Courtesy of BlackGirlLongHair.com
Naturals with highly porous strands (or, high hair porosity) generally have lifted, missing, and/or broken cuticles. As a result, gateways exist in the hair shaft for quick water absorption but also quick water loss. For this reason, retaining moisture can be a serious challenge for those with high hair porosity.
If you are one of these naturals, there are some tried methods that may help you to mitigate this issue. Below are five of them ranging from flattening the lifted cuticle to layering products to using porosity control or protein-based conditioners to patch up the cuticle.
1. Kimmaytube Homemade Leave-In Recipe (pictured above)
WHAT’S IN IT: This homemade leave-in, which was created by Kim Love (or, Kimmaytube on Youtube) contains 1 oz of Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-In (conditioning, reduces tangling), 2 tablespoons of whole leaf aloe vera juice (acidic, moisture, humectant), 2 teaspoons of castor oil (sealant, emollient), and 2 teaspoons of jojoba oil (sealant, emollient).
WHY KIMMAYTUBE LEAVE-IN: This mixture of ingredients is thought to produce an acidifying leave-in conditioner that flattens lifted cuticles and enhances moisture retention. Now whether the pH of this conditioner actually helps to “flatten” the cuticle is debatable, but many naturals do swear by this concoction and it may be worth a try if you are on the mild side of high hair porosity. The addition of castor oil and jojoba oil help to seal in moisture.
WHERE TO FIND: Kinky Curly Knot Today: http://kinky-curly.com/shop.php. (Some naturals have successfully used cheaper conditioners in place of Knot Today. If you choose to do the same, purchase one that is detangling and can be used as a leave-in.)
For the full list visit BlackGirlLongHair.com
