In this video i talk about the different "Grades" and severity of porosity levels. Heat and Chemicals are not the only things that can increase your porosity over time. Environmental factors like pollution and the sun affect porosity, as well as excessive shampooing and brushing your hair dry. Remember that porosity means the ability to absorb moisture, and although the higher porosity the hair, the more holes like a sponge your strands have. They will absorb moisture but also not be able to hold it in. Next week's video will be extremely important because I will explain what to do to your hair to maintain an even porosity, how to treat your porosity, and what do do to seal in moisture. Stay tuned I have so much information to share with you all! New video out next Tuesday!
Drying time is not part of porosity meaning, a sponge is porous and absorb water, it doesn't dry instantly, it keeps water in also. My hair is not damaged at all, I'm home all day, not in the sun, wash my hair once a week and I don't even use a brush, I finger detangle. Damage porosity is not the same as healthy porosity. You say that the more healthy the lower porosity and the more damage is high which is not true...
@@catboulet Sorry Cat allow me to clear that up, not to have you offended or misunderstood. Notice my air quotes throughout the video when referring to "damage". I agree with you and did not say that high porosity hair is necessarily damaged, but it needs to be treated as such. Porosity doesn't determine health of the hair, it determines the condition of the cuticle layer. In fact, texture and curl type affect porosity as well. In my experience, the curlier the hair strand, the more porous. Why? Each place along the strand that the curl curls, the cuticle lifts causing an increase in porosity. So when I say "damage", I am referring to the more the hair goes through. Also I never talked about it contributing to drying time, in case you got confused. That is a whole different topic. I hope you stay tuned to hear the rest of my explanation on how to treat and style the different porosities for best results. Thanks for watching I hope you have a great day!! xoxo, Mell
Mel you are doing a great job breaking myths and explaining all things hair. My hair has become so frizzy off late and I'm just unable to understand how to take care of it. Looking forward to your next videos. Thanks for sharing all this! Love it ❤️❤️
Based on what I've learnt, i'm likely a 3. My confusion is, water beads on my hair but it takes sooooo long to dry. I've seen me barely dampen my hair and still diffuse for 20 plus minutes, which makes me think one....
Oh God, tried it once because I really needed to wash my hair, but forgot to buy a conditioner, it was literally impossible, and so painful, so I gave up untill I got a conditioner, and then the next time it was even harder to detangle even with conditioner, because of that time when I had to dry my hair all tangled, it was a mess, never again 😂
Oh my gosh, when you started describing level 5 porosity hair I legit felt like I was gonna throw up! I kept touching my hair and whispering “I’ll never do that to you baby!”
Most people who have been told by influencers and curly groups that they have low porosity hair do not, they actually have normal to high porosity hair. These people also think that having low porosity is good, it is NOT good people. If you dunk your hair in a pool and come back up and it's still dry that means you have low porosity. If it comes up wet you do not have low porosity. Low porosity hair is extremely hard to hold moisture and it also dries fast. High porosity hair gets wet faster and dries slow (and if it sticks to your head when wet you do not have low porosity). Low porosity hair DOES NOT dry slow at all. Also, there is naturally high porosity hair AND damaged high porosity. Natural high porosity is just fine, damaged high porosity is what Mel is talking about in this video. BUT if you bring ANY of this up in curly girl FB groups you will be kicked out and messaged with a nasty paragraph about how wrong and terrible you are. If you DARE suggest to people in curly girl gorups on FB that they don't have low porosity hair, then you literally get kicked out of the group. These FB groups used to be wonderful but now they are a hot mess filled with nazi curl people who think they know every single thing about everything and they will not accept anything different. These groups encourage you to buy massive amounts of products and turn people into product junkies. They also teach you everything wrong and most things they teach you are the opposite. The curly girl product companies are making tons of money off this false information, making products for low and high porosity and these products are TERRIBLE and so wrong. Rant over. Everyone reading this have a wonderful day.
Kristina THANK YOU!!!! I was getting sooo confused!!! I saw this great info and thought this makes sense BUT could not find it else where on social media. So I thought WAIT , Maines by MEL... She has the info!!!! 😊😉🌸Thank you for clarifying. Have a great day!!!!
I think your analogy of the swimming pool is a bit off. I have never seen anyone that has dunked their head and not had wet hair when they surfaced in a pool. I do prefer Mel's explantion. All you can do is explain something and let the person reading it decide what they are getting out of the article. Because unless I was there to examine their hair I don't feel I'd have the right to decide what their hair is lacking. All you have to go on is subjective data. The objective data might actually prove them correct.
Same👀💔 i am so confused i dont use heat or any of that and my hair doesnt absorb water which is all signs of low porosity BUTTT its not shiny and soft its frizzy and it feels just like a damged hair ☹️i cant detrmine which grade i am
@@saram1503 I recently read an article that said we could possible have ultra low porosity hair. The issue is the hair is so bad and absorbing moisture that if you have not even given it the minimum properly it will become even drier and more frizzy that high porosity hair. I need to test it out tho.
1. Hasn't dyed hair in 8 years (never bleached) 2. Hasn't straightened in 6 (takes too long) 3. Air dried until recently getting a blow dryer (always used on cold and so far used twice) 4. Went outside maybe under 20 times in the last 2 years due to deep anxiety and depression Moma i think my hairs a born again virgin
Mell, first off, you were born to do this. 👊🏻 Second, could you talk about the best oils for different types of hair; jojoba, argan, black castor, etc?
I think you are the best person to explain the porosity of hair. I had to watch the video twice to understand properly but now I know my porosity thanks to you. Thank you. I recommend this video to all my sisters
PEOPLE calm down. I see soooo many questions about what to do and how to do it and how you know if [insert here] etc etc etc. Please remember that the entire purpose of CGM is to love our hair and to simplify everything, not make it complicated. Stop complicating everything. Stop worrying about every little detail. Just balance out moisture and protein with your daily products and you will be OK. This is why I stopped participating is most of the curly groups. Everyone complicates every single thing and makes me hate my hair all over again. So I just simply everything and I love my hair. LOVE LOVE LOVE my hair. So calm down. Love your hair. Make it simple. Stop the complications. Love your hair and stop making it a hot complicated mess all over again. Thanks and much love.
Finally someone speaking FACTS instead of MYTHS about this subject! My hair is currently at grade 2 because I went natural 10 months ago and I don't use heat anymore.
Omg omg omg omg omg !!!!! Guess who’s seeing you tomorrow !!!!!!!!! Guys I’m literally in heaven right now cause I just booked an apt with MEL ! #blessed🙌
Manes by Mell no no the excitement is all mine lol cause I’m about to be graced with the presence of the QUEEN! The curly hair queen ! I’m having a total fan girl moment right now ! I’m about to meet royalty! 🙌😂
This is hands down the most informative of the MANY videos I have watched on the subject. I’ll definitely be looking at her other videos for more great information.
Porosity isn't only about styling damage, btw. My daughter in elementary school had high porosity hair in great condition. It's just her hair type. It has to be cared for with different products and care but it's very normal as long as you keep it properly nourished.
This video has been really popular lately and there's a lot of questions and confusion in the comments. Maybe it would be good to do an update on this video. As it is a trending topic again, and people don't get it
My ‘trusted’ and ‘experienced’ hairdresser bleached my dark brown (5) hair by making me sit in the sun with bleach all over previously bleached hair and without olaplex even after I requested/begged her to.... the result was exactly a grade 5 porosity :( my full and thick hair broke off day by day and it felt like dried glue strands. It left me with basically half my head of hair forcing me to cut it from waist length to armpit length. It’s been 3 years later, all natural styling and care and a definite change of hairdresser who actually cares about my hair. The fullness is returning slowly with great care and the right products for the remaining damage. My hair is almost back to waist length again and I’ve been using all these tips on this channel to assist with my 2B/2C curl/wave type. Thank you Mell!! ❤️❤️
Mel, there is another youtuber hairstylist who is saying the opposite about hair porosity. She says that high porosity hair retains more water/moisture, and that the low porosity hair (often the damaged hair) retains little water and should stay away from any sulfates. I've been living the curly life for 9 months now..and I do what works for me. I love your channel, you always make me laugh! Have a great week:)
Mel is correct. Low porosity means that very little water gets in or out and high porosity loses and gains easily. It is not so much about retention as how open the cuticle is. It is easier to moisturize high porosity hair but you need something that can lock it in to retain it. Generally, low porosity hair is harder to wet.
I was on the stage 4 once but with no chemicals in my hair. Just really hot hard water. It was tragic and I took a long time to learn how to properly use leave in on my straight hair. Mell, your channel has saved my hair!
Some Girls with hijabs have like the prettiest hair. I remember this girl from school she showed me her hair was so beautiful and shiny and healthy!!! It’s protected from the sun I guess
Wow makes sense! According to the water in a glass test I am low porosity. But many internet searches say low porosity doesn’t like protein. But my hair loves it. I was so confused but this video definitely made sense.
