How to Make a Hair Puff

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A hair puff is an easy, quick, no fuss style for a natural afro. Make the basic puff by smoothing back the sides of your hair with gel. Then, wrap a long hair tie around your hair and pull it tight. You can also make puff variations for a slightly different look or if your hair is short. If wearing a hair puff gives you a headache, be sure to make the hair tie a bit looser, or use a more gentle alternative like a scarf.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making a Basic Puff

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  1. 1
    Spray your hair with water to make it damp. Mist the front, sides, and back of your hair. Spray enough water so that your hair is damp to the touch but not dripping. [1]
    • Your hair will be easier to work with and brush if is slightly damp.
  2. 2
    Moisturize your hair to keep the style sleek. To help your hair look smooth and sleek in this style, run your favorite hair moisturizer through your hair. Cover your hair from the root to halfway down the hair shaft, and then brush your hair along the same length to seal in the product. [2]
    • Use a hard brush, such as a boar bristle brush, to get the best results.
    • Moisturize with a leave-in conditioner or with oil. Try jojoba oil, olive oil, or coconut oil.
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  3. 3
    Smooth back the edges of your hair with gel. Put a dime-sized amount of hair gel on your finger. Dab it all along your hairline in the front, sides, and back. Smooth the hair back towards the top of your head. [3]
    • If you can’t get your hair as flat and even as you want it with your hands, smooth your hair back with a brush.
  4. 4
    Place an elastic headband around your head and wrap it around 1 or 2 times. Put the headband around your neck and then push the front up to your hairline. Make sure the sides of the headband go up above your ears. Slowly push the headband back towards the top of your head. When it starts to feel loose, grab one side, twist it and wrap it around your hair like an elastic hair tie. Do this either once or twice.
    • The tighter your headband, the smaller the hair puff.
    • If you wrap your headband around too many times, you will end up with a ponytail instead of a puff. If that happens, just remove the headband, put it back on the front of your hairline and form the puff again, remembering to wrap the headband fewer times.
    • The headband should feel snug, but don’t wrap the band around too tight or it may give you a headache or damage your hair.
  5. 5
    Use a long hair tie for more control over the size of your puff. Wrap the hair tie around your head from front to back. Cross the ends in the back at the nape of your neck. Then, start to pull both ends of the tie to form the puff. Secure the style by wrapping the ends of the tie around once or twice and then tying them off. [4]
    • Tuck any loose ends of the tie in the wrapped part of the tie.
    • The more you pull the tie, the more your puff will shrink.
    • Choose a color that matches your hair color if you want it to blend in, or use a contrasting color to draw attention to the accessory.
    • If you don’t have a hair tie, you can also use a long, thin shoelace.
  6. 6
    Tie a hair tie from the back to make a higher puff. Wrap the hair tie around from the back of your head to the front. Cross the ties in the front. Pull the ends of the tie to form the puff. As you are pulling the strings tight, pull forward to lift the puff higher towards the front of your head. Secure the tie by wrapping it around a few more times and then tucking in the ends. [5]
    • You can also push the puff higher on your head with one hand before your tie off and tuck the ends of the hair tie.
  7. 7
    Wrap your hair in a scarf to set the style and smooth down the edges. Drape a long scarf over your head with the edge at your hairline. Tie the ends at the nape of your neck. Leave your hair puff free. Keep the scarf on for at least 5 minutes. Then, take the scarf off and your hair puff is ready! [6]
    • Use a satin or silk scarf for best results.
    • Tuck in the ends of your scarf and leave it on to accessorize your puff.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Creating Puff Variations

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  1. 1
    Use an elastic headband to create a mini-puff for short hair. Use a wide-tooth comb or soft bristle brush to brush your hair towards the top of your head from the front, sides, and back. Smooth back the edges by applying hair gel along your hairline and brushing it in. Put a headband around your neck, then pull it up to your forehead. Use both hands to slide the headband back onto your hair to form your puff. [7]
    • This style can work on hair as short as 3 inches (7.6 cm).
    • The further back you slide the headband the smaller the puff will be.
  2. 2
    Create a side puff for an easy variation. Instead of pulling your headband or hair tie straight back to put the puff at the center of your head, pull one side of the band to the side. Let your hair fall down like a waterfall down one side of your head.
    • For example, if you want the puff on the right, pull the left side of the band towards the right.
    • It looks best if you keep the puff on top of your head, just a little off-center, rather than pulling it all the way to the side of your head.
  3. 3
    Make a braided headband to add elegant details to your puff. Before you make your hair puff, make a side part from ear to ear. Braid each side of the part to frame your face. Then, create your hair puff with the rest of your hair, leaving the braids out. Secure the braids with bobby pins at the back of your head under the puff.
    • Place the part on whichever side you normally part your hair.
    • You can also twist the two sections of hair instead of braiding them.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Headaches and Hair Damage

