If You Have High-Porosity Hair, These Scalp & Hair Oils Actually Lock in Moisture

25.11.2025, 16:18 allure.com

Many people go years into their curl journeys before understanding their porosity levels, a crucial detail for developing a healthy hair-care routine. The best hair oils for high-porosity hair work by sealing the cuticle, creating a barrier that locks in moisture and prevents it from evaporating. To get to the root of why this hair type behaves the way it does, and which oils actually help, we asked the experts to break it down. “High-porosity hair has raised or damaged cuticles (often from heat, color, or chemical services) so it soaks up moisture quickly, but also loses it just as fast,” explains Michele Aquino, a hairstylist based in Riverdale, NY. The reason that it's “overly porous” is “because the cuticle layer is fully open,” Cataanda James, a New York City-based hairstylist, notes. “Water goes in, but it cannot retain moisture, so the hair feels dry, looks frizzy, and lacks elasticity.”

Not sure which you have? The simplest at-home check is the water-absorption test: place a clean, product-free strand of hair in a glass of water. If it floats on the surface for a long time, it is likely low porosity. If it sinks quickly, it is likely high porosity, meaning the cuticle is open enough for water to rush in. Another cue: low-porosity hair resists product and dries slowly, while high-porosity hair absorbs product instantly but dries rapidly and tends to frizz.

Because high porosity hair struggles to retain moisture, certain types of oils that seal and reinforce the cuticle are essential for long-term protection. Below are the best oils for high-porosity hair, vetted by experts and chosen by Allure editors for their ability to lock in hydration and support fragile, damage-prone strands.

Cécred

Ulta Beauty

Cécred

Why we love it: If your high-porosity hair feels brittle or snaps during detangling, Cécred’s Oil Ritual delivers the kind of deep nourishment surface oils can’t. This formula features a ferment blend to support the scalp and a trio of African oils, baobab, moringa, and black seed, that slip past raised cuticles to replenish the inner cortex, improving elasticity and reducing breakage. According to hairstylist Cataanda James, “Cecred Oil Ritual is best for those who are coming out of a protective style or prepping their hair for a protective style, for those experiencing sensitized, weak strands from over manipulation when wearing their natural curly texture, and those who wear their strands free flowing like a Wash ‘n Go style that are seeking an intense moisture treatment.” She adds that she’s seen it revive high-porosity hair damaged by bleach, chemicals, and environmental stressors, noting, “The Cecred Oil Ritual is like the old school hot oil treatment popular in the 80s and 90s, without the greasy, coated feel we seemed to yearn for back then.”

Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Cécred Oil Ritual

Taylor after applying the Cécred Oil Ritual

Tester feedback from contributor Jailynn Taylor

“As someone with high-porosity locs that can go from soft to straw-like overnight, I’m always skeptical of miracle hair oils, but Cécred’s Oil Ritual is different. The thick consistency and precision nozzle let me apply it exactly where I need it, right along my parts and the length of each loc, without flooding my scalp or wasting product. Once warmed between my palms, it melts in and actually penetrates. I noticed a real difference during retwisting because my locs were more elastic, and the usual snapping I get during separation was reduced. The peppermint scent adds a cooling, soothing sensation on the scalp that feels especially good after a protective style or retwists.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor

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Olaplex

Amazon

Nordstrom

Dermstore

Why we love it: Chemical color and bleach weaken the internal structure of hair and worsen high-porosity issues by lifting the cuticle, which is why Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil is a standout. The formula’s bond-building ingredient, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, actively relinks broken bonds so hair regains strength instead of just getting a temporary shine boost. Grapeseed oil provides antioxidant protection, and fermented green tea oil enhances absorption, allowing the treatment to penetrate rather than sit on the surface.

James says, “On straighter textures (1A to 2B), it works best as a finisher to polish, like adding the icing on the cake.” For curl types 3A to 4C, she notes, “This is the perfect solution: It strengthens and provides heat protection up to 450 degrees, so your hair isn’t frying when the heat meets the oil.” James also loves that it’s “weightless, softens the strands for a more supple feel, controls frizz, and leaves the hair naturally healthier looking overall.”

