Rinsing and/or Cowashing Twists?

[Black Hoya Chick]

I just put twists in my hair (no extensions) for the first time. I was wondering how would I go about rinsing or cowashing them without messing them up or causing too much frizz. Is there a method that works better for you all?

Pray, do tell!

 

[laurend]

Check out the twisting for growth challenge part 3. I think they talked a lot about that issue.

 

[Oasis]

I braid my twists and wash them that way. If I wash them loose I get way too much frizz, shrinkage, and tangling. I let my hair dry in the braids and when I take them down I have really pretty, frizz free, curly twists.

I'm on my 4th week of the twist and this is the longest I've ever been able to keep them in. I do admit my roots are reaaaaaly tangled and I'm afraid to take the twists down but that could have been prevented by braiding the root of the twists.

 

[Qurlyqt]

I've tried unsuccessfully several times. They always turn frizzy. I've heard that some ppl are able to use pantyhose to make a cap before washing and able to minimize the frizz.

 

[Black Hoya Chick]

yeah, i just haven't gone 2 weeks without washing my hair in a while. i might just make it 7-10 days and redo them

 

[Nonie]

I think it depends on your twisting method too. If you twist each of the strands upon its axis before wrapping them around each other, then it helps to keep the hair strands tucked well into their section so that unraveling/frizzing doesn't happen.

I personally apply conditioner the same way relaxer is applied only using fingers instead of a brush, working on a few twists at a time then I squeeze them for the conditioner to penetrate. I rinse using that gentle squeezing too. That's for CWing.

When shampooing, I usually apply shampoo directly to scalp using fingers and feeling through the twists to my scalp. I massage my scalp to clean and then when I start to rinse, I squeeze the diluted shampoo through my hair. Then I condition the same way I CW.

My twists get a bit frizzy...but it's in a way I actually like. It's not so frizzy that you can't see I have twists, but it's just enough to make them have a look I like. These twists are 4 weeks old = 8 washes (2 a week):

I tried to demonstrate this twisting method of twisting each strand first in this vid, but Mook's Hair has a better YT vid on it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-PPsh1_Np0

ETA: Notice I twist both sections clockwise, but wrap them around each other anti-clockwise. The twist will be skinnier than if you didn't do this but a few washes will make them puff up. The reason I like this method is the separation of strands keeps tangles at bay and makes undoing so easy.

 

[Qurlyqt]

Nonie, your twists look great...especially after being up for so long. The longest I think I've ever left twists up is 7 days and I thought I was gonna' die - lol! They looked like locs but WAY frizzier. Someone stopped me in Chili's and said, "I LOVE your dreads! How long have you had them?"

I saw the youtube you mentioned and it seems it would take me forever and a year to do mine that way. Is it a lot more time consuming? Or do you get better/faster at it the more you do it?

 

[Nonie]

Nonie, your twists look great...especially after being up for so long. The longest I think I've ever left twists up is 7 days and I thought I was gonna' die - lol! They looked like locs but WAY frizzier. Someone stopped me in Chili's and said, "I LOVE your dreads! How long have you had them?"

I saw the youtube you mentioned and it seems it would take me forever and a year to do mine that way. Is it a lot more time consuming? Or do you get better/faster at it the more you do it?

It seems time consuming but it really isn't once you get the hang of it. I have slowed down in that demo so you can all see what I'm doing, but in this vid (below) you get to see how I really do them. It takes me an hour or so to do a whole head, so with practice it gets easier, coz all you're doing is simultaneously twirling the strands as you wrap so there's no pause as in the video you saw before. See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm0c7KPcj08

 

[AvaSpeaks]

I do it all the time!!! Great way to retain my length!!!

 

[PPGbubbles]

I only do this the day before my twistout.... when i wash my twists there is super shrinkage. but it makes for a nice twist out tho.

I wouldnt recomend it if you plan to keep the twist in long and want to retain length.

but if you do this with braids this is no problem

 

[Nonie]

I only do this the day before my twistout.... when i wash my twists there is super shrinkage. but it makes for a nice twist out tho.

I wouldnt recomend it if you plan to keep the twist in long and want to retain length.

but if you do this with braids this is no problem

Why do you say this?