When you have medium porosity, curly to coily hair (3C–4C), you might notice that your curls start off defined and hydrated on wash day, but begin to feel dry or lose definition within a couple of days. This is because the cuticle, or outer layer of your hair, naturally lifts when wet to take in moisture, then closes as it dries. Medium porosity is often seen as the “ideal” porosity, but it won’t feel that way if you aren’t using medium porosity hair products that help you keep that moisture sealed in.
The good news is that medium porosity hair is very manageable once you understand what it needs. With the right balance of cleansing, emollients, and styling techniques, you can keep moisture locked in for days and enjoy wash-and-gos or your favorite styles without dryness creeping in. Let’s talk about how to care for medium porosity hair in 3c-4c curl types so your hair can look and feel its best.
How to Identify Medium Porosity Hair
Many online curly communities swear by the float test for determining porosity, where you place a single strand of clean hair into water to see whether it sinks or floats. While popular, it isn’t our favorite method to use as it just isn’t the most reliable. The reason is that most people tend to have multiple porosities throughout the hair, meaning a single strand won’t give you the full picture.
Instead, a better way to determine porosity is to shampoo your hair until it feels squeaky clean, then watch how it behaves when water touches it, and once it dries. Medium porosity hair typically behaves like so:
- Water beads briefly, then absorbs at a steady rate
- Hair dries at a reasonable speed; not too fast, not too slow
- Hair accepts moisture easily and styles without much struggle
- Curls clump well but may lose moisture or definition after a couple of days if not sealed properly
Medium porosity hair lifts its cuticle just enough to take in moisture, then lies flat again as it dries. This helps with definition, softness, and bounce, but also means you need to seal in that moisture before it escapes!
What Does Medium Porosity Hair Need?
Medium porosity hair thrives when you focus on cleansing, nourishing emollients, and proper sealing. Here’s what this porosity type responds best to, resulting in balanced, happy strands:
A Lathering Shampoo
A clean foundation makes it easier for your products to absorb properly into the strand and prevents products from curdling (also known as coagulation). Regularly shampooing helps lift dirt, oils, and sweat, and prevents buildup so moisturizing products can actually get inside the cuticle. It’s important to choose a shampoo with a light lather, as that will help bind impurities and lift them off the hair and scalp.
Emollient-Rich Products
Medium porosity hair benefits from ingredients that soften and smooth the cuticle as it closes. Rich but well-balanced emollients help nourish the hair, support healthy clumping, and reduce mid-week dryness.
Moisture Paired with Hold
This porosity type accepts moisture well, but it can lose it just as easily. Hydrating creams paired with a gel or formulated holding product will help keep curls defined and moisturized for longer.
How to Care for Medium Porosity Hair: A Simplified Routine for Stress-Free Wash Days
Let’s break down a step-by-step routine you can follow on your next wash day to achieve healthy and balanced hair for curly to coily, medium porosity strands. This routine features Wonder Curl’s thoughtfully curated Medium Porosity Bundle.
Step One: Start with a Lathering Shampoo for a Clean Slate
At Wonder Curl, we always preach how important it is for all hair types to use a shampoo come wash day.
Why? Because no matter your porosity, if you have buildup of dirt, oils, minerals, or product on your scalp, your hair won’t absorb or respond to the products you’re using, no matter your routine.
That’s why we love to recommend the Detoxifying Shampoo Bar for cleansing medium porosity hair, as it contains activated charcoal to bind toxins and lift them off the scalp, while also creating a nice lather to further lift dirt, product, and other impurities from the hair. It’s formulated to provide a gentle but effective wash, so you don’t have to worry about it stripping your hair of its natural moisture.
Note: If you notice your hair has significant product buildup already, we suggest using a clarifying shampoo for a more targeted clean. You can then return to the shampoo bar as your regular cleanser, which will help prevent that buildup from recurring.
Step Two: Condition with Nourishing, Emollient-Rich Ingredients
Next, condition with the Restoring Hair Treatment. This is a thick, rich conditioner that can be used as a rinse-out or, when needed, as a deep treatment. Deep conditioning is helpful after clarifying or if your hair is very dry or damaged, but it isn’t something you need to do consistently. On regular wash days, you can use the Restoring Hair Treatment for easy detangling and then rinse it out completely before styling.
The formula includes avocado butter, tamanu oil, shea butter, and olive oil. These emollient-rich ingredients nourish the hair, help prevent breakage, and smooth the cuticle as it begins to close. This step gives your curls the slip, softness, and hydration they need before adding stylers.
Step Three: Apply Styling Product on Damp to Wet Hair
Medium porosity hair takes in moisture easily, so you don’t need to style on soaking wet hair. The main issue for this porosity type is moisture loss, rather than moisture absorption. For that reason, apply your stylers to damp to wet hair.
Work in sections and start with the Moisturizing Hair Pudding for lightweight yet effective hydration. Follow with the Get Set Hair Jelly to set your curls in place and give you flexible hold and definition.
Start with a light hand and add more as needed. Applying too much product can weigh your curls down and disrupt the moisture balance you are trying to maintain.
Step Four: Use a Hooded Dryer or Diffuser to Dry Your Hair
To finish your routine, use a hooded dryer for coily hair or a diffuser if you want more volume or have slightly looser curls. Air drying may seem easier, but over time, it can weaken the hair and make it harder to retain moisture. Using controlled heat helps set your style, seal the cuticle, and keep your curls defined for longer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid with Medium Porosity Hair
Medium porosity hair is often considered the easiest to maintain, but certain habits can disrupt its natural balance, including:
- Co-washing, or conditioner-only washing. Medium porosity hair often gets mistaken for low porosity when buildup blocks moisture from getting in. Regular shampooing is essential to maintain proper absorption and prevent product curdling (coagulation) due to buildup.
- Using too much heat or harsh chemical processes. Even though medium porosity hair is fairly resilient, frequent heat styling or chemical treatments can damage the cuticle and push the hair toward high porosity.
- Skipping sealing products. Medium porosity absorbs moisture well, but it releases it just as quickly. Skipping a styling product with hold can lead to fast dryness after wash day.
- Overusing heavy creams or oils. These can throw off moisture balance and leave the hair feeling greasy or coated instead of moisturized. Always style light and build as needed.
Conclusion
Medium porosity, curly to coily hair may be one of the easiest porosity types to work with, but it still needs the right balance of cleansing, conditioning, and sealing to maintain its moisture and definition. It responds well to hydration, absorbs product easily, and clumps beautifully, but it can also dry out within a few days if the cuticle is not sealed properly. We hope this article made it easier to know how to care for medium porosity hair.
To simplify your routine and help your curls stay hydrated, defined, and balanced, we created the Medium Porosity Bundle with everything you need for consistent wash days and long-lasting results.