When it comes to drying your curls, there are three main techniques used by anyone with a head of hair: air drying, towel drying, or using a hair dryer with a diffuser. People with curly hair have made some modifications to these techniques so that our curls don't look and feel like a frizzy, dry mess.
Air Drying Technique for Naturally Curly Hair
Air drying might be the best choice if you have enough time to spare. This technique is perfect for minimizing frizz. You may need to speed up the process by using an old t-shirt or a microfiber towel, as regular towels tend to be too rough on curls.
After micro-plopping or blotting your hair for a few minutes to remove excess water, you can add a leave-in conditioner like As I Am or African Pride Leave-In and distribute the product through your hair. Instead of plopping, you can simply blot your hair to remove excess water.
You just have to wait for your hair to dry completely. As you'll see later on, air drying and plopping curls are quite similar: if you have more time to wait for your curls to dry naturally, this can be a technique you can use. Although air drying isn't a wrong technique, you should note that keeping your hair wet for too long can cause damage as the cuticles remain raised for too long.
Content Creator-Franchelli Rodriguez Foto
How to you plop curly hair?
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After finishing washing your hair, gently squeeze out excess water and apply a leave-in conditioner followed by your styling products such as curl cream or gel.
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Lay the t-shirt or microfiber towel on a chair or on the bathroom sink with the sleeves close to you (upside down).
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Bend forward so that all your hair is in the center of the t-shirt or towel.
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Take the fabric that's behind your head and pull it towards the back of your neck, then tie the sleeves of the shirt behind your head to secure it. After completing these steps, your hair should be secured on the top of your head.
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Leave the t-shirt or microfiber towel on for 15 to 45 minutes.
What are the benefits of plopping for your curls?
- Plopping curly hair minimizes frizz and flyaways
- Creates volume
- Helps define your curls.
Drying Curls with a Diffuser Drying your curls with a hair dryer and diffuser is a simple and quick way to dry your curls and is a safe method to reduce frizz and define your curls. It's always best to dry hair on low or medium settings to avoid overdrying. Some also prefer to use a heat protectant as an extra step to reduce heat damage if they frequently dry and wash their hair.
After washing your hair, apply your preferred leave-in conditioner and then add a styler such as a gel followed by your favorite mousse for volume and definition. Distribute the products evenly on your curls, paying attention to sections. Use a curly hair styling technique like scrunching to begin defining your curls. For best results, work in sections.
Turn on the diffuser and gently hold it under your curls, pushing upward to dry the lengths and roots of your hair. Once you've finished drying the lengths of your curls, flip them upside down to add some volume.
Tilt your head forward and repeat the process, ensuring to dry any areas that may still be damp or wet and that you may have overlooked! Once you've finished drying your curls, you may prefer to add more volume to the roots or better separate your curls. To add volume to the roots, you can simply use a pick comb to lift them.
To separate the curls, add a bit of lightweight oil to the palm of your hands and fingertips, and gently separate your grouped curls, doing so where they naturally part to avoid creating frizz.
Why use a diffuser to dry your curls?
Using a regular hair dryer without a diffuser tends to create more frizz. The diffuser, with its cup-shaped design, helps your curls maintain their natural shape and distributes air evenly.
