Holy Grail Shower Cap: Terry-Lined

by Shelli of Hairscapades

Now, I know that the steam from the shower is the friend of many a WnG type of gal. However, when you are rocking a TnC, a sleek bun, a smooth updo, a press and curl or what have you, humidity can feel more like the enemy and the shower cap your first line of defense! That’s not just me, right??

Well, unfortunately my first line of defense has failed me for most of my life. For years I searched for a shower cap that REALLY sealed out steam and water. My hair has always *POOFED* at the slightest hint of humidity (think Izzy’s Got the Frizzies, but not as cute!). And maybe I just don’t shower right, but my edges ALWAYS seem to get wet, even when I tie a scarf around them, wear a satin bonnet, don one or two plastic baggies and THEN add a shower cap with a thick headband around the edges to “seal” it. Are you frickin’ kidding me?!?

So, a few months ago, I shared a post by another blogger about shower caps (read it here). She had discovered a company, Celestial Soul, that sells shower “crowns” in sizes ranging from mini (for the TWA) to Extra Large (for the BAA). On that post, I talked about my personal struggles with shower caps always falling short. Up until that point, I’d had the most success with this $6.95 Betty Dain Fashionista shower cap that I found at Harmon for $6.95 (it’s also available at Sally’s and Amazon).

It was roomy enough for my banana clip bun or pineappled TnC and the two elastic bands seemed to provide a double barrier against shower steam. However, wet edges were still inevitable. Then, someone commented:

I have always had the exact same issue with shower caps. Fed up, I did some intense googling a couple months ago and finally came to the conclusion that I needed a terry lined cap … I found one at CVS for $4 and, believe it or not, that is the answer! It’s plenty big (I have a LOT of hair); I can even keep my hair clipped on top of my head. Somehow the terry cloth absorbs any moisture before it gets to your hairline. Try it! I promise, that’s the trick.

So, about a month or so ago, I finally got around to taking the advice and picked up the Betty Dain Socialite terry-lined shower cap shown far above (don’t you just love an animal print? Grrrrrr! ). The cap is lined in a soft, cream terry cloth material.

O … M … G!!! Where have you been all of my life Socialite?!?! I finally found my holy grail of shower caps!! I’ve been using this cap for over a month now and it has proven itself over and over again. I just pop this baby over my satin scarf and/or bonnet and it keeps my edges smooth and dry, even when I linger in the shower a little too long or accidentally allow the water to cascade down the nape of my neck!! The proof is in the pudding. I got my hair pressed this past Friday, haven’t used any heat since and my “do” is even sleeker than it was when it was first flat-ironed!

Final Tip:
Oh, and when my natural hair is a little too big to allow this cap to cover my edges, I figured out another way to utilize terry cloth to preserve my style. I just grab the Turbie Twist Hair Towel, secure it over my bonnet and then pop on the larger Fashionista shower cap! This combo works as well as the terry-lined cap to absorb the steam and water so that my edges stay dry and my style stays frizz free (well, you know, relatively speaking)!

What kind of shower cap do you use?


CN Says:
Cheapies from Sallys… with my satin/silk scarf underneath. But sometimes, when I run out or they’ve all lost their elasticity, I’ll tie on a plastic grocery bag with a goody band without blinking an eye.