Do your bouncy wet curls loose most of their definition while drying? Plopping hair can make a ton of difference, enhancing volume and definition while reducing the nasty frizz. The best part, it takes just an old t-shirt and 20 minutes with a t-shirt plop to have a few good hair days ahead!

Recommended Video Read on to learn how to plop curly hair, how to use the plop method for wavy and short curly hair, and how to plop hair overnight.

What is Plopping?

Plopping is the method of drying wet curly hair by piling it on top or your head in a t-ship wrap. When you have your curly hair down during the air-dry stage, the heavy wet curls will stretch under their own weight; likewise, a classic towel wrap will make curls stretched and uneven. At the same time, plopping with a cotton t-shirt allows your curls to dry in a scrunched form on top of your head, which maximizes their definition and volume at the roots.

A cotton fabric absorbs excess water very well and doesn’t cause split ends or frizz (that’s what regular towels normally do). Since everyone has an old cotton t-shirt around and it is easy to tie the sleeves into a knot, a t-shirt plop has become the most popular option. However, you may use a cotton pillowcase or a microfiber towel for hair plopping too.

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How to Wrap Hair in a T-Shirt

Get your t-shirt ready and wash your hair following the Curly Girl method or its modified variant. Apply a leave-in conditioner and the stylers you use on wet hair before plopping your hair! Then, wrap hair in a t-shirt following these steps:

Step 1: Lay your t-shirt on a lower flat surface and bend over it, placing your curls in the middle of the t-shirt.

Step 2: Bring the side of the t-shirt that is closer to you to your forehead and bring the end together at the nape of your head.