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How to Scrunch Hair: Guide for Straight, Wavy, and Curly Textures
Learn how to scrunch hair for natural waves and texture. Step-by-step tutorials for straight, wavy, and curly hair, plus the best scrunching products.
Updated on June 5, 2026 | 3 min read
Jaclyn LaBadia, Davines Writer
Key Takeaways
How to Scrunch Hair
- Scrunching is a hands-only styling technique that uses gentle squeezing motions to encourage waves, curls, and texture.
- It works on every hair type, but the technique, products, and timing vary by texture.
- Wet scrunching builds the most defined wave; dry scrunching refreshes existing texture.
- A good styling product (sea salt spray, mousse, curl cream, or a curl-enhancing milk) is the single biggest factor in long-lasting hold.
- Avoid disturbing the hair while it dries — touching breaks the cast and causes frizz.
In This Article
What Does It Mean to Scrunch Your Hair?
Best Products For Scrunching Hair
How to Scrunch Straight Hair
How to Scrunch Wavy Hair
How to Scrunch Curly Hair
Wet, Damp, or Dry: When Should You Scrunch?
How to Scrunch Hair Without a Diffuser
Common Scrunching Mistakes to Avoid
How to Make Scrunched Hair Last Overnight
FAQs
What Does It Mean to Scrunch Your Hair?
The best styling hack for wavy and curly hair, without a doubt, is scrunching. Scrunching is a low-maintenance method for enhancing the natural curl or wave pattern. It involves cupping sections of hair in your palm and squeezing toward the scalp to push water and product up through your strands. From beachy waves to defined curls and lived-in texture, scrunching encourages texture, definition and volume. It minimizes styling time and reduces frizz and damage, focusing on hydrating products, with little to no heat, and minimal manipulation. If you’re ready to learn how to scrunch hair, keep reading, because we’re breaking down everything you need to know ahead!
Best Products For Scrunching Hair
Let’s start with the tools you’ll need to scrunch your strands. The best styling product to use for scrunching hair is one that matches your texture, whether it's a sea salt spray, mousse, curl cream, or curl-enhancing milk. You’ll also need a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt to plop and reduce frizz, and a wide-tooth comb to detangle before scrunching. A diffuser is optional, but it does help to set your style, while expediting the drying process and helping with volume. If you do choose to diffuse, you’ll also need a heat protectant product.
How to Scrunch Straight Hair
The best part of scrunching is that it works to enhance the texture of lots of different hair types. And while it won’t turn straight strands into tight ringlets, it will give them a little more shape and bend. Wondering how to scrunch straight hair for soft, beachy waves? Start with damp hair and a salt spray for grit and texture. Mist a sea salt spray through, section by section, then scrunch firmly upward toward your scalp. Air-dry or diffuse on low heat without touching. Finish with a flexible-hold cream or oil on your ends only.
Adds beachy, lived-in texture and grit to straight hair.
The go-to for building soft waves where there weren’t any. Mist on damp hair before scrunching.
How to Scrunch Wavy Hair
Next up, is wavy hair, which actually benefits the most from scrunching, since waves usually need a little hold shape. Here’s how to scrunch wavy hair to enhance your natural pattern. Apply a curl mousse or curl-enhancing milk to soaking wet hair, raking it through. Tip your head upside down and scrunch in upward motions. Then plop your hair with a microfiber towel for 10–15 minutes to absorb excess water. Diffuse on low heat or air-dry, before breaking the cast with a few drops of leave-in milk once dry.
How to Scrunch Curly Hair
Curly girls, are you ready to learn how to scrunch curly hair? Curly hair needs more product and a moisture-rich approach when it comes to scrunching. Apply a curl building serum followed by a curl cream or curl-enhancing milk to your hair while it’s still wet. Scrunch firmly to encourage curl clumping. Plop, then diffuse on low heat with a hover-and-release technique. Avoid touching your curls while drying to preserve clumps and prevent frizz.
Wet, Damp, or Dry: When Should You Scrunch?
So what’s the difference between scrunching your strands when they’re wet vs damp or dry? And when should you scrunch yours? How much water your strands hold when scrunching changes how your waves or curls form, hold product and dry. We’re about to dive a little deeper, but before we do, we have to note that LOVE CURL Enhancing Milk is one of the few curly hair products that works wet, damp AND dry — so it’s a must-have scrunching multitasker if you don’t want to buy a ton of different products.
