Scrunching is a term used to describe what many type 2s and 3s do to their hair when they apply product. The process involves coating the hands with hair gel or mousse, then grabbing the hair into your palm, making a fist and holding for a second. Curlies and wavies do this two or three times per section of hair, and they find the technique produces amazingly defined curls.

Type 4s, on the other hand, really don’t need anything to give their curls definition. Type 4 IS definition! Type 4 curls are usually very tight curls, which means you don’t need to do anything to make them even tighter. So how do type 4s apply hair products?

Ignore all the “scrunch it in” reviews you see on YouTube from type 3s, even type 3Cs. Type 4 girls find the “shake and go hair” method works well for them most of the time. After you do your washing routine, section off your hair into about four different quadrants. Be sure that hair is soaking wet, then section by section apply a leave-in and then a gel. As you apply the product, finger comb or rake it through the section beginning at the root. As your reach the ends of your hair, lightly grab your hair and shake. This “shake and go hair” technique allows for the product to set within your curls.

How to Apply Gel