Experts share the dos and don’ts of the Water Bottle Challenge that’s trending on Instagram
There’s a new beauty trend — rather a hack — that’s big on Instagram recently. It’s for women, who want bouncy barrel waves, but don’t have a curling iron or the time to hit the salon. Enter the Water Bottle Challenge. All you need is a hairdryer and a plastic bottle. Cut off the top section of an empty bottle and slit the side, big enough to fit the hairdryer nozzle. Place your mane inside the bottle through the top. Insert the blow dryer into the opening on the side and switch it on, pointing at your tresses. Voila! Your curls are ready. But are the results any good? After Hrs spoke to hair experts for a lowdown.
A QUICK FIX
It’s a good quick fix, opines Meghna Butani, hairstylist and make-up artist. “You can part your hair into sections and get it done. If you’re stepping outdoors in the hot climate, you’ll have to blow dry it for 10 minutes for the curls to stay longer,” she says. However, she has a word of caution. Meghna adds, “There’s a danger of the plastic bottle melting. Using a glass one would be a better idea and you’d have to get one designed by a glassmaker.”
IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
Maleeha Jafferbhoy, style director, Jean Claude Biguine India, has personally tried the Water Bottle Challenge, and here’s what she has to say. “It’s a quick hack for volume and wave only if you have no other option — like when you forgot your hot tools while travelling and all you have is a hair dryer. Also, not most people own multiple hot tools, so it works well even then,” she says, adding that it’s not a replacement to your regular gadgets like tongs and iron as it doesn’t give the same finish.
RESULTS WEREN’T AS GOOD
Having personally tried the challenge, the results weren’t as good as expected, according to Sneha Jhaveri, owner and creative head, Vous Salon. “I have super straight hair and yet it didn’t curl as well as it should have. It became straight quite quickly. These trends come from abroad where the climate is not hot or humid, and one’s hair stays well in place unlike here. So one’s curls wouldn’t last beyond 15 minutes in outdoors and two to three hours maximum in an air-conditioned environment,” she states.
USING HACKS
Sneha says that there are several easy-to-use appliances, such as curling wand and rod, to create waves, whose results last the entire day. Even using a diffuser attachment of a hairdryer will give one better curls. Also, there’s a salon in every nook and corner of the city where one can get their hair styled at a reasonable price. “Why bother with these hacks? They come into play when there are no options available,” she reasons.
Maleeha’s tips for the hack
- Make sure you use a heat protection product on the hair.
- The plastic bottle needs to be thick or it will melt into your hair.
- Make sure the dryer is on medium heat setting
- Moisten your hair before using the hack as it is easier to give hair shape.
- Thick coarse hair is harder to curl as opposed to fine hair.
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