Why Does My Hair Not Absorb Product?

Does it seem like hair products sit on top of your hair? If so, you may not be reaping all the benefits from them. If you want to know why your hair doesn't seem to absorb product, this is the article for you. In it, we'll tell you why your hair repels product and what you can do to fix the issue. Let's get into it. 

You Have Low Porosity Hair 

The porosity of your hair has a lot to do with how it behaves when product is applied to it. If you have low porosity hair, your strands have tightly closed cuticles that don’t readily allow many things to pass through, including water, oils, and a wide variety of hair products. 

Here are some signs you might have low porosity hair: 

• It takes a long time to wet your hair down in the shower. 

• When your hair is wet, the water forms little beads on your strands. 

• Your hair takes a long time to dry on wash day- several hours or days. 

If you're still not sure whether you have low porosity hair, you can do a water test to find out. Here's how: 

1. Fill a cup with room temperature water. 

2. Put a strand of your hair into the water. The hair should be clean and dry. 

3. Wait a few minutes (up to five) to see how your hair reacts. 

4. If your hair is still floating on top of the water after the time is up, you have low porosity hair. 

To compensate for low porosity hair when applying products, you can try using them on damp hair right out of a steamy shower. The warm steam will relax your hair cuticles, gently nudging them open so that the product can seep in and do its magic. 

You Have Product Buildup

Product buildup is a problem that often goes unnoticed - that is, until you experience issues with haircare and styling. It occurs when the products you use on your hair leave a film behind. This film keeps water, oils, and other products from penetrating the hair shaft. This could be the reason why products don't absorb into your hair. Left unchecked, product buildup can lead to dry strands in danger of snapping off at any moment. 

To give your hair a fresh, clean slate, you should incorporate a clarifying shampoo into your hair care routine. Shampoos like these contain a high concentration of surfactants and are designed to break through some of the worst buildup. 

Note: Buildup can also come from hard water (which is rich in natural minerals). When this is the case, you need a shampoo specifically formulated for this issue. 

You Use Products on Dry Hair 

Some products are meant to be used on dry hair, but others aren't. Deep conditioner, conditioner, certain moisturizers, and more are best used on wet or damp hair. Misusing your products by using them on hair that's too dry will result in them sitting on top of your strands rather than penetrating them. This issue has an easy fix - read the usage instruction on your hair products before using them. If they instruct you to wet your hair down before application, do that. 

So, there you have it - everything you need to know about why your hair doesn't absorb product. We hope that you found the information in this article helpful and that you're able to use it to make your products work better for you. 

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15 years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of NaturallyTextured.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.