The dramatic background music when you were talking about grade 5 hair was on point. It set a perfect tone in understanding how grade 5 hair is no goody. Thanks for this video. I always thought that dying my hair ( to cover greys) might effect my hair porosity cuz it would appear different in texture and it felt different. Never really knew for sure. That is until now that u broke it down. 🤗
Omg....I got chills when you spoke about grade 5...I was there when i was about 14. The hair dresser i went to left the bleach on my hair wayyyy too long. Omg you brought back nightmares
I’ve been *literally* agonising over my hair porosity the past few weeks, so confused by all the ‘info’ out there… absolutely relieved you’ve done a video on this Mell 🙌🏻😂 now I feel silly for ever thinking my hair that hasn’t been coloured in about 10 years and rarely has any heat taken to it is anything to be concerned about ha.
I legit started getting scared when she was talking about grade 5, with the seriousness in her voice on top of the music....then I"m like wait--that's not my hair I'm good lol *if that is your hair--I'm truly sorry, and I hope you are on the road to healthy hair recovery!
Could you make a video about different/ best hair CUTS for different types of wavy to curly hair?? my hair is so thicc and top/front heavy and wavy (2cish) and ive never had a hair cut that I like. Also if you could talk about how to communicate that cut to a stylist
I love you! I just bleached and semi-colored my Virgin hair this past year and I’m really happy with how healthy it still is but I know it can be better!! I want it to be better!! I used to think the float test worked but my hair even after bleach (4-5 levels ) still floated!! Through your videos I know FOR SURE I need more protein! And how healthy and beautiful your curls look give me more hope for my coils!!! You made me so excited to get my hair to a healthier less frizzy state! This goes to show that regardless of someone’s race, if they know what they’re talking about they know what they’re talking about when it comes to curly/coily hair!!! Thank you for your content!!!
O.M.G! - I’m a freaking unicorn! However, I’m also turning 40 this year and getting a gray streak. Can you discuss hair color/texture changes and what to expect when going gray? ...naturally?
I don’t understand water sits on my hair but I can’t brush through my hair without conditioner but my hair is virgin because I cut off all the stuff I dyed. What is my hair porosity!!!! Agh!
The regular porosity tests that are used in the curly hair community always confused me cause I never new whether I'm low or medium porosity, but this is much easier to understand, I'm simply a grade 2 at the moment.
I just did a water test before coming here and my hair floated for 20 mins until I put a new one and just gave it a poke to submerged it and it when straight down in 10 seconds
I have virgin hair, never dyed or bleached it and only blow dry it with cool air, but it's naturally wavy and needs a lot of care. I can't imagine washing it without using conditioner, otherwise it gets dry, frizzy and doesn't look that good. A hair mask once a week (or preferably after every hair wash if I have the time and patience) is a must as well. So I guess that makes me a 1.5/2, even though it should be a 1 because I don't do *anything* to my hair.
I just discovered your channel recently and have fallen in love! I’ve already changed my hair routine and how I take care of it, because of your very informative videos. Thank you so much and can’t wait to see moren
Also I was wondering about what I should do when using the night cap. I’ve tried yours and your sisters way of putting it on. But my curls are super fine and fluffy and end up flat when I wake up. Any tips?
I feel I need someone to explain my hair to me. My hair is basically virgin (all dye has been cut out) and I have some hair that is a soft 2b type at med brown, then some hair that is more of a 3b and jet black. How the heck do I know how to treat my hair when my head can't choose a type!?!
Omg I learned.. I laughed, til I peed.. i cried.. I wept, really, . I've been bleaching my hair for 25 years I'd say . Mell omg you always always set the record straight and I wish the influences, who steal your content word for word, ahem, I.B. .. but I wish they would give credit where due. You are teaching us all so much.
So for some reason you popped in my thread in between my metal music recommendations. Your humor, how educational, you are amazing. The metal gods guided me to you since apparently I didn't know this level of porosity hair thinking my ass I'd low porosity.
You make me SO EXCITED to be a hairstylist! Thank you for putting the professional facts out there girl! I love how theatrical you are! I'm smiling so wide watching these it looks like a slept with a hanger in my mouth. *Rachel quote for the F.R.I.E.N.D.S stans!*
I'm honestly surprised I didn't hit grade 5 in highschool when I was home bleaching my hair to white ALL THE TIME and leaving it in for like 45 minutes, no leave ins, no olaplex, just shampoo and condition. I really got lucky
I've never dyed my hair and haven't used heat in at least ten years (I do go out in the sun/outside though obviously). But I can't detangle without conditioner soo I'm very confused which one I am.
i’m confused? idk if my hair is considered “virgin”, i’ve dyed it a few times in my life but it’s been years and there’s no hair left on my head currently that has ever been dyed. i straighten a few pieces here and there every once in a while using heat protectant. but my hair seems to be very porous, frizzy, falls out and breaks off, tangles like crazy and takes half the day to fully dry
to be honest, I really don't know what level my hair has. at first I tried like all the test with water and my hair did not drown after 10 minutes even more I will say it swam like a boat in a glass! then I decided to watch your video and took out another hair and tried to wet it to see if water droplets would remain on it. as a result, I could not even dip it into the water, because as soon as the tip approached the water surface, it began to bend. I confess it surprised me a lot. in general, I could not get it wet. in theory, this is the 1st level, which is what all tests say. yes my hair shines but not much and mostly at the roots. but the hair does not feel smooth but hard and dry like straw. every time I touch them slightly they remind me of a woolen hat. I'm confused.
i'm a 'unicorn' and this solidified my belief that devacurl has destroyed my hair. it sounds like i'm a 4, but i haven't colored my hair in 24 years and haven't used heat in 5. when i run my fingers down the hair shaft, it's super bumpy - EXCEPT for the first couple of inches growing out of my scalp, which is probably the growth since i discontinued using DC. I appreciated Mell's deep dive into the devacurl issue, but there's no explanation for what's gone on with my hair other than devacurl.
One of my friends bleached her hair herself. One time I promised to help. Bad decision. She made the bleach and told me where to put it. It was already hard to detangle before, but after the bleach it was just gum. It clumped together and nothing could get it detangled. She was still happy, because first time ever her hair was white. However, next day she called me crying. The hair was so brittle even a slight breeze would cause it to brake. She had to get a pixie cut after that.
Grade 3, used to straighten my hair religiously, I cringe at the thought now. I also can't believe people can detangle wet hair without a mask or conditioner.
Can you please make a video targeting people with straighter hair who want to bring more life to their natural waves? It's difficult for me to know where to start and what information is really best only for people who have luscious thick curls, and what will actually help my baby waves
Lovely 😊 I just would argue that natural virgin curly hair would not let a comb go through. Even if it had nothing. Good video as alway! Can you do one to explain the olaplex products and its use for each hair type 😉
I was for sure a grade 5 in my scene hair days when I was bleaching and changing hair colors bi-weekly and using heat tools several times a week. My friends and I used to joke about how squishy it was. I couldn't get it wet, couldn't go swimming, etc. It's true that there is no way to save that shit, it's gotta go. All of it! I tried to slowly trim it all so I didn't lose length but it didn't work for years. YEARS. My hair was thin, frail, barely grew and looked scraggly, even after most of the damage should have been done. I did a big chop 4 years ago and it has grown at 4x the rate it used to. I have luscious curls I never used to have.
Girl, you are just amazing. I have been on my curly hair journey for about a year now and I've been really struggling with all the not brushing, no heat and all the fear that comes with some of the curly gurl community. I've been watching your videos over the past few days and you have completely opened my eyes up to my own hair! You are hilarious and so real. Please, always stay the way you are cause you're fab
I have never colored my hair and mostly air dry them, but I still have a lot of breakage. I am trying to have a good shower day routine with a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in and a gel, but within a few days my hair is frizzy. I do use a bonnet in the night. Any suggestions?
I have 3a/b hair and after years of bleach, boxed dyes and flat ironing; my hair went to grade 5. And I just had to go to the hairdresser to cut it off... i did it in sessions because I didn’t want short hair. But I could see my roots being curly and the bottom of my hair flat. (I also had no idea what kind of hair my hair was and how to take care of it because no one had ever shown me. Channels like yours have helped So much! I’m on my 6th month of natural and it’s so beautiful!)
I think you Should be bold, before and after pregnancy! But Bald? Bald can happen from many things. Stress - physical and mental, poor diet, environmental factors - pollution and sun damage. While pregnant your body doesn't produce whatever hormone it is that tells your hair strands they're done, go away (fall out). Once you have that precious bundle of joy, it begins to produce that hormone again, and then all the hair that didn't fall out while you were pregnant begins to fall out. Thus making you feel like you're going bald, but you're not! Although the stress of getting used to having a new person in your house, and not enough sleep, could cause more hair to fall out than normal. The Best thing you can do is to get some help around the house. Ask someone to watch your little bundle of joy so that you can get some sleep, and much-needed rest so that you don't stress out and don't lose your hair. Best of luck to you and enjoy your new little angel!
