Bringing out waves

[florenonite]

I've got slightly wavy hair (1c/2a), and I remember a couple years ago (two and a half or so), when my hair was just above BSL, I used to scrunch it in the towel after a shower and it would get to about 2a/2b. I've tried that recently but it doesn't seem to work anymore.

I've tried plopping, but for it to work I've got to leave the towel on for about an hour, which isn't always practical, and generally leaves me with frizz. I suppose I could try it again, now that I have a microfibre towel.

I'm not really interested in ways to create waves (braids, etc.), which I already do sometimes, but just a way to enhance what I know I have but that just don't seem to want to be enhanced now that my hair's more moisturised (I didn't use conditioner back when scrunching worked).

[manderly]

Have you tried scrunching with some coconut oil or leave in at the ends? That always works for me, but I'm also wavier than you :)

[RoseRedDead]

Scrunch, scrunch, and scrunch some more. Make sure your hair has lots and lots of moisture.

[florenonite]

Have you tried scrunching with some coconut oil or leave in at the ends? That always works for me, but I'm also wavier than you :)

That's a good idea! I always put coconut oil in after I take my hair out of the towel, so it may well work to scrunch with it.

[Sarah4983]

:)

florenonite, I've had the same problem lately. I thought discontinuing cones would help, but instead of it being flat now I'm left with a bunch of frizz when I do the plopping thing.

Great question, great answers- I will try using coconut oil before plopping as well.

[teela1978]

A little gel added in before the scrunching begins can help as well.

[Bucatini]

if you're no-cone and you want to try gel to enhance your waves, try aloe gel (the clear one without lidocaine or anything) or tresemme "tres clean gel" and rub it in your hands with your coconut oil. :) Good luck!

[lacereza]

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[Addy]

I'm a 2a and when I want waves, I just CO and go. I don't comb it at all or touch once my hair is dry and it works pretty good for me. :)

[Roseate]

I've tried plopping, but for it to work I've got to leave the towel on for about an hour, which isn't always practical, and generally leaves me with frizz. I suppose I could try it again, now that I have a microfibre towel.

Was it terrycloth you tried before? Terrycloth or microfiber both work badly for me with plopping- I get crazy frizz. An old tshirt or a flour-sack towel work much better; I leave it on about 20 minutes while I get ready to go.

[florenonite]

Was it terrycloth you tried before? Terrycloth or microfiber both work badly for me with plopping- I get crazy frizz. An old tshirt or a flour-sack towel work much better; I leave it on about 20 minutes while I get ready to go.

Yeah, I think it was terry cloth. I could try an old t-shirt and see what happens :shrug:

[darkwaves]

For curlies, T-shirts reduce frizz a lot, so that's a good idea rather than microfibre.

You may also find that because your hair is longer and heavier now, your waves will be more stretched out, and so will not show up as easily as they did just above BSL. If so, a little gel may help to hold them.

Another way to get waves to show up on fine, long hair is to remove the element of gravity -- have you tried pillow plopping? (Sleeping with loose, wet hair that's arranged above your pillow? Your hair might be long enough for that now.)

[Debra83]

On another thread, someone suggested a pashmina to me. That works well, but the absolute BEST is when I leave my hair soaking wet, divide my hair into 4 sections, put some leave-in in each section, then twist it all together to get the curls to lock, and ring out the excess water, flip upside down and scrunch, and leave it air dry without touching it ever again, until completely dry. NO TOUCHY!!!! Works wonders for me.

[Rini]

COing, AVG and a small amount of plopping in a microfibre towel works every time. Sometimes I get really good waves on the second day by spraying with Kimberlily's defrizz spray, it turns out better than the first day hair :D

[psvzum]

One of my daughters has hair like you. If she uses a little bit of mousse and scrunches her hair upside down like crazy : ) , she gets amazing waves. I personally like gel as it (for me) applies easier. But her hair is much less curly than mine.

Give it a try!

[Jinx2234]

I mix a little bit of coconut oil (or jojoba- but I've only tried it once with jojoba) and AVG in my hands and kind of scrunch my hair to encourage the waves. Then I do my best not to touch it until it has dried. This seems to work some of the time, and I get less frizz than when I dry my hair with a towel.

[florenonite]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions :)

I think I've got a way to get waves worked out now. I did it today in the shower and my hair, although still quite damp, seems to be holding the waves all right (I've even got some at the back, which usually stays stubbornly straight ^.^). This is what I did:


CWC with 'cone-free conditioner (CO just makes me look like an otter in an oilslick).
wrap hair in microfibre towel whilst drying off body.
put about a quarter (10p)-sized amount of coconut oil in my hair. The oil was a bit mushy as it's 25 C out, so I'd maybe use a bit less when it's solid.
plop in an old t-shirt, and wrap the microfibre towel round that while applying moisturiser to body, getting dressed, etc.
remove t-shirt and pile hair on crown of head, securing with medium-sized claw clips. I actually need to get more of these clip, as I ended up with two of those along with a plethora of Good Day hairpins and mini claw clips holding all my hair up.
leave up for about two hours, remove clips and scrunch.

When I get some pure AVG (I've currently got some green stuff for sunburns, so I don't know how well that would work in hair) I'll mix some of that with the coconut oil for better hold.

[Rentlle]

I would say scrunch :p
that's what's works well for me :D