Does Hair-Typing Matter?

Entering into the natural's world in early 2013, all you heard about was hair typing. Type 1 being pretty much straight, 2 somewhat wavy, 3 curly, and 4 kinky/coily. 

I would look up products to work with my "hair type" (3B/3C) and buy the products that were recommended. Guess what... they didn't work. I'll be the first to tell y'all, I don't care, HAIR TYPE DOES NOT MATTER. Just because your hair is a type 4 does not mean you should use nothing but Shea Moisture and just because your hair is a type 2 doesn't mean you should use all Miss Jessie's products. Yes, these are theories I've heard before.

I'll tell you what matters in segregating differences in wavy/curly/kinky hair though.. POROSITY. Hair porosity refers to your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. It's simply broken down into three categories: Low, High, and Balanced/Medium porosity. 

Low Porosity Hair- This type of hair has a tight cuticle layer with scales that lay flat. It repels moisture, is prone to build-up, and is often protein sensitive. For daily styles, it's probably safe to stray away from products with proteins in it. Try products that are rich in humectants. (Glycerin or Honey) To lock in moisture during your wash day routine, apply some heat to your deep conditioner. This will open the hair cuticle and allow all the goodies into your stubborn hair. Low porosity hair also calls for moisturizers heavy in emollients. (Shea Butter should be your BFF) 

High Porosity Hair- Possesing gaps and holes in the hair cuticle is what allows too much moisture into your hair and makes it more susceptible to frizz and tangles. Literally being around water ANYWHERE can leave your hair looking like a bird's nest. (I'm sorry😭) In areas with high heat and/or humidity, you should stick to anti-humectants. Your cuticles will be sealed, preventing them from absorbing the excess moisture in the air. Not only can high porosity hair absorb moisture easily, it can also lose moisture easily. Your best bet on wash day is to layer up on leave-ins, moisturizers, and hair butters to make sure the moisture you need to obtain frizz free curls stays sealed. 

Medium Porosity Hair- There's not too many exciting facts about this hair type. It's locks in just the right amount of moisture, requiring the least amount of maintenance. Dying, perming, and straightening can be done to your hair, but if done too much, can increase your porosity. Protein treatments every once in a while can benefit your hair type, but should not be incorporated in every single wash day regimen. 

There's supposedly a couple of tests you can do to find out your porosity that I personally don't believe in, but if you try them out tell me how it goes. Honestly, I think the best way to determine your porosity is to learn your hair, learn your hair, see what she likes/doesn't like, read about all the porosities and accommodate. (In case you were wondering, I'm medium porosity.)

I hope this helped anyone out who was struggling with hair-typing or finding things that work for their hair. I've been there, it sucks, I know. Also, shoutout to NaturallyCurly for dropping the knowledge about hair porosity. Don't forget to keep up with my social media @PeachyMulatto and I also made a Twitter, go follow me @PeachyCurlz. Thank you guys so much!! 🍑✨

xx