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Low-porosity hair can often feel like a mystery—products just seem to slide right off and dryness seems inevitable. But incorporating the best products for low-porosity hair into your daily routine can transform your strands, leaving them hydrated, bouncy, and free from unwanted buildup.
Understanding hair porosity is the key to choosing the best products that work with your unique hair type and texture. "Low-porosity hair refers to tight hair cuticles, which make it very difficult for the strands to absorb products fully," explains hairstylist Mirna Jose, who splits time between New York City and LA. “It's important to note that low-porosity occurs in all hair types and curl patterns.” In other words, moisture can't easily get in or out. The good news? From lightweight leave-ins to deep conditioners, the right products can get past those stubborn cuticles, leaving your curls soft, shiny, and nourished.
Our top picks
- Best shampoo: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo, $24
- Best clarifying shampoo: DpHue ACV Hair Rinse, $37
- Best leave-in conditioner: Ceremonia Guava Leave-In Conditioner, $27
- Best conditioner: Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner, $24
- Best gel: Adwoa Beauty Melonberry Vitamin C Frizz-Fighting Hair Gel, $24
- Best scalp scrub: Mielle Rosemary Mint Clarifying Sugar Scalp Scrub, $13
- Best curl cream: Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream, $23
- Best oil: Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss, $24
- Best heat protectant: Bumble and Bumble Bb. Heat Shield Thermal Protection Mist, $34
- Best hair mask: Sienna Naturals Plant Power Damage Repair Strengthening Hair Mask, $34
Whether you're after moisture, definition, or a healthy shine, these low-porosity-friendly products have you covered—addressing common issues like dryness, frizz, and lack of shine without weighing your hair down or causing buildup—for smooth, healthy strands. Trust us, once you find the right formulas, your strands will be impossibly smooth and healthy.
Frequently asked questions
- What is low-porosity hair?
- What ingredients are good for low-porosity hair?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best shampoo: Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo
Why it's worth it: Ouidad's Advanced Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo is ideal for low-porosity hair due to its lightweight, hydrating formula. Infused with glycerin, ceramides, and panthenol, these ingredients attract and retain moisture without weighing down hair. "That's important for curls as it ensures soft, touchable, and well-defined curls in any climate," New York-based hairstylist Cheryl Bergamy-Rosa previously explained. The shampoo forms a barrier against humidity while keeping moisture in. It also minimizes frizz and helps define curls. Its sulfate-free, paraben-free, and silicone-free formula ensures a gentle cleanse that won't clog the hair's cuticle or prevent moisture from entering.
Key ingredients: ceramides and sericin | Frequency of use: up to twice per week | Sulfate-free: yes
Best clarifying shampoo: DpHue ACV Hair Rinse
Why it's worth it: We've all experienced moments when our hair feels heavier than usual and requires a bit more TLC during your wash. With low-porosity hair that's prone to buildup, this rings even more true. "One of the most important tips for low-porosity hair is using clarifying hair products like this rinse that will thoroughly cleanse the hair and allow styling products to work," says Jose. The DpHue Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Rinse gently removes residue without stripping the hair of essential moisture. What sets this rinse apart is a combination of apple cider vinegar and a blend of nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and chamomile, which soothe the scalp while hydrating the hair. Unlike traditional clarifying products, this rinse won't strip essential moisture and helps balance the scalp's pH.
Key ingredients: apple cider vinegar | Frequency of use: two to three times per week | Sulfate-free: yes
Best leave-in conditioner: Ceremonia Guava Leave-In Conditioner
Ceremonia
Guava Leave-In Conditioner
Why it's worth it: The Best of Beauty Award-winning Ceremonia Guava Hydrating Leave-In Conditioner delivers the ideal lightweight moisture and simultaneously smoothes the cuticle layer. Infused with nourishing guava extract, it hydrates and softens while maintaining volume. The formula also contains blue agave and avocado oil to help reduce breakage and split ends. Another stand-out feature of this leave-in is ithe ability to penetrate the hair shaft without leaving a greasy residue.
Key ingredients: guava fruit extract, blue agave, and avocado oil | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best conditioner: Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner
Why it's worth it: Ouidad's Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner is formulated with ingredients like glycerin and panthenol, which allow low-porosity strands to absorb moisture more easily while avoiding buildup or greasiness. The conditioner's unique blend of nourishing oils and proteins strengthens the hair and enhances its elasticity, helping to prevent breakage while promoting softness and shine. The gentle formula is great for daily use, leaving hair healthy, hydrated, and bouncy.
P.S. LA-based hairstylist Lana Hunter vouched for the complementary Curl Quencher Curl Cream for "luscious, juicy type 3 curls and up" and says it'll "eliminate the use of unnecessary products and works amazingly alone."
Key ingredients: chamomile and vitamins A and E | Frequency of use: two to three times per week | Sulfate-free: yes
Best detangler: SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner
Why it's worth it: SheaMoisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner doubles as a detangler and provides lightweight hydration via a blend of Jamaican black castor oil, shea butter, and coconut oil. The detangler softens hair and reduces breakage, ensuring each strand remains manageable and free of knots without causing excess product buildup. After applying, you can use heat to style or simply air-dry for bouncy, frizz-free curls that stay hydrated and soft all day.
