Ditch heat styling, and use a T-shirt to plop your curly hair! Here’s how

There are so many hair styling techniques on the internet to take inspiration from. But, alas! Most hairstyling techniques require blasting your hair with heat. Excessive heat ruins your hair more than a poor shampoo routine or pollution. While other hair types have their own set of problems, curly hair seems to have a mind of its own.

Curls look pretty, but in reality, a lot goes into keeping them looking puffy and voluminous but not frizzy. All the curly-haired women know the tug of war of keeping the frizz and fried ends away from their ringlets. Therefore, in a bid to find safe hair styling alternatives, we stumbled upon a plop routine for curly hair.

Unruly curls can be brought back into shape by using a curling tong but the heat is sure to leave your hair angrier than before. That’s the love-hate relationship with the curls. Plopping is something women with curls have been following for years. But if you’re still new to it, we have got your back. This method will define your curls and waves and leave you with voluminous mane. All that with just an old Tee!

Dr Nivedita Dadu, a Renowned Dermatologist, spoke to HealthShots about the correct way and benefits of plopping your curls.

What is plopping your hair?

“Plopping is the most convenient hair drying method used by curly haired women. This process involves setting and air drying your hair against the gravity. This will prevent your ringlets from getting weighed down. To plop your hair, one needs to pile your hair on top of a Tee or a microfibre towel. The absorbant fabric of the T-shirt will dry your hair in no time and your spirals will set into gorgeous clumps.” says, Dr Dadu, the Founder and Chairman of Dr. Nivedita Dadu’s Dermatology Clinic

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Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to plop your hair:

1. Wash your hair as usual using a sulphate free shampoo.
2. Apply a hair mask or conditioner suitable for curly hair to cut the chances of frizz.
3. Let it sit on your hair for 15-20 minutes.
4. Run lukewarm or cold water through your hair.
5. Do not dry your hair using a towel.
6. In your dripping wet curly hair, apply a dollop of curl defining cream.
7. Using the praying hands motion spread the cream evenly throughout your hair.
8. Scrunch your hair from the end towards your scalp.
9. You should hear a squishy sound from your hair as you scrunch your curls.
10. Now place a T-shirt or a microfibre towel on your hands.
11. Carefully, coil all your hair onto the T-shirt and lift them up towards your head.
12. Tie the ends of the T-shirt on your head like a turban.
13. Let your curls sit coiled up on your head until dry.

Till the time your hair is air drying, you can dress up, apply your moisturizer and sunscreen on your face. If time allows, read your favorite book, talk to a friend on phone or cook your favorite snack. Let your hair dry completely before opening the T-shirt turban on your head. In case, you’re running late, open the T-shirt carefully without ruining the coiled curl pattern. You can further dry your hair using a diffuser dryer.

Benefits of plopping your hair:

1. This method ensures defined and frizz-free curls. The ringlets you see after this method are how your natural hair should look like.
2. It is a heat-free technique. So, it cuts the risk of damaging your hair with heat styling.
3. This method makes your hair gain the coiled up structure without falling limp on your shoulders.
4. This method cuts out the hair drying time in half.
5. Unlike the conventional towel method, it is rather gentle on your naturally dry and parched mane. Therefore, it prevents split ends.
6. It can create volume at the hair roots since the curls are dried against the gravity.
7. The curls eventually get trained and fall into the same pattern repeatedly even without styling them.

You can finger coil your hair, fluff and shake out your hair to make them look big. It will be a good idea to simply bend over and flip your locks back as they are getting closer to dry. You can use a hair gel and a spooly to tame your frizzy hair.

Embrace the ones that are not falling into the pattern. Allow them some time to adjust to this controlled environment of hair drying. Follow this plopping routine and be ready to get showered with compliments!