If your curls lack definition and are all frizzy, then you probably do not know how to plop hair. Or even if you do, you may be using the wrong approach. Whatever the reason is, it is time to start plopping your curls in the right way and we are going to teach you how to do it. So, follow our guide carefully, and defined frizz-free curls are guaranteed to you.

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How To Plop Hair For Perfectly Defined Curls

What Does Plopping Curls Mean?

But what is plopping? This is a haircare technique that has very similar to the Curly Girl Method effect but uses a different approach. For curly hair plopping, you utilize a piece of cotton cloth, be it a T-shirt or a pillowcase, to cover up your wet hair. A microfiber towel works in this case too. Unlike a traditional towel twisting method, it allows you to get more defined and less frizzy curls.

What Does Plopping Curls Mean?

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Right Steps How to Plop Hair

The way of how to plop your hair depends on the type of cloth you are going to use, namely a tee-shirt, a pillowcase, or a microfiber towel. While all of them work pretty well, a T-shirt does the job a bit better than others. So, here is how to plop hair with a T-shirt:

Right Steps How to Plop Hair
  • Grab a large cotton tee shirt and hang it so that the neck hole and sleeves are near you.
  • Wash your hair in the shower and use the hair products for curly hair that you are supposed to apply to wet locks, such as a hair gel or leave-in). Bend your head forward and lay the hair in the middle of your tee shirt so it folds resembling an accordion.
  • Keeping your head down, take the ends of the T-shirt that are further from you (which will be its bottom) and cover the locks with it.
  • Twist the sleeves around each other at the forehead. This will allow the T-shirt to sit tighter on the head.
  • Tie the sleeves together, wrapping them around the head beforehand. This will not let the T-shirt fall or slide down.
  • Ensure that the T-shirt on your head looks like a helmet. If so, then it is a success! If not, check the steps once again to find out where you could have made a mistake.
Credit photo: instagram.com/angry_curl

How Long Should You Plop Your Hair For?

How Long Should You Plop Your Hair For?

The duration of plopping hair depends on many factors, such as the type of hair curls, how porous and long they are, and even your lifestyle. That is to say is you have 4a, 4b, and 4c hair type, then you may want to plop it longer than 2a hair, 2b hair, and 2c hair as well as 3a, 3b, and 3c hair types. The same applies to long and thick locks, as they require more time to dry compared to short and thin.

Ideally, it is better to try out different periods of time and see what works for you best. You can start from five to ten minutes and then extend it to hair plopping overnight. It is worth mentioning that plopping curls for fifteen to twenty minutes is considered the golden mean. In this way, your locks will not get overly dry, thus allowing you to still apply your favorite hair products.

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FAQ: Hair Plopping

FAQ: Hair Plopping

What are the results of hair plopping?

When you remove the T-shirt from your hair, it will most likely still be wet. So, you can follow up with drying it completely using a hairdryer with a diffuser attachment or allow it to air dry. However, plopping curly hair works differently for different curl patterns. Thus, if your curls are on the looser side, then hair plopping will work wonders for them. They will become more defined, bouncy, and frizz-free. Though, if your locks are extremely curly or coily, you may want to try this method as well. However, make sure to stock up on the required hair care and styling products.

Is it OK to plop hair overnight?

While it is recommended to leave a T-shirt on your head for up to twenty minutes, hair plopping overnight has its own benefits. If you tend to toss and turn while sleeping, then plopping your hair will stop it from getting frizzy and lose shape. Also, you will not have creases, dents, and other bedhead features on the hair in the morning.

Does plopping work on short hair?

Plopping works on any hair length, just a little differently. Wondering how to plop short hair? In the same way, you would plop long hair but without accordioning. Just tie a cotton T-shirt around your head to protect the curls from rubbing and frizziness and soak in surplus moisture. All you have to do afterward is to enhance your hair texture using a product and style it in the desired way.

Does hair plopping work on straight hair?

Now that you know how to plop curly hair, does this method can also be used on straight hair? It actually can. Although you will not achieve perfectly shaped curls with it, you may end up with quite soft, natural waves, ample volume, and no frizz.

Is plopping bad for your hair?

As plopping allows you to cut down on the use of heated hair styling and drying products, it is not damaging to your locks at all. Instead, you will get more pronounced, smooth, and healthy-looking curls.

What does wet plopping mean?

In wet plopping, you switch a T-shirt to your shower cup, which you put on the wet hair while still being in the shower.

Do you scrunch after plopping?

You may scrunch your locks a bit after plopping, just try not to overdo it so that you would not ruin the curls. In case you resort to overnight plopping and wake up with wet hair the following morning, then scrunching it beforehand may come in really handy. Alternatively, allow it to air dry a little before plopping and going to bed.

On that note, we hope you have no doubts about how to plop hair correctly. As you can tell, it requires minimal effort on your part, while the result is really outstanding. You can rest assured that your curls will collect tons of compliments and admiring gazes wherever you go.

REFERENCES:
  • Your Plopping Hair Guide. Source
 

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