Key ingredients: Jamaican black castor oil and shea butter | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best gel: Adwoa Beauty Melonberry Vitamin C Frizz-Fighting Hair Gel
Why it's worth it: Adwoa Beauty Melonberry Vitamin C Frizz-Fighting Hair Gel works well for low-porosity and coily hair since it's formulated with vitamin C and kalahari melon extract to provide long-lasting hydration and hold without the heaviness or crunchiness that gels often leave behind. Hydrolyzed rice protein is another stand-out ingredient that promotes healthier hair. "Because rice water has protein, the amino acids in the protein can help strengthen the hair strands by diffusing through the cuticles," Los Angeles-based, board-certified dermatologist James Y. Wang, MD shared. Whether you're defining curls or keeping flyaways in check, Adwoa Beauty's gel offers a flexible, frizz-free finish without compromising softness or movement.
Key ingredients: vitamin C, squalane, and kalahari melon | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best scalp scrub: Mielle Rosemary Mint Clarifying Sugar Scalp Scrub
Why it's worth it: If your scalp could use a little refresh, Mielle Rosemary Mint Clarifying Sugar Scalp Scrub is the perfect way to give it a clean start. The ingredient list features sucrose (sugar) to clear buildup, dead skin cells, and excess oil that can block moisture absorption in low-porosity hair. Rosemary and mint extracts work together to invigorate the scalp, promoting healthy circulation while providing a refreshing, cooling sensation. The gentle exfoliation from the sucrose makes it perfect for low-porosity scalps, which can be sensitive to more abrasive ingredients. Additionally, sweet almond oil nourishes the scalp and helps prevent dryness.
Key ingredients: rosemary, mint, and sugar | Frequency of use: once a week | Sulfate-free: yes
Best curl cream: Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream
Why it's worth it: Rizos Curls Defining Cream is made with aloe vera and shea butter that hydrate and nourish as well as help curls stay bouncy and frizz-free. The creamy texture allows for easy application, ensuring the product coats the hair evenly without feeling heavy. It seals in moisture and creates soft, flexible curls that maintain their volume and shine. Whether you have tight curls or looser waves, this cream helps to define them while keeping them soft and manageable.
Key ingredients: aloe vera, coconut oil, and shea butter | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best oil: Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss
Why it's worth it: Bread Beauty Supply Hair Oil Everyday Gloss is a lightweight oil that enhances moisture and shine without weighing hair down. Jose shares it's one of her favorite low-porosity hair products because it's made out of safflower seed, sweet almond, and castor oil, ingredients that more easily penetrate and are absorbed into the hair. This daily oil makes it easy to achieve a glossy finish that looks moisturized but won't veer into greasy territory.
Key ingredients: kakadu plum oil and safflower oil | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best heat protectant: Bumble and Bumble Bb. Heat Shield Thermal Protection Mist
Why it's worth it: Bumble and Bumble Bb Heat Shield Thermal Protection Mist is a lightweight mist boosted with antioxidants like vitamin E and sunflower seed oil to create a protective barrier, shielding your hair from heat-styling tools (up to 450°F) and preventing moisture loss. This superfine, nonsticky formula ensures your hair feels soft and looks fresh, making it perfect for low-porosity strands that struggle with heavier products.
Key ingredients: jojoba seed oil, honey, and castor oil | Frequency of use: as often as desired | Sulfate-free: yes
Best hair mask: Sienna Naturals Plant Power Damage Repair Strengthening Hair Mask
Why it's worth it: Sienna Naturals Plant Power Damage Repair Strengthening Hair Mask is a great choice for low-porosity hair in need of deep hydration and repair. Formulated with avocado oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil, this rich and creamy hair treatment improves elasticity and strengthens dry, dull strands. It's recommended you use this mask one to four times a month and leave it on for approximately 10 minutes before rinsing with cool water.
Key ingredients: pea and baobab proteins, murumuru butter, and blue tansy oil | Frequency of use: one to four times per month | Sulfate-free: yes
Frequently asked questions
What is low-porosity hair?
Low-porosity hair is typically more resistant to absorbing moisturizing products. According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, low-porosity hair is most commonly associated with tightly coiled hair, but it's important to note that it's not exclusively true of just this texture. "Low-porosity hair simply refers to strands that do not absorb products easily and frequently encounter issues with buildup," King explains. This means that the cuticles of low-porosity hair are tightly packed, making it difficult for moisture or hair products to penetrate. As a result, people with low-porosity hair often struggle to maintain hydration, leading to dryness and frizz. Additionally, the lack of absorption can cause products to sit on the surface, resulting in a heavy, greasy feeling, and potentially build up over time.
What ingredients are good for low-porosity hair?
According to Jose, the best ingredients for low-porosity hair are humectants (such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin) and lightweight oils." It's essential for low-porosity hair products to include ingredients that “are easily absorbed into the cuticle.” "Coconut oil is one of the few oils that has shown penetration into hair," King confirms. Other shaft-penetrating oils suitable for low-porosity hair are argan oil and olive oil.
Meet the experts
- Mirna Jose is a hairstylist based in New York City and Los Angeles.
- Lana Hunter is a hairstylist in Los Angeles.
How we test and review products
We always enlist a range of testers for our makeup vertical, but hair-care products and tools are another story. While there are products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind. Many are created to address a concern (dandruff, breakage, brittleness) or to work most effectively for a specific hair type (4C curls, wavy hair, gray hair). You wouldn’t want to pick up a purple shampoo that’s only been reviewed by someone with, say, auburn hair, or a diffuser that’s never been tested by anyone with curls, right?
For our review of the best products for low-porosity hair, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and hair experts—many of whom want shinier, healthier-looking hair. Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out the complete review process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine, or you may simply be browsing for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or what your individual needs and concerns are, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from are folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Read more about hair care:
- Poof, These Products Bring Life Back to Thinning Hair
- 9 Best Drugstore Shampoos, Because Basic Is Sometimes Best
- After Months of Testing, We Found the Best Hair Masks Ever
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