Key Takeaways
- Plopping, also known as the Curly Girl Method, is a way to dry your hair without heat damage.
- For the Curly Girl Method, you’ll use a microfiber towel, t-shirt, or pillowcase to dry your hair.
- This method helps enhance your curl pattern, reduce frizz, and lock in moisture.
- Create a comprehensive routine to manage your curls and waves, using hair-protecting shampoos and conditioners, long-lasting stylers, and moisturizing masks.
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All About the Curly Girl Method AKA Plopping
Are you looking for new ways to dry your curly hair without heat damage? If so, the Curly Girl Method (also known as plopping) may be right for you. Learn more about this heatless drying technique for curly hair and the best products for managing curly and wavy hair.
What Is the Curly Girl Method?
The Curly Girl Method is ideal for anyone with a curly or wavy hair texture. This hair-drying technique helps enhance your natural curl pattern, lock in moisture, and minimize damage. Plopping can also help minimize frizz. For the Curly Girl Method, you’ll use a cotton t-shirt, microfiber towel, or pillowcase to help dry your wet curls.
You might like this method more than towel-drying your hair. Towels are rough, and they can stretch out your curls and make them frizzy. The friction from your traditional bath towels can also damage your hair.
How to Try the Curly Girl Method
Wondering how to get back your natural curls or waves? Follow these steps to dry your hair without heat damage and enhance your curl pattern:
1. Wash Your Hair
The first step of hair plopping is to wash your hair. You might try a clarifying shampoo like OLAPLEX® Nº.4C Bond Maintenance® Clarifying Shampoo to reset your hair and remove product buildup. You’ll love this clarifying shampoo because it provides a surface level deep cleanse without drying your hair out, and it’s great for all hair types. Finish with a moisturizing and detangling conditioner like Nº.5 Bond Maintenance® Conditioner.
2. Add a Curl-Enhancing Product
The right styling products can take the Curly Girl Method to the next level. Once you’ve washed your hair, add a curl gel to prevent frizz and enhance your curls. If you’re looking for a non-sticky, non-flaking medium hold curl gel, style your hair with Nº.10 Bond Shaper Curl Defining Gel.
3. Dry Your Hair
Here’s the part where you plop your hair: Take your microfiber towel, t-shirt, or pillowcase and spread it on a flat surface. Next, bend over and plop your hair down on the fabric.
After plopping your hair, roll the t-shirt, towel, or pillowcase around your head like a turban so your hair is on top of your head. Your towel, t-shirt, or pillowcase will absorb the water from your hair. This technique layers your curls on top of your head so your curls stay in place while they dry.
How Long Should You Plop Your Hair?
The amount of time you’ll need to leave your hair wrapped will vary depending on many factors like your hair’s length, thickness, and porosity. It might take you a few tries to figure out how long to plop your unique hair. Some people only plop their hair for ten minutes, while others plop for an hour.
How Often Can You Plop Your Hair?
This technique will help you dry your hair faster without using heat, so you can plop your hair every time you wash it.
If your curls are looking great and you want to keep them that way without washing your hair, reach for Nº.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo. This dry shampoo will refresh your hair and leave it looking clean without residue.
Does the Plopping Method Work on Any Hair Type?
Those with wavy hair or curly hair can use the Curly Girl Method to define their curl pattern, but if you have straight hair, this technique won’t make your hair curly. If you have straight hair and want heatless curls or waves, you can try braiding your hair, hair rollers, or headband curlers.
The Best Curl and Wave Products
If you’re wondering how to manage curly hair or waves, create a comprehensive Curly Girl routine with these products:
- Nº.3 Hair Perfector®: This complete bond builder restores healthy appearance and hair texture and is clinically proven to repair and reverse damage. Use Nº.3 before shampooing and conditioning with Nº.4 and Nº.5 for the best results.
- Nº.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and Nº.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner: Together, Nº.4 and Nº.5 improve the manageability and softness of hair while preventing breakage and split ends—perfect for breakage-prone curly and wavy hair
- Rich Hydration Mask: to lock in moisture for your curls and reduce frizz, all while repairing hair bonds and restoring strength, use the Rich Hydration Mask weekly.
- Weightless Nourishing Mask: If you have fine hair curls, reach for the Weightless Nourishing Mask to create instant volume while sealing cuticles for up to five washes.
- Nº.6 Bond Smoother®: A wonderful styling cream to add to your routine, Nº.6 has a nourishing formula that helps hair resist humidity and repairs all frizz-prone hair types without adding excess weight. Apply before using styling gels and oils.
- Nº.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum: As your first step in your styling routine, this hair serum provides up to 450°F heat protection, detangles, and controls frizz. Use Nº.9 on damp hair and follow with Nº.6.
- Nº.10 Bond Shaper Curl Defining Gel: This curl styling product is a curlie’s best friend. Nº.10 has heat protection for worry-free diffusing and provides all-day flexible hold, all while increasing shine and relinking disulfide bonds for a more defined curl shape and structure. Use after Nº.9 and Nº.6 and before applying OLAPLEX Nº.7 Bonding Oil™.
- OLAPLEX Nº.7 Bonding Oil™: For a big boost of shine and to lock in moisture, look to OLAPLEX Nº.7 Bonding Oil™. Use this hair oil after applying all stylers on either damp or dry hair.
Now that you know about plopping, you can dry your hair in a way that’s perfect for your curls. Explore more products for curl support to keep your hair hydrated and frizz-free.
Sources
- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/a39958236/curly-girl-method/
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a25400845/how-to-plop-curls/
- https://www.glamour.com/story/hair-plopping-with-shirt
- https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/a40050002/heatless-hair-curlers-tiktok-review/
