Plopping vs micro plopping

Plopping is an easy, heat-free method for wavy-haired people to shorten the drying time and add definition to their hair.

It's the step after you have washed, conditioned and styled your wavy hair.

But people often get confused between plopping and micro plopping.

So here’s the differences…

Plopping

Think of plopping as a gentle wrap-and-rest for your waves.

How to plop:

Lay a microfibre towel or cotton t-shirt flat on a surface.
Bend forward, letting your waves fall ends-first onto the fabric.
Keep lowering your head until your crown is close to the towel, allowing your waves to fold and scrunch naturally in the centre.
Wrap the fabric around your head, twist the ends into a “tail,” and secure at the back.
Leave wrapped for 5–10 minutes, then release and continue air drying or diffusing.

This gently removes water without disturbing your wave pattern.

It’s great for reducing frizz and encouraging natural wave clumps.

One thing to note: Plopping can sometimes flatten your roots because your hair is weighed down while wrapped.

Micro plopping

It's all about scrunching!

Gently scoop and scrunch your wet waves again with a microfibre towel.

It soaks up water without wrapping your hair up.

It’s faster than plopping and gives your waves a bit more volume and bounce.

Use this if you’re short on time or want more root lift.

So to wrap up…

Plop to reduce frizz and set your wave clumps.

Micro plop to add volume and speed up drying time.

You can even combine both.

Plop first for 5–10 minutes, then micro plop to finish removing water before diffusing or air drying.