Plopping failure

[hurricane_gia]

The first time I tried Plopping to give my wavy hair more curls, it was very successful. But I never took the time to do it again, and I didn't record all the data about whether or not I used products in my hair before the plop, so I have since forgotten all the details. The only thing I remember about it is that I used a linen shirt as the 'towel.'

So last night, I tried plopping again and it was a dismal failure.

This time I used a microfiber towel instead of the linen shirt. I didn't put any products into my hair ahead of time, just washed, squeezed out the drips with a bath towel, then plopped. I removed the microfiber plopping towel after about thirty minutes and my hair was . . . straight. Straighter than it would be if I had let it air-dry down. It was still damp, so I tried scrunching it, but it didn't help. When my hair finally dried all the way, it was as straight as if I'd had a round-brushed-blow-out.

What's the deal? Is it the microfiber towel's fault? Did I leave the towel on to long? Should I have used a product first? Please advise!!

[Islandgrrl]

I don't have any answers for you, but I'm waiting for some good ones since I've NEVER had plopping work for me. E.V.E.R.

[Saranne772]

I have tried this 101 times and it NEVER worked for me either!!

[Curlsgirl]

I would try adding at least some AVG and/or leaving it up in the towel a little longer. You might even try a stronger gel like LA Sport gel or something. Also, a lot of people use a MF towel or a plain cotton T-shirt with success. It's sort of a trial and error sort of thing. I never had a lot of success with plopping.

[Euphony]

Oh boy, it sounds like this is not a welcome result. Unfortunately I sure wish I knew how you did it cuz I'd be all over it.

It might be the towel, I like t-shirts better, I get less frizz than with a microfiber towel. Other than that I have no idea.

I don't generally use product, sometimes a smidge of aloe but that's it, and I get this freaky mass of bent waves and spirals coming out of my head.

[hurricane_gia]

Maybe I'll try it with Aloe. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've never used LA Sport Gel. I don't even know how to pick out styling gels. I assume I should avoid things that contain alcohol, but other than that . . . What do you like about LA Sport?

[hurricane_gia]

My first instinct was that it was the towel. Maybe the microfiber dried it too fast . . .

Another though I had is that when I tried it last time, my hair was a lit shorter, and it was layered. Maybe I just have too much hair now.

[girlcat36]

Never got good results with plopping. I swear it's because my hair is too thin.
As far as choosing a gel, I would get one with the shortest list of ingredients.:)

[Riot Crrl]

You mentioned your hair is longer and blunter, I think that is a possibility of why it came out straight. That and the lack of gel.

I can't seem to master this without getting frizz and bentness. A lot of people with my hair type seem to swear by it too. Oh well.

[psvzum]

Plopping has worked for me but I always have to use product-a gel of some sort. I scrunch it in first and then plop.

[centurytoolate]

Plopping has only worked for me once and I had put quite a bit of aloe on it before putting it up. Every other time it has ended up dry, snarled and pointing every direction but down.

[Curlsgirl]

Maybe I'll try it with Aloe. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've never used LA Sport Gel. I don't even know how to pick out styling gels. I assume I should avoid things that contain alcohol, but other than that . . . What do you like about LA Sport?

It's Curly Girl friendly if I am not mistaken. That means Lorainne Massey who wrote "The Curly Girl Book" approves of it. It's very cheap too. Some of curlies over on www.naturallycurly.com (http://www.naturallycurly.com) use it for that reason. I like it because it doesn't build up that I can tell, holds decently and you can scrunch it out without feeling anything in your hair after. Oh and forgive me, it's LA Looks Sport gel.

[Bucatini]

I plop with success.

My method is to squeeze my hair out with my hands, then bend at the waist and comb gel with a little oil du jour through SOAKING WET hair, upside down. Then I put my aquis on the countertop and lean over it, making sure to arrange my hair on the towel on top of itself. This part to me is the most important. I make sure my hair remains under the center of the towel and that it DOES NOT get involved or twisted into the twisting you do to hold the towel in place.

To wrap it up, think of a candy wrapper-- get the towel in the right spot on your forehead and your nape, then twist from the sides. I don't bother trying to tie a knot, I just use a clip or a claw to hold the two twisted sides together.

Another thing I do that is different is take the towel off and re-plop after maybe ten minutes then again 5-7 minutes after that. This lets the wet hair on the "inside" have contact with a new dry piece of towel. It also prevents weird hard bends around my face.

Hope this helps someone.

[Tangles]

Ha, maybe I'll try this next time I want straight hair. =)

[hurricane_gia]

Another thing I do that is different is take the towel off and re-plop after maybe ten minutes then again 5-7 minutes after that. This lets the wet hair on the "inside" have contact with a new dry piece of towel. It also prevents weird hard bends around my face.

Hope this helps someone.

Thanks, I'll give this a try.

How far towards 'dry' do you go before you take the towel off and leave it off?

[Bucatini]

How far towards 'dry' do you go before you take the towel off and leave it off?

Good question. I take the towel off and leave it off when I'm maybe 70% dry. Beyond that, the disturbance of removing the towel turns my whole head to frizz.

[angelthadiva]

I've tried plopping several times; most with success...I can't use AVG at all, but I used a blend of coconut and jojoba oil from ears down, and applying it to soaking wet hair...At first I used an old t-shirt, and that worked really well...I've plopped for as short as 30 minutes and as long as overnight...Then I got an aquis towel for X-mas, but it's not the turbie, so I use that to squeeze the excess water out after adding the oils...It sounds like you might have to record your progress and which products you are using and tweak your routine...

One thing I liked about this drying method was that my hair was up and out of my face and I wasn't using any heat to dry, but my hair ended up having more waves than curls and I did have weird zig-zag bends.

[Riot Crrl]

I did have weird zig-zag bends.

Heh, that is what happens to me. Instead of getting round curls, it is like I tried to draw a picture of curls using the line tool in MS Paint.

[angelthadiva]

Heh, that is what happens to me. Instead of getting round curls, it is like I tried to draw a picture of curls using the line tool in MS Paint.

Very well put! Unfortunately, I know exactly what that looks like in RL.

[coppercurls]

When I plop I add oil like angelthadiva (usually coconut) & some gel. I use and old T-shirt & I usually do this over night. I get good results most of the time. I like the way it pulls my hair back from face & it does add a bit of vertical height at the roots. Every once in awhile, I will get really weird bendie shapes. When this happens I just put it in a bun & go on.

[Nicole.Amina]

I had excellent results when I plopped with shea butter in my hair once. I tried it again the other night and it didn't turn out so well. It may have been from the fact that I took the t-shirt I was using off half way through the night....

I have a question: would using a hair net rather than a towel or t-shirt have the same effect? I want to plop while using gel but I have a thing about my hair coming into contact with fabric when I have wet gel in it.

[angelthadiva]

<snip>I have a question: would using a hair net rather than a towel or t-shirt have the same effect?<snip>

I haven't tried this personally; so I can't speak from experience, but depending on how wet your hair is before putting the hair net on, you'd be a big, wet, drippy mess...The towel or t-shirt collects the water...I put my hair up in the towel/t-shirt while it's dripping wet...

I might try this over the weekend with a towel across my shoulders and use my blowdrier on low heat...If you try this, post the results.