As you can tell, this isn’t exactly the quickest or easiest styling process. That being said, lush, defined, and frizz-free curls are certainly worth the effort. But why does it work so well?
“The bowl method works because it allows the product to be evenly distributed onto the curls and gives the product the chance to absorb,” explains celebrity stylist Harry Josh. “Some curly hair can have difficulty absorbing moisture, so by dunking it into the water you are ensuring extra time to give the strands an extra boost of moisture.”
As with any styling method, it’s not going to work for every single hair type in the same way. “The bowl method tends to work better for looser curl patterns with low porosity that struggles to absorb moisture and product,” curl expert Badria Ahmed, founder of curly hair care brand Holy Curls, tells mbg.
She adds, “For high porosity, tighter curl patterns this method may not be sufficient, as it may need more product to seal moisture in the cuticle.” So if you have coils (also known as type 4 hair), you may want to opt for a different method that provides deeper nourishment or be sure to really work the leave-in hydrating products into your strands.