@@longyarn4288 ive read up on all that and understand that it seems like lots of hair because you didn't lose those hairs in pregnancy but it tends to give lots of women *bald* patches in the front. My main concern is the texture change, my hair is limp and lifeless this time around unlike after having my first so was wondering if she could do a video on this topic to help educate women on what to expect and then how to manage it.
OH LORD!! my hair reached the infamous grade 5 a few years back - thankfully it was extremely short, and you couldn't tell looking at my hair now that it used to be so gummy I could stretch it between my fingers like a piece of elastic. never, ever, EVER again! I'm scared to even get close to level 9 hair, even though you can definitely do it safely; there is no terror like rinsing out your hair and realizing it's practically turned to mush. I cried so hard! you'd think I would've known better, since my mom is a hairstylist! but hubris was my downfall. 😧 great video, you've earned a new subscriber!!
I think I have this problem too. I have virgin hair, no dyes or chemical treatments in 13years. My hair gets oily quick, and I think its because of low porosity. Plus its worst since moving to a place with harder water. AND Im not outside much and live in a basement appartment 😆. The inside of my hair strands are likely dry, creating more oil but it doesnt penetrate. Hair feels brittle too sometimes. I havent used much heat on my hair either the past 3years (can prolly count on both hands). If I wait 4-5days to wash, I try to soak my hair and seems to just run off. Once I get shampoo in there it feel like my hair is able to absorb the water better, likely because the oil is out of the way now and warm/hot water opens up the cuticle. Ive been using a light conditioner and let it sit a few minutes while Im washing. I would never do this before because I felt it would make it more oily. Then rinse it good without over doing it (product is out but still feels smooth). Then my hair feels healthy again and will last a few days. I cant brush or comb between washings either. I also use a bit of diva curl cream once Im out. I feel like I can now go longer without my hair getting too oily 🤷♀️
This is an awkward way to find out that one time ironed my hair 4 years ago doesn't actually count as heat damage. this was really helpful I thought there was something wrong with my hair.
Have you checked out the video where I style her hair! All the products she uses currently are used in that video along with their product names and links :) Hope this helps ruclips.net/video/8MdB1CxYBCM/видео.html
This just made me more confused. My hair has never been been exposed to heat or chemicals. It doesn't tangle. But it also is very definitely not smooth (very bumpy feeling) and it gets extremely frizzy after a shower or in high humidity. Help?!
I have the straightest hair possible. But I have a 6 years old daughter with curly hair that looks like yours. So I just wanted to say that your channel is super helpful. Thanks! 😍
This has to be the best freakin porosity video like it made sense. All the others i have watched were so confusing the people probably didnt know what they were talking about. Im going to watch the next ones too. I need all the help
I've seen tons of unprofessional advice on this subject that are down right foolish. Thanks for your professional explanation and definitions on the different type of hair. Now I know how to better treat my type of hair.
You are simply the best! Your video about diffusing has been a game changer for me and my hair. So thank you for sharing your knowledge and your personality with the world ❤️
Mel you absolute lifesaver!! I’ve grown up as a mixed girl in Australia and there’s literally no one who understands curly hair. I have been STRUGGLING 😩 would you be able to do a video on how health effects hair and some tips for people who have health conditions that have caused/contributed to damage?? ❤️
I'm an Aussie too 🙂. And, as I've had MS for over 33 years, and probably another couple of autoimmune diseases as well. I've never been able to use a dryer on my hair because it makes it even more dry and frizzy. I've got 2c/3a hair, with lots of frizzy, uncontrollable hair. It's coarse and I need a fringe, but now that I'm essentially CG, I can't find anyone to cut it who understands!!
@@jujithecuti I'm in Ballarat, which is not too far away. I had my first cut there by Jason (my sister dragged me along - she had made the appointment and told me about it later! My hair has always had more curl than hers, but she developed waves/curls with menopause, and mine got more!! I'd let it go 18 months without even a trim as I didn't trust anyone to touch it). I haven't been back as I can't drive far on my own and it's hard to get 2 appointments on a Saturday morning 😔
@@jujithecuti Do you know of any others in Melbourne? I had a trim by someone locally who is supposed to be a specialist but she hasn't actually trained in curly cuts and it hasn't even improved with 7 weeks growth !! I didn't find out that she wasn't trained until the very end of the appointment though 😔. She advertises as a curl specialist.
my hair was floating which means it’s supposedly for low porosity, yet when they described high porosity they’d describe my hair so now i’m here 😭 because the glass of water couldn’t be full accurate
From a scientific perspective your results make sense. A hair with an open but intact cuticle will have much higher surface area to hold air on, but the surface tensions of the water wouldn't be low enough to flood out that air (think of how easily tiny air bubbles can stick inside a glass of water). There are too many factors at play with the water and the hair independently for the combination of the two to yield reliable or accurate results together.
Mel I'm sooooooo grateful to have found your RUclips channel! You've helped me understand my unruly curly hair! You're personality is delightful! Your knowledge is phenomenal! I can't wait to book an appointment with you!!! 😊❤️
My hair has always been high porosity since I was born. It expands and frizzes out so much when it dries. So it’s possible to have naturally high porosity without having damaged hair
Same! Funnily enough, I just dyed my hair for the first time ever two weeks ago and now my hair is somehow way lower porosity. Maybe it was something in all the bonding agents and weird treatments my stylist used for the lightening process.
Talia omg same! When I bleached the ends of my hair a few months back that part of my hair was definitely a lower porosity it was so interesting because I wasn’t used to my hair reacting differently and holding a curl or not instantly drying and frizzing up
MsRose Right! I was so shocked at how fully saturated it felt when I put products in. Usually I’m slaving away to get my hair that “slick” stylists always talk about. And wow, being able to manage frizz. 😭
My hair is naturally moderately coarse, curly and thick. It takes time to get wet(few minutes) but does not take a long time to dry. In the shower I have to add some water to my hair a few times during the conditioning process. Not sure what porosity I am?
I'm Asian/European mix. My hair is dark brown, very coarse, has heavy waves (medium sized) and is prone to frizz/strands that stick straight up into the air on my crown. It's naturally quite shiny. I haven't used any heat on my regrowth so far. That being said, I don't think I have a very low porosity. My hair becomes completely saturated and heavy within 10 seconds of standing under the shower. It can dry within a couple of hours. If I rake a leave-in after showering into my hair, I don't see any white residue. Honestly, I am so confused and nothing I read or watch seems to be helping me determine my porosity. I honestly have no idea how often I should be using a protein product in my hair or if I'm giving it too much moisture....
I have a difficult time with my hair. I have baby fine, medium and coarse hair all on one head. I never know what product to use. I have kinky curls , wavy & straight. So frustrating. 😣
So I dont think ive ever had healthy curly hair. I'm latina and my fair mama just didnt know how to take care of my curls. I washed my hair everyday for years so my hair was super dry and frizzy and I would compensate with a lot of product. And then 5 years ago i permed my hair straight. I would straighten or put heat to it at least twice a week and when i didnt it was pulled back.... ya'll.... my hair is beat. At least i've never dyed it...I dont even know what my real curl is anymore. I chopped it short recently and starting to put protein and hairs masks ( have never done that) and im washing it once a week and using flexi rods to style. Sorry this is so long but I love your videos! Im finally learning how to take care of my hair and hopefully will transition soon to my natural hair. Maybe when I get there ill come for a visit. I live in Toronto. ❤ thanks for the vids!
Can you PLEASE make another video for those who have 100% natural hair (not chemically treated) and don't use heat? I can't tell what my hair needs and it's really frustrating
I bleached out my Asian black hair to white and was definitely a Grade 5 then. It was a six month's worth of experimenting on cocktails of hair products to make it look decent for general population. Once a lifetime experience, and I can't say I regret it. Buzzed it down shortly after and been growing it out naturally. But my hair now is so dry and fizzy; it's a madness. Hope I can get back my healthy locks by following your tips and advise. Keep up the good work!
Would you be able to do a video on curly hair cuts/advice for finding a stylist? It seems like they only options I can find are deva cuts which are soooooo expensive. Is there a way to get a slightly more affordable curly hair friendly cut? Love your videos!! ❤️
I'm wondering where I'm at because I've never dyed my hair and haven't used heat in a decade, but I moved to a country that has very hard water and it has damaged my hair so much. It went from only needing water and coconut oil to look shiny, bouncy, and curly to being completely dry and straw like, straight, breaking off, and being so frizzy that it's completely unmanageable. I had no idea what hard water even was, so it took me two years to figure it out that my hair was being damaged several times a week. Now I'm doing the curly girl method and I'm hoping that it helps repair my hair!
