Scrunch-dry before or after products?

prettypolly · 07-04-2012, 03:24 PM

This may have been discussed before but I suck at thread searching

this forum is too big!

So, I know quite a few people will apply product(s) to their soaking wet hair and then scrunch-dry with a microfibre towel (or similar).

Has anyone found that they end up removing product doing this? I am a bit confused as to how it would NOT remove quite a bit of product!

Recently I have just been scrunching my products into soaking wet hair (2c/3a) and then diffusing or air drying, but I realise this leaves my hair quite heavy with water. I saw a video of someone on youtube where she scrunch-dried a lot AFTER applying products to really help encourage curl.

So I am just wondering what others experiences are with scrunch-drying after applying products vs before?

mhen76 · 07-04-2012, 05:53 PM

Different techniques work for different people. You're likely to get several opinions on this! I rake and scrunch product into my hair while still in the shower. I scrunch with a curls-like-us towel after my product is in. It may remove some of the product but I'm not dripping all over myself when I'm trying to dry off the rest of me.

Jas76 · 07-04-2012, 07:38 PM

I kind of do both! I'm a 2c/3a (some 3b) and I have problems with my curls beignet too weighed down and therefore stretched when wet.

I apply LI, oil, and gel when my hair is very wet (but not dripping), then I'll MF towel scrunch it gently but thoroughly to remove excess water and weight, then I scrunch in a little more gel (or sometimes I'll use a mousse, or a spray gel.). Then I plop, then I clip the roots to help maintain the root curl and volume while it dries. (it also seems to help with drying time.)

prettypolly · 07-05-2012, 02:14 AM

Thanks for the input, I think I worry too much about my hair not having enough gel!!

But Jas76 you put gel on before and after scrunch-drying which sounds like a good inbetweeny. I guess I could try that! I currently use Boots Curl Creme and then a Boots mousse for curly hair (can't remember what it's called).

I wonder if I could use the BCC first, then scrunch dry, then apply gel...hmmm. Or maybe both products, then scrunch dry, then gel?! I hate experimenting because I never know if the result is because of a product change or just my hair going "screw you!!" today

Ooh also in this video the girl had some glove-style microfibre thingies. Need to find these!!

Starmie · 07-05-2012, 05:05 AM

I apply leave-in and an anti-frizz product to soaking wet hair, then blot (I don't really scrunch as such) with a towel then put some mousse in. I wet my hands after this and just kind of reclump the curls a bit by squeezing them back together.

kathymack · 07-05-2012, 05:14 AM

I, like many, can't touch my hair with hands after I apply my products or I get frizz. I apply products to soaking wet hair, wrap in a Curlease towel while I dress and apply make up (hair is too short to plop) and scrunch out water with a Curls Like Us towel before diffusing to set curls.

Microfiber towels induce frizz for me. I forget what the microfiber gloves are called, I bought them at CurlMart. They used to carry a lot of "miscellaneous" items, but don't seem to anymore. I found they caused frizz, too.

curlisue1 · 07-05-2012, 05:47 PM

I put my leave in and scrunch some water out with my hands until its no longer dripping wet. Then I use a t-shirt to scrunch out and soak up more water until my hair is just starting to dry on the ends. Then I rake and scrunch in my gel. If I try to put the gel in before scrunching out a lot of the water it takes forever to dry and gets frizzy.

earthnut · 07-05-2012, 07:33 PM

I experimented a bit and this is what worked best for me:

I apply my leave-in conditioner, scrunch with a flat diaper, apply aloe vera gel, plop with same flat diaper, do rest of morning routine, let hair down to air dry.

I too feel that if I apply the gel on sopping wet hair, much of it goes into the diaper and does no good. I also find the gel, and oil, to work well on dry hair as a touch up later in the day. I scrunch with my hands then, no towel or cloth.

I also find microfiber to be static inducing, more so than a towel. Flat diapers are ferociously absorbent but still smooth.

---
2c/3a-M-ii porous, good elasticity, APL, dark brown with a silver lining. Biggest enemy: frizz!