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The 7 Best Creams for High Porosity Hair in 2023

The 7 Best Creams for High Porosity Hair in 2023

High porosity hair is notoriously hard to tame. Fortunately for you, we’re hair experts and have scoured high and low to bring you what we consider to be some of the best hair creams for high porosity hair. Read on to see our picks.

What’s the Best Cream for High Porosity Hair?

High porosity hair can be a pain to manage. Whether due to genetics or over-processing, fighting back the frizz can sometimes feel impossible. Fortunately, you can find tons of creams that can help make your frizzy mess into something smooth and sleek. 

Our Top 7 Picks:
  1. Best Overall: Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
  2. Best for Long Hair: Cantu Coconut Curling Cream
  3. Best for Shrinkage: Shea Moisture’s Curl Stretch Pudding
  4. Best for the Newbie: African Pride Moisture Miracle
  5. Best for Dry Scalps: tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer
  6. Best for Repairing Split Ends: As I Am DoubleButter Cream
  7. Best for a Quick Fix: Carol’s Daughter’s Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie

If you’re dealing with frizzy hair, split ends, or curls you just can’t tame, finding a hair cream that works for high porosity hair is critical. Although it can be a tiring process, it doesn’t have to be. Enter, hair cream.

Read Next: Is Rice Water Good for High Porosity Hair?

Why You Need a Cream for High Porosity Hair

High porosity hair has a few key characteristics. It’s usually very dry, can be dull and lifeless, can’t retain moisture, and tangles easily. If this is your hair type, it probably feels like a never-ending battle each day. 

One of the best ways to boost dry curls is with good-quality hair cream. You want a cream for high porosity hair that moisturizes and makes your hair look great. However, that means you’ll need to take the time to research which creams are best for your hair needs.

Researching hair creams takes time, but it doesn’t have to be stressful. When you find the right one, you’ll be able to tame the frizz to leave your curls and coils gleaming. 

Best Creams for High Porosity Hair: Top 7 Picks

We’ve reviewed tons of hair creams for high porosity hair and narrowed it down to seven creams we think will do the job like no other. So, without further ado, here’s the low down on our best picks.

1. Quemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream – Best Overall

Best Overall
Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
Pros:
  • Great for 4B-4C hair types
  • Can be used for multiple purposes
  • No artificial fragrances or dyes
Cons:
  • Higher-priced than other creams
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Qhemet Biologics’ Amla & Olive Heavy Cream is a moisturizing cream that’s perfect for 4B-4C hair types. It has a rich formula that conditions even the driest, coarsest hair for days.

This is also a great option if you want to help promote healthy growth. As Qhemet’s formula moisturizes the ends, it helps new growth come in smooth and healthy. What’s best is that you can use it for more than just styling.

It’s an excellent option for a post-shampoo conditioning treatment, hair mask, deep conditioner, a daily leave-in, and even as a body butter.

Qhemet also incorporates multiple scalp-soothing ingredients, including amla and African aloe to help soothe your skin. In addition, you won’t find any artificial fragrances or dyes.

2. Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream – Best for Long Hair

Best for Long Hair
Cantu Coconut Curling Cream With Shea Butter
Pros:
  • No alcohol or silicones
  • Award-winning formula
  • Weightless moisture
Cons:
  • Better for longer curls than short
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Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream is a great budget option for high porosity hair cream. It offers moisture and manageability in a long-lasting, lightweight formula.

Cantu’s formula contains no drying alcohol or silicones, so you won’t have to worry about this product drying out your hair. Instead, it provides a moisturizing balm for dry curly hair. 

This cream is a great option if you have long, 3C-4A hair and want to define your curls. However, it’ll do a great job of moisturizing and defining most hair types. 