Livin' Free just thought I’d throw this out there...suave naturals coconut conditioner and shampoo (shampoo has sulfates, conditioner is curly girl approved) have disodium EDTA which helps remove hardwater build up! Its also super cheap!
My hair grade is probably 3-4. I have dark brown hair and I was dyeing my hair copper red. I dyed it back to dark brown, and a few months later (like 6-8) did a few highlights. I don’t plan on dyeing it again for some time. I’m doing hair masks/treatments once a week too. I really want to start a natural hair journey, and taking care of my waves/curls (which I didn’t know I had). Thank you so much for helping me to try and understand my hair needs, Mell, I cannot thank you enough! 😭🥰
I don't know if you will see this. But, if you do, I'd really appreciate it if you replied. Dye has never touched my hair, ever. Nor have I ever had any salon treatments like perms, relaxers, etc. done to my hair. I rarely use heat tools on my hair, and if I do, it's only for special occasions like weddings, graduations, etc. The only time I use a hair dryer is when I wash my hair at night when it's cold and I don't want to get hypothermia, lol. YET, when I touch my hair, I have somewhat of a rough cuticle on a good portion of my hair strands. Not all of them, but, maybe two thirds of them; all on the top layer of the hair my head. There are a few things I can think of that would do this: 1) I live in Phoenix, AZ where we are known for our high summer temps (105+). And I never used anything particular to protect my hair from the elements (at least not on purpose - on occasion, I'd wear a ball-cap, but, that's it - and not for hair protection purposes). *Can you recommend a leave-in conditioner with UV protection? 2) Up to this point, I've never used anything to protect my hair while I'm sleeping. 3) I'm only now learning that my hair could be closer to the 2C type when I previously believed I was between 2A and 2B - meaning maybe my hair has always been more delicate than I thought it was. Thus, leading to more damage because I wasn't taking care of it the way I was supposed to. 4) Until recently, I had NO IDEA I was applying my conditioner incorrectly! I'm still kinda salty that I'm only now hearing that after all this time! UGH! *side story: I've struggled with dry, damaged hair since high school, I'm now 37. So yeah, it's pretty annoying that only NOW I'm hearing about conditioning my hair correctly!! It could have been a game changer a long time ago! 5) I don't have very healthy of a diet (which I acknowledge needs to change), but, the supplements I'm taking are working to improve my hair. I know many in the science community don't believe in supplements and may believe the supplements are just having a placebo affect on me. However, numbers don't lie. The last time I went to the doctor and she was reviewing my blood work, she said, "I don't know what you're taking, but keep taking it because it's working." So, there's that. Lastly, I want to say, that all the above issues I've stated, I've either already made changes to address the issue (i.e #5), or I'm making plans to eventually change what I can't change right now. All that being said, do you have any advice to offer? I just want to embrace and nurture what I already have. I just want healthy hair. If you have any advice or thoughts, I'd certainly appreciate your input. Thank you.
Omg I feel the same way, i live in Texas, I have Type 2b-2c hair and even though I used to straighten my hair a lot in high school (10 years ago) and only colored my hair about 3 times in my life, last time was about 5 years ago, my hair is very frizzy and dry though. However I dont use any heat tools anymore like I used to in high school, only special occasions, last time was mothers day. However just like you said, I never took care of my hair properly, just like every girl out there that doesnt know how to deal with their waves/curls i just wanted to have straight hair. About a month ago I learned about the curly girl method. I have learned that I have type 2b-2c waves but I am still so confused on my hair porosity, yes it dries kinda fast and is very frizzy and dry but no split ends, just very frizzy and dry. I really hope she answers you, maybe this hot and humid environment really affects the hair bc i honestly think I am a grade 4 even though the way she explains this porosity thing sounds like I should be a grade 2 porosity.
@@Jackie-eb2fr First, I want to make it clear that it never bothered me that I have naturally wavy/curly hair. I have NEVER straightened my hair ever in my life. I never had the desire to. Also, when I was a kid back in the 90s, I would see my older sister straighten her hair with the clothes iron! Even back then, seeing her do that made me cringe and feel like telling her, "Uhhh... I don't think that's a good idea... looks like a way to burn your hair off." I don't remember if I actually said that to her, but that's what I was thinking. So, when I saw them coming out with hair straighteners, I'd remember what my sister did with the iron - and I was like, "uhhh, no thanks!" I will say I had rarely used a curling iron but only for special occasions. And I have never in my life dyed my hair. Like seriously, I am now 37 years old and I have never once dyed my hair in my life. I love my natural hair color the way it is and I know hair dyes can cause damage, so, no thanks! There had been rare occasions when I was able to get my hair to not be super dry, and I could sort of see the natural texture of my hair come through - and I actually do love the natural texture of my hair when I can get it to behave. Which brings me to this: I searched, searched, and searched for some kind of clear answer to help me understand what's wrong with my hair, and I came across this other video by The Curl Ninja here on RUclips. It just clarified for me exactly what I needed to know to help my hair, and I am so thankful and so excited when I can finally do what I need to do to fix it. I will share the link here for that other video and I hope it is at least as helpful for you as it was for me. ruclips.net/video/dTfaKuzTXnM/видео.html
@@valerielinares2068 Oh it did bother me, I didn't know how to take care of it, so the easiest way to tame the frizz was to straightened my hair. But I am glad that now I have all this information. I watched her next video on hair porosity and elasticity and I now I feel like I have a better understanding of the concept. She is really awesome.
My hair is virgin at the top and mid shaft, my ends are what’s left of bleached hair years ago. The top is soft, strong, and shiny and gets the droplets 💧 that you were talking about. My ends however will and used to break off like level 4 😭. I’ve been trimming my ends and large amounts of my ends using your tutorials and finally almost all my hair is virgin. Such good info on this vid 😤😤
Hey Mell, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on Instagram and blogs about using a rice water rinse for curly hair. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am very interested and want to. I’m curious to see what you think about it. Thanks!
Hi Mell. I just started watching your vids because I want to start actually taking care of my curls but I didn’t know where to start. I think I’m a grade 2, can you please point me in the right direction of what products to use & what routines to follow. Also so far, love your vids & your personality girl❣️
In this video i talk about the different "Grades" and severity of porosity levels. Heat and Chemicals are not the only things that can increase your porosity over time. Environmental factors like pollution and the sun affect porosity, as well as excessive shampooing and brushing your hair dry. Remember that porosity means the ability to absorb moisture, and although the higher porosity the hair, the more holes like a sponge your strands have. They will absorb moisture but also not be able to hold it in. Next week's video will be extremely important because I will explain what to do to your hair to maintain an even porosity, how to treat your porosity, and what do do to seal in moisture. Stay tuned I have so much information to share with you all! New video out next Tuesday!
Drying time is not part of porosity meaning, a sponge is porous and absorb water, it doesn't dry instantly, it keeps water in also. My hair is not damaged at all, I'm home all day, not in the sun, wash my hair once a week and I don't even use a brush, I finger detangle. Damage porosity is not the same as healthy porosity. You say that the more healthy the lower porosity and the more damage is high which is not true...
@@catboulet Sorry Cat allow me to clear that up, not to have you offended or misunderstood. Notice my air quotes throughout the video when referring to "damage". I agree with you and did not say that high porosity hair is necessarily damaged, but it needs to be treated as such. Porosity doesn't determine health of the hair, it determines the condition of the cuticle layer. In fact, texture and curl type affect porosity as well. In my experience, the curlier the hair strand, the more porous. Why? Each place along the strand that the curl curls, the cuticle lifts causing an increase in porosity. So when I say "damage", I am referring to the more the hair goes through. Also I never talked about it contributing to drying time, in case you got confused. That is a whole different topic. I hope you stay tuned to hear the rest of my explanation on how to treat and style the different porosities for best results. Thanks for watching I hope you have a great day!! xoxo, Mell
Mel you are doing a great job breaking myths and explaining all things hair. My hair has become so frizzy off late and I'm just unable to understand how to take care of it. Looking forward to your next videos. Thanks for sharing all this! Love it ❤️❤️
Based on what I've learnt, i'm likely a 3. My confusion is, water beads on my hair but it takes sooooo long to dry. I've seen me barely dampen my hair and still diffuse for 20 plus minutes, which makes me think one....
Manes by Mell you’re very welcome Mell. I meant every word. Thanks for acknowledging me. Keep up the great work.
I didn't know people could detangle their hair without a conditoner. Can you imagine 😅
SAME!!!! I’ve always detangled my hair with water & and a wide tooth comb.🤷🏽♀️😄
@@ventii_kun why Same then? You can detangle your hair without conditioner then😂😂
@@ventii_kunI also use oil
Oh God, tried it once because I really needed to wash my hair, but forgot to buy a conditioner, it was literally impossible, and so painful, so I gave up untill I got a conditioner, and then the next time it was even harder to detangle even with conditioner, because of that time when I had to dry my hair all tangled, it was a mess, never again 😂
@@ventii_kun you're very lucky 😂
Oh my gosh, when you started describing level 5 porosity hair I legit felt like I was gonna throw up! I kept touching my hair and whispering “I’ll never do that to you baby!”
