"Squishing" product into wet hair
 

Mostly I ignore the monthly "ask the expert" columns, because it seems that the "experts" spend more time promoting their products than actually giving good advice. However, I always read the columns, because I never know what I might learn. This month, I read the advice to "...
drench your hair with Curl Keeper while your hair is soaking wet. When you bend your head over, you need to start squeezing each curl so that you hear a “squishing” sound. If you don’t hear a squish, you either don’t have enough water, Curl Keeper or both. The squishy sound is so important that the more you squish, the curlier your style will be."

I thought that sounds like something worth trying. I don't use Curl Keeper, but I do use Rockin' Ringlets. For the past two days I've been squishing my curls after adding RR to soaking wet hair. Much as I hate to admit it, I've gotten superior curls, and no frizz, both days. I intend to keep doing this. I don't have good luck with plopping, so I just use a microfiber towel to scrunch my hair after I get out of the shower. Then I put a couple of clips in on the top for height and let it air-dry.

Anyone else try this? Is it working/not working for you?

I squish with various products too. I don't use CK because it has protein, but I do it with some of my leave ins. Works great for me, I have a lot of length to get saturated.

Yes...and it works well for me. :cheers:

I'm planning on trying this since I'm having such a hard time with distributing product evenly through this thick head of hair I have :afro: .
And off topic but CK has protein? I didn't know that :scratch: . Maybe that's why my hair spazzed out last week when I tried it.

Yes I do this. If I get a residue or foam from some product, I blot my hair to remove it.

Actually I'm wrong. It does not have protein it. I think I was looking at another one of the CHS prods.
Here are the ingred:
DI Water, PVP/VA Copolymer, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Laureth 23, Glycerin, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance, Polyquaternium 10.

Can you guys please explain the difference between "squish" and "scrunch"? How are you squishing in your products? When they say to squish "each curl" does that mean you rake and squish separately?

On a related note, I'm a little confused & have been meaning to ask how longer-haired people are supposed to scrunch, anyway -- do you only scrunch from the very bottom of your hair & "accordion" it up, or do you also poke your fingers through your hair farther up closer to the scalp and grab your hair & scrunch from there? I used to try the latter but it really broke up any clumps, so I'm back to just accordioning with my hands or with my towel or tee. Do you loosely cup the hair in your hands while scrunching or do you squeeze the ends together? Maybe I should have started another thread about the scrunching.

I "rake" product in at my scalp. I stick my fingers through my hair and try to rake, squish and squeeze product onto the first couple of inches of hair from my scalp, I feel around a bit to make sure I get everything evenly distributed. Obviously I do this as my head is flipped upside down so all of my hair hangs over the tub. Then I squish only, no raking, the length of the rest of my hair. I only squish the length because raking breaks up the clumps too much and I end up with more frizz than clumpy curls. The squishing does break up some of the larger clumps but I'm ok with that. I also prefer squishing because it helps to squeeze out excess water and products before I plop, so that the airdrying doesn't take all day.
The difference to me between squish and scrunch is Squishing involves applying product to wet hair and Scrunching involves "de-crunching" a gel cast after your hair is dry.

I have to rake product through even though it breaks up my curls because I don't feel like I can get the product closer to my scalp to keep the famous halo from appearing. Can somebody give me some advice on how to squish product in without raking.

I add product to sopping wet hair, comb it through quickly with a wide tooth comb and then squish from the bottom up with my head flipped upside down. I also tilt my head to each side and squish that way, too. There's still plenty of wet in my hair after combing to get that "squishing" sound. It really clumps up my hair.

I smooth the product on first, then scrunch (I call it scrunching even when wet, some call it squishing). I graze my hands over the surface only before scrunching. You may have to do this in sections to get all your hair. I have to be careful not to put too much product on the front sides or top, or it will be way too crunchy (stiff). My hair is somewhat fine and not very voluminous, so depending on your hair's texture, your mileage may vary. HTH :)
:cat:

I tried the "squishing" method this morning and it really did help to define my curls and add some volume to the top. Usually I rake more than squish and scrunch but this seems to do well with my L.A. Durhold gel. Thanks for the post!

I always ALWAYS make sure there is a squish when I scrunch my product into my hair. That's how I know I have the right amount of product in my hair, when I scrunch the curls to saturate the product in my hair, I have to hear the squish. If I don't hear the squish, I know I need to apply more gel.

Thanks for this thread, Linda. I've been struggling with distribution vs. clumping for awhile, and I know I don't get product through the first few inches of my hair without raking, but my waves look all stringy and limp when I rake through my hair. I have a pretty weak/lazy curl pattern so I need help keeping my waves & clumps together.
Echokitten, your method of raking only the few inches closest to the scalp & squishing the rest sounds very promising. I'm getting decent third-day hair today, but I might have to jump in the shower now just to try it out.
I haven't been aware of the "squish" sound so I probably need more water or more product when I'm squishing.
Thanks for all the good ideas in this thread. I'll report back on how this works for me.

YES i do this

i do both i think. my hair is long now. i do the squish too, use a huge glop of GF whatever CO is around that day and make sure it makes disgusting noises as i rake and squish it in my hair. then i plop w micro turban. best hair is plopping overnight, gives the springiest curls for me.[/quote]

I do exactly like Linda M indicated in her post . This is how the Curly Hair Solutions salon taught me . I use Curl Keeper by Jonathan Torsh and I believe that this is his product . I also go to his salon . This exactly how they taught me. Of course, I don't do as good as they do it however I am learning.

hmm...I've had so many different curl days, it's frustrating. My favorite days are like in my avatar, thick and springy...with shine. I got my hair to be like that by completely ignoring all procedures and just leaving some extra conditioner in my hair after I rinsed. When I would get our of the shower...I might plop for a minute or so, but for the most part, I would just let my hair drip dry while I watched tv. And, I wouldn't wash my hair that often. If I needed to, I would put some water and conditioner in my hair.

As time went on though, I changed my perspective and did some really horrible things to my hair, like straightening it. Then I went through a long period of stress and medication...which has changed the composition. I have found that #1, straightening hair is a major no no if you intend on having luscious curls and #2, conditioner is your best friend. But that's my hair. :D

I only seem to "squish" with thick products, that is when my hair is wettest. It's those products I think that need a little diluting. Two that come to mind are Below The Zone Spike It Gel and Garnier Fructis Soft Curl Cream.

OK, I tried it and am here to report that I got very good results -- some of my best and curliest hair yet! I used EchoKitten's technique of raking/squishing right up by my roots but not raking through the length, and I think my waves are starting up higher than usual and that I got better product distribution.
I also tried a few other new things this time, so I'm not certain what-all else might be responsible.
I CO washed and then did a lemon juice-CO rinse.
When it was time to squish in product, I made sure hair was still really dripping. I first squished in a few puddles of -- yes -- Astroglide (first time). I did the partial rake/squish thing with my other usual products, which right now are SheaMoisture leave-in and LA Durahold. I did get the desired "squish" sounds. After scrunching a little with my tee-shirt, I mixed a little more gel with a dab of Re:coil and smoothed/scrunched that in too. Plopped for awhile, diffused a little, and my hair really waved up, lots of spiraling, very little frizz. :cheers:
Once dry, I scrunched out crunch with a bit of jojoba oil -- it looks very good!
I think these two little tweaks to my technique are going to be very helpful -- thanks, everyone! :love5: