The Praying Hands Technique is often used when describing the steps in a curl routine, but what exactly is it? Let’s have a quick look at:
What is The Technique?
Why is it beneficial?
Which products suit this method?
What Is The Praying Hands Technique
The Praying Hands Technique is a way of applying products to wet curly hair. This method smoothes hair to reduce frizz. The product is applied to fingers and palms and smoothed down the hair.
The name comes from its resemblance to hands in a prayer position.
Evenly coat your hands with the product of your choice, then place your hands on either side of a section of wet hair and press your fingers and palms together. Start close to the root and move your hands slowly towards the ends of your hair.
Why Use This Technique?
What are the specific benefits of this technique?
This method makes it easy to control product distribution and this means that you can evenly apply it throughout your hair. This would be in contrast to scrunching, for example, which makes it difficult to ensure even distribution.
Which Products Suit This Technique?
- Cream leave-in conditioner
- Styling cream
- Mousse
- Gel
See my favourite styling products

The Praying Hands Technique itself doesn’t enhance curls as it is a smoothing action. This means that it is usually used in combination with a second method.
Smooth the product on with praying hands and then scrunch, twist or brush style to enhance your curl or wave pattern.
As an example, I would apply Curlsmith Hold Me Softly Styling Balm as a leave-in conditioner/lightweight styling cream with praying hands, followed by Umberto Giannini Curl Whip Mousse also with the praying hands technique, and then scrunch in a gel like Umberto Giannini Curl Jelly before diffusing my hair.
Try adding this method into your product application routine!
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