Allure managing editor Alessandra Foresto applying Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Foresto after applying Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Tester feedback from managing editor Alessandra Foresto

"I'm a big fan of this Olaplex hair oil for its multitasking ablities. I use it on damp hair after a shower as a heat protector and to prevent frizz (and like to mix it with a leave-in conditioner as I apply), and on dry hair after styling to add glossy shine to my hair. Even when applying it twice in one single styling session, it never leaves my hair oily or greasy." —Alessandra Foresto, managing editor

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Hollywood Beauty

Amazon

Why we love it: Hair frizzes, tangles, and loses moisture so quickly because its cuticles are lifted, which is why a heavier, sealing oil is often more effective. Hollywood Beauty Batana Oil addresses that structural issue by using batana oil, a palm-derived oil rich in fatty acids, to sit over the lifted cuticle and slow moisture loss after hydration is applied. That sealing action creates immediate softness, better slip during styling, and less breakage from manipulation. Castor oil adds weight and elasticity support, helping strands bend without splitting, while rosemary extract brings antioxidant protection that helps preserve the fiber over time. Used as a warm oil treatment, the blend penetrates more deeply before forming a seal, providing high-porosity hair with both hydration and retention in one step.

Allure contributor Jailynn Taylor applying the Hollywood Beauty Batana Oil

Taylor after applying the Hollywood Beauty Batana Oil

Tester feedback from Taylor

“Hollywood Beauty has been a staple in my beauty supply hauls for years, but their new batana oil has officially earned a spot in my loc rotation. The thick, buttery texture feels rich without being greasy, and I just pour a bit into my hands before working it into my scalp and down the length of each loc. Once it’s warmed up between my palms, it absorbs quickly, meaning I’m not left with buildup. I’m using it as a weekly deep treatment or a mid-week moisture reset to keep my locs moisturized, less frizzy, and more flexible.” —Jailynn Taylor, contributor

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Kérastase

Amazon

Sephora

Why we love it: If your hair tends to crisp or dull the moment a blow-dryer touches it, Kérastase’s Elixir Ultime Hair Oil is essential. A blend of wild camellia, marula, and argan oils softens the cuticle, adds slip, and reduces friction, allowing strands to bend instead of breaking under heat. Both experts love its ability to protect and revive high-porosity strands without leaving a greasy film. Hairstylist Michele Aquino says, “This oil is a classic for a reason; it seals the cuticle, restores shine, and leaves high-porosity hair feeling silky rather than coated.” Hairstylist James adds, “It melts into the strand like butter, leaves the hair visibly healthy, and feels luxurious…without leaving an oily film.” She also praises its lightweight consistency, noting that it helps heat tools glide through strands with less damage.

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Ceremonia

Amazon

Revolve

Sephora

Why we love it: Buildup is especially harmful on porous hair because any residue sitting at the root or along the strand blocks moisture from entering an already leaky cuticle. Ceremonia’s Aceite de Moska is a pre-shampoo oil designed to clear that barrier before you wash. Passionfruit oil offers antioxidant support, forming a light, protective film upon rinsing. Aquino explains that “the castor and chia seed oils [within the formulation] deeply fortify fragile hair, which is key for clients with textured or chemically treated hair prone to dryness or breakage,” while aloe vera helps calm irritation and keep the scalp balanced. By dissolving debris and excess sebum first, this step enables conditioning and sealing products to actually reach the core, rather than sitting on top. She adds that it's also “a fantastic pre-wash treatment for anyone trying to repair porosity after lightening or coloring.”

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Redken

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: Once ends begin to fray, the only way to keep the damage from climbing higher is to reduce friction, and that’s where Redken’s All Soft Argan-6 Hair Oil comes in. The formula combines argan oil, rich in omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E, with functional silicones that form a smoothing film to cushion the cuticle and minimize mechanical wear from brushing, pillow friction, and heat styling.

Aquino calls it “a salon staple that delivers elasticity and manageability to all textures.” She explains that the oil “penetrates quickly to fill gaps in high-porosity hair, leaving curls supple and defined.” Because it can be used pre-shampoo, post-wash, or even overnight, it works like a repair-preserving layer that keeps fragile ends from unraveling further, a crucial benefit for high-porosity hair that loses moisture and integrity fastest at the tips. For color-treated hair, Aquino adds, “it helps maintain vibrancy while adding incredible softness. The argan oil provides the kind of smoothness and flexibility that keeps both tone and texture healthy over time.”

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Carol's Daughter

Amazon

Ulta Beauty

Why we love it: Tighter curls and coils show damage quickly because every bend is a stress po