Styling Adventures: Loose Twists

Forgive the unflattering picture.

Hello everyone!

I’ve been wearing loose twists now for the past two-three months and it has been awesome. The perfect protective style for this unbearable heat.  As the name implies, loose twists are just two-strand twists twisted loosely. Best thing? It gives the illusion of locs. If I had a dollar for everytime I got asked if it was my hair, I would be able to buy a Shea Moisture product. Lol. Anyways, the first time I heard about it, I was fascinated. Just when I was coming to terms with wearing my twists out – I never wore them without a scarf or a turban – this provided a better alternative. So, I got to work. After watching a few videos and learning the techniques, I was armed and ready. Suddenly, everyone on my Instagram was wearing loose twists like some kind of announcement was made.

I loved the results! I was SOLD! I started wearing it for a week and overtime, two weeks which is where I am at now. I was so tempted to carry it for about four weeks but the way my hair is set up, I can’t do without washing it in a week. So, I’ve pushed that aside for now.

So what are the pros of loose twists?

1. Super easy to install plus it takes a shorter time. About two hours of less.
2. The technique is similar to regular two strand twists which make it easy to learn. All you have to do is to twist the roots tightly to avoid it being puffy and twist the rest of the strand loosely. For better results, make it in form of mini twists.
3. Super versatile and easy to style. I recently bought some accessories at NITC14 and I was so eager to wear them. All I needed to was tuck in a few strands here and there and viola! It isn’t as stiff as regular twists

Cons?

SHRINKAGE! They shrink like hell! Which is good. I mean, it signifies good health and elasticity but mahn, no chill whatsoever.

The Process.

Every two weeks, I wash and deep condition with whatever is unavailable. The last time, it was a henna treatment. When I’m done, I moisturize with my Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream and seal with my oil mix. If I’m not too busy, I start to twist immediately. But if I am, I put my hair in two ponytails and leave it until I’m ready. I’ve tried twisting with three different products – Eco Styler Gel, African Naturalistas Twist and Curl Pudding and my whipped hair butter. But one thing certainly stood out. With my whipped hair butter which is glazed with glycerine, my hair stayed moisturized for up to a week. No jokes. I didn’t even need to spray with my hair spritz except maybe oil my scalp. That was it. Trust me, I was sold. I didn’t care about definition. Afterall, the longer the twist stays, the more defined it is with or without the product. After one week, of course my hair begins to feel dry so I either moisturize with my hair spritz or co-wash. But I noticed that after co-washing, I need to moisturize everyday until takedown and the cycle continued.

To be honest, I’ve never been as content with any style as I am with it now. Plus, I get to retain maximum length. It’s a win-win. Maybe when the harmattan season comes, I’ll go back to extensions but for now, it’s loose twists all the way. Also known as locs without the commitment.

How is everyone wearing their hair at the moment?

Love,coils and curls.

eBunite