A completed guide for wavy and curly hair
Hair plopping is a technique commonly used by people with wavy or curly hair to help set and define texture before drying, either by air-drying or with a diffuser. While it went viral on TikTok, it’s now widely used by curl specialists and salons — and for good reason.
You can use a Good Wash Day towel in the traditional way, or specifically as a hair plopping towel.
When paired with the right styling products and a hair-kind towel, many people find plopping a genuine game-changer.
Wet Plopping
Done on soaking wet hair.
After applying your styling products, place a shower cap over the hair to lock in moisture and allow curls or waves to begin setting before drying.
Most people wet plop for around 5–10 minutes.
Dry Plopping
Removes some moisture first.
Gently squeeze excess water from the hair using your hands or a T-shirt towel, then wrap the hair in a dry towel. Wrapping techniques vary — it comes down to personal preference and what suits your hair best.
Most people wet and/or dry plop for around 5–20 minutes.
Micro Plopping
Focuses on gentle moisture removal and helping curl clumps form.
Using a T-shirt towel, lightly squeeze sections of hair to remove excess water. This works well for wavy and curly hair, and can also be used on straight hair to reduce drying time and frizz. While it won’t create curls where there are none, it’s far kinder than rubbing with a traditional terry towel.
As with all things textured hair, a little experimentation is often needed to find what works best for you and your hair.
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