Mastering Your Natural Hair ... Porosity Type? .. Need Help

[Britt]

I don't know what my natural hair type is. I don't mean curl pattern. But I think I have some porosity issues with my hair. I recently big chopped and washed and conditioned my hair last week. Some things I've noticed steadily about my hair from when I was natural last time and overall. This go around I really want a better understanding of my hair so that I can find staples and limit products. Please help guide me some.

• Likes protein - LOVES Nexxus Emergencee as a natural and relaxed. Ingredient in this that really agrees with my hair. I sprayed Aphogee green tea keratin on my damp fro before blow drying it and my hair started to form curl. I also used the Shea moisture hiPo masque sample that came with their hair dye and my hair started to curl. When I use moisturizing dc's that doesn't happen.

• It finally dawned on me that I don't need so many moisturizing conditioners and then leave ins, followed up by more moisture. My hair will get soft and then cotton feeling like it shrivels up, forget it if it's humid out. I'm thinking this is why my twist outs always had to redone done nightly. My hair would feel soft, mushy, moisturized but still look frizzy. I've seen naturals with all different hair types and their twist out could last them at least 3 days by just putting on a bonnet and fluffing. Not my hair. Back then I'd use a curl custard/twisting cream (essentially another moisture filled product) to retwist and in the morning my hair would still be damp and my twists would fluff out quickly instead of steadily holding the shape of the twist.

• My hair swells REALLY easily. I've gone to the salon, got my hair flat ironed in the summer in NYC and when I reached home my hair literally started to swelllll. I took a pic to send my stylist at the time. She was floored. I've also had this happen after going straight from the stylist to a day party... hair just swole. Any moisture whatever in the air my hair started to swell quickly. My stylist at the time couldn't figure it out scientifically what my hair needed or what my type was. I will incur heat damage yet my hair swells up easily. I've blow dried my hair before (dead of winter - no humidity) and wand curled it and the curls feel and my hair swole by time I reached my destination.

• My hair really liked the Camille Rose Curl Maker gel to slick down and tame it. Not a fan of eco styler.
• Not a fan of greasy or buttery type products.
• Medium to low density, average to fine thickness.
• My twists take forever to dry and will stay damp and hold onto the product, cream, spray. Whatever I use.

I'm thinking in the past I was using too many products with moisture and that's not really for my hair type. I need a balance of moisture and protein along with frizz control. I'm thinking of exploring a line like Ouidad and trying their hair gel with a natural moisturizer underneath it. I find that a lot of natural lines are filled with emollients, oils, moisturizing agents (which I like for conditioning) but I need something more for after I wash my hair. I can't just use a twisting custard or moisturizer on my freshly washed hair especially for a twist out. It will look nice when I take it down but as soon as I get outside my hair swells and looses the twist/shape.

I'm also thinking about giving mousse a try this go around since I think my hair is more on the finer side. I'd like to try it for a wash n go or twist out.

 

[Britt]

This is when I was natural before and got my hair flat ironed. Below is when I reached home. This has happened many tines.

 

[Britt]

Had to retwist nightly
Summertime twist out. I used shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie here and retwist when I got home but the very next day my hair was super swole with little definition. I think it’s the glycerin or something in this product that reacted with the humidity.
Slicked down with Camille rose maker gel

 

[frizzy]

Your hair sounds kinda like mine. I use lanolin and or silicone products to keep my hair from absorbing more moisture from the air when it's straight.

It's a pain because I haven't done a whole lot of experimenting and usually wear a gelled down bun or puff for work.

It's been said on this board that the drier the hair is internally, the more it will pull moisture from the air and swell.

 

[Atthatday]

This is interesting, as I was thinking about this a month ago. Could it be the moisture/protein balance is off, on a daily basis? Can moisture/protein balance be off balance on a daily basis? Could it be that your hair has too much moisture; hence, the dew point, humidity, or something environmental makes it poof up?

I did a one time experiment before it got really humid, I sprayed Aphogee Green Tea on my hair and ends, and sealed it, before I rolled my hair. My dry, frizzy hair didn’t frizz at all and it happened to rain all weekend. I was shocked. Unfortunately, I can’t try it now because I have crochet braids, while I transistion. I’ll report back if I try it, after I give my hair a break from crochet braids.

