Protein or Moisture? Choose a Hair Routine Using Porosity

Curly or damaged hair can feel dry, lose definition or break easily. But those signs don’t always point to the same solution.

Use porosity as a starting point, then pay attention to how your hair responds. You don’t have to choose protein or moisture forever: your lengths may benefit from both at different times.

Start with this quick checklist

• Check your recent hair history. Bleaching, colouring, chemical services and frequent heat styling can affect how your hair absorbs and holds moisture.
• Assess your lengths separately from your scalp. Oily roots can sit alongside dry, fragile ends.
• Notice how products behave. Do they seem to sit on your hair, or does your hair feel dry again soon after conditioning?
• Change one thing at a time. Try one treatment according to its label and assess the result before adding another.

Frizz, breakage and lost curl definition can have several causes. Avoid deliberately stretching or pulling strands to “test” them.

When to consider protein

A protein-containing treatment may be worth trying if your hair has been chemically processed, feels unusually weak or has lost some of its usual resilience.

Protein treatments can temporarily improve the feel and manageability of damaged hair, but they cannot permanently reverse damage or mend split ends.

Follow the product’s directions rather than using a fixed treatment schedule. If your hair feels stiffer, rougher or less manageable afterwards, reduce its use and reassess.

Products to consider for protein

• Novex Brazilian Keratin Deep Hair Mask, 400g — a rinse-out conditioning mask with hydrolysed wheat, corn and soy proteins, plus vitamin E. Consider it for dry, damaged-looking lengths that need a softer, smoother feel. Apply to clean, damp lengths and ends, avoiding the scalp; leave for 3 minutes or 10 minutes for more intensive conditioning, then rinse thoroughly.
• LOLA Argan Oil Repair Hair Mask, 230g — a conditioning treatment with argan oil and hydrolysed rice bran and soy proteins. An option to consider for chemically treated, bleached, heat-damaged or brittle lengths. Follow the directions on the packaging.

Start with one protein-containing treatment, not both at once. These masks also provide conditioning, so protein and moisture are not mutually exclusive. Check the packaging for the current ingredients and directions, and adjust use according to how your hair feels.

When to prioritise moisture and conditioning

Start with conditioning if your lengths feel rough, dry, tangled or difficult to manage.

Use conditioner after shampooing and introduce a moisturising mask as directed. Apply mainly to the mid-lengths and ends, adjusting the amount to suit your hair’s thickness.

If your curls become weighed down or coated, try less product or a lighter formula rather than automatically adding protein.

Products to consider for moisture and conditioning

• Novex Coconut Oil Conditioner for Dry & Damaged Hair, 300ml — a protein-free conditioner for dry lengths, with coconut oil to help leave hair feeling softer and smoother. Apply to the lengths, avoiding the scalp, and rinse according to the directions.
• Novex My Curls Movie Star Hair Mask, 1kg — a moisture-focused curl mask with argan, flaxseed, sunflower, avocado and olive oils. Consider it when curls need extra conditioning, and follow the product’s directions.

Choose one option to start with and assess how your hair responds. These are conditioning options, not recommendations based on porosity alone.

Let porosity guide your routine

Low porosity: Hair tends to resist wetting, and products may feel as though they sit on the surface. Start with lighter conditioning products and modest amounts. Low porosity doesn’t automatically mean you must avoid protein.

Medium porosity: Hair generally absorbs and retains moisture without much difficulty. Keep a straightforward shampoo-and-conditioner routine, adding treatments when your hair needs them.

High porosity: Hair may absorb water readily but struggle to retain a conditioned feel, especially after chemical or heat damage. Prioritise regular conditioning and consider a protein-containing treatment if it improves your hair’s manageability.

Porosity can vary along the same strand. Older, processed ends may need more care than newer growth. Drying time and the popular “float test” aren’t reliable ways to determine porosity on their own.

Scalp and ends: different needs

Choose your shampoo for your scalp’s needs, and gently cleanse the roots without scrubbing the lengths.

Apply conditioner and masks mainly to the mid-lengths and ends, unless the product is specifically designed for scalp use. Use a clarifying shampoo when buildup calls for it, not automatically at every wash.

A simple routine to start with

1. Shampoo to suit your scalp.
2. Condition your mid-lengths and ends after washing.
3. Add one mask or treatment according to its directions.
4. Assess softness, detangling, curl definition and manageability over several washes.
5. Adjust one product at a time.

The goal is hair that feels manageable, not a perfect “protein–moisture balance” score.