Who doesn’t want a hair-do that requires little maintenance or attention? Straightening your hair not can take a year and a half, but flat irons also singe the life out of your healthy locks. And you can rule out curling your hair—it takes way too long and never seems to hold. However, there’s one in-between that cuts down prep time and lets your hair breathe in between heated appliance sessions. Perfecting the scrunched look, though, is a lot harder than it seems. Mastering this look is more than just the type of hair you have, but it is heavily reliant on the products you use.
The wide varieties stores have to offer make it hard to decipher which ones just smell good and which ones actually work. Many products are advertised to make your hair “bounce” or “form soft, touchable curls,” when really they leave your hair crunchy, stiff, and looking wet all day. I’ve tested several products to see which ones really pass the test, and you’d be surprised to know that the best ones are available in local drugstores! So say “so-long” to the bland stick straight hair because “beachy waves” aren’t just for summertime anymore.
First of all you need to know exactly how to scrunch your hair. Everyone has their own routine, but the one that works best for me goes as follows:
- After showering, don’t towel dry hair. Do ring out excess water, but leave it relatively wet rather than damp or towel-dried. Also, curls tend to stay better and frizz-free when the hair is relatively dirty, so skip shampooing and only use conditioner on the days you plan to scrunch.
- Once the hair is combed through with a wide-tooth comb, again ring out any extra water. First, squeeze a quarter size dollop of curling cream and/or mousse into your hands. Turn your head upside down, and scrunch your hair from the ends up to your scalp. This will add volume and body to your hair.
- The next thing I do is very similar to the last, but done so with a curl-defining gel. Once your product is evenly distributed, tie hair in a loose messy bun on the top of your head. Scrunchies work better than hair ties because they are looser.
- The last option is your choice—to either let it air-dry or to dry it with a diffuser.
- Diffusers are often sold with blow dryers and are intended to reduce frizz and style your hair the way you want it. When I dry my hair with a diffuser, with my head upside down I do a similar scrunching motion, moving from the bottom up. I do this all around until the hair is almost completely dry.
- Lastly, I do the scrunching motion one last time to crunch any stiffer curls that may be caused by the styling gel.
- Additional hairspray or frizz serums are optional.
My personal favorite diffuser is sold with the Infiniti Cord-Keeper Blow Dryer by Conair™. It has prongs that I believe help form more tighter and more natural-looking curls. Using a diffuser helps activate curls that are limp or wouldn’t hold if dried naturally.
The best mousse and curling gel I have found is Sunsilk’s Captivating Curls Gel & Cream and Mousse. It smells amazing and I’ve never had a negative experience with these products. The gel/cream combo prevents hair from getting crunchy, as the cream prevents frizz and the gel gives curls structure. Sunsilk also offers a “Waves of Envy” line if you’re interested in a looser look. I have tried this one as well and recommend it just as much.
The final touch to my routine is TRESemme’s Flawless Curl Defining Gel. Because it is an alcohol-free formula, it prevents curls from falling flat or drying it out. It also tames ridiculously curly hair that is difficult to style and also has potential to add magnificent body to flat or lifeless hair. Using this gel as the last step holds the curls intact without making them hard or sticky.
This is my “perfect recipe” for touchable scrunched hair:
-¼ gel or mousse to activate curls
– ¼ styling gel to keep curls in place
-all sold at ½ the price compared to those sold at Sephora that do the same job
-and ½ the preparation time that you can