My quest for curly hair can be summed up in three words. I've tried every shampoo (opens in new tab) and curl product (opens in new tab) and spent endless hours on YouTube in search of the kind of curls you see on Instagram Explorer pages. There are sad days in my hair, but there are also plenty of winning days in between. And I'm always up for a winning streak. One recent night while doom-scrolling through TikTok (open in new tab), I found plopping.

The practice of wrapping soaking wet hair in a cotton t-shirt is not necessarily new, but the results I saw from my fellow curly ladies were unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. Their hair looked so bouncy. Lively. Moisturized. I really wanted that. So I consulted with curly hair experts: Jesseca Dupert of Kaleidoscope Hair Products (opens in new tab), Dominique River, senior stylist and educator at Devachan (opens in new tab), and salon Spiral (x ,y,z) owner and CurlyWorld founder Lorraine Massey (opens in new tab). (Opens in a new tab) The result: Voluminous, perfectly curly hair that makes me glance in the mirror every couple of seconds. Would you like to try it too?

Fresh out of the shower, you stare in the mirror. Soaking wet curly hair is a blank canvas with a time limit, and curl experts all agree that it should be put to good use.

"Add product immediately after conditioner while hair is still damp. Divide hair into quarters and scrunch from the ends to the roots to allow product to penetrate and moisturize and define curls," says Dupart.

The best products to use before scrunching hair are leave-in conditioners, oils, curl creams, and gels to hydrate, moisturize, and define curl definition, she explains. Dupart's favorite is Kaleidoscope Moisture Silk Conditioner (opens in new tab).

Be careful what your products are made of, however. Massey recommends reading ingredient labels to make sure there are no sulfates, silicones, parabens, heavy butters, synthetic oils, or fragrances. Her favorite is CurlyWorld's Leave-In Rubber (opens in new tab), which contains none of these things.

"The goal of long-term healthy hair with healthy products is essential," says Massey." Think of your hair as a one-of-a-kind Balenciaga that you wear every day." You can't argue with that.

So here's where the magic happens. And by magic, I mean wrapping your hair in a strategic way to get the curls of your dreams. However, just a plain towel won't do. Instead, opt for an oversized cotton T-shirt or, if you want to get fancy, go up a notch with a microfiber towel. Here's how to wrap it:

Now comes the question of how long to wear it. Massey says it all depends on your preference. 'Some people prefer to plop or "wrapunzeling" their hair out wet for 15 to 20 minutes and then let it dry naturally,' she explains. 'As with anything, you have to try the method that works best for you.'

Just know that the longer you scoop your hair, the more moisture will be absorbed into your T-shirt or microfiber towel. 'If your hair is dry, you don't want to take on a lot of water. You'll lose the wet look and end up with extra frizz," Leiber explains.

When your hair and T-shirt feel nice and dry, untie the knots. Once the hair begins to breathe fresh air, feel free to add more product. Massey recommends using a light, water-soluble gel or spray to enhance the finished style. Afterwards, you can go out into the world or, if you're like me, you can get back on the couch and watch Netflix.

Before we part ways, my fellow curly-haired friends, I must note that several curl experts warned me that plopping is not for everyone. *It all goes back to the moisture needed for curly hair. Leiber explained it this way:

"Curls and natural hair texture require primarily moisture. Some people need their hair to be really wet during the styling application process," he explains. 'Until the hair is able to retain moisture naturally, the lack of moisture must be compensated for with water and products.' If this is the case, it may remove some of the moisture that the hair needs"

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With that, we're off on our journey to explore the most insta-worthy curls. Happy plopping.