Scrunch Hair

If your hair has any hint of waviness to it, you can increase its volume without inviting the dry frizziness that often occurs, by scrunching it. Everyone has their own way of scrunching that works best for their hair type, but the method suggested here is a great way to start. Don't forget that all hair is different and yours won't come out the same as another person's; it's important to keep experimenting.

Steps

Preparing your Hair

  1. Wash and condition your hair. You should always wash your hair before attempting to scrunch it, as scrunching only works properly on wet hair. If you try to scrunch dry hair it will end up looking like a ball of frizz! If possible, use a volumizing shampoo which will help give your scrunched hair body and texture. Use only a small amount of conditioner, and be sure to rinse your hair very well to keep it from being weighed down by product.
    • While you're still in the shower, use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your hair while you have conditioner in it. The conditioner will make it easier to tease out any tangles and will minimize damage to hair, making it less prone to frizz.
    • Part your hair wherever you like - down the middle, at the side, or zig-zagged - keeping in mind that the scrunched hair look is made to be messy, and a perfect part is far from necessary.
  2. Towel dry your hair. Once you've rinsed out your hair and stepped out of the shower, wrap a large, absorbent towel around your head like a turban for about two minutes. Then unwrap the towel and use it to pat any excess moisture from the hair. You can do this by grabbing small sections of hair and squeezing them against the towel. This will provide some pre-scrunching curl.
    • Make sure to pat your hair with the towel rather than rubbing it. Rubbing it dry causes a lot of hair damage and breakage, which leads to frizz rather than smooth, sleek curls.
    • Don't dry your hair too much - you still need it to be wet for scrunching, you just don't want it to be dripping, as the styling products will drip out also.
    • Avoid using a hair dryer to get rid of excess moisture, as this will dry the hair too quickly and have a straightening effect on the hair, which will not help you to scrunch curls.
  3. Apply product. At this point, you can apply whatever curl-enhancing product you choose. Such products come in a variety of forms - mousses, gels, sprays, serums, etc. Mousse is probably the most popular product for hair scrunching. Choose a volumizing or strong-hold mousse, particularly if your hair is not naturally wavy, as this will help to give you long-lasting, voluminous curls.
    • To use the mousse, squirt a golf ball size amount into your hand, turn your head upside down so your hair is in front of your face, then work the product evenly into your hair with both hands.
    • Only work the mousse into the ends and mid-lengths of your hair - avoid putting it in the roots as this may weigh your hair down or cause it to look greasy.
    • Keeping your head upside down, scrunch your hair by grabbing a small section in your hand and crumpling it up towards your scalp, using the same motion as you would use to crumple a piece of paper.
    • The same technique can be used regardless of what product you use, just adjust the amount of product according to the instructions on the bottle and the length of your hair - more for longer hair, less for shorter hair.
  4. Let hair dry naturally. At this point, it is possible to stop and just let your hair dry naturally, especially if your hair is prone to even a little wave or curl. Just continue to scrunch up your hair (using the paper crumpling technique) every 5 to 10 minutes or so, until your hair is dry. Once dry, you can apply a little hair spray for extra hold or serum for added shine - then you're good to go!
    • Avoid using a regular hair dryer to speed up the drying process - the strong air flow will pull your hair and cause your curls to straighten or become frizzy.
    • If your hair is normally very straight, or you just want to add a little extra "oomph", try using one of the additional scrunching methods below.

Using Clips

  1. Clip your hair up. Once you have applied your product and scrunched your hair, you can add extra defined curls by clipping your hair up while it naturally air dries. Using butterfly clips, gather small sections up to your roots and clip them in place. If you don’t have butterfly clips, you can make small messy buns in your hair and secure with bobby pins or hair ties.
    • You can do as many bunches or buns as you like. Fewer buns will create larger, looser waves, while many buns will give you smaller, tighter curls.
    • You can also experiment with twisting each section of hair tightly before clipping, rather than collecting it in bunches. It will still curl the hair, but will give you a slightly different look.
    • If you want to achieve a messier, "bed-head" look, try clipping up different size sections of hair at random. This will make your curls less-uniform and more spontaneous-looking!
  2. Spray with hairspray. With the clips still in your hair, spray all over your head with a strong-hold hairspray. This will help to set your curls as your hair dries. After spraying, let your hair sit in the clips for about a half an hour - or until your hair dries - for maximum effect. In the meantime, you can do your makeup or enjoy a cup (or two!) of morning coffee.
    • If you are in a hurry, you can help the process along by using a hairdryer to finish drying off your clipped hair.
    • Some hairsprays can be sticky or cause your hair to feel "crunchy", so it may be worth investing in a good brand-name hairspray that will hold your curls in place, while still leaving your hair feeling soft.
  3. Remove the clips. Once your hair is almost or fully dry, take out the clips and let your hair fall down, gently scrunching each section to separate the curls. Then you can turn your head upside down and use your fingers to fluff up your hair, giving it volume and shape.
    • Whatever you do, do not brush your hair out with a hairbrush or comb. This will undo the curls and cause your hair to look frizzy.
    • If your hair is a little knotty, just use your fingers to comb through the tangles and separate the strands of hair. Again, scrunched hair is not meant to be perfect - it's meant to look a little wild and spontaneous!
    • If you're not 100% happy with how the curls turned out, it's okay to cheat a little and use a curling tongs to give a little extra definition. Shhh...nobody needs to know!
  4. Apply some hair gel. The last step is to apply a dime-sized amount of hair gel or serum to the ends and mid-lengths of your hair. Make sure to work it evenly into the hair, using a gentle scrunching motion. This will help keep frizz at bay and add extra shine to your hair.
    • Again, remember to avoid the roots when applying gel or serum, as they can weigh your hair down or cause your roots to look greasy.
    • Look for gels or serums specifically geared towards frizz control or curl definition - there are plenty available at drug stores and hair salons.