Most people who have been told by influencers and curly groups that they have low porosity hair do not, they actually have normal to high porosity hair. These people also think that having low porosity is good, it is NOT good people.
If you dunk your hair in a pool and come back up and it's still dry that means you have low porosity. If it comes up wet you do not have low porosity.
Low porosity hair is extremely hard to hold moisture and it also dries fast. High porosity hair gets wet faster and dries slow (and if it sticks to your head when wet you do not have low porosity). Low porosity hair DOES NOT dry slow at all.
Also, there is naturally high porosity hair AND damaged high porosity. Natural high porosity is just fine, damaged high porosity is what Mel is talking about in this video.
BUT if you bring ANY of this up in curly girl FB groups you will be kicked out and messaged with a nasty paragraph about how wrong and terrible you are. If you DARE suggest to people in curly girl gorups on FB that they don't have low porosity hair, then you literally get kicked out of the group. These FB groups used to be wonderful but now they are a hot mess filled with nazi curl people who think they know every single thing about everything and they will not accept anything different. These groups encourage you to buy massive amounts of products and turn people into product junkies. They also teach you everything wrong and most things they teach you are the opposite. The curly girl product companies are making tons of money off this false information, making products for low and high porosity and these products are TERRIBLE and so wrong.
Rant over.
Everyone reading this have a wonderful day.
Kristina THANK YOU!!!! I was getting sooo confused!!! I saw this great info and thought this makes sense BUT could not find it else where on social media. So I thought WAIT , Maines by MEL... She has the info!!!! 😊😉🌸Thank you for clarifying. Have a great day!!!!
@Kristina Doesn't make sense that u say low porosity hair doesn't WET easily but also DRIES easily. If water can't get IN, it ALSO can't get OUT.
@@ellehub2136 dries fast because water doesn’t always penetrate so water is quickly dried off from the surface.
Should I be worried if my hair dries in 20 to 30 minutes or is it okay if I don’t use any products on it
I think your analogy of the swimming pool is a bit off. I have never seen anyone that has dunked their head and not had wet hair when they surfaced in a pool. I do prefer Mel's explantion. All you can do is explain something and let the person reading it decide what they are getting out of the article. Because unless I was there to examine their hair I don't feel I'd have the right to decide what their hair is lacking. All you have to go on is subjective data. The objective data might actually prove them correct.
I have a "virgin hair" yet my hair is super frizzy.
Same👀💔 i am so confused i dont use heat or any of that and my hair doesnt absorb water which is all signs of low porosity BUTTT its not shiny and soft its frizzy and it feels just like a damged hair ☹️i cant detrmine which grade i am
@@saram1503 I recently read an article that said we could possible have ultra low porosity hair. The issue is the hair is so bad and absorbing moisture that if you have not even given it the minimum properly it will become even drier and more frizzy that high porosity hair. I need to test it out tho.
@@aaronaion I will keep this in mind thx👍
Sun damage, constant use of water in hair, climate all effect hair
Can you make a video about how to choose haircut for curly hair
1. Hasn't dyed hair in 8 years (never bleached)
2. Hasn't straightened in 6 (takes too long)
3. Air dried until recently getting a blow dryer (always used on cold and so far used twice)
4. Went outside maybe under 20 times in the last 2 years due to deep anxiety and depression
Moma i think my hairs a born again virgin
Same here depression anxiety and don't go outside 😪
Mell, first off, you were born to do this. 👊🏻 Second, could you talk about the best oils for different types of hair; jojoba, argan, black castor, etc?
Second that 🙌
I was wondering how these oils play into the whole porosity & moisture/protein balance thing (???)
I think you are the best person to explain the porosity of hair. I had to watch the video twice to understand properly but now I know my porosity thanks to you. Thank you. I recommend this video to all my sisters
Is it possible to have virgin hair and still have high prosperity? My hair is very frizzy and dry.
PEOPLE calm down. I see soooo many questions about what to do and how to do it and how you know if [insert here] etc etc etc. Please remember that the entire purpose of CGM is to love our hair and to simplify everything, not make it complicated. Stop complicating everything. Stop worrying about every little detail. Just balance out moisture and protein with your daily products and you will be OK.
This is why I stopped participating is most of the curly groups. Everyone complicates every single thing and makes me hate my hair all over again. So I just simply everything and I love my hair. LOVE LOVE LOVE my hair.
So calm down. Love your hair. Make it simple. Stop the complications. Love your hair and stop making it a hot complicated mess all over again.
Thanks and much love.
I always learn so much watching your videos! This was super helpful bc I never knew how to tell the porosity in my own hair
Finally someone speaking FACTS instead of MYTHS about this subject!
My hair is currently at grade 2 because I went natural 10 months ago and I don't use heat anymore.
Same here!
Omg omg omg omg omg !!!!! Guess who’s seeing you tomorrow !!!!!!!!! Guys I’m literally in heaven right now cause I just booked an apt with MEL ! #blessed🙌
IM SO EXCITED cant wait to meet you!! See you tomorrow xoxox
Manes by Mell no no the excitement is all mine lol cause I’m about to be graced with the presence of the QUEEN! The curly hair queen ! I’m having a total fan girl moment right now ! I’m about to meet royalty! 🙌😂
Wish I lived in Canada just for that reason. LOL
Jealous!!!!! I bet you will look gorgeous!!!
I'm so far (Puerto Rico) but I definitely wish I could have an appointment with you too, Mell!
This is hands down the most informative of the MANY videos I have watched on the subject. I’ll definitely be looking at her other videos for more great information.
Porosity isn't only about styling damage, btw. My daughter in elementary school had high porosity hair in great condition. It's just her hair type. It has to be cared for with different products and care but it's very normal as long as you keep it properly nourished.
This video has been really popular lately and there's a lot of questions and confusion in the comments. Maybe it would be good to do an update on this video. As it is a trending topic again, and people don't get it
My ‘trusted’ and ‘experienced’ hairdresser bleached my dark brown (5) hair by making me sit in the sun with bleach all over previously bleached hair and without olaplex even after I requested/begged her to.... the result was exactly a grade 5 porosity :( my full and thick hair broke off day by day and it felt like dried glue strands. It left me with basically half my head of hair forcing me to cut it from waist length to armpit length. It’s been 3 years later, all natural styling and care and a definite change of hairdresser who actually cares about my hair. The fullness is returning slowly with great care and the right products for the remaining damage. My hair is almost back to waist length again and I’ve been using all these tips on this channel to assist with my 2B/2C curl/wave type. Thank you Mell!! ❤️❤️
Wow. Just reading this made me so upset. So glad to hear you've been able to nurse it back to health although it's been a slow process.
Mel, there is another youtuber hairstylist who is saying the opposite about hair porosity. She says that high porosity hair retains more water/moisture, and that the low porosity hair (often the damaged hair) retains little water and should stay away from any sulfates. I've been living the curly life for 9 months now..and I do what works for me. I love your channel, you always make me laugh! Have a great week:)
Diana Leon ruclips.net/video/n0TK-05lCHY/видео.html She is the best!!
Mel is correct. Low porosity means that very little water gets in or out and high porosity loses and gains easily. It is not so much about retention as how open the cuticle is. It is easier to moisturize high porosity hair but you need something that can lock it in to retain it. Generally, low porosity hair is harder to wet.
I was on the stage 4 once but with no chemicals in my hair. Just really hot hard water. It was tragic and I took a long time to learn how to properly use leave in on my straight hair. Mell, your channel has saved my hair!
Some Girls with hijabs have like the prettiest hair. I remember this girl from school she showed me her hair was so beautiful and shiny and healthy!!! It’s protected from the sun I guess
Wow makes sense! According to the water in a glass test I am low porosity. But many internet searches say low porosity doesn’t like protein. But my hair loves it. I was so confused but this video definitely made sense.
So glad I helped clear any confusion! 😘
The dramatic background music when you were talking about grade 5 hair was on point. It set a perfect tone in understanding how grade 5 hair is no goody. Thanks for this video. I always thought that dying my hair ( to cover greys) might effect my hair porosity cuz it would appear different in texture and it felt different. Never really knew for sure. That is until now that u broke it down. 🤗
Omg....I got chills when you spoke about grade 5...I was there when i was about 14. The hair dresser i went to left the bleach on my hair wayyyy too long. Omg you brought back nightmares
I’ve been *literally* agonising over my hair porosity the past few weeks, so confused by all the ‘info’ out there… absolutely relieved you’ve done a video on this Mell 🙌🏻😂 now I feel silly for ever thinking my hair that hasn’t been coloured in about 10 years and rarely has any heat taken to it is anything to be concerned about ha.