Wet Scrunching
Wet scrunching is best for very curly hair, and for building texture from scratch. Scrunching wet hair yields high definition and less frizz. Scrunch wet hair with mousse, curl cream, or curl-enhancing milk right after washing.
Damp Scrunching
Damp scrunching is ideal for medium-hold styling on wavy or fine hair. It provides the most volume and root lift. Use sea salt spray or a light styling cream to scrunch your waves while damp.
Dry Scrunching
Dry scrunching works best to break a hard gel cast once your hair is fully dry, or to refresh second- or third-day curls or waves. Mist your hair with water or a curl refresher, then scrunch back to life.
One product to prime, style, and refresh — up to 72 hours of frizz control.*
On day-2 or day-3 hair, mist a small amount onto dry curls and scrunch to revive shape without weighing curls down.
*Clinical test on hair strands treated with LOVE CURL shampoo, conditioner and enhancing milk vs. untreated hair.
How to Scrunch Hair Without a Diffuser
We discussed how using a diffuser attachment helps to set your style, speed the drying process and help with volume, but it’s optional. If you want to know how to scrunch hair without it, we’ve got you covered. Starting by plopping your wet hair with a microfiber towel for 20–30 minutes to absorb water. Then air-dry without touching your hair. Once it's about 70% dry, scrunch with a small amount of styling product to redefine.
Common Scrunching Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to scrunching, it’s important to make sure you use the right technique. Scrunching improperly leads to frizz or flyaways, limp, stringy or weighed down strands, or crunchy waves and curls. These are the most common scrunching mistakes to avoid.
- Skipping product — scrunching without it won’t create a lasting hold.
- Touching your wet hair as it’s drying — this is the number 1 cause of frizz.
- Using high heat — high diffuser settings cause frizz and break the cast.
- Scrunching in a downward motion instead of upward toward the scalp — this causes limp waves or curls.
How to Make Scrunched Hair Last Overnight
Sleeping on your scrunched curls without flattening or crushing them is a valid concern. Wondering how to scrunch hair to make it hold its shape overnight? Keep your curls bouncy and defined overnight with these tips.
- Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase, or wear a sleep bonnet.
- Wear a loose high ponytail, or pineapple your curls before bed.
- Prime, style, and refresh your curls in the morning with LOVE CURL Enhancing Milk for up to 72 hours of long-lasting curl definition and frizz control.
*Clinical test on hair strands treated with LOVE CURL shampoo, conditioner and enhancing milk vs. untreated hair.
FAQs
What products are best for scrunching hair?
The best styling products for scrunching are ones that match your hair type. The best for scrunching straight and wavy hair is This Is a Sea Salt Spray. The best scrunching products for wavy and curly hair are This Is a Curl Moisturizing Mousse, This Is a Curl Building Serum, LOVE CURL Cream and LOVE CURL Enhancing Milk.
Can you scrunch straight hair into waves?
Yes, you can scrunch straight hair into soft, beachy waves by misting a sea salt spray through damp hair; scrunching upward toward your scalp; air-drying or diffusing on low heat without touching; and finishing with a flexible-hold cream or oil on your ends.
Should you scrunch hair wet or dry?
You can scrunch your hair while it's wet or dry, but keep in mind that the end result differs depending on how wet or dry your strands are when they’re scrunched. Wet scrunching is generally best for very curly hair, and for building texture from scratch. Dry scrunching works best to break a hard gel cast once your hair is fully dry, or to refresh second- or third-day curls or waves.
How long does scrunched hair last?
If you scrunch properly with the right technique and product, protecting your curls while you sleep, your scrunched hair should last a few days, at least. Scrunching with LOVE CURL Enhancing Milk gives you up to 72 hours of long-lasting frizz control and curl definition.
*Clinical test on hair strands treated with LOVE CURL shampoo, conditioner and enhancing milk vs. untreated hair.
How do you scrunch hair without a diffuser?
To scrunch without a diffuser, start by plopping your wet hair with a microfiber towel for 20–30 minutes to absorb water. Then air-dry without touching your hair. Once it's about 70% dry, scrunch with a small amount of styling product to redefine.
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