Understanding Hair Types and Porosity for Dyeing

If you’ve been using hair dyes without seeing your desired results, it could be that you’re not matching the right formulas with your hair type and porosity. Just like understanding your skin type is important for skincare, figuring out what type of hair you have can play a huge role in achieving the perfect colour.

Using chemical treatments and frequent heat styling can also affect your hair's porosity. This is because these can cause the hair damage which leads to gaps and tears in your hair’s cuticles - which will impact how porous they are. Henna is a wonderful friend in plugging tears in your hair’s cuticles as it lays on top of the cuticle rather than aggressively trying to penetrate it - helping to define more protected, thicker hair strands with a smoother finish.

Let’s Talk Hair Textures

The next time you consider dyeing your hair, look at your natural hair texture. Each texture requires special care and attention when choosing a hair dye. 

• Straight Hair (Type 1): Straight hair can absorb dye evenly but may fade faster if it is high porosity (we will get to porosity later).

• Wavy Hair (Type 2): Wavy hair holds natural dye well and varies in porosity.

• Curly Hair (Type 3): Curly hair works best with our curl boosting formulas that protect curl patterns, which otherwise can be weighted down by regular dye and loose their shape.

• Coily Hair (Type 4): Coily hair can be challenging to dye evenly due to its structure, so it is important to section well and ensure even coverage. 

What About Hair Density?

The density of your hair will affect how well it absorbs dye and holds color. Hair density refers to the thickness of your hair strands, which generally falls into 3 categories:

• Thin (Fine): Thin hair may require less developing time or even a diluted dye to avoid looking too heavy. Henna can be diluted by adding a squirt of a nourishing and natural conditioner.

• Medium: Medium hair is versatile and can handle most types of dyes well.

• Thick (Coarse): Thick hair and generally requires longer developing time or a two-step process if you want to go really dark, such as a black shade.

What’s My Hair Porosity?

Hair porosity isn’t visible and is often overlooked, but knowing your hair’s porosity can be a game-changer in determining which dye to use.

Porosity refers to your hair’s ability to absorb moisture and colour. To discover your hair’s porosity, try the following experiment:

Place a single strand of hair into a glass of water -

• High Porosity: If it sinks to the bottom, your hair has high porosity, which means it soaks in dye quickly but can also fade faster. Look for deep conditioning dyes that will help seal the cuticle.

• Balanced Porosity: If your hair sinks but doesn’t touch the bottom of the glass, it has well-balanced porosity, which means that it absorbs dye evenly and holds colour well.

• Low Porosity: If your hair floats on top of the water, it has low porosity, which means it does not absorb dye easily. You might need to leave dye on longer to allow it longer to develop.

Hair Care Tips for Dyeing

Now, you’d think that hair with high porosity would be super vibrant all the time. But this is not the case. This type of hair absorbs dye quickly because of its structure and/or due to gaps or tears around the cuticle. This means that it looses colour just as fast as it absorbs it, meaning it could be prone to wear faster. If you fall into this category, we suggest that you use a deep conditioner with your dye that nourishes your hair while depositing colour. Consider adding products with natural oils and proteins to your hair after application to help seal the cuticle and prevent colour fading so fast.

Get to Know Your Scalp

The fact is, if your scalp isn’t healthy, your hair won’t be either. So, never ever underestimate the power of good scalp care!

To see what type of condition your scalp is in, we suggest that you inspect it the day after dyeing. If your roots appear dull or lifeless, then you most likely have a scalp that’s prone to oiliness. If this is the case, a clarifying shampoo before dyeing may be just what you need to remove impurities and product build-up. Do not use in the following days after dying as this can cleanse the dye away.

If you find that your scalp flakes, chances are that it’s dry and in need of nourishment. A flaky scalp can also often be quite sensitive, so you’ll need to be gentle in your approach. We suggest using a dye with nourishing ingredients that will clean your hair and scalp without stripping it of natural oils.

What if My Scalp is Both Oily and Flaky?

This happens. If your scalp is in a state of disarray, it may be the result of product and oil build-up. If this is you, then we urge you to invest in a dye with natural ingredients that will restore balance to your hair and scalp, leaving your locks vibrant and healthy.

What About Hair-Fall and Ageing Hair?

Ageing hair and hair-fall, if your hair falls into one (or both) of these categories, it will help to pair your locks with a dye that will nurture them.

If your locks are prone to hair-fall or are ageing and need a rejuvenation boost, then stop stressing your scalp with harsh chemicals and use a dye with natural ingredients that will bring vitality back to fragile and depleted hair – it’s a winner!

What Now?

Having a thorough understanding of your hair type and porosity is necessary to maintain vibrant, naturally beautiful hair. If you are unsure of your hair type and porosity then try to make an appointment with a professional stylist to confirm it. We recommend trying our simple porosity test first though and making notes of the suggestions we made for your hair type and porosity to create a more tailor-made approach to your natural hair care regime.