There are countless products and styling tools on the market that guarantee perfectly bouncy curls. But you actually don't need to use much at all to get frizz-free tendrils, because once you learn how to style your hair, you can upgrade your curls with just a cloth.
Floppy hair is nothing new, but as people continue to look for ways to care for their curls at home, this heat-free styling technique has resurfaced as one of the easiest ways to create beautiful curls. Seriously—it's so easy, requires minimal time and effort, and reaps huge rewards not only for your finished look, but for the health of your strands.
Use a cloth (preferably a T-shirt or towel) on wet hair to dry, says celebrity hairstylist Millie Morales of Garnier. This method is perfect for all naturally curly hair types as well as wavy styling on straight hair.
To learn how to incorporate this simple styling technique into your hair care routine, Bustle spoke with experts, including Redken educator Blake Evans and hairstylist Anike Rabiu, to get their top tips for creating heat-free curls with a hair plop . Here's what you need to know.
How do you mess up your hair?
The actual steps of the process are very simple. After following your normal washing and conditioning routine, comb your hair to your liking. Then place the cloth on a flat surface and flip your hair forward so it's upside down (be careful not to wet the entire bathroom, of course). Rabiu recommends letting your hair fall into the center of the towel before pulling the corners of the towel toward the nape of your neck. You can secure it by tying a knot or using a hair tie to hold it in place. The next step is to wait; how long it takes depends on your hair texture.
"To transform wavy hair into soft curls, wait 10 to 20 minutes," Evans tells Bustle. "For defined curls and thicker density, wait 20 to 30 minutes, and for 4C curls or chemically damaged hair, try 30 minutes or sleep in it overnight." As a pro tip, Evans also recommends starting with Decrease the time to start, and increase the time if you feel your hair needs to dry a little longer. "The goal is to remove water droplets from your hair so your curls can bloom in their full glory," he says.
While drying time is important, the actual technique will also determine how your curls turn out. "After the experiment, the higher the hair is in relation to the towel or T-shirt, the more volume the hair is likely to have," Rabiu tells Bustle.
If you have a protective style like box braids or twists, a plop can add a little more volume to the ends, Rabiu says. To achieve this look, she recommends dividing your hair into four sections and loosely twisting each section from scalp to ends. Then soak each section in hot water to cleanse the braids and gently steam the scalp. "Remove the four sections one at a time and hold each section under a towel or shirt to dry," she explains. Finish the look by adding mousse or leave-in conditioner (in spray form) and oil to your scalp to keep it frizzy-free and moisturized.
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what is the benefit?
The most obvious reason to choose this method is that it is heatless. Research shows that using heat styling tools such as curling irons at 130 to 170 degrees Celsius on hair can cause serious damage to many hair fiber types.
In addition to avoiding heat damage, conditioning your hair can actually make your curls look better. According to Evans, during the drying process using a T-shirt or microfiber towel, your wavy or curly hair can dry naturally, unaffected by your hands, humidity and the rough texture of traditional towels. "Your hair will be fuller and more defined," he says.
Does it work for everyone?
According to Evans, about 65 percent of people have some kind of texture in their hair, whether it's "wavy or zigzag curls." This means that with a few exceptions, almost everyone is suitable for having their hair done. "Anyone who wants to add more definition and volume to textures should try this method," he tells Bustle. "It works great even if your hair is short and curly."
Rabiu, who often works with natural hair, explains that people with coarser textures are an exception. "I personally wouldn't recommend [hair plops] for high-density, high-porosity curly textures," she tells Bustle. "If your hair can't fall onto the towel, then this technique isn't for you." That's because it can cause shrinkage or tangles and tangles.
Research references:
McMullan, Roger, & Jachowicz, J. (1998). Thermal degradation of hair. 1. The function of curling iron. Journal of Cosmetic Science. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/289291195_Thermal_degradation_of_hair_I_Effect_of_curling_irons
