Best Products for High Porosity Hair
In this post, I’ll walk you through the best products for high porosity hair and explain how they work to benefit your specific needs.
We are going to go over, what it means to have high porosity hair, what kind of products you should be using and how to keep your strands healthy, hydrated, and strong.
What is High Porosity Hair?
Before diving into the products, let’s briefly discuss what high porosity hair is and why it requires special attention. Hair porosity refers to how well your hair can absorb and retain moisture.
High porosity hair has a more open cuticle layer, which makes it highly absorbent. While this means it can take in moisture quickly, it also means it loses it just as fast, leaving your hair prone to dryness, frizz, and breakage.
If you’re unsure about your hair’s porosity, there’s a simple test you can do at home. If you haven’t already, check out my post on How to Determine Hair Porosity for more details on how to identify whether your hair is high, low, or normal porosity.
Key Things to Remember When Shopping for High porosity hair Products
When choosing products for high porosity hair, there are a few key factors to keep in mind:
Protein Treatments Are Essential – High porosity hair often lacks strength due to the open cuticle layer. Protein treatments help to rebuild the hair structure and prevent breakage. Look for products that contain protein-rich ingredients like keratin, silk, or wheat protein.
Opt for Oil-Based Products – Because your hair loses moisture so quickly, oil-based products are crucial. They help to seal the moisture in and prevent it from escaping too easily.
Choose Heavy Oils – Since your hair tends to absorb moisture rapidly, it’s important to use oils that can deeply moisturize and form a barrier to lock in hydration. Castor oil and olive oil are excellent choices for high porosity hair.
Avoid Harsh Chemicals – High porosity hair is more delicate and vulnerable to damage, so avoid products with sulfates, parabens, and silicones, which can strip hair of its natural oils and moisture.
Best Products for High Porosity Hair – Shampoos
The right shampoo can make all the difference in your hair care routine. When looking for a shampoo for high porosity hair, you should look for products that cleanse without stripping moisture.
Pattern Beauty Palo Santo Hydration Shampoo
Infused with the grounding essence of Palo Santo, this ultra-hydrating shampoo is designed specifically for high porosity hair. It gently cleanses while replenishing moisture, helping to restore balance and softness to strands that absorb and lose moisture easily.
Perfect for dry, damaged, or chemically treated hair, it leaves your curls refreshed, nourished, and lightly scented with earthy, calming notes.
DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence Milk Cleanser
This sulfate-free shampoo is great for high porosity hair because it’s designed to gently cleanse while providing moisture. The formula contains milk protein, which strengthens and nourishes the hair, leaving it soft and hydrated.
L’Oreal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Repairing Shampoo for Damaged Hair
A budget-friendly option, this shampoo helps to restore strength and vitality to damaged, porous hair. It contains a blend of ceramides and proteins to help rebuild and protect the cuticle layer.
Nature’s Little Secret Cucumber Nourishing Shampoo
Packed with cucumber extract, this shampoo helps to nourish and balance the moisture levels in high porosity hair. It’s gentle yet effective at cleansing without causing dryness or frizz.
Maui Moisture Heal & Hydrate Shea Butter Shampoo
Ideal for those with dry and damaged hair, this shampoo is infused with shea butter, aloe vera, and coconut water to hydrate, restore, and soften hair. It’s a great choice for high porosity hair that needs intense moisture.
Maui Moisture Detoxifying & Volcanic Ash Shampoo
If your hair tends to get weighed down by product buildup, this detoxifying shampoo is the perfect solution. Volcanic ash helps to purify your scalp while retaining moisture.
Best Conditioners and Hair Masks for High Porosity Hair
After shampooing, a good conditioner or hair mask can provide the extra nourishment your hair needs to stay hydrated and healthy.
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Conditioner
This deeply moisturizing conditioner contains manuka honey and mafura oil, which help to hydrate, strengthen, and restore high porosity hair. It’s also rich in antioxidants, making it a great option for protecting your strands from environmental damage.
Pattern Beauty Intensive Conditioner
The Pattern Intensive Conditioner is a rich, deeply penetrating treatment made for high porosity and ultra-thirsty curls, coils, and tight textures.
Whether you’re recovering from heat damage or just need a moisture boost, this conditioner brings softness, slip, and definition to the forefront of your hair care routine.
This lightweight, nourishing conditioner delivers deep hydration and slip for easy detangling. Powered by African oils, ProVitamin B5, and Cécred’s Bioactive Keratin Ferment, it softens, strengthens, and adds shine—perfect for all hair types, especially dry or damaged strands.
Silicone- and sulfate-free, with a luxurious Temple Oud scent.
