One way I have learnt to help my hair grow, apart from using hair grow products, is to put it in protective styles. I am one of those people who has a funny habit of picking at my hair, and it is worse when in an afro. My fingers seek out the tangles, multiple and single strand knots, and before I know it, break and pull off the hair. No one has to tell me this doesn't help so I usually put my hair in corn-rows.
But that was getting too repetitive, and my hair has now also become so long and full that breaiding it has become a arm-breaking chore. I had to find another way, and I did. Several blogs mentioned two strand twists and after watching my stylist do it a few times, and seeing some tutorial videos on Youtube, I decided to give it a try.
Two strand twists are surprisingly easy to pull off. After adding cream to two sections of hair, you twist them around each other till you get to the tips. If your hair is as curly as mine, the ends will hug each other and ensure the strands don't spring apart. The pictures are of my homemade twists after some days and I rocked them for a couple more weeks.
After shampooing and conditioning, I towel dried the hair and applied leave-conditioner. After dressing up, and with the hair a little less wet, I sectioned the hair in four and added some gel and hair souffle. I then sectioned each part into a further three and twisted them. When I finished I had about 12 twists. I then separated each twist, applied more cream to the sections and twisted. It took about three hours but at the end, I had almost fifty twists.
When I started, the thought lingered that I couldn't do it. I almost left it at 20 twists, but where my hands and arms would've started complaining if I were doing corn-rows, this was bearable. And the results as I twisted littler and littler sections made it worth it.
So any lessons for next time? I would add more cream and gel to the hair and try to get the roots more discrete from each other. I might even go for smaller sections :)
Who else twists their hair? Do you have any tips for me? And if you don't twist, why and would you give it a try?
Way to go! Its my default style :) and I love it. Funny thing is people walk up and ask where I made my hair and don't believe me when I say "I made it myself"!
ReplyDeleteSaves me cash (not time) though i've gotten faster...!
Not time for sure, but money. I hope to get faster with time?
DeleteNot bad. I have natural hair too, but no patience to sit and twist my own hair. I'd rather go to a salon and have a stylist do it. I might be a lazy bum :p
ReplyDeletehttp://berrydakara.blogspot.com
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I've been doing that for over a year now, and where I am, the cost is high enough that it adds up quickly.
DeleteYeah, I'll try this, when my hair gets long enough. For people with short hair, is there any kind of protective styling that doesn't involve braids or weaves?
ReplyDeleteGet some cornrows done and then wear wig on top of that when going out
DeleteWhat of threading? LOL. Cornrows and Afros were my default back then.
DeleteWow! I think it looks great. I don't know if I have patience to sit for 3 hours though.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I was watching TV at the same time sha, but yeah, it takes time.
DeleteThis luks so good, I really luv it
ReplyDeleteThank you Jhazmyn :)
DeleteI love the last two pictures, your hair looks so healthy! I haven't twisted my hair in a while but i'm always in awe of Shana @ naturallyobsessed.net. You can check het tutorial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cVv1yB7gOQ4
ReplyDeleteI twist my hair with a similar method as yours but instead of parting it into four, I usually part it into six and I watch TV while twisting. I think I'm open to having my natural hair twisted at a salon if I know that they will be gentle with my hair. It would be great to pop in and out without all that arm strain :)
I checked out that video, those are so tiny! I can't even try that lol...I used to do at the salon but the cost builds up, and it takes just as long except I can't do anything else like I could at home.
Deleteyay! your hair has grown...i also twist my own hair while catching up on tv series...
ReplyDeletefor me after adding leave in conditioner i apply only eco styler gel and sometimes sheabutter mix..i tried once with flaxseed gel and i totally loved the results...my issue is making the gel and keeping it as it spoils easily.
i think we have similar hair types..mine is also curly.
like @lamikayty i also love it when people ask where i made my hair and i say "i made it myself" and they go "wow". :D
was going to say instead of twisting first into 12 you can get hair clips to help separate the hair?
i am also looking for tips on making my twists look nicer...so hopefully the gurus will chip in ;)
That's an absolutely great piece of advice, I mean not twisting the bigger sections. I did it cos I thought it would stop at 10 or 20, but kept going. Next time, I'll do as you suggest, and also try a gel.
DeleteKai...your hair has grown oh...when will my hair reach this length...it's 7 months now. I'm "jealouxing" you oh.
ReplyDeleteI have to learn how to twist as well...will try it when I take off the kinky I have on now.
Thanks, it's really growing. I'm now considering getting permanent locks, twists take too much time.
DeleteI made my first homemade twists on sunday. I love them! I'm not confident enough to wear them to work though, so I wear a wig. Hopefully,I'll do better next time. Gurus do chip in please.I do not know where to get that Eco styler gel where I stay. I hear it's good.I did not apply anything to my hair before twisting,just my usual butters and oil mix from a previous application. My hair was not soft enough. Ha, I'm still learning:)
ReplyDeleteMy hair is still not soft enough, but I hope to get it more manageable by giving it loads of moisture this year.
DeleteWow your hair has grown. I didn't know people paid to get two strand twists done. I always assumed everyone did them themselves ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL...Really? Shoddy cornrows I can do but I'm always amazed when people say they did some very neat braids and weaves themselves.
DeleteYour hair looks really healthy, Myne. You did a great job with the twists.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Onakachi :)
DeleteI like where you said "the ends will hug each other" lol. it looks nice for a novice. Very presentable.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I couldn't think of another way to explain it. Thanks dear.
DeleteA sure way of staying out of bad hair days matter. But Myne, I have always loved your afro hair looks sha.
ReplyDeleteAwww, thanks Debby. I'll have the afro back soon.
DeleteWow myne! I am so so so so happy for you. You have really come a long way with your hair. It doesn't even look like you are a first time twister. The first time I did my twist myself, it was so messed up that I had to cover my head to church the next dat.
ReplyDeleteYour hair is now long and your twists are really defined, unlike some of us. Niceeee.
Wow, that's great praise coming from you iLola. Thanks a lot!
DeleteYour hair is long now ooo...choi! i'm jealous...I remember when you were asking for styles last year and your hair was still the round afro...lovely!!...My motivation continues,,#me like!
ReplyDeleteP.s Happy new year..
You did a good job Myne! Fast too! 3hrs isnt bad at all! I have spent two days on braiding my hair. Arm ache abeg!
ReplyDeleteyour twists look nice and juicy. congrats on your first set.
ReplyDeleteI like your twists,can't wait to have my hair this long.
ReplyDeleteIts still so short :(
You did a very good job Myne, I am going to try that this weekend. Now I won't think of relaxing or not to relax my hair.
ReplyDeleteI did my first twist on holiday in my hotel room from like 12 midnight till early hours of the morning, looked good but haven't tried it again since, this was 3 months ago. Think I was traumatised :-) maybe not the best choice of venue :-) me think your hair is lovely!
ReplyDelete