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It’s no secret that curly hair can be tough to tame. But did you know that switching up the way you dry your tendrils can make a big difference in your daily ‘do? That’s where hair plopping comes in. “Plopping is a technique that many girls with natural curls have been doing for years,” Amy Clark, a master stylist at Rob Peetoom in Brooklyn, says. Instead of drying your locks with a terrycloth towel turban, the method relies on loosely tied cotton cloths or a tee to help absorb moisture. “This allows the curls to dry more in their natural state scrunched up, instead of being stretched and twisted in a towel,” Clark explains. To learn more about the coil-perfecting approach, celebrity hairstylists Julius Michael and Kristin Ess weigh in on the best way to plop for your smoothest spirals yet.
According to Michael, who works with the cast of Vanderpump Rules and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, this simple practice creates a headful of natural-looking coils that are virtually frizz-free and more voluminous than ever. And since it consists of just stepping out of the shower and “plopping” your hair down, it can also be a much-needed morning time-saver. Best of all, there’s no limit on how often you can do it. “I recommend curl plopping every time you wash your hair and are planning to air dry it,” says Ess, who works with Lauren Conrad and Lucy Hale. To make the most of this heat-free method, she recommends using leave-in conditioners and/or hair oil to pump up the shine and smoothness. For the exact how-to, keep scrolling for Michael’s process. (Photo via David-Prado/ Getty)
How to Plop curls
You’ll need:
- oversized long-sleep cotton T-shirt
- any hair products you like to use
Directions:
1. After showering, apply curl serums or oils and flip your wet hair onto the center of a T-shirt, with the neckline closest to you. (Photo via CoffeeAndMilk/ Getty)
2. With your hair still upside down and the shirt sleeves in place, pull the bottom of the shirt over your head to the nape of your neck so it covers your hair.
3. Twist and tie the shirt sleeves around the base of your neck and into a knot.
4. Let your curls sit for a minimum of 40 minutes to dry as much as possible.
5. Unwrap the T-shirt and let your hair fall into place. “At this point you can diffuse your curls a little to remove any leftover moisture and add any styling or finishing products to your look,” Michael says.
Will you try curl plopping?Tell us @BritandCo!