3. Shea Moisture Curl Stretch Pudding – Best for Shrinkage

Best for Shrinkage
Sheamoisture Curl Stretch Pudding for Curls
Pros:
  • Lightweight formula
  • No sulfates or parabens
  • Good for shrinkage-prone hair
Cons:
  • Formula might be too light for coarser hair
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Shea Moisture’s Curl Stretch Pudding is the perfect cream for curly or coily hair that’s prone to shrinkage. It offers a light hold that smooths out your curls for a frizz-free finish.

Curl Stretch Pudding doesn’t have a gluey texture like a lot of other creams, so you can use as little or as much as you want. Red palm oil, cocoa butter, and flaxseed are some of the best ingredients for moisturizing high porosity hair, and you’ll find them all in this cream.

Since this formula is pretty lightweight, it’s a great cream for all hair types. However, coarser hair might require more product.

4. African Pride Moisture Miracle Leave-In Cream – Best for the Newbie

Best for the Newbie
African Pride Moisture Miracle Coconut Oil
Pros:
  • All-natural ingredients
  • Great coconut smell
  • Good if you’re just starting out with curls
Cons:
  • Can be a little too sticky
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African Pride Moisture Miracle is a leave-in cream that delivers daily moisture and helps make your hair stronger. You can use it as a leave-in or as an addition to your regular styling routine. The two main ingredients are coconut and baobab oil.

The coconut is a natural moisturizer, and the baobab helps strengthen your hair and protect against breakage. African Pride’s Moisture Miracle is great for setting curls in 4B-4C hair that last for days.

Plus, it uses all-natural ingredients. There aren’t any parabens or sulfates, and there’s no mineral oil, so you can feel confident your hair will get the best treatment. 

5. tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer –  Best for Dry Scalps

Best for Dry Scalp
tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer For Natural Har
Pros:
  • Penetrates and moisturizes the scalp.
  • Promotes better hair growth.
  • Doesn't make your scalp greasy.
Cons:
  • Sometimes leaves a bit of residue.
  • Thicker texture than some other creams.
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tgin’s Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer is a top-notch hair cream for high porosity hair. It boosts hair growth while giving you hair that shines. This cream is perfect for daily use, but you can also use it as a setting cream to create perfect 3C and 4C curls and twists.

It’s excellent for smoothing away frizz and giving your hair a great shine. Its ingredients are exactly what you’d want in a hair cream. Vitamin E promotes hair growth by stimulating blood flow to your scalp, while the shea butter locks in every drop of moisture.

6. As I Am DoubleButter Cream – Best for Repairing Split Ends

Best for Repairing Split Ends
I AM As Double Butter Rich Daily Moisturizer, 16 Ounce
Pros:
  • Perfect for very dry hair
  • Excellent detangler
  • Doesn’t leave a film or residue
Cons:
  • Can feel heavy once dried
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As I Am DoubleButter Cream has a fragrant blend of natural ingredients, including cocoa and shea butter, almond oil, and jojoba oil, that are fabulous at sealing in moisture.

It’s especially well-formulated to brighten up dull, dry hair. Another great aspect of DoubleButter is that it contains pro-vitamin B5, or panthenol.

This vitamin is excellent at sealing and preventing split ends, which tend to be a big problem with dry hair. As I Am’s DoubleButter is perfect as a daily moisturizing cream. It’s also a good choice for smoothing out waves and soft curls. 

7. Carol’s Daughter’s Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie – Best for a Quick Fix

Best for a Quick Fix
Carol’s Daughter’s Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie
Pros:
  • No sulfates or parabens
  • Vitamin B5 for strength
  • Great vanilla scent
Cons:
  • Contains alcohol, which could be a bit drying
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Carol’s Daughter’s Black Vanilla Hair Smoothie smoothes and shines your hair using cocoa and shea butters. It has the added benefit of vitamin B5, which helps prevent and repair split ends. Its highly-moisturizing ingredients offer a quick fix for dry, brittle hair.

The Black Vanilla formula is for naturally curly hair of all hair types, from 1C to 4C. Also, don’t the thickness of this cream fool you. Once you work it through your hair, it’ll soften up and start absorbing quickly.