I legit started getting scared when she was talking about grade 5, with the seriousness in her voice on top of the music....then I"m like wait--that's not my hair I'm good lol
*if that is your hair--I'm truly sorry, and I hope you are on the road to healthy hair recovery!
This explains a lot. I've been using leave-in conditioner on my Grade 2 hair and not understanding why my style falls out so fast.
Could you make a video about different/ best hair CUTS for different types of wavy to curly hair?? my hair is so thicc and top/front heavy and wavy (2cish) and ive never had a hair cut that I like. Also if you could talk about how to communicate that cut to a stylist
Can you do a video on how to care for graying hair? Why is it so coarse? I’m having a really hard time with my gray curls. Please help!
I love you! I just bleached and semi-colored my Virgin hair this past year and I’m really happy with how healthy it still is but I know it can be better!! I want it to be better!! I used to think the float test worked but my hair even after bleach (4-5 levels ) still floated!! Through your videos I know FOR SURE I need more protein! And how healthy and beautiful your curls look give me more hope for my coils!!! You made me so excited to get my hair to a healthier less frizzy state! This goes to show that regardless of someone’s race, if they know what they’re talking about they know what they’re talking about when it comes to curly/coily hair!!! Thank you for your content!!!
O.M.G! - I’m a freaking unicorn! However, I’m also turning 40 this year and getting a gray streak. Can you discuss hair color/texture changes and what to expect when going gray? ...naturally?
this grading system is SO much easier than high/low porosity! thank you!
I don’t understand water sits on my hair but I can’t brush through my hair without conditioner but my hair is virgin because I cut off all the stuff I dyed. What is my hair porosity!!!! Agh!
The regular porosity tests that are used in the curly hair community always confused me cause I never new whether I'm low or medium porosity, but this is much easier to understand, I'm simply a grade 2 at the moment.
I just did a water test before coming here and my hair floated for 20 mins until I put a new one and just gave it a poke to submerged it and it when straight down in 10 seconds
@@lisettereyes2927 mine did the same but I don’t think we need to poke it
The glass of water test is BS 😂 that's why.
I have virgin hair, never dyed or bleached it and only blow dry it with cool air, but it's naturally wavy and needs a lot of care. I can't imagine washing it without using conditioner, otherwise it gets dry, frizzy and doesn't look that good. A hair mask once a week (or preferably after every hair wash if I have the time and patience) is a must as well.
So I guess that makes me a 1.5/2, even though it should be a 1 because I don't do *anything* to my hair.
You're great.
No one have ever talked about priosity yhe way you do.
You are different, with such a great personality 😍
I just discovered your channel recently and have fallen in love! I’ve already changed my hair routine and how I take care of it, because of your very informative videos. Thank you so much and can’t wait to see moren
Also I was wondering about what I should do when using the night cap. I’ve tried yours and your sisters way of putting it on. But my curls are super fine and fluffy and end up flat when I wake up. Any tips?
Guuurl, I would pay for a class with you! Thank you for laying facts and facts in all your Videos. I learn so much 😊
Thanks for your kind works Maude! Always wanted to teach a class! Maybe you can be one of my first students xo 😚
Im at 2-3. No idea how my hair does it, especially me never leaving it alone with colouring. So proud of you.
😭😭😭
I feel I need someone to explain my hair to me. My hair is basically virgin (all dye has been cut out) and I have some hair that is a soft 2b type at med brown, then some hair that is more of a 3b and jet black. How the heck do I know how to treat my hair when my head can't choose a type!?!
Omg I learned.. I laughed, til I peed.. i cried.. I wept, really, . I've been bleaching my hair for 25 years I'd say . Mell omg you always always set the record straight and I wish the influences, who steal your content word for word, ahem, I.B. .. but I wish they would give credit where due. You are teaching us all so much.
I am so thankful you decided to do RUclips! I really LOVE your videos ❤️
And depend on 🤫🙃
So for some reason you popped in my thread in between my metal music recommendations. Your humor, how educational, you are amazing. The metal gods guided me to you since apparently I didn't know this level of porosity hair thinking my ass I'd low porosity.
Hahha this. I feel this. I found it in my suggestions between all curly vids and metal songs
I got to grade 5 hair once by a reputable hair stylist years ago!!! I am now a 3-4 like you. Thanks for sharing this.
Omg your videos are so entertaining and informative. I’m so glad I found your channel! Wish I knew about your salon when I lived in Toronto!
You make me SO EXCITED to be a hairstylist!
Thank you for putting the professional facts out there girl!
I love how theatrical you are! I'm smiling so wide watching these it looks like a slept with a hanger in my mouth.
*Rachel quote for the F.R.I.E.N.D.S stans!*
I'm honestly surprised I didn't hit grade 5 in highschool when I was home bleaching my hair to white ALL THE TIME and leaving it in for like 45 minutes, no leave ins, no olaplex, just shampoo and condition. I really got lucky
I've never dyed my hair and haven't used heat in at least ten years (I do go out in the sun/outside though obviously). But I can't detangle without conditioner soo I'm very confused which one I am.
i’m confused? idk if my hair is considered “virgin”, i’ve dyed it a few times in my life but it’s been years and there’s no hair left on my head currently that has ever been dyed. i straighten a few pieces here and there every once in a while using heat protectant. but my hair seems to be very porous, frizzy, falls out and breaks off, tangles like crazy and takes half the day to fully dry
Any other curly girl here who straightened their hair everyday when they were young 🫠
to be honest, I really don't know what level my hair has. at first I tried like all the test with water and my hair did not drown after 10 minutes even more I will say it swam like a boat in a glass! then I decided to watch your video and took out another hair and tried to wet it to see if water droplets would remain on it. as a result, I could not even dip it into the water, because as soon as the tip approached the water surface, it began to bend. I confess it surprised me a lot. in general, I could not get it wet. in theory, this is the 1st level, which is what all tests say. yes my hair shines but not much and mostly at the roots. but the hair does not feel smooth but hard and dry like straw. every time I touch them slightly they remind me of a woolen hat. I'm confused.
You are a breath of fresh air. Thank you for making this channel!
Mell said " hands mine YOUR DARN BUSINESS!!!" But the force is strong I cant resist must zhoosh that like button
i'm a 'unicorn' and this solidified my belief that devacurl has destroyed my hair. it sounds like i'm a 4, but i haven't colored my hair in 24 years and haven't used heat in 5. when i run my fingers down the hair shaft, it's super bumpy - EXCEPT for the first couple of inches growing out of my scalp, which is probably the growth since i discontinued using DC. I appreciated Mell's deep dive into the devacurl issue, but there's no explanation for what's gone on with my hair other than devacurl.
Yeah, there are a lot of people having problem with Devacurl
One of my friends bleached her hair herself. One time I promised to help. Bad decision. She made the bleach and told me where to put it. It was already hard to detangle before, but after the bleach it was just gum. It clumped together and nothing could get it detangled. She was still happy, because first time ever her hair was white. However, next day she called me crying. The hair was so brittle even a slight breeze would cause it to brake. She had to get a pixie cut after that.
Grade 3, used to straighten my hair religiously, I cringe at the thought now. I also can't believe people can detangle wet hair without a mask or conditioner.
Can you please make a video targeting people with straighter hair who want to bring more life to their natural waves?
It's difficult for me to know where to start and what information is really best only for people who have luscious thick curls, and what will actually help my baby waves
Lovely 😊 I just would argue that natural virgin curly hair would not let a comb go through. Even if it had nothing. Good video as alway! Can you do one to explain the olaplex products and its use for each hair type 😉
I was for sure a grade 5 in my scene hair days when I was bleaching and changing hair colors bi-weekly and using heat tools several times a week. My friends and I used to joke about how squishy it was. I couldn't get it wet, couldn't go swimming, etc. It's true that there is no way to save that shit, it's gotta go. All of it! I tried to slowly trim it all so I didn't lose length but it didn't work for years. YEARS. My hair was thin, frail, barely grew and looked scraggly, even after most of the damage should have been done. I did a big chop 4 years ago and it has grown at 4x the rate it used to. I have luscious curls I never used to have.
Girl, you are just amazing. I have been on my curly hair journey for about a year now and I've been really struggling with all the not brushing, no heat and all the fear that comes with some of the curly gurl community. I've been watching your videos over the past few days and you have completely opened my eyes up to my own hair!
You are hilarious and so real. Please, always stay the way you are cause you're fab
I have never colored my hair and mostly air dry them, but I still have a lot of breakage. I am trying to have a good shower day routine with a shampoo, conditioner, leave-in and a gel, but within a few days my hair is frizzy. I do use a bonnet in the night. Any suggestions?
I have 3a/b hair and after years of bleach, boxed dyes and flat ironing; my hair went to grade 5. And I just had to go to the hairdresser to cut it off... i did it in sessions because I didn’t want short hair. But I could see my roots being curly and the bottom of my hair flat.
