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 diffuser dryer. 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, the Natural Drying of Curls?
Natural drying might be the best option if you have enough time to wait. 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-blotting or towel-drying 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 throughout your hair. Instead of blotting, you can simply towel-dry your hair to remove excess water.
You just need to wait for your hair to dry completely. As you'll see later, natural drying and curl plopping are quite similar: if you have more time to wait for your curls to dry naturally, this may be a technique you can use. While natural drying isn't a bad technique, you should note that keeping your hair wet for too long can cause damage as the cuticles remain raised for too long.
What is plopping?
The plopping technique is similar to wrapping your hair in a towel when you get out of the shower, but with a few additional steps that are more suitable for those with curls, ringlets, and wavy hair. Plopping is an ideal technique for drying curly hair, where you remove excess water from your hair using a t-shirt (preferably long-sleeved) or a microfiber towel.
Content Creator-Franchelli Rodriguez photo
How do you plop curly hair?
What are the benefits of plopping for your curls?
- Plopping curly hair minimizes frizz and flyaways
- Create volume
- Helps define your curls.
Dry Curls with the Diffuser
Drying your curls with a hair dryer and a diffuser is a quick and easy way to dry them, and it's a surefire way to reduce frizz and define your curls. It's always best to dry your hair on low or medium settings to avoid overdrying it. Some people also prefer to use a heat protectant as an extra step to reduce heat damage if they dry and wash their hair frequently.
- After washing your hair, apply your favorite leave-in conditioner and then add a styling product like a gel, followed by your favorite mousse for volume and definition. Distribute the products evenly throughout your curls, paying attention to the sections. Use a styling technique for curly hair like scrunching to begin defining your curls. For best results, work in sections.
3. Tilt your head forward and repeat the process 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 want to add more volume to the roots or separate them better. To add volume to the roots, you can simply use an afro comb to lift them.
4. To separate your curls, add a little light oil to the palms of your hands and fingertips, and gently separate your strands, doing so where they naturally open to avoid 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 shape helps your curls maintain their natural shape and distributes the air evenly.
