Curl Type

 Your Hair Test Results

 Why You Should Revisit The Hair Test

 Density

 

Start with dry hair, because hair that's wet will often look thinner than it really is! 

Let your hair hang loose in its natural, unparted shape and look at it closely from all different angles. If you can see your scalp very easily, then you have low hair density. If you can see some of your scalp, you have medium hair density. If your scalp is difficult or impossible to see, then you have high hair density.

Not sure? Put your hair in a ponytail and measure the circumference of the ponytail.

Low density hair will be less than two inches, Medium density will measure between two to three inches, and high density will be at least four inches.

 Porosity

There are three methods you can use to find out how porous your hair is.

The Float Test: Take a couple of strands of hair from your comb or brush and drop them into a bowl of water. Let them sit for 2-4 minutes. If your hair floats, you have low porosity. If it sinks, you have high porosity.

The Slip'n'Slide Test: Take a strand of hair and slide your fingers up the shaft (toward the scalp). If you feel little bumps along the way, this means that your cuticle is lifted and that you have high porosity. If your fingers slip smoothly, then you have low porosity hair.

Drying Time & Observations:

LOW-

Hair takes a long time to dry: many hours, and sometimes days. (Hair density can play a role in this, though, so keep that in mind.)

It takes a very long time for curls to become saturated with water when they are wet.

Resistant to chemical processing such as colouring.

MEDIUM -

Easily accepts moisture in the form of water and products.

Curls are usually elastic and bouncy.

Accepts chemical processing such as colouring fairly well.

HIGH -

Curls absorb water very easily but they dry out quickly without proper sealing.

Often look dry and frizzy. Hair dries very quickly.

It again is entirely possible to have different porosity across your hair. It is also likely that your porosity can change due to the no longer using silicones, removing heat styling and following this process. This test should be revisited in the future to assess the improvement in your hair.

 Width

COARSE -

These strands have the widest and largest circumferences and this makes them the strongest of all hair textures.

MEDIUM/NORMAL -

As as the name suggests, this is the middle of the road for thickness of hair strands; neither too small nor too big. Medium texture is somewhat resistant to damage while being strong and elastic.

FINE -

The circumference is extremely small and narrow, making it delicate and easy to damage.

Read these statements to identify the needs of your hair, circling them as you go on your tick sheet as you go.

The lower the curl type number the lighter the products you need. The higher the number the heavier products you need. So, are you light, normal or high?

The lower porosity the less protein you need. The higher the porosity you may need protein treatments. So, are you less protein or may you need protein treatments? (Our Co-Wash and Leave-Ins do not contain protein so that you are able to add some to your routine if you need it.)

Lower porosity hair needs clarifying occasionally. Learn more about clarifying in our bundles in store.

The lower the porosity the more you need to avoid heavy butters and oils and the high porosity means you need heavy butters and oils to seal your hair. Do you need to avoid or seal?

If you have low porosity hair you need to warm your deep treatments to help your hair soak them up. The higher porosity does not require warmed treatments. Do you need to warm your treatments or not?

The lower porosity hair needs less frequent deep conditioning around once a month. Higher porosity needs this every week ideally. Do you need a deep conditioning once a month or once a week? If you have medium, you’ll need it once a fortnight.

Fine Hair needs lighter products and coarse hair heavier products. Which do you need light, medium or heavy?

Now using your answers find an average of what you require.

Let's look at the needs of your hair based on the tests you’ve tried.

You don’t want to over complicate things but it's great to know where you started!

In 3 months, you can re-do your tests and see the improvements and changes in your hair and re-adjust your routine based on your hairs needs.

Troubleshoot Flow Chart -