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LOC vs LCO Method Picker

Name: How to use the LOC vs LCO Method Picker
Uploaded: 2026-11-07
Duration: 58 s
Description: A one-minute walkthrough showing how to find out whether the liquid, oil, cream or the liquid, cream, oil order suits your hair.

LOC vs LCO method: answer six quick questions to see which layering order suits your hair, and which products to use for each layer.

Question 1 of 6

What is your hair porosity?

Porosity is how easily water gets in and out of the strand.

LowProducts sit on top; hair takes ages to get wetNormalAbsorbs and holds moisture fairly wellHighSoaks up water fast, dries fast, feels dry soonNot sureTake the porosity test for a better answer

How to use the LOC vs LCO Method Picker

Answer the porosity question

Pick Low, Normal, High or Not sure. If you came from the porosity test, your answer is already selected.
Describe your strands and your day-3 hair

Choose your strand thickness and how your hair usually feels three days after moisturizing.
Do the oil check, then add climate and drying time

Tell us whether oil soaks into damp hair or sits on top, what the air is like where you live, and how long your hair takes to air-dry.
Press “Show my method”

You get LOC or LCO (or “either — start with …”), a diagram of the layer order, and the product texture to use for each layer.
Run the two-week test

Follow the test plan under your result, then download the PDF plan or copy the link to come back to it.

How to use the LOC vs LCO Method Picker (58 s)

How it works

LOC and LCO are two ways to layer products after you wash. LOC stands for liquid, oil, cream; LCO for liquid, cream, oil. Both start with water, because water is what actually hydrates hair. The oil and cream don’t add moisture on their own — their job is to slow down how fast that water evaporates and to soften the hair surface.

A quick honesty note: these are community methods that grew out of the natural hair world, not protocols tested in clinical trials. No study has compared LOC and LCO head to head. What the picker does is apply the hair science behind them to your answers, so you have a sensible place to start — and then a two-week test to confirm it on your own hair.

Why porosity carries the most weight

Porosity describes how easily water moves in and out of a strand, and it rises as the cuticle is worn down by heat, chemicals and everyday wear. On low porosity hair, oil applied straight over water tends to sit on the surface, and a cream added after it has trouble getting in — so the picker leans toward LCO, with the oil as a thin final layer. High porosity hair absorbs water quickly but loses it just as fast, so an oil layer next to the water, closed in by a cream, tends to work better — LOC. Some oils, coconut oil in particular, have been shown to penetrate the hair shaft, while others mostly coat it.

The other five questions

Strand thickness, how your hair feels on day 3, whether oil soaks in or sits on top, your climate and how fast your hair dries each add or subtract points. Hair that is dry and crunchy by day 3 needs a stronger seal; hair that feels coated needs fewer, lighter layers. If the total lands close to zero, the result says either order can work and starts you on the lighter LCO.

Product weight is a separate answer

The same answers also set how rich your products should be — light, medium or rich. In practice, the weight of what you use often matters as much as the order: a heavy butter in the LCO order can still weigh down fine hair.

Limits

Products differ a lot. A “cream” can be a thin lotion or a whipped butter, so judge by texture, not by the label.
If you are not sure about your porosity, take the porosity test first — it changes the result more than anything else.
Give each method at least two wash cycles before you judge it.

LOC vs LCO compared

	LOC (liquid, oil, cream)	LCO (liquid, cream, oil)
Order	Water → oil → cream	Water → cream → oil
Often suits	High porosity, coarse strands, dry climates	Low porosity, fine strands, humid climates
Oil’s job	Sits next to the water to slow its escape	A thin final seal, mostly on the ends
Cream’s job	Closes everything in, softens and defines	Adds softness while hair is damp
Watch out for	Feeling greasy or coated if layers are too heavy	Ends drying out if the oil is skipped on very dry hair

Which product texture for each layer

Weight	When	Liquid	Oil	Cream
Light	Low porosity, fine strands, humid air, hair that feels coated	Water or a water-based spray leave-in	A light oil such as grapeseed, jojoba or sunflower — a few drops	A lightweight lotion or curl milk
Medium	Normal porosity or mixed signals	A water-based leave-in conditioner (milk or lotion texture)	A medium oil such as avocado or olive	A moisturizing cream
Rich	High porosity, coarse strands, dry air, hair dry by day 3	A creamy leave-in conditioner on damp hair	A richer oil or blend, for example one with castor oil	A butter-based cream (shea or mango butter)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the LOC and LCO method?

Both start with water (the liquid). LOC then adds oil and finishes with cream; LCO adds cream and finishes with oil. The difference is which product sits closest to the water and which one seals everything on the outside.

Is LOC or LCO better for low porosity hair?

LCO usually works better. Oil tends to sit on top of low porosity hair, so putting it on before the cream can stop the cream from absorbing. Cream first, then a few drops of a light oil on the ends, keeps things light.

Is LOC or LCO better for high porosity hair?

LOC usually wins. High porosity hair takes in water fast and loses it fast, so an oil layer over the water followed by a richer cream helps slow that loss.

Can I use the LOC method on 4C hair?

Yes — but your curl type matters less than your porosity and strand thickness. Plenty of people with 4C hair have low porosity and do better with LCO and lighter products. Take the quiz above to see which fits you.

Do I have to use all three layers?

No. Fine or low porosity hair often does best with just a leave-in and a light cream. Add the third layer only if your hair feels dry before your next wash day.

Should my hair be wet or damp for LOC or LCO?

Damp, not dripping. Work in sections so every part of your hair starts with water, then add the other layers while it is still damp.

How often should I do the LOC or LCO method?

On wash day, then refresh mid-week as needed: mist with water and re-apply only your last layer. Re-doing all three layers every day is a common cause of build-up.

Is shea butter the oil or the cream step?

Shea butter is usually treated as the cream step, or as a heavy sealant on very dry ends. On low porosity or fine hair it can feel heavy, so use a small amount.