June 23, 2013

How to Test the Porosity of Your Hair & Why Its Important


Porosity is the hairs ability to absorb liquid, and once hair has been exposed to alkalinity, it absorbs liquid more easily...the more damaged the hair the quicker it absorbs liquid.
 

If hair is damaged that throws the porosity off and many times will make for an uneven base (which makes for uneven color....so BEFORE you color a good idea is to do a 30-60 minute treatment of 1 of 2 things the Malibu2000 packet or INTENSIVE.

My normal "quick'' test for calculating porosity is  this: {Being as you have done all those wonderful things with color...you should know the answer to this question}  



HOW WELL DOES YOUR HAIR TAKE COLOR?
If it  takes color easily or quickly....your hair is porous. Porous hair does better using Demi-Perm Hair Color

There is also the old "HAIR IN A GLASS TEST"
Pull one hair out of your head in the area u are concerned about. I mean pulling 1 out from underneath where it never gets exposed to any heat or damage won't tell u much. Pull one out from the top of the head, then fill a glass of water and set the hair on the water.....the porous part of the hair will sink below,while the normal resistant part will float on zee top of zee water !


Porosity of your hair is a factor that needs to be put into your formula when you are creating it. For example if you have poor porosity and you are trying to decide between 2 different Volume of developers you would always want to use the lower of the 2 for that instance.  

Choosing Demi - Permanent hair color as opposed to permanent on poorly porous hair is so the direct pigments can provide shine by coloring the rough cuticle; they are also more gentle for the fragile hair structure.

HTH


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Check out this Comment someone wrote today, its funny although I don't know what a PSA is, and the reference to the wig???

I had the yellow orange problem after doing a total hair lightening. I'm naturally dark blonde at 33 years. I have hair that is fine but abundant. You saved my hair! I looked like the epitome of trailer trash Barbie, the toning techniques you provided gave me the the bomb-est platnium. Literally as soon as I did my hair, I went to the supermarket and some man SLAMMED on his brakes to stare at me walking into the store. I am loving this blog, you said it KC- the stylist just wants you in the chair then it's a crap shoot. I have to walk around and live with my wig tho- that's the difference. You are like the biggest PSA around. Make your accountant get you tax exempt status or something. You saved my hair and I will be forever grateful- always! on    How to Bleach Hair At Home - Correctly

KC
Killer Chemist

1 comment:

  1. PSA is Public Service Announcement. Think the wig is a reference to stylists that want you in the chair without considering later damage (that might lead to a wig).

    ReplyDelete

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