because that would mean, low porosity hair wouldn't need protein. And we do require a bit of it. There should be no way we should have to baggy for hours for our hair to be moisturized. It's all in the technique. We should use product and have it melt into the strands. If we see product sitting on our strands, it's overkill, will cause the hair to be weighed down, and it's wasteful. We should deep condition for no longer than 30 mins. I learned most of this stuff in cosmetology school as well as my skincare courses. Dry skin could only be steamed for up 5 mins, normal to oily 10 mins. Doesn't make since right, but overuse of moisture and steam would dry the skin out even more. It as the same for applying a mask and allowing it to sit on the skin. 5 mins for dry skin. The dry skin products were not as thick, more lotion like, instead of creamy.

Are you still speaking about low porosity relaxed or are you also including naturals?

I have not found any products (leave-ins) to just sink into my hair as a natural. It still takes heat or time or both. And I could reduce product but my hair isn't going to feel great. It's going to feel hard and wiry and dry out within 2 days. And my hair does not cooperate with remoisturizing.

I do agree with the theory but in practice I have not found that to be the case for me.

 

[Evolving78]

Are you still speaking about low porosity relaxed or are you also including naturals? I have not found any products (leave-ins) to just sink into my hair as a natural. It still takes heat or time or both. And I could reduce product but my hair isn't going to feel great. It's going to feel hard and wiry and dry out within 2 days. And my hair does not cooperate with remoisturizing. I do agree with the theory but in practice I have not found that to be the case for me.

that's why I use refresher sprays. I can't use moisturizer creams daily. I'm talking about relaxed and natural, but being relaxed is a bit more challenging. There isn't a lot of products out based on someone with low porosity hair.

 

[faithVA]

^^OK. I will just keep on experimenting until I find products/techniques that work for me. I'm getting closer so maybe one day in the future I will figure it out. I know low porosity heads are similar but still different enough to make things challenging.

 

[ceecy29]

faithVA The issues you describe with moisturizing as the same I'm going through. Komaza analysis said I'm normal porosity I always thought I was lo-po prior to the analysis. What is currently *almost* working for you?

 

[faithVA]

faithVA The issues you describe with moisturizing as the same I'm going through. Komaza analysis said I'm normal porosity I always thought I was lo-po prior to the analysis. What is currently *almost* working for you?

ceecy29

I'm still haven't figured it out. For the past 6 months I've been doing mhm and loc with as I am leave in, my honey child tyoe 4 hair cream and gel or and oil. That would get me 3 days and I would just rewash on day 4.

Thus week I've started clay wash with gel. Will see how that goes.

 

[ceecy29]

ceecy29

I'm still haven't figured it out. For the past 6 months I've been doing mhm and loc with as I am leave in, my honey child tyoe 4 hair cream and gel or and oil. That would get me 3 days and I would just rewash on day 4.

Thus week I've started clay wash with gel. Will see how that goes.

faithVA MHM is a bit much for me at this time, I wish! I see you wrote that the As I Am leave in has glycerin in another thread. My hair responded well to an s-curl leave in and s-curl gel combo one summer in California (best moisturized defined twist out ever, I could run my fingers through my hair without snags!!) then I came back to NY and did the same thing and didn't have the same effect. Something to do with the humidity, maybe?

A combo that is almost working for me is the komaza care coconut curl pudding sealed with their jojoba hemp. It's just missing something. Plus I still have to apply in small sections, almost relaxer style

 

[faithVA]

faithVA MHM is a bit much for me at this time, I wish! I see you wrote that the As I Am leave in has glycerin in another thread. My hair responded well to an s-curl leave in and s-curl gel combo one summer in California (best moisturized defined twist out ever, I could run my fingers through my hair without snags!!) then I came back to NY and did the same thing and didn't have the same effect. Something to do with the humidity, maybe?

A combo that is almost working for me is the komaza care coconut curl pudding sealed with their jojoba hemp. It's just missing something. Plus I still have to apply in small sections, almost relaxer style

The regimen has really been shortened. Now it just consist of a clay wash and gel. Last night I used CR Aloe Whipped Butter Gel. I like it. It softened and hydrated my hair and had enough hold for my rollerset. I am going to try using that exclusively for March and see how that goes.

 

[ceecy29]

The regimen has really been shortened. Now it just consist of a clay wash and gel. Last night I used CR Aloe Whipped Butter Gel. I like it. It softened and hydrated my hair and had enough hold for my rollerset. I am going to try using that exclusively for March and see how that goes.

This really sounds doable!!!

 

[nothidden]

Found this blog on Low porosity hair! A good read and it has a lot of what I was trying to convey! http://science-yhairblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/moisturizing-low-porosity-hair.html?m=1

Good stuff on this blog! Came across it last summer.

 

[nothidden]

faithVA The issues you describe with moisturizing as the same I'm going through. Komaza analysis said I'm normal porosity I always thought I was lo-po prior to the analysis.

I've read that porosity can change. This would make sense for me because last summer water would bead on my hair and it would take forever to wet. Now, after months of consciously moisturizing, my hair wets sooner, still loves the baggy method, and now loves conditioner. I kinda figured I'd moved into normal porosity territory, but had no analysis done to confirm this.

 

[uofmpanther]

Does anyone use grease? I have been thinking about trying it because my mom used to use it when I was younger, but it seems like it would cause a lot of buildup.

 

[faithVA]

Does anyone use grease? I have been thinking about trying it because my mom used to use it when I was younger, but it seems like it would cause a lot of buildup.

I don't use great but I do use My Honey Child Type 4 Hair Cream which is quite heavy. And it does cause build up. But if you wash every week or so and clarify maybe once a month you shouldn't have any problem if you choose to use it. You just have to pay attention to your hair and notice when you need to wash/clarify.

 

[divachyk]

I don't use great but I do use My Honey Child Type 4 Hair Cream which is quite heavy. And it does cause build up. But if you wash every week or so and clarify maybe once a month you shouldn't have any problem if you choose to use it. You just have to pay attention to your hair and notice when you need to wash/clarify.

How do you use it? I purchased it; probably shouldn't have. I need to find a way to use it. @faithVA

 

[faithVA]

How do you use it? I purchased it; probably shouldn't have. I need to find a way to use it. @faithVA

I really need to reread what I type before I post

Right now I'm only using it with my flat twist to seal. After I rinse, I let my hair air dry a bit then I seal it with the MHC. I may or may not put a gel on top of that to set my twists. It's pretty heavy so wherever you would use a sealant, would be a good place to use it.