(I also had no idea what kind of hair my hair was and how to take care of it because no one had ever shown me. Channels like yours have helped So much! I’m on my 6th month of natural and it’s so beautiful!)
You need to tell us about post pregnancy hair... the hair loss and the texture changes and how to make it out to other side without going bold.
I think you Should be bold, before and after pregnancy! But Bald? Bald can happen from many things. Stress - physical and mental, poor diet, environmental factors - pollution and sun damage. While pregnant your body doesn't produce whatever hormone it is that tells your hair strands they're done, go away (fall out). Once you have that precious bundle of joy, it begins to produce that hormone again, and then all the hair that didn't fall out while you were pregnant begins to fall out. Thus making you feel like you're going bald, but you're not! Although the stress of getting used to having a new person in your house, and not enough sleep, could cause more hair to fall out than normal. The Best thing you can do is to get some help around the house. Ask someone to watch your little bundle of joy so that you can get some sleep, and much-needed rest so that you don't stress out and don't lose your hair. Best of luck to you and enjoy your new little angel!
@@longyarn4288 ive read up on all that and understand that it seems like lots of hair because you didn't lose those hairs in pregnancy but it tends to give lots of women *bald* patches in the front. My main concern is the texture change, my hair is limp and lifeless this time around unlike after having my first so was wondering if she could do a video on this topic to help educate women on what to expect and then how to manage it.
OH LORD!! my hair reached the infamous grade 5 a few years back - thankfully it was extremely short, and you couldn't tell looking at my hair now that it used to be so gummy I could stretch it between my fingers like a piece of elastic. never, ever, EVER again! I'm scared to even get close to level 9 hair, even though you can definitely do it safely; there is no terror like rinsing out your hair and realizing it's practically turned to mush. I cried so hard!
you'd think I would've known better, since my mom is a hairstylist! but hubris was my downfall. 😧 great video, you've earned a new subscriber!!
So confused lol. I have virgin hair but I can't brush it without conditioner. I have to be careful with products because it builds up like crazy.
I think I have this problem too. I have virgin hair, no dyes or chemical treatments in 13years. My hair gets oily quick, and I think its because of low porosity. Plus its worst since moving to a place with harder water. AND Im not outside much and live in a basement appartment 😆.
The inside of my hair strands are likely dry, creating more oil but it doesnt penetrate. Hair feels brittle too sometimes.
I havent used much heat on my hair either the past 3years (can prolly count on both hands).
If I wait 4-5days to wash, I try to soak my hair and seems to just run off. Once I get shampoo in there it feel like my hair is able to absorb the water better, likely because the oil is out of the way now and warm/hot water opens up the cuticle.
Ive been using a light conditioner and let it sit a few minutes while Im washing. I would never do this before because I felt it would make it more oily. Then rinse it good without over doing it (product is out but still feels smooth). Then my hair feels healthy again and will last a few days. I cant brush or comb between washings either.
I also use a bit of diva curl cream once Im out. I feel like I can now go longer without my hair getting too oily 🤷♀️
This is an awkward way to find out that one time ironed my hair 4 years ago doesn't actually count as heat damage. this was really helpful I thought there was something wrong with my hair.
Ive been wanting to ask you this question for so long! What products do u recommend for your sisters hair type?? Conditioner? Shampoo? Styling??
Have you checked out the video where I style her hair! All the products she uses currently are used in that video along with their product names and links :) Hope this helps ruclips.net/video/8MdB1CxYBCM/видео.html
Id like to find out about curly girls who color their hair. Whats safe? Can products potentially mess up curls? What to look out for.
I'm in love with your hair and personality! We have similar hair so I find your channel sooo helpful and you are funny and entertaining!
Thank you for being awesome. I learn and laugh hard every time I watch you. Thanks for the curly hairducation.
This just made me more confused. My hair has never been been exposed to heat or chemicals. It doesn't tangle. But it also is very definitely not smooth (very bumpy feeling) and it gets extremely frizzy after a shower or in high humidity. Help?!
I have the straightest hair possible. But I have a 6 years old daughter with curly hair that looks like yours. So I just wanted to say that your channel is super helpful. Thanks! 😍
This has to be the best freakin porosity video like it made sense. All the others i have watched were so confusing the people probably didnt know what they were talking about. Im going to watch the next ones too. I need all the help
So happy it was helpful!
it's like you know exactly what i'm the most curious about and make a video about it ..
i have been trying to figure this out for the longest
Mel do you have many black clients? If so do you treat their hair differently? Or do you treat all curly hair the same?
Sounds to me like she is not talking about Black hair at all.
I've seen tons of unprofessional advice on this subject that are down right foolish. Thanks for your professional explanation and definitions on the different type of hair. Now I know how to better treat my type of hair.
So what's the proper way to test the porosity ? We just knew about types
You are simply the best! Your video about diffusing has been a game changer for me and my hair. So thank you for sharing your knowledge and your personality with the world ❤️
My brothers were swimmers as teenagers(in the old days when the pools had heavy chlorine) they swam 6 hrs/ day the hair turned into jello.
Mel you absolute lifesaver!! I’ve grown up as a mixed girl in Australia and there’s literally no one who understands curly hair. I have been STRUGGLING 😩 would you be able to do a video on how health effects hair and some tips for people who have health conditions that have caused/contributed to damage?? ❤️
I'm an Aussie too 🙂. And, as I've had MS for over 33 years, and probably another couple of autoimmune diseases as well. I've never been able to use a dryer on my hair because it makes it even more dry and frizzy. I've got 2c/3a hair, with lots of frizzy, uncontrollable hair. It's coarse and I need a fringe, but now that I'm essentially CG, I can't find anyone to cut it who understands!!
If you are in Melbourne there is a hairdresser called neel (the salon called neel loves curls) he is really good
@@jujithecuti I'm in Ballarat, which is not too far away. I had my first cut there by Jason (my sister dragged me along - she had made the appointment and told me about it later! My hair has always had more curl than hers, but she developed waves/curls with menopause, and mine got more!! I'd let it go 18 months without even a trim as I didn't trust anyone to touch it). I haven't been back as I can't drive far on my own and it's hard to get 2 appointments on a Saturday morning 😔
@@jujithecuti Do you know of any others in Melbourne? I had a trim by someone locally who is supposed to be a specialist but she hasn't actually trained in curly cuts and it hasn't even improved with 7 weeks growth !! I didn't find out that she wasn't trained until the very end of the appointment though 😔. She advertises as a curl specialist.
my hair was floating which means it’s supposedly for low porosity, yet when they described high porosity they’d describe my hair so now i’m here 😭 because the glass of water couldn’t be full accurate
From a scientific perspective your results make sense. A hair with an open but intact cuticle will have much higher surface area to hold air on, but the surface tensions of the water wouldn't be low enough to flood out that air (think of how easily tiny air bubbles can stick inside a glass of water). There are too many factors at play with the water and the hair independently for the combination of the two to yield reliable or accurate results together.
Mel I'm sooooooo grateful to have found your RUclips channel! You've helped me understand my unruly curly hair! You're personality is delightful! Your knowledge is phenomenal! I can't wait to book an appointment with you!!! 😊❤️
My hair has always been high porosity since I was born. It expands and frizzes out so much when it dries. So it’s possible to have naturally high porosity without having damaged hair
Yea she said that in one of her video some people are just born with that kind of hair
Same! Funnily enough, I just dyed my hair for the first time ever two weeks ago and now my hair is somehow way lower porosity. Maybe it was something in all the bonding agents and weird treatments my stylist used for the lightening process.
Talia omg same! When I bleached the ends of my hair a few months back that part of my hair was definitely a lower porosity it was so interesting because I wasn’t used to my hair reacting differently and holding a curl or not instantly drying and frizzing up
MsRose Right! I was so shocked at how fully saturated it felt when I put products in. Usually I’m slaving away to get my hair that “slick” stylists always talk about. And wow, being able to manage frizz. 😭
My hair is naturally moderately coarse, curly and thick. It takes time to get wet(few minutes) but does not take a long time to dry. In the shower I have to add some water to my hair a few times during the conditioning process.
Not sure what porosity I am?
*listening to stage 5 while sitting with bleach in my hair* 😀 I am fine. Everything is fine
I'm Asian/European mix. My hair is dark brown, very coarse, has heavy waves (medium sized) and is prone to frizz/strands that stick straight up into the air on my crown. It's naturally quite shiny. I haven't used any heat on my regrowth so far. That being said, I don't think I have a very low porosity. My hair becomes completely saturated and heavy within 10 seconds of standing under the shower. It can dry within a couple of hours. If I rake a leave-in after showering into my hair, I don't see any white residue. Honestly, I am so confused and nothing I read or watch seems to be helping me determine my porosity. I honestly have no idea how often I should be using a protein product in my hair or if I'm giving it too much moisture....
