How to stop frizzy hair after washing: plopping and pineapple-ing

Poof! Fuzz! Flyaways! Any one of us can be subject to an attack of the frizz. Straight? Fine? Thick? Curly? Wavy? Coils? No one’s safe. It pounces when it’s humid, when we’ve just washed our hair and or been caught in the rain. 

The good news is that frizzy hair can be kept at bay with the right techniques and products. Read on to learn about plopping and pineapple-ing – two odd-sounding but killer techniques for dreamy frizz-free and defined waves, curls and coils.

How do I get rid of that post-wash frizz look?

Want to know how to stop frizzy hair? All you need is a simple routine. How you look after your waves, curls and coils after washing, at night and between washes is as important as the products you use. Here are four steps to smoother hair and more defined curls.

Use luke-warm water to wash your curly hair 

Hot water can damage your hair and scalp and interfere with hair regrowth. Washing your hair in luke-warm water opens up the cuticle, allowing your shampoo and conditioner to penetrate and do their jobs, without drying out your scalp. Follow with a cold water rinse to close the cuticle for shinier locks (a practice that comes with loads of other health benefits too!).

Use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb

In the shower, shampoo, co-wash and condition as normal. We love our Curl Conditioner to quench our curls, coils and waves. But instead of waiting until after you jump out to comb through your locks, use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to rake through your hair. This helps preserve curl clumps and encourages definition. You could also consider leaving your conditioner in instead of rinsing it out – a seriously game changing move for frizzy hair. 

Apply products to soaking-wet hair

This is a controversial step but stay with us! Stay IN the shower to apply your products (except oil) to your soaking-wet hair. This means your hair won’t drip all over your bathroom floor and ensures the product is evenly distributed around your mane.

Use a curl towel, not a terry towel for curly hair

After your shower, we highly recommend using our microfibre Curl Towel for drying curly hair. Unlike rubbing your hair dry with a traditional, heavy terry cloth towel, it dries your hair by evenly wicking away water and helping to reduce frizz.

Hint: don’t just bundle your wet curls any old how into your curl towel. You need to plop it! Discover how to plop curly hair next.

How to plop hair 

OK, first up, what even is plopping?! Silly name aside, plopping is a super-simple, heat-free drying technique that protects your curly, wavy or coily hair pattern, reducing frizz and flyaways.

All you need to do is: lower your hair down on to a towel in a way that enhances your hair’s natural pattern. You then wrap it to draw out excess water. This leaves in much-needed moisture and enables it to dry faster without rubbing your hair and aggravating the frizz factor.

So, once you’ve washed, conditioned, finger-combed and applied your product to soaking-wet hair, it’s time to plop. Here’s what to do:

1. Spread out your curl towel on your bed.

2. Bend over so your hair falls directly on to the towel.

3. Keep lowering your head so your hair naturally coils up onto the curl towel. Don’t stress about arranging your locks in any particular way – just let it all pile up.

4. Wrap the towel around your head, twist the sides and tie at the back of your head. 

5. The length of time you leave the towel on depends on how thirsty your hair is. Super-dry and parched locks may only need 15 minutes, while fine, wavy tresses can leave it on for up to an hour. Experiment to discover your hair’s sweet spot!

6. Remove your curl towel and allow your hair to fully dry or use a diffuser. Separate any large clumps to help with volume and then gently squeeze your hair to break the gel cast and build more volume. That’s it!

How to pineapple hair

You’ve nailed plopping and you know how to stop frizzy hair after washing. Congrats! But how do you keep your locks fuzz-free in between washes and at night? Well, we have another stellar technique under our curl towels: pineapple-ing.

The pineapple is a fool-proof way to keep curls defined and frizz at bay. Unlike plopping, which can take a few goes to get right for your individual hair type, there’s really no way to screw it up.

Essentially, it’s loosely tying your hair in a ponytail very high up on your head. Yes, you end up looking like a certain tropical fruit, but if it’s good enough for Rihanna, it’s good enough for us.

Securing your hair in this way – by day or while you sleep – prevents tangles and preserves your waves, curls or coils. At night, you could pineapple and then wrap with our Boucleme silk turban – designed for people with curly hair, it’s the perfect silk hair wrap for sleeping. 

Made from 100% mulberry silk, it’s the perfect luxurious end to your nightly curly hair ritual. Not only does our silk hair turban hold your pineapple in place while you snooze, it smoothes your strands, reducing frizz and retaining moisture. 

Have silk sleep turban, will travel: this silk turban for sleeping is not just a game changer at home – pop it in your case and wake up to frizz-free hair on holiday, too. Spend less time on morning styling and more time doing what YOU want to do on holiday.

What else can you do to protect your curly hair from frizz?

Know your hair type (and don’t overwash)

Overwashing is a sure-fire way to encourage frizz. Leaving a few days in between washes retains your scalp’s natural oils, preventing your hair from drying out and encouraging healthy growth. 

But how often is too often? Well, it depends on your hair. Curls, waves and coils need different care. Loose curls and waves can lather two to four times a week, tighter curls can get away with every few days to a week, while coils do best with a weekly wash.

A good rule of thumb is: if your curls feel dry, wash less frequently. 

Refresh and hydrate curls in between wash days

Our Mist Spray Bottle delivers an ultra-fine, continuous mist that coats hair evenly without soaking it. It’s perfect for adding a boost of hydration to your curls and zhughing up your ’do in between washes. 

Simply fill the bottle with filtered water and spritz hair where needed. Add a little extra love by scrunching in Curl Defining Gel for enhancing definition⁠ or use Curl Cream to keep coils and curls hydrated all day long. 

Embrace the frizz!

Frizz can be your friend. Keeping your naturally curly, wavy or afro-textured tresses smooth at all times can be exhausting. It’s OK to celebrate your hair’s unique texture and volume. Who wants limp, flat hair anyway? 

Do you embrace the frizz or keep it at bay? Share your haircare process below.