Loose twists, by far, are my favorite protective style. Twists have many benefits. Not only do they protect your ends from daily wear and tear, but twists are also a fun hairstyle with lots of versatility. If you are interested in rocking twists, here are some helpful tips:
Wash Hair Prior to Twisting
With a protective style, it important to start on clean hair. Since you will wear your protective style for at least a few days, you should make sure your scalp and hair are clean. Buildup will not only ruin your style, but cause your scalp to itch prematurely.
Detangle Hair Thoroughly Before Twisting
With any long-term style, it is important to detangle you hair properly. Detangled hair will result in a smooth, sleek look. Also, as your hair sheds in the protective style, the last thing you want is for it to shed into tangled hair. Finally, your detangled hair will result in a fabulous twistout!
Twist on Dry Hair for Maximum Length and Movement
You are welcome to twist on damp hair, but for maximum length twist on dry hair. There are various ways to prep your hair for twists. You can simply blow your hair out with a blow dryer. But if you are weary of heat, you can try air drying your hair in braids or banding you hair.
Twist Hair in Sections
Natural hair can be overwhelming. Whenever styling hair, you should do your hair in sections. Use hair clips to divide your hair in four sections. Braid each section to retain moisture and stretch then secure with a clip. In each section, make a row, do 3-5 twists per row then move on to the next row. To twist hair, use your twisting butter of choice and seal ends with shea butter or oil.
I normally wear loose twists for 2-3 weeks and then wear a twist out for a week. If my hair/scalp needs to be cleansed while in the twists, I put diluted shampoo (dime size amount of shampoo with water) in a dye applicator bottle and then apply to my hair. Make sure to run down the hair shaft so that you don’t create tangles. You can style twists in updos, curls — just like you do with your normal hair.