Finding the Best Cream for High Porosity Hair

Best cream for high porosity hair smeared on a pink tablet

Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock

Just because a hair cream looks thick and moisturizing doesn’t mean it is. There are a few things you should consider before choosing which hair cream will work best.

Consider Your Hair Type

Many hair types can benefit from a hair cream for high porosity hair, but not all. For some, these creams will simply be too heavy or too moisturizing. If you have any type of curls, you’ll probably benefit from a cream like those listed here.

They’re great for smoothing and defining coils and curls. In addition, many are also really good and repairing and preventing split ends.

However, if your hair is very fine, has low porosity, or is sleek, a hair cream could end up leaving you feeling weighed down and greasy. That said, you could choose a lightweight option if you think your hair needs a moisture boost.

Read the Label

Labels on hair care products will almost always tout their most significant benefits. You’ll be able to see at a glance whether a product will repair split ends, moisturize your curls, or condition your scalp.

However, don’t stop there. Turn the product around and read each ingredient. Some ingredients work better than others for high porosity hair, and those are the ones you want to go with.

For example, try to avoid anything with a lot of alcohol, parabens, or sulfates, as they can be damaging or drying. Instead, opt for creams with cocoa or shea butter, aloe, vitamin B5, and olive oil.

Consider Your Hair Care Routine

When you choose a hair cream, consider how it’ll fit into the rest of your hair care routine. If you’re new to hair creams, you’ll now have to factor in an extra step. If this is old-hat, then you shouldn’t have a problem.

However, you should also consider the other products in your routine. For example, your shampoos and styling gels or creams should complement your hair cream. 

Consider Your Retailer

Who you purchase your products from matters. A seller’s expertise and reputation are critical indicators of whether they’re going to sell you a good product.

Many retailers who aren’t familiar with haircare products might not know how frequently to cycle out their stock. When that happens, you could end up with expired products. 

In addition, you should avoid retailers with poor reputations or who haven’t been around long. Fake hair care products are all over the place, especially online. So, if you can shop in person or from a reputable online seller, that’s what you should do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Woman using the best hair cream for high porosity hair on her curls after getting out of the shower

goffkein.pro/Shutterstock

Still curious about hair creams for high porosity hair? Here are the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about this hair type.

Is gel good for high porosity hair?

Gel is a good styling product for any hair type, including high porosity hair. However, if you want to use gel to style your hair, you’ll have to choose the right hold. Highly porous hair will need a stronger hold, so skip gels that are lightweight or only of a light hold.

What ingredients are good for high porosity hair?

There are a lot of ingredients you should keep an eye out for when choosing hair products. You’ll want to look for ingredients with great moisturizing and strengthening qualities. Coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, olive oil, and avocado oil are all perfect for helping your hair retain moisture.

What are signs of high porosity hair?

High porosity hair is notoriously dry and frizzy. This is because the cuticle, or the outer part of your hair, is very porous. So, if you were to check out a strand of hair under a microscope, low-porosity hair would be smooth, while high porosity hair would look rough.

Is rice water good for high porosity hair?

Rice water contains a lot of protein. Since your hair is made of protein, rice water can benefit high porosity hair. However, not all rice has the same amount of protein. So be sure to check the protein content of the rice water you choose. You can also make your own if you’d prefer.

How often should you wash high porosity hair?

You should only wash high porosity hair weekly or bi-weekly. You should use a moisturizing and clarifying shampoo to get your hair clean, then follow up with a deep conditioning cream. A final rinse with cold water will help seal your cuticles shut.

So, What’s the Best Cream for High Porosity Hair?

It might take some trial and error before you find the right one, but the best hair cream for your high porosity hair is definitely out there.

We think the best choice is Qhemet Biologics’ Amla & Olive Heavy Cream. It’s multi-purpose, provides strength, and promotes healthy hair growth. If you choose this option, you won’t regret it.