Hopefully, some of the other e-Sis experts can chime in. I’m curious, too.

 

[BonBon]

You have high porosity hair imo

I had my hair analyzed so its confirmed but it behaves just as you described. Annoying thing was Im natural, non dyed, no heat -_-

 

[LdyKamz]

I'll be watching this thread because I'm trying to get a handle on my hair too and do things right this time.

My hair is similar in that it loves protein. I used to be focused on moisture and wondered why my hair always felt good enough but it never looked good or stayed looking good when styled. I don't use many products either but I try things here and there to see if I like them. I notice my favorite conditioners and leave ins all have protein (it's a 10 leave in with keratin is a staple - the original was ok at first but over time it is crap on my hair. And joico moisture recovery balm is a moisture dc but also has protein in it) and I use something heavy with strong hold to get my curls to stay. Eco styler does this for me. I like aloe vera gel too but only when I want something light because I end up having to refresh parts of the style several times during the week.

Also, my hair takes ages to dry and if I air dry overnight my hair is still damp in the morning (thank goodness I finally fixed my dryer). I figured out when I first big chopped years ago that my hair is low porosity and takes a long time to feel wet when washing and even longer for moisture products to penetrate which is why dc'ing under the hooded dryer is super important for me. But with protein for some reason I don't have that problem although under the dryer gives it that extra oomph. When I had my 2nd hair analysis I think they told me I was normal porosity with high porosity in the heat damaged areas.

I'll be watching this thread for ideas.

 

[Britt]

You have high porosity hair imo

I had my hair analyzed so its confirmed but it behaves just as you described. Annoying thing was Im natural, non dyed, no heat -_-

I am thinking this.

Also, having proteins in my hair products never causes me any issues and I my hair does great with shampooing. I think I have to slowly rethink how I use to treat my hair. I used lots of natural line products filled with moisture and in the beginning I would use a creamy leave in, hair cream, oil and then a gel cream/styler but I'm wondering if I have to tweak things a bit. Even a frizz serum perhaps over a moisturizer? Idk...just ruling things out. I don't think my hair is a fan of heat either and really is meant to be left natural. I say that b/c it swells easily and also I sweat in my head so it's hard to keep my roots straight. Also I think I need less product. A good moisturizer and a styler/gel that's it. Maybe a try a mousse ...

 

[charmtreese]

My hair behaves the same way! I have hi-po hair, and use silicone based leave-ins on wash day, I also use a serum daily on my twist to keep them from getting to frezzy. I haven’t straightened in over a year, but last time I did it kept raining, so pretty much my hair revolted immediately!

 

[Britt]

My hair behaves the same way! I have hi-po hair, and use silicone based leave-ins on wash day, I also use a serum daily on my twist to keep them from getting to frezzy. I haven’t straightened in over a year, but last time I did it kept raining, so pretty much my hair revolted immediately!

Which serum do u use? Do u spray to dampen a little first and then serum and retwist ?

 

[charmtreese]

Which serum do u use? Do u spray to dampen a little first and then serum and retwist ?

Daily I use Chi Argan Plus Moringa Oil. When my hair is in twist, i do use a spray moisturize at night before baggying my hair...but I use oil at night not a serum. In the morning I remove the baggy spray my roots and apply a serum to my twist. When I'm wearing a twist-out I normally do not have to retwist at night...my hair with serum will hold a twist-out for 3 or so days. When my hair is loose, I only apply serums...if it starts to feel dry I will use a creamy moisturizer under my serum. I do a form of pineappling at night to preserve my definition. On wash days I use Chi Silk Infusion Leave-in to seal everything in.

 

[Britt]

Daily I use Chi Argan Plus Moringa Oil. When my hair is in twist, i do use a spray moisturize at night before baggying my hair...but I use oil at night not a serum. In the morning I remove the baggy spray my roots and apply a serum to my twist. When I'm wearing a twist-out I normally do not have to retwist at night...my hair with serum will hold a twist-out for 3 or so days. When my hair is loose, I only apply serums...if it starts to feel dry I will use a creamy moisturizer under my serum. I do a form of pineappling at night to preserve my definition. On wash days I use Chi Silk Infusion Leave-in to seal everything in.

Thank you for sharing

 

[AnjelLuvs]

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