About shrinkage...since our hair is curly, there will always be some shrinkage. The shorter our hair, the more shrinkage you will probably will experience. As our hair gets longer, it will begin weighing itself down at the scalp, but your ends will always shrink up some because they are often the curliest part of your hair (which makes them the most beautiful part of our hair as far as I'm concerned). However, if you braid up your hair in a braid or two, or a few buns at night and sleep on them, this (plus leaving in a good combing conditioner) will help stretch out your curls.

For me, it was the moment I left in the conditioner that my hair suddenly hung down instead of puffing out. I discovered leaving the conditioner in my hair when it was past my shoulders, though, so I already had some length. But it was leaving in that conditioner that's made the biggest difference in making my hair hang down instead of puff in humidity.

Until I put all the pieces of my technique together, my hair really did draw up. When I wore a ponytail, it was a ponypuff instead. The biggest help in showing length has been leaving in the conditioners I recommend. These give my hair weight, and keep it from drawing up.

I must say that I think the way our hair can get really big is one of the features that makes it so unique and wonderful, and I do occasionally rinse out most of the conditioner and wear big hair. Oh—I say I rinse out most of the conditioner because if I rinse out all the conditioner and pull my curls apart for really big hair, it tends to mat up within hours. By leaving in a little conditioner, it keeps it from matting as easily.