What Kind of Plant is Your Hair?

Do You Keep Killing Your Plants?

I am ashamed to say, I’ve never been a great mother… Plant mother, that is. I always end up killing them no matter what I do. More water equals wilted, less water equals burned, and so on and so forth. I could never figure out the perfect balance of hydration for my babies to THRIVE! Funny enough, it was like that with my hair for years—wilted and burned. The struggle to play the balancing act between the proper amount of hydration was a game I was losing at.

That is until I understood porosity. Just like plants, all of our hair has a unique formula for receiving and retaining moisture. Depending on your hair makeup, too much water or lack thereof may leave your hair wilted and dried just like our plants. Allow me to break it down for you! Porosity is the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. The categories are high, normal, and low. High porosity acts like a sponge to hydration, but loses it just as quickly as it gains it. Meanwhile, low porosity struggles to accept moisture, and water sits on top of the hair like water droplets on spiderwebs.

Putting these findings together can help you understand your hair’s specific needs, especially when it comes to moisturizing for the best hydrated curls! Since our hair is just like plants, I chose some cool plants that need similar care as our various porosity types. That way, we can keep our hair and plants thriving.

Lilacs and High Porosity

The first plant we'll discuss is the Lilac plant. This beauty loves lots of moisture, but too much water can cause the plant to wilt and become soggy, similar to high porosity hair. High porosity is hydrophilic, meaning it also loves water. However, over-moisturizing with conditioners, shampooing, or getting it wet too often will cause the hair to become limp and lifeless, eventually breaking off. Just like Lilac, you will "water" or shampoo your hair 1-2 times per week. The picture located on the right of the Lilac plant represents the amount of water your hair likes to absorb. In this example photo, high porosity hair absorbs abundant amounts of water very easily, causing the hair to fall to the bottom. This is a great experiment to find your porosity if it's challenging to know from previous routines.

Snake Plants and Low Porosity

Then we have the Snake Plant, everyone's favorite because if you forget to water it for a few days, it will still be alive and well! Since it's easy at retaining moisture and tends to keep it for a long period of time, Snake Plants only need a light amount of moisture just like Low porosity. Keeping your ingredients light with high impact moisture is amazing for this hair type, because the molecules will be small enough to penetrate the hair strand. Once the moisture is in, it can stay there for a good amount of time. I recommend washing your hair and watering your Snake Plant every 7-10 days. The picture located on the right of the Snake Plant represents the amount of water your hair likes to absorb. In this example photo, low porosity struggles initially to absorb moisture, causing the hair to stay afloat.

Pothos Plants and Normal Porosity

Lastly, the Pothos plant. It thrives with moderate, routine moisture. Pothos can go up to 1-2 weeks without needing to be watered. It requires just enough water to keep it hydrated due to its easy adaptation to wet and dry climates, like normal porosity. I recommend washing your hair every 1-2 weeks for the best results. The picture located to the right of the Pothos plant represents the amount of water your hair likes to absorb. In this example photo, normal porosity hair absorbs and retains water steadily, resulting in the hair strand staying in the middle of the glass of water.

Conclusion

Plants are the best way to understand our hair needs, because our hair - just like plants - communicates what it needs all the time, all we have to do is listen. So, if your hair is lifeless and dry or limp, try to reflect on what you're currently doing to it. Are you giving your hair enough hydration, getting it wet too often, or constantly guessing as you go? There is another way; everyone is capable of achieving their version of healthy, hydrated hair, and the best way to start is by recognizing your hair's porosity. What porosity are you?

High Porosity Hair

Normal Porosity

Low Porosity