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  1. 1
    Pre-stretch your headband by soaking it in oil so it is gentler to your hair. To do this, first wrap your headband around the bottom of a glass bottle as many times as you can. Then, fill a medium-sized bowl with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of vegetable oil. Place the glass bottle into the bowl of oil, making sure the headband is completely submerged. Leave it to soak for 1-2 days. Then, rinse off the headband. [8]
    • A wine bottle or other liquor bottle is a good size and shape for wrapping your headband. You can also use a glass water bottle or a drinking glass.
  2. 2
    Use a scarf as a gentle alternatives to hair bands or ties. If your hair accessories are making the puff too tight and causing headaches, try using a long, thin silk or satin scarf to tie your hair puff. [9]
    • Leave the ends of the scarf hanging down or tuck them in for a more subtle look.
  3. 3
    Make your own gentle hair tie with pantyhose. Use scissors to cut off one leg of an old pair of pantyhose. Cut off the foot of the pantyhose. Use this as a hair tie for you puff. [10]
    • Pantyhose is super stretchy and forgiving on your hair, so you won’t end up with a super-tight puff that will give you headache.
    • Be sure to tuck in the ends of the pantyhose. Use a few bobby pins to secure the ends in place.
  4. 4
    Take a break from the puff. It can be tempting to wear this style every day because it is so quick and easy. However, wearing a headband or tie in the same spot on your hair day after day can cause your hair to break or fray. Take a break from the puff and wear your hair loose on some days. [11]
    • You should also take the puff out when you are sleeping to let your hair breathe. Sleeping with the puff in your hair can also cause headaches.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you do a puff on short natural hair?
    Courtney Foster
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Courtney Foster is a Licensed Cosmetologist, Certified Hair Loss Practitioner, and Cosmetology Educator based out of New York City. Courtney runs Courtney Foster Beauty, LLC and her work has been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and in East/West Magazine. She received her Cosmetology License from the State of New York after training at the Empire Beauty School - Manhattan.
    Courtney Foster
    Licensed Cosmetologist
    Expert Answer
    Gather the natural hair up into a ponytail (which would be like a top knot) and attach either synthetic braiding hair or track weave hair to the ponytail. Once you've secured the hair into a ponytail, make it into a bun. If it's an afro puff that you're looking for, you can get an afro puff and secure that to the bun.
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  • Question
    Can you do it with relaxed hair?
    Community Answer
    Your hair should be curly when you are doing a puff because that's just what makes it a puff. If you have relaxed hair, then it is going to look more like a ponytail.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Things You'll Need

      Making a Basic Puff

      • Spray bottle with water
      • Hair gel
      • Brush
      • Headband or long head tie
      • Silk or satin scarf

      Creating Puff Variations

      • Elastic headband
      • Bobby pins

      Avoiding Headaches and Hair Damage

      • Glass bottle
      • Medium-sized bowl
      • Elastic headband
      • Vegetable oil
      • Long, thin silk or satin scarf
      • Pantyhose
      • Scissors

      Tips

      • A headband or scarf can cause breakage in your hair, even if it is very gentle. The best thing you can do to prevent breakage is to keep your hair well-moisturized. [12]
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      • If your hair is short (but still long enough to put into a ponytail), use extensions to create a high puff.
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      Warnings

      • Don’t use rough fabrics like cotton in your hair. This could cause damage. Instead, use ties and bands made from soft fabric like satin.
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        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about making hair puff, check out our in-depth interview with Courtney Foster .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beauty-health/how-to-get-the-perfect-afro-puff-with-chizi-duru-id8417715.html
      2. ↑ https://www.makeup.com/how-to-high-hair-puff-natural-hair
      3. ↑ https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beauty-health/how-to-get-the-perfect-afro-puff-with-chizi-duru-id8417715.html
      4. ↑ https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beauty-health/how-to-get-the-perfect-afro-puff-with-chizi-duru-id8417715.html
      5. ↑ https://www.pulse.ng/lifestyle/beauty-health/how-to-get-the-perfect-afro-puff-with-chizi-duru-id8417715.html
      6. ↑ https://www.makeup.com/how-to-high-hair-puff-natural-hair
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhXUDtu-M4s
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4G6CFP0U9o&feature=youtu.be
      9. ↑ http://luvtobnatural.com/6-tips-high-puff-without-the-pain/
      1. ↑ http://luvtobnatural.com/6-tips-high-puff-without-the-pain/
      2. ↑ http://luvtobnatural.com/6-tips-high-puff-without-the-pain/
      3. ↑ http://luvtobnatural.com/6-tips-high-puff-without-the-pain/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make a basic hair puff, start by spraying your hair with water to make it damp, which will be easier to work with. Next, to help your hair look smooth and sleek in this style, use some hair moisturizer or leave-in conditioner. Once you’ve moisturized your hair, use a small amount of gel to smooth back the edges of your hair. Then, put an elastic headband around your neck and push the front of it up to your hairline. Slowly, push the headband towards the top of your head as you gather your hair into it, and wrap it 1 or 2 more times until it feels snug. To learn how to create a mini-puff for short hair, keep reading!

      Did this summary help you?
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 54,041 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Jemma Clementine

        Oct 27, 2022

        "I didn't know that you had to moisturize your hair before you put it into a puff. As soon as I did it, my hair ..." more
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