Hair Scrunching Hair Challenges

Hair Scrunching Hair Challenges

For some people scrunching hair can be as easy as sectioning out newly cleansed damp hair, applying styling products and crumpling hair into the palms of the hands while diffuse drying.   The key words is "for some people."

While scrunching can be a miracle styling procedure for hair which is naturally wavy, mildly curly or properly layered, it can be more challenging for people with naturally bone straight hair or people with tightly textured curls, ringlets, coils, spiral or coils.  If can also be challenging if hair is too long, too heavy or all one length.

More Info: Hair Tip: Scrunching Hair Problems

In fact, in some cases those who try to scrunch hair without a good starting hair type and texture may not achieve desired results.

The other challenges with scrunching hair, besides having the right type, texture and length of hair is using the right styling products and drying tools.

It might seem like a simple task to apply some styling cream, gel or mousse, crumpling up sections of hair and than blow drying, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Not all styling creams, gels, sprays or mousses will create the same results on all types of hair.  Also, in some cases it's much better to scrunch and air dry or diffuse dry rather than blow drying.

Scrunched Hair - Too Stiff Or Too Soft Or Just Right?

If you use too much product or the wrong type of product your scrunched hair may be as stiff as a board or too soft too hold the desired scrunched in texture.

Even more challenging is the fact that there are zillions of potential hairstyling products, from cheap to expensive, but depending on the hair type, texture, length and condition of the starting strands, not all will create the same scrunched results.

Scrunching hair is supposed to be a way to achieve a quick and easy hair.  Many "effortless" styles wind up taking a lot of, well, effort.

Even if hair is naturally textured and easy to scrunch, the wrong styling product could leave hair stiff as a board and so stiff it may appear to be lacquered to extreme.  The goal is to find a great scrunching product which holds the texture in place but still looks and feels soft, shiny and bouncy.

Good Hair Scrunching Products

Listed below, in no particular order, are some products in all price ranges, which are considered good hair scrunching products.

Keep in mind that not all products will work for all people and all types of hair.  Some people find that a light spray, mousse or cream will hold a scrunched style lighter than a gel or similar product.

1.  Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves, Wave Enhancing Spray cream which will help block frizz while helping wavy and softly curled hair scrunch without dropping or being overly crunchy.

2.  Redken Ringlet 07 Curl Perfecting Lotion - Contains natural Acanthus extract (registered patent), a unique active ingredient from the Acanthus tree that perfectly defines curls, and Avocado oil to nourish the hair. It also provides body to curly, wavy and frizzy hair.

3.  Aveda's Phomollient Styling Foam - scrunching spray which works really well on naturally curly or wavy hair.  Also works with hair which has been loosely permed. Works beautifully and smells nice!

4.  Ouidad - Climate Control Gel - Creates soft, smooth scrunched waves.

5.  Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves, Wave Enhancing Spray, Strong which is light and soft.

6.  Redken Ringlet 07 Curl Perfecting Lotion which is good for medium thick, medium textured hair such as curls and waves.  Provides curls with dramatic definition, energized bounce, frizz control and lustrous shine.  Works great when scrunching in combo with long finger diffuser.

7.  Aveda's Phomollient Styling Foam - great at keeping the shape of the wave without the wet/crunchy look.  Adds shine and weightless volume to fine or medium hair.

8. Living Proof - No Frizz Wave/Curl Treatment 1.7 fl oz - gentle yet strong enough to last, is enriched with natural extracts to help hair look thicker with added shine.  Most gels have the risk of creating scrunched texture that is too stiff.  This is a very light holding gel which may work great when combined with a little bit of water or using in combination with a soft mousse.

9.  - Hydrates, nourishes and adds shine. This styling cream brimming with plant oils provides a light velvety finish. A genuine beauty treatment that softens, improves the hold of your hairstyle and gives instant radiance to even the dullest hair.

10.  TIGI Bed Head - Foxy Curls - Contour Cream - Provides a nice shine, a little hold, but not too much and good scrunching. It doesn't make your hair hard at all but it reacts to the heat and really brings out your natural curls. Use it with a difuser for best results.11. Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves, Wave Enhancing Spray- Offer the advantage of blocking frizz while offer a soft gel scrunched hold.  A little bit goes a long way or you can use water to dilute.

12.  Iso Bouncy Cream - It leaves the hair soft and moisturized.

13.  Ouidad - Climate Control Gel is great for scrunching and defining curls-it has great hold and will not leave your hair stiff!  Works great for curly/wavy hair.14.  Living Proof - No Frizz Wave/Curl Treatment - contains a lightweight, touchable holding polymer to define wavy, curly hair.  Leave scrunched hair soft enough to finger pick.  Great wave definition.

Scrunching And Blow Or Diffuse Drying?

Are you blowing or diffusing your hair out at the same time you're scrunching and air drying?  When you scrunch and then blow or diffuse dry you can use a lot less styling product at the beginning.

One thing to remember is that if you direct too much blow dryer air onto your hair while scrunching you may literally blow the texture right out of your hair.

When blow drying consider using a concentrator, setting your hair on a low speed and use a cooler heat.  Even better, use a long finger diffuser on a slow speed and cool temperature.  This will allow any scrunched in texture to form and hold.

Too Much Styling Products?

One mistake some people make is using a lot more product than necessary to hold a scrunched style.  Use the bare minimum of whatever product you use to scrunch. For thin or fine hair use approximately 1/4th of a dime sized amount.  For medium hair use 1/2 of a dime sized amount and for thick hair, use a quarter sized amount.  When in doubt start with less and slowly add more.

Scrunching And Air Drying

One way to help prevent a stiff or crunchy gel style is to apply gel to your hair while it's still wet or damp.  The dampness in your hair will help to soften the gel.  As hair air dries, slowly scrunch your hair.  This method will break up the gel stiffness and provide gorgeous, soft scrunched waves and curls.

Keep in mind that this may or may not work with naturally curly, coily or kinky hair which may frizz when finger scrunched while air drying.

Scrunching After Wet Setting

If you can't just wash, towel blot and easily scrunch your hair, you may need to do some other styling tricks before scrunching successfully.

When your hair is straight as a board or long, heavy and un-layered, you may wish to first apply styling products and then set hair into pin curls or rag rollers and allow hair to air dry.  Once your hair has dried to 50% or more, you can try undoing the pin curls and then diffuse drying and scrunching or blow drying.

If you still can't achieve the scrunched look then maybe set hair in pin curls, rollers or similar the night before, allow hair to air dry all night and then sit under a hood or bonnet dryer in the morning.

The reality is that some hair types and textures are not conducive to easy scrunching.

When In Scunching Hair Doubt

If you try a variety of scrunching products as well as air drying, blow drying or diffusing and still can get the scrunched hairstyle of your dream, consult with your favorite hairstylist.

Your hairstylist could fix the scrunching challenges with a few well-placed layers or the proper haircut.

Even if you decide against adding layers or a new haircut, your hairstylist can do a wash and styling and incorporate some scrunching tips and techniques you can take home to try later.

More Information

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