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12 Best Oils For Low Porosity Hair That Are Lightweight!

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Have you recently discovered that you have low porosity hair? Well if you have I’m here to put your mind a little at ease. Having low porosity hair is not an altogether bad thing. With the right practices, your hair can flourish just as easily as the next person.

Today I’m going to show you exactly what are the best oils for low porosity hair so you can effectively use them to maintain healthy hair.

 

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Why Should Porosity Matter To You?

Porosity is one of those things that you hear about but never really listen to. A few years ago I actually began to listen to why hair porosity mattered and why I needed to know what mine was.

Honestly speaking I thought it was one of those gimmicky things all over again.

When I took the time out to really listen I realised that knowing the porosity of my hair would make a MAJOR difference in how I should take care of my hair going forward.

Hair density, hair texture and curl pattern also play a part but knowing your porosity level is the most important thing.

Once you know your hair porosity you will know which products will work best on your hair and how you can properly apply them to your hair in order for them to be effective.

Another benefit to knowing your hair porosity is that you will be able to pick the right oils for your low porosity hair.

 

What Exactly Is Low Porosity Hair?

Having low porosity hair means that your hair struggles to get moisture. You may have noticed when washing your hair it can take quite a long time for your hair to actually get wet.

I know that sounds strange at first but really think about it. When you get in the shower does it take a while before the strands of your hair feel wet?

Yes?

Well, that is because you have low porosity hair and therefore water finds it difficult to get to the core of your hair.

I like to think of it like the shingles of a roof. When the shingles are very tightly knitted together water finds it very difficult to penetrate and therefore your house remains dry.

In terms of your hair, when the cuticles are tightly knitted together there is no room or it is very difficult for moisture to penetrate. That’s not a good thing when moisture is the key to hair growth and health.

 

Why Are Lighter Oils Better For Low Porosity Hair?

Lighter oils are better for low porosity hair because they don’t block the cuticles, they penetrate into the hair and improve hair health.

The best oils for low porosity hair are those that can easily penetrate your hair so they can improve health.  Heavy oils like castor oil, petroleum jelly or any type of butter will only coat your hair and not increase the level of moisture in your hair.

It’s important to use the right oils for low porosity hair.

 

Which Oils Are Best For Low Porosity Hair?

I’ve come up with a list of 12 oils that are great if you have low porosity hair

Argan

Sweet Almond oil

Grapeseed oil

Baobab oil

Fractionated coconut oil

Jojoba Oil

Pomegranate oil

Rosehip oil

Camellia oil

Avocado oil

Safflower oil

Apricot oil

 

Oils For Low Porosity Hair

 

1. Argan

Argan oil is a really great oil. Is it most popularly known for its wonderful moisturising properties. Argan oil is extremely effective at penetrating your hair because it is so lightweight, which makes it perfect for low porosity hair.

Argan oil contains vitamins C, A and E. All three of these vitamins are incredibly helpful for your hair because they promote growth, prevent breakage and can reduce split ends.

If you are looking to improve the moisture levels in your hair then look no further than argan oil. It is filled with oleic acid and linoleic acid, both of which have moisturising properties.

 

2. Sweet Almond Oil

Sweet Almond oil is another great oil that many people like. Sweet almond oil is an oil of choice because it gets absorbed into your hair quickly and has excellent moisturising properties.

The molecular weight of sweet almond oil is 240-620g/mol. The lower the molecular weight the better because that means that your hair will absorb it easily.

Sweet almond oils contain vitamins such as vitamin E. Vitamin E has moisturising properties and promotes healthy growth in your hair.

If you are looking for a lightweight oil that will add moisture to your hair then look no further than sweet almond oil.

You read more about sweet almond oil here.

 

 

3. Grapeseed Oil

If you haven’t ever tried using grapeseed oil before I’m going to give you a few reasons why you should definitely give it a try.

Grapeseed oil is perfect for low porosity hair because it contains vitamin A which has moisturising properties and promotes healthy growth in your hair.

Grapeseed oil also contains Vitamin E which again promotes healthy growth in your hair shafts. It’s also great for helping to prevent hair breakage too.

Grapeseed oil is made by pressing the grape seeds. This produces a highly refined oil, which is clear with very little colour. Grapeseed oil has a light molecular weight so it absorbs straight into your hair strand and won’t leave any greasy residue. This makes grapeseed oil perfect if you are looking for an everyday essential oil treatment for your low porosity hair.

 


 

 

4. Baobab Oil

Baobab oil comes from a tree that is found in South Africa. The oil from this tree has been proven to help increase the elasticity levels in your hair which helps with less breakage and more manageable hair.

Baobab has many benefits such as promoting healthy growth and adding shine to your hair. It’s also great for helping to fight dandruff. Baobab oil contains antibacterial properties which help with treating scalp conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema.

For this reason, Baobab is a great oil that you can easily massage into your scalp.

 

 

 

5. Fractionated Coconut Oil

The first thing I need to say about coconut oil is that not everyone’s hair agrees with it. In the past coconut oil has gone down as been one of the best oils out there to use in your hair.

After some time is was pretty clear that coconut oil was not working for everyone. In fact, if you were using coconut oil in your hair when you had low porosity hair you might have noticed that your hair felt dry, brittle and even frizzy.

This is because coconut oil does not absorb into low porosity hair strands very easily. 

Fractionated coconut oil on the other hand is completely different. The difference is that it contains no long-chain fatty acids.

