Let us know how the UFD curly magic worked out for you after it dries. I'll let you know how it works when I get around to trying it. I normally always put my products into soaking wet hair and then immediately plop. I've tried plopping first and then applying gels; it just doesn't work for me. Neither does scrunching out all of the excess water with a towel before applying products like I did this morning. I never have done well with scrunching my hair with a towel after applying products, either; my curls don't seem to stay together as well when I do that.
I use very stretchy large fabric scrunchies when I pineapple and I make sure to put it on the very top of my head. I only wrap the scrunchie around my hair a couple of times so it's loose but tight enough to keep my hair up all night. I never get dents.
I never had much luck with the CJ CCCC, either - too heavy for my hair. I usually can't use pomades or anything like the JC N&S, either. I get nice soft hair with the CSC, though, and still get plenty of volume. My hair doesn't feel oily or greasy at all with this. I do always put it in my hair in the shower as soon as I turn the water off, so my hair is soaking, sopping, dripping wet. I also just got some samples of the MD Yogurt Smoothies but haven't tried those yet. From what I remember when looking at the ingredients, I think the Smoothies have more oil in them, so I don't know if they will work as well for me as the CSC. We shall see.