Using a Diffuser

  1. Attach a long-finger diffuser to your hair dryer. A diffuser is an attachment for your hairdryer which helps keep curls intact by reducing the pulling and straightening effect of regular blow drying. Long-finger diffusers usually have a bowl or cup for the air to sit in while drying, this allows for less movement and produces less frizz.
  2. Turn the hair dryer's speed and heat settings to low. When using a diffuser, you should always set your hair dryer's heat and speed settings to low. The low heat protects your hair from burning while your hair is sitting in the cup of the diffuser, close to the heat source. The low speed minimizes air movement, thus preventing frizz.
  3. Dry your hair. Turn the hair dryer on and direct the flow of air upwards, to help lift the roots. Take a section and scrunch the hair up towards the scalp, holding it there with the fingers of the diffuser until the hair is dry. Rotate the diffuser in a slight circular motion. Move on to another section of hair and repeat, until all of your hair is dry. Don't forget to turn your head upside down to dry the underside.
  4. Apply some hairspray or gel. Once all of your hair is dry, you can spritz it with some hairspray to hold the curls in place, or work in a dime-sized amount of gel to help give the curls some definition.
  5. Finished.



Tips

  • To obtain more root volume, try scrunching upside down.
  • If your straight hair fights against curls, wash your hair at night and put it in a French braid or Make French Braid Pigtails with hairspray for staying power. When you wake up, take out the braids, spritz your hair with a bit of water and scrunch your hair with mousse.
  • For best results, use shampoo, conditioner, and products (gel, mousse, hairspray, etc.) that specifically define curls.
  • Not all types of gel works for all hair types. Experiment with different brands and types to see what works well with your hair type.
  • Not everyone likes using hairspray. It is still possible to scrunch hair without it––be sure to use strong mousse. Also, be prepared for the hair to drop earlier than if you did use hairspray.
  • Too much product may cause hair to clump together. Experiment with various amounts of products.
  • If you don't have clips, twist your hair into small buns and secure with bobby pins or hair ties.
  • Fine, naturally straight, or chemically-straightened hair may be resistant to scrunching. If this is the case, apply curl-defining mousse or gel to the hair and curl it using a barrel iron. Don't despair––it is possible with the right hair product!
  • If your hair is fine or difficult to tame, it's always good to have hairspray on hand. If it starts to go flat, spritz it with hairspray, then re-scrunch your hair.
  • If you are using a blow dryer, use a medium or low temperature to help tame frizz.
  • If you have long, thick hair, separate your hair into sections when applying mousse. This will help even distribution of the product and avoid applying too much mousse to one section, and none at all to another.
  • If your hair doesn't like to hold the scrunching follow this:

To scrunch dry hair more, use an aerosol hair spray and work with 2-inch sections spraying, twisting, and then squeezing it and letting it fall. For scrunching wet hair, use a non-aerosol hair spray and do the same as if you were scrunching dry hair. Then to further lock in the waves and curls, hairspray with the aerosol hair spray as it doesn't have water in it and will not revert your hair.

Warnings

  • Avoid using too much hairspray or gel. Your hair will look crunchy or greasy and excess product can weigh down your hair, leaving you with a mess before the day is over.
  • Be careful not to get any hairspray in your eyes - it stings!

Things You'll Need

  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • A wide-tooth comb
  • A towel
  • Gel
  • Medium sized butterfly clips or ponytail holders
  • Hairspray
  • Mousse
  • Hair Dryer
  • Long-fingered diffuser attachment

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Sources and Citations

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