So because it does not contain these fatty acids your hair strand will absorb the oil quickly and efficiently. This means that it is a great addition to your low porosity hair care routine.

 

 

 

 

Oils for low porosity hair

 

6. Jojoba oil

The thing I love about jojoba oil (pronounced ho-ho-ba) is that it is the oil that is closest to your own hairs natural sebum. That for me is an immediate win.

Aside from this jojoba oil has many benefits such as it helps to control dandruff. It also has antibacterial properties which help prevent scalp conditions that cause itchiness and flaking, e.g. psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema.

It’s also very lightweight so you can use it daily without much repercussion. 

Jojoba also contains vitamin E which is great for promoting hair growth.

 

 

 

7. Pomegranate oil

Pomegranate is a very rich oil that helps in strengthening your hair. One of the many other benefits of pomegranate oil is that it can also help to reduce hair loss.

Pomegranate oil has many powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals that break down collagen and elastin in your hair.

Collagen and elastin are both vital for maintaining the elasticity of your hair strands. When the levels drop, this leads to more fragile hair which in return results in breakage.

If you have low porosity hair and are suffering from hair breakage then this could be the oil for you. You can use it as part of a pre-poo or just general daily use in your hair.

 

 

 

8. Rosehip oil

Rosehip oil is one of those oils that you may not consider picking up straight away. Some people don’t like it because it has a slightly nutty smell to it.

However, if you are someone who is looking for an oil that helps promote hair growth then rosehip oil might be what you need.

Rosehip oil is high in vitamin A which is great for your scalp and promotes healthy follicles. This leads to improved blood flow, which will encourage hair growth.

Rosehip oil is great for promoting elasticity and reducing breakage. This means that it is perfect for low porosity hair strands which can be brittle, dry and prone to breakage.

 


 

 

9. Camellia oil

You may not have come across camellia oil before but camellia oil is great for the overall health of your hair.

Camellia oil is an antioxidant meaning that if you have dry hair it can help to lock in moisture and help to get rid of dryness.

Camellia oil contains essential fatty acids which are good for your scalp and help to protect your hair against heat damage at the same time. For this very reason, a lot of people with natural hair enjoy using it especially if they are going to be doing any kind of heat treatment.

Camellia oil is high in vitamin E which is good for your scalp. It is also great when it comes to promoting hair growth and cell regeneration.

 

 

10. Avocado oil

Avocado oil has a lot of benefits for those of us with low porosity hair.

First of all, avocado oil is very effective at penetrating your hair shaft. This makes it a great addition to any deep conditioner you use.

Avocado oil is rich in vitamins E and B which help to strengthen even the weakest strands of hair. It will also help to keep split ends at bay so you have smooth shiny, healthy hair.

Avocado oil is made by cold pressing the flesh of an avocado. You can use this oil as a pre-poo or as part of your leave-in conditioner.

This oil really does work wonders on low porosity hair.

 

 

11. Safflower oil

Now safflower oil is definitely not one of the more popular oils for hair but safflower oil is perfect for low porosity hair because it helps to prevent moisture loss.

If your hair is prone to dryness, safflower oil could be exactly what you need because it will help you to lock in that much-needed moisture to your hair.

Safflower oil also contains linoleic acid which helps to trap water molecules into your hair strands, making them soft and manageable.

 

 

 

12. Apricot Oil

Apricot oil is a really good oil for low porosity hair because it can deeply moisturise your strands.

Apricot oil is high in vitamin A and E, both of which are great for nourishing your hair.

Vitamin A is particularly good for helping to maintain the healthy condition of your scalp, while Vitamin E helps to prevent damage from heat usage.

Apricot oil feels really light and absorbs into your strands quickly, so you can use it as a pre poo or just add it to one of your regular deep conditioning treatments.

Apricot oil is great for smoothing out frizzy hair and will help to retain moisture. If you suffer from dryness this could be the perfect oil for you.

 

 

 

How Do You Apply Oil To Low Porosity Hair?

There are many ways that oil can be applied to low porosity hair. You can do a pre-poo, hot oil treatment or even add the oil to your regular conditioner. You can also use it daily as part of your usual hair routine.

To use oil as part of your regular routine simply spritz your hair lightly with water then you can either use a cream such as shea butter or a leave-in conditioner then follow up with a lightweight oil of your choice. This is basically the LOC method.

Just remember to not overdo it with the oil. There is nothing worse than having hair that looks greasy and weighted down from oil.

 

What’s The Difference Between A Moisturising Oil and A Sealing Oil?

Many people don’t know that there is in fact a difference between an oil that will moisturise and an oil that will seal your hair.

A moisturising oil will help your hair to retain moisture and be soft. Whereas a sealing oil will help to lock in the moisture and seal it so moisture doesn’t escape.

So how do you know which one to use? Well, if you’re having trouble retaining moisture then you need a moisturising oil. If you need to lock in moisture then you need a sealing oil.

An example of moisturising oils are coconut oil and avocado oil.

Some examples of sealing oils are grapeseed oil and safflower oil.

 

Final Thoughts on Oils For Low Porosity Hair

As you have seen above these are some of the best oils that you can use for low porosity hair.

When choosing your oil just make sure that you know what you are going to use it for before you actually use it.

Picking the right oil for your low porosity hair can be the difference between gorgeous soft, healthy hair and hair that feels dry and brittle.

Choose wisely.

 

Related posts:

How to moisturise and seal low porosity hair

5 Low porosity hair tips

6 Tips to grow high porosity hair