I have a difficult time with my hair. I have baby fine, medium and coarse hair all on one head. I never know what product to use. I have kinky curls , wavy & straight. So frustrating. 😣
So I dont think ive ever had healthy curly hair. I'm latina and my fair mama just didnt know how to take care of my curls. I washed my hair everyday for years so my hair was super dry and frizzy and I would compensate with a lot of product. And then 5 years ago i permed my hair straight. I would straighten or put heat to it at least twice a week and when i didnt it was pulled back.... ya'll.... my hair is beat. At least i've never dyed it...I dont even know what my real curl is anymore. I chopped it short recently and starting to put protein and hairs masks ( have never done that) and im washing it once a week and using flexi rods to style. Sorry this is so long but I love your videos! Im finally learning how to take care of my hair and hopefully will transition soon to my natural hair. Maybe when I get there ill come for a visit. I live in Toronto. ❤ thanks for the vids!
One of the best videos I've seen on porosity! Thank you Manes by Mell!
Can you PLEASE make another video for those who have 100% natural hair (not chemically treated) and don't use heat? I can't tell what my hair needs and it's really frustrating
I bleached out my Asian black hair to white and was definitely a Grade 5 then. It was a six month's worth of experimenting on cocktails of hair products to make it look decent for general population. Once a lifetime experience, and I can't say I regret it. Buzzed it down shortly after and been growing it out naturally. But my hair now is so dry and fizzy; it's a madness. Hope I can get back my healthy locks by following your tips and advise. Keep up the good work!
yuji yunus you can do it! Me and my curls believe in you!
I'm probably the unicorn you've been looking for. Virgin hair, no heat, don't go outside during the day because I work at night
Would you be able to do a video on curly hair cuts/advice for finding a stylist? It seems like they only options I can find are deva cuts which are soooooo expensive. Is there a way to get a slightly more affordable curly hair friendly cut? Love your videos!! ❤️
I'm wondering where I'm at because I've never dyed my hair and haven't used heat in a decade, but I moved to a country that has very hard water and it has damaged my hair so much. It went from only needing water and coconut oil to look shiny, bouncy, and curly to being completely dry and straw like, straight, breaking off, and being so frizzy that it's completely unmanageable. I had no idea what hard water even was, so it took me two years to figure it out that my hair was being damaged several times a week. Now I'm doing the curly girl method and I'm hoping that it helps repair my hair!
Livin' Free just thought I’d throw this out there...suave naturals coconut conditioner and shampoo (shampoo has sulfates, conditioner is curly girl approved) have disodium EDTA which helps remove hardwater build up! Its also super cheap!
Abwj W oh cool! Glad I could help you know why! So if you ever want to switch your shampoo, just look for that ingredient!
My hair grade is probably 3-4. I have dark brown hair and I was dyeing my hair copper red. I dyed it back to dark brown, and a few months later (like 6-8) did a few highlights. I don’t plan on dyeing it again for some time.
I’m doing hair masks/treatments once a week too. I really want to start a natural hair journey, and taking care of my waves/curls (which I didn’t know I had).
Thank you so much for helping me to try and understand my hair needs, Mell, I cannot thank you enough! 😭🥰
I don't know if you will see this. But, if you do, I'd really appreciate it if you replied. Dye has never touched my hair, ever. Nor have I ever had any salon treatments like perms, relaxers, etc. done to my hair. I rarely use heat tools on my hair, and if I do, it's only for special occasions like weddings, graduations, etc. The only time I use a hair dryer is when I wash my hair at night when it's cold and I don't want to get hypothermia, lol. YET, when I touch my hair, I have somewhat of a rough cuticle on a good portion of my hair strands. Not all of them, but, maybe two thirds of them; all on the top layer of the hair my head.
There are a few things I can think of that would do this:
1) I live in Phoenix, AZ where we are known for our high summer temps (105+). And I never used anything particular to protect my hair from the elements (at least not on purpose - on occasion, I'd wear a ball-cap, but, that's it - and not for hair protection purposes). *Can you recommend a leave-in conditioner with UV protection?
2) Up to this point, I've never used anything to protect my hair while I'm sleeping.
3) I'm only now learning that my hair could be closer to the 2C type when I previously believed I was between 2A and 2B - meaning maybe my hair has always been more delicate than I thought it was. Thus, leading to more damage because I wasn't taking care of it the way I was supposed to.
4) Until recently, I had NO IDEA I was applying my conditioner incorrectly! I'm still kinda salty that I'm only now hearing that after all this time! UGH! *side story: I've struggled with dry, damaged hair since high school, I'm now 37. So yeah, it's pretty annoying that only NOW I'm hearing about conditioning my hair correctly!! It could have been a game changer a long time ago!
5) I don't have very healthy of a diet (which I acknowledge needs to change), but, the supplements I'm taking are working to improve my hair. I know many in the science community don't believe in supplements and may believe the supplements are just having a placebo affect on me. However, numbers don't lie. The last time I went to the doctor and she was reviewing my blood work, she said, "I don't know what you're taking, but keep taking it because it's working." So, there's that.
Lastly, I want to say, that all the above issues I've stated, I've either already made changes to address the issue (i.e #5), or I'm making plans to eventually change what I can't change right now.
All that being said, do you have any advice to offer? I just want to embrace and nurture what I already have. I just want healthy hair. If you have any advice or thoughts, I'd certainly appreciate your input. Thank you.
god i relate so much to this comment!!!!! i really hope she replies becaude id love to hear tips as well
Omg I feel the same way, i live in Texas, I have Type 2b-2c hair and even though I used to straighten my hair a lot in high school (10 years ago) and only colored my hair about 3 times in my life, last time was about 5 years ago, my hair is very frizzy and dry though. However I dont use any heat tools anymore like I used to in high school, only special occasions, last time was mothers day. However just like you said, I never took care of my hair properly, just like every girl out there that doesnt know how to deal with their waves/curls i just wanted to have straight hair. About a month ago I learned about the curly girl method. I have learned that I have type 2b-2c waves but I am still so confused on my hair porosity, yes it dries kinda fast and is very frizzy and dry but no split ends, just very frizzy and dry. I really hope she answers you, maybe this hot and humid environment really affects the hair bc i honestly think I am a grade 4 even though the way she explains this porosity thing sounds like I should be a grade 2 porosity.
@@Jackie-eb2fr First, I want to make it clear that it never bothered me that I have naturally wavy/curly hair. I have NEVER straightened my hair ever in my life. I never had the desire to. Also, when I was a kid back in the 90s, I would see my older sister straighten her hair with the clothes iron! Even back then, seeing her do that made me cringe and feel like telling her, "Uhhh... I don't think that's a good idea... looks like a way to burn your hair off." I don't remember if I actually said that to her, but that's what I was thinking. So, when I saw them coming out with hair straighteners, I'd remember what my sister did with the iron - and I was like, "uhhh, no thanks!" I will say I had rarely used a curling iron but only for special occasions. And I have never in my life dyed my hair. Like seriously, I am now 37 years old and I have never once dyed my hair in my life. I love my natural hair color the way it is and I know hair dyes can cause damage, so, no thanks!
There had been rare occasions when I was able to get my hair to not be super dry, and I could sort of see the natural texture of my hair come through - and I actually do love the natural texture of my hair when I can get it to behave.
Which brings me to this: I searched, searched, and searched for some kind of clear answer to help me understand what's wrong with my hair, and I came across this other video by The Curl Ninja here on RUclips. It just clarified for me exactly what I needed to know to help my hair, and I am so thankful and so excited when I can finally do what I need to do to fix it. I will share the link here for that other video and I hope it is at least as helpful for you as it was for me.
ruclips.net/video/dTfaKuzTXnM/видео.html
@@valerielinares2068 Oh it did bother me, I didn't know how to take care of it, so the easiest way to tame the frizz was to straightened my hair. But I am glad that now I have all this information. I watched her next video on hair porosity and elasticity and I now I feel like I have a better understanding of the concept. She is really awesome.
My hair is virgin at the top and mid shaft, my ends are what’s left of bleached hair years ago. The top is soft, strong, and shiny and gets the droplets 💧 that you were talking about. My ends however will and used to break off like level 4 😭. I’ve been trimming my ends and large amounts of my ends using your tutorials and finally almost all my hair is virgin. Such good info on this vid 😤😤
Hey Mell, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on Instagram and blogs about using a rice water rinse for curly hair. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am very interested and want to. I’m curious to see what you think about it.
Thanks!
I fell for the glass of water rubbish. This was SOOOO informative. You should teach... Best porosity video in the world! Caroline from Scotland x
Hi Mell. I just started watching your vids because I want to start actually taking care of my curls but I didn’t know where to start. I think I’m a grade 2, can you please point me in the right direction of what products to use & what routines to follow. Also so far, love your vids & your personality girl❣️