Mine can still get pretty poufy too although I may have a handle on it now!
Here are my opinions on how this could happen:
I have a feeling that it's partially my braiding technique. Since I don't know how to cornrow, my regular box braids are already somewhat away from my head . Cornrows seem to produce braidouts closer to the head. I've noticed that from other lady's hair journals.
And I learned from Sylver2 to wear a silk or satin scarf over my braidout in the house and in the car, mainly to tame my new growth while I'm stretching but it also tames down my braidout some. It
will stick out from the new growth if I don't use a scarf!
Also, I feel the product I use or don't use contributes to how big my braidout will be. As I mentioned in the
What Makes Your Hair Shine thread, Friday I tried a product I haven't used before on my braidout, Luster's Pink Glosser, which contains many natural oils (smells good too!). I learned about it from Divine Inspiration. Besides the great shine it added, it smoothed my hair cuticles even more which seemed to smooth down my poufiness and didn't weigh my hair down, leaving my hair with a lot of body. I received compliments Friday and Saturday too.