Hair Plopping: How To Curl Your Hair Without Heat

Curling is the new obsession of beautystas on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok. Among the tips for flawless curly hair is the trend of hair plopping - a styling technique that allows you to have well-formed curls without burning your hair with the curl. How to master this method, let us explain everything in the lines below!

Soft and frizz-free curls thanks to the hair plopping drying method

Actually, hair plopping isn't new - curly girls on YouTube have been demonstrating for years, but its recent resurgence on TikTok has allowed us to rediscover the benefits of #PlopLife.

To put it simply, plopping is a heat-less styling technique that helps reduce drying time while keeping frizz at bay, especially since it will keep you from touching your curls during the procedure.

As with any hair treatment, you can make a few mistakes before you get the results you expect. However, do not despair because it works well for all types of hair that get wrinkled when drying, it is just a matter of trying.

What do you need to style your hair using this technique?

• your leave-in curly hair styling product
• hair tie (optional)
• hair dryer with diffuser (optional)
• microfiber bath towel, large scarf or cotton t-shirt to absorb excess moisture without causing frizz or disturbing the hair cuticle

What gestures to adopt to curl naturally?

Step 1: Search the house for any rectangular-shaped fabric such as a stretchy long-sleeved t-shirt, a jersey pillowcase (king size) or a large cotton handkerchief. The key is to use a soft material that won't scratch the surface of your hair strands.

Step 2: Apply your styling product for curly hair to the entire length of your clean, damp hair. Then lightly dab the mane with a microfiber towel to remove excess water.

Step 3: Lay your piece of fabric on a flat surface like your bed. Then, bend down and carefully install your hair on the fabric, aiming the top of your head towards the center. Your curls should indeed spread over the fabric.

Photo credit: curlsandbeautydiary.com

Step 4: Wrap the fabric around your crumpled hair and tie the loose ends. Adjust the fabric well, making the last knot on your forehead. Now that the fabric is secure, you can lift the head up and tuck the ends under the sides.

Photo credit: curlsandbeautydiary.com

Step 5: Give your curls at least 20-60 minutes for the best results. If you have more time, leave the textile overnight.

Photo credit: curlsandbeautydiary.com

Step 6: Once you feel your hair is dry enough, tilt your head forward and unroll the fabric to release it. Spread your hands around the scalp and gently mix the hair to allow air to penetrate between the hairs.

After removing the towel or t-shirt, you will find that your hair is not completely dry and it is up to you whether you want to use the hairdryer or let the air do its job.

If you want to style your curls a bit, it is recommended that you spray your hair with a light hold spray that is free of sulfates, parabens and synthetic fragrances.

The advantages of hair plopping

Hair plopping is a method that totally changes heavy curls and loose waves. Effectively, the weight of the water in the hair pulls it down before it has a chance to dry, making the resulting waves or curls stretched and messy. Plopping does not allow this.

Think about what happens to waves and curls when you scrunch them up while they're wet. You encourage their shape to become more compact, making them more defined and more bouncy when dry. The plopping method basically acts like doing a lot of rubbing - it presses the hairs against your head and keeps them there for a while resulting in better definition and volume in this way.

Plopping can also be beneficial for those who wish to speed up their drying time. Since curly girls style their hair when it is wet, there is often a lot of excess water in the curls which you need to absorb before air drying or blow drying. Hair plopping is ideal for removing moisture and any excess styling product, in case you have overused it during application.

Is plopping for everyone?

It all depends on hair type, texture, length and personal preference. However, girls with tighter curls may be a bit disappointed with the result. In addition, their wicks can get extremely tangled and their heads will look like a bird's nest. Seriously, to avoid this effect, try plopping instead after styling your wet mane with easy twists or braids.

To conclude, it should be noted that it is important to experiment with the plopping method to determine what works best for your hair. Finally, when we work with the true nature of the curls, there is no certainty but if you strictly follow the steps of the process, the good result will not delay and you will have a trendy fall hairstyle 2020.