Are You Applying Your Curl Products the Right Way?

CURL STYLING / TECHNIQUE

Raking, scrunching, glazing and praying hands can make the same styling product look surprisingly different on your curls. Here’s what each technique actually does—and which one to try for more definition, volume or clumping.

You bought the gel everyone loves.

You used the recommended amount.

Your curls still look nothing like the tutorial.

The product might not be the problem.

How you apply it can change how your curls clump, separate and dry.

And despite what curly-hair TikTok may occasionally suggest, you do not need to pledge allegiance to one application technique for the rest of your life.

 

Is there actually a “right” way to apply curl products?

No.

There also isn’t good research showing that one named curly-hair technique—raking, praying hands, glazing or otherwise—is scientifically superior to all the others.

These are styling techniques developed and shared largely through salons and curly-hair communities.

What science does tell us is that products deposit onto the hair surface, conditioning ingredients can reduce friction and styling polymers can form films that affect hold and manageability.

So distribution matters.

But the best application method depends on your hair, your product and the finish you want.

 

What does raking do?

Raking means spreading your fingers through the hair like a wide-tooth comb while distributing product.

It’s especially useful when you want to make sure a leave-in, cream or gel reaches more than just the outside layer of your hair.

For dense hair, raking in sections can make product distribution much easier.

The trade-off is separation.

Because your fingers move between the strands, raking can break very large curl clumps into smaller ones. That can mean more individual curls and potentially more volume—but less of that giant, super-clumped look.

 

What are “praying hands”?

This technique involves placing a section of hair between your palms and smoothing your hands down the length.

Your hands look a little like they’re pressed together in prayer—which is where the name comes from.

Unlike raking, your fingers are not travelling through and separating every strand.

That makes praying hands useful when you want to smooth product over existing curl clumps without immediately breaking them apart.

It can work particularly well with gel after you have already detangled and distributed your conditioning products.

 

So what’s the difference between praying hands and glazing?

They’re similar, but glazing is even lighter-touch.

With glazing, you lightly smooth your hands over the outside surface of the curls rather than pressing a section firmly between both palms.

Think of it as putting the final coat on the hairstyle.

It can be useful for adding a little more gel to the outer layer or smoothing frizz without completely reworking the curls underneath.

The downside is also obvious: if you have very dense hair and only glaze the outside, the product may not reach much of the hair underneath.

Glazing is a finishing technique—not always the best distribution technique.

 

And where does scrunching fit in?

Scrunching is less about coating every strand and more about encouraging the hair back into its curled shape.

Cup the ends in your palm, bring them upward toward the scalp and gently squeeze.

Then release.

You can scrunch after raking, praying hands or glazing.

In fact, that is often where it works best: use one technique to distribute the product, then scrunch to encourage the curl.

You don’t have to choose one application technique. They can have different jobs in the same routine.

 

What if raking makes my curls stringy?

Try doing less of it.

If you keep passing your fingers through the hair after the product is already distributed, you may continue separating curls that were trying to group together.

Try raking the product through once or twice, then add water if needed and switch to smoothing or scrunching.

You can also rake your leave-in for distribution but apply your gel with praying hands.

That gives you the best of both worlds: product throughout the hair without repeatedly separating the final curl clumps.

 

What about brush styling?

A styling brush gives you more control over how sections of hair group together.

You can brush product through for distribution, brush individual sections away from the scalp for more shape or use the edge of a brush to encourage larger curl clumps.

The tension created by the brush can temporarily align and stretch the fibres before they spring back toward their natural shape.

But more brush styling also means more manipulation.

Hair-grooming research shows that repeated combing creates mechanical stresses through friction, snagging and impact, which is why gentle technique still matters.

 

Should you finger-coil your whole head?

Only if you genuinely enjoy doing that.

Finger-coiling means wrapping a small section around your finger to encourage it into a particular curl shape.

It can be great for stubborn areas, face-framing curls or sections that refuse to join the rest of the hairstyle.

But you do not need to individually negotiate with every curl on your head.

If most of your hair naturally forms the way you like, let it.

Use finger-coiling where it actually solves something.

 

Which technique is best for maximum definition?

Try a combination.

First: Work in sections so you can distribute the product evenly.

Then: Rake or brush the product through.

Next: Smooth the section with praying hands if you want larger clumps.

Finally: Scrunch upward and leave the curls alone while they dry.

You do not have to perform all four steps, but this gives you somewhere to start if definition is the main goal.

 

What should you do if you want more volume?

Use less manipulation aimed at creating perfectly uniform curl clumps.

Raking can encourage more separation.

Styling in larger sections can save time.

Keep heavy products away from the roots if they tend to flatten your hair.

And once the hair is completely dry, gently lift at the scalp rather than pulling apart every curl through the lengths.

There is often a trade-off between extremely organized definition and maximum fluffy volume.

You get to decide where you want to land.

 

What if you want bigger curl clumps?

Start with plenty of water and avoid repeatedly separating the hair.

After your product is distributed, use praying hands or smoothing rather than continuing to rake.

You can also gently shake a wet section at the root and let the strands naturally group together before scrunching.

If you see a beautiful clump forming, there is no requirement to run a brush through it again simply because that was the next step in the tutorial.

Leave the good curl alone.

 

Can you use different techniques on different parts of your head?

Absolutely—and this may work better than forcing one technique everywhere.

You might brush-style the front because those curls need more direction.

Rake through the dense section at your crown because product struggles to reach it.

Praying-hands the sides because they already clump beautifully.

Finger-coil two pieces around your face.

Then scrunch everything.

One head can contain different curl patterns, densities and styling challenges. Your application technique can change with them.

 

How do you know if the technique isn’t working?

Look at the result instead of judging the routine by how impressive it looked while you were doing it.

Product sitting on the outside but dry sections underneath?
You probably need better distribution or smaller sections.

Tiny stringy curls when you wanted big clumps?
Try less raking and more smoothing.

Huge clumps but very flat hair?
Try more separation or less manipulation near the roots.

Frizz appearing while you style?
Add more water and reduce unnecessary handling.

Great curls?
Congratulations. You are applying your products correctly enough.

 

The bottom line

There is no official curly-hair rule that says you must rake, glaze, pray or scrunch your way to good hair.

Each method changes how much you distribute, separate, smooth or shape the hair.

Start with the result you want, then choose the technique that helps you get there.

Same products. Different hands. Very different curls.

 

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Disclaimer: This article provides general hair-care information and is not a substitute for advice from a dermatologist or other qualified healthcare professional. Persistent breakage, scalp changes or sudden hair loss should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.