SheaMoisture Hair Mask – Manuka Honey & Yogurt, Hydrate
Specifically formulated for high porosity hair, this mask helps to lock in moisture and improve the elasticity of the hair. It contains a blend of ingredients like protein and oils that help to fill in gaps in the cuticle layer, making your hair less prone to breakage.
Camille Rose Lavender Quench Deep Conditioner
This lavender scented deep conditioner is packed with nourishing ingredients like avocado and honey. It helps to restore moisture and leave your hair feeling silky smooth and revitalized.
Cécred Reconstructing Treatment Mask
This intensive treatment mask is formulated to repair and strengthen damaged hair. Powered by Cécred’s patent-pending Bioactive Keratin Fermen a blend of lactobacillus, hydrolyzed wool keratin, and honey—it delivers a protein infusion that reduces breakage and enhances shine after just one use .
Enriched with antioxidants, vitamin E, and a cuticle-sealing oil blend, it fills in microcavities, leaving hair visibly healthier.
OBIA Naturals Babassu Deep Conditioner
Known for its ability to hydrate and nourish dry, porous hair, this conditioner is infused with babassu oil, which helps to soften and protect the hair from environmental stressors.
Best Protein Treatments for High Porosity Hair
Protein treatments are a must for maintaining the strength and elasticity of high porosity hair. Regular use helps to fill in the gaps in the hair cuticle and minimize breakage.
Cecred fermented rice and protein ritual
Cécred Fermented Rice & Rose Protein Ritual is a two-step treatment designed to fortify and nourish hair. The first step aims to strengthen hair and reduce breakage. The second step, the Silk Rinse, restores softness and shine.
Suitable for all hair types, this ritual is particularly beneficial for high porosity hair, helping to improve length retention and overall hair vitality.
Nature’s Little Secret Milk Strengthening DC
This protein treatment is infused with milk proteins to help strengthen and fortify high porosity hair. It works by filling in gaps in the cuticle and improving the overall texture of the hair.
Arvazallia Hydrating Argan Oil Hair Mask and Deep Conditioner
Deeply hydrates and moisturizes dry, damaged hair leaving it soft, silky, and easier to manage
Repairs and restores weak, overprocessed hair improving texture, elasticity and shine
ApHogee Two-Step Protein Treatment
A cult-favorite, ApHogee’s two-step treatment is a powerful product designed to rebuild and restore even the most damaged hair. It’s perfect for high porosity hair that requires serious strengthening.
Best Moisturizers for High Porosity Hair
Moisturizing is key for high porosity hair, as it helps to keep your strands hydrated and soft. A great moisturizer seals in moisture and prevents dryness.
Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Conditioner
This conditioner is perfect for curly and wavy hair types that need moisture. It helps to lock in hydration, preventing frizz and leaving hair feeling soft and manageable.
Lightweight yet ultra-nourishing, Pattern Beauty’s Moisture Milk is the perfect daily hydrator for high porosity curls that crave constant moisture. Enriched with a blend of coconut oil, honey, and shea butter, it melts into your strands to soften, smooth, and revive dry hair without weighing it down.
Ideal for refreshing styles or layering under heavier creams for lasting hydration.
Best Oils for High Porosity Hair
Oils play a huge role in keeping high porosity hair moisturized. They help to seal in moisture and provide a protective layer for your strands.
Nature’s Little Secret Herbal Oil
This herbal oil is designed to penetrate deeply and provide essential nutrients to your hair. It’s a great option for high porosity hair that needs both moisture and protection.
Pattern Beauty Argan Oil Blend
This luxurious oil blend is a moisture-sealing must-have for high porosity hair. Featuring a nourishing mix of argan, sunflower, and castor oils, it helps lock in hydration, smooth frizz, and add a natural shine to curls, coils, and tight textures.
Lightweight yet effective, the Pattern Argan Oil Blend is perfect for finishing styles or giving your ends some extra love.
Dominican Curly’s Ayurvedic Oil
Infused with a blend of Ayurvedic herbs, this oil promotes healthy hair growth while providing deep moisture and protection for porous hair.
Castor oil is a classic favorite for high porosity hair. It helps to lock in moisture, prevent breakage, and boost hair growth.
Olive oil is a lightweight yet effective oil that nourishes and protects high porosity hair. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps to strengthen hair while providing hydration.
Have You Tried These Products?
If you have high porosity hair, you need products that offer intense hydration, protein, and moisture retention. The products listed above are some of the best available, formulated specifically to cater to the needs of high porosity hair. Have you tried any of these products? How did they work for you? Let me know in the comments!
Related Articles
How to Determine Hair Porosity
How to Moisturize High Porosity Hair
Best Products for Low Porosity Hair
