Using the infamous "plopping" method to enhance waves in my hair

I've looking for new techniques and products to enhance the wave in my hair. I am an abuser of flat irons, blowdryers, curlers, hot rollers.... basically anything that will burn my hair to a crisp! But lately, I have been *extra* lazy and I haven't really done much heat damage to my hair but blowdry when I'm crunched for time.

I decided it was time to search for a new method to encourage the texture and wave in my thick, long hair while keeping it weightless and voluminous. At this point, I was simply using Beyond the Zone Noodle Head curl creme (this stuff is excellent, check out reviews here) and scrunching it throughout towel-dried hair.

I did a ton of research on the web, and I kept hearing about a "plopping" method all over the MakeupAlley hair boards. (Clearly I spend way too much time on MUA)

At this point, my curiosity in plopping piqued but I was still completely confused as to what it was. My first thoughts- What the heck is plopping? Where can I find out what it actually is? Will this work for me? Why does it sound like something that involves a toilet?

Well... I found out all those answers through my research. And yes, it involves a toilet.

Supposedly, lots of curly and wavy-haired girls like to "plop" their hair to bring out bouncy defined curls/wave and give their hair volume while minimizing frizz. Basically, it is a method of "plopping" your hair upside down on the top of your head (huh? lol) and wrapping a microfiber towel or a t-shirt around your head to push down the curls and shape them into a permanent scrunch. Since all the hair is bunched up on the top of your head while it dries, it creates more curl and tons of volume.

I like concentrating my hair in the center of the t-shirt and then bunching my hair down to create a more even curl. You need to use a flat surface, hence the toilet. (Seat down, of course) Once you've plopped all your hair in the center of the upside down t-shirt or microfiber towel, wrap the upper fabric back to the nape of your neck and twist the sides (or sleeves) up to your forehead. Wrap around to the back of your head and tie. I'm sure none of you understood this.

The first time my sister saw me try it, she said it looked like I was wearing massive do-rag. My mom asked me "what is that thing on your head?" My dog barked at me. Not really the look I was going for.

Aside from being a terrible fashion statement, the plopping method truly works! I was amazed at the results and am here to share them with you. I found that by scrunching my products in after the shower, plopping my hair for 30 minutes, and blowdrying with a diffuser until about 90% dry, I was able to achieve an incredible, textured wave that I have never been able to achieve through scrunching alone.

Here are some pictures that chronologically depict my new-found journey through plopping:

No curling iron, teasing comb, or hot rollers needed!

My hair used to be straight but now when I let it air-dry it has a slight wave. Sometimes they are funky and awkward looking and I find that plopping really helps minimize this and create a nicer, more uniform wave. I scrunch BTZ Noodle Head curl creme from Sally's in my damp hair and then I follow it with Got2Be Sexy Volume Mousse (in the red can) before plopping.

I'm still new to plopping, but I'm hoping that by keeping my hair wavy and minimizing the amount of straightening I do, my hair will become more familiar with its wavy texture and over time, create a better natural wave.

It's very difficult explaining through words how to plop your hair, though it is actually quite simple and easy to do. If you're interested in learning more, YouTube "plopping hair" and you'll find many results.

I learned how to plop by watching latin4u55's video. Another great website to check out if you have curly or wavy hair is Naturally Curly.

Hope my public online embarassment helps some of you out there who need a new technique to bring definition to your waves!