The Mini Twist / Mini Braid Thread

Prayers for healing grace @Lissa0821

The baptism was wonderful. My church was so accommodating and loving with me and DH. I still had my install in but in hindsight, I should have taken it out. I had to let my hair completely dry before I could take the extension hair out and I think the extra weight made my scalp super sensitive.

Still have not fully washed my hair but I'm going to today. I'm going to hold off on doing another set of braids just to give my scalp a rest.
 
My hair is fine and tangly (4ab). The ends of my braids or twists start to matt too quickly. If anyone has any tips I'd appreciate it.

Someone on YT does avocado oil and aloe vera mix for her braided ends. Maybe I need to try again.
 
PeaceFlow said:
My hair is fine and tangly (4ab). The ends of my braids or twists start to matt too quickly. If anyone has any tips I'd appreciate it.

Someone on YT does avocado oil and aloe vera mix for her braided ends. Maybe I need to try again.
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Do you install on wet or dry hair?
Have you tried installing on blown out hair?

How often do you wash or wet them?
Do you tie them down at night?

I could see heavy sealing on the ends working well for you. My favorite heavy sealer is a mix of EVOO and Safflower oils.
How does your hair respond to aloe? I've found that aloe seems to respond like a protein on my hair - making it tangled and matted.

My natural hair is fine 4 b/a and I rocked mini braids for the majority of my natural and texlaxed journeys. I wet them daily, sometimes twice a day. I also M&S every night before I wrap them up for bed - adding extra product to the bottom third of my hair. I then sorta cross wrap and tie it down firmly. I prefer satin scarves over loose bonnets as my fine hair has a tendency to fly away so it needs to be locked down. The moisturizing and then the firm tie down lays my hair down well bc my strands are so fine. I also ponytail baggie or bun baggie approx 3x/ week - sometimes overnight and sometimes during the day under a headscarf.

IME, paying extra attention to my ends contributes the most to increased retention. HTH! :)
 
Thank you @MzSwift

I install on dry hair and I don't usually blow my hair out (although I do sit under the dryer). I will give it a go next time.

I'm not sure on the aloe, as it's been a while since I've last used it. However, I've just spotted some protein ingredients in my new moisturiser and my hair seems to be breaking now, possibly protein sensitive...

I see my night routine could use some work. :blush: I dont moisturise every night, or tie it down. I just put my satin cap (loose fitting) on and call it a night which could be part of the problem :look:. I'll try your routine and hopefully it will work!
 
PeaceFlow said:
Thank you @MzSwift

I install on dry hair and I don't usually blow my hair out (although I do sit under the dryer). I will give it a go next time.

I'm not sure on the aloe, as it's been a while since I've last used it. However, I've just spotted some protein ingredients in my new moisturiser and my hair seems to be breaking now, possibly protein sensitive...

I see my night routine could use some work. :blush: I dont moisturise every night, or tie it down. I just put my satin cap (loose fitting) on and call it a night which could be part of the problem :look:. I'll try your routine and hopefully it will work!
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Good catch!

I tell ya, that protein will sneak up on you! And don't have multiple products with sneaky protein in them :pullhair:...You'll be thinking "oh maybe it's time for a protein tx - it's been a while" and then next thing you know, you're fighting protein overload.

I do understand that protein helps the hair absorb moisture so it makes sense that there is some in a moisturizer. But if someone is being careful or trying to plan out a regi, it can catch you off guard!

GL to you! If you're trying what I do, I'll be fully transparent. Something I almost always use under my satin scarf and even cotton bandana/head wrap (and my wigs, when I wear them) is a sateen men's wave cap. I wear them inside out so that the satin part touches my hair and the stitching is away from my hair. They allow me to lock my hair down before I put on my scarf without having to use pins or anything. Even when I get hair lazy, I still use them.

I use the ones like this:

1728569553122.png


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CSNDYH7?ref_=ppx_hzod_title_dt_b_fed_asin_title_0_0
 
I finished taking out my mini twists. Took sometime, but I decided to use the African Pride Aloe & Coconut Water Dentangle and Condition Pre-Shampoo to help me take my twists down towards the end. And it worked so well. It minimized the hair loss/breakage I would get at the ends of my hair.


Once I'm done detangling. I plan to deep condition and blow out. i haven't decided to go back into mini braids or continue mini twists yet.
 
Lute said:
I finished taking out my mini twists. Took sometime, but I decided to use the African Pride Aloe & Coconut Water Dentangle and Condition Pre-Shampoo to help me take my twists down towards the end. And it worked so well. It minimized the hair loss/breakage I would get at the ends of my hair.


Once I'm done detangling. I plan to deep condition and blow out. i haven't decided to go back into mini braids or continue mini twists yet.
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I hate that I love that product. It really is amazing but it's so hard to find on the ground near me. And I don't always like ordering online.
 
Forgot got to post when I was done putting in my twists. I finished putting my twists in around October 15th. I plan to keep it in by the holidays and trim my hair before the new year (it definitely needs one). Sorry for the quality. I hope when I do my next set of twists/braids I'll have better photos.

20241015_233901_3.jpg20241015_233901_1.jpg20241015_233901_2.jpg
 
Speaking of progress...

OMG, I forgot to post my progress pix in here!

I did my texlax and then immediately installed a new set of mini braids on blown out hair. I totally forgot to update in here like I promised I would! Sorry y'all! :blush2:

So I haven't taken any photos of my new set mini braids so I'm using my June photo for the progress-

June 2023 to June 2024

1729948479584.png 1729948381393.png

ETA: For reference, my starting point Oct 2022

1729949696530.png

I do have loose hair photos:

Oct 2023 to Sept 2024 progress from primarily rocking mini twists and braids.

1729948625330.png 1729948805592.png

I'm a slow grower so I'm very happy with my almost 1 year progress. I'll be able to see what it really looks like when I flat iron at the EOTY.
Slow and steady and I'll reach my goal of WL mini braids in a few years! :grinwink:
 
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These are my latest install, which I finished around Oct 19. They always feel soo much smaller when I'm twisting than when I see them. I thought that I was making them half as thick as I actually did. I plan on keeping them in until next month.

LHCF_Oct2024_Twists.png

I have NOT been treating my hair well at all, but I'm gonna change that.
 
I have maintained weekly deep conditioning, heavy sealing and keeping hair in mini twists for the past month or so. My hair has recovered nicely along with my overall health. Last Saturday, I got micro locs and I am in love with my hair. I had my man give me a good trim which was much needed the night before. Child he cut more hair than I was brave enough to do myself but needed to be done. My hair was all one length which gives my fine hair fullness. It will be a while before I put twists in my hair, but I am happy.
 
Temps are finally dropping where I live. I transitioned to cornrows 2 weeks ago. I plan to just live with cornrows under scarves and wool hats over the winter and then I'll be back to mini braids in the Spring. I'm excited about the surprise growth I'll see then. Hoping for BSB mini braids next year!! :pray:
 
B_Phlyy said:
I've had some really bad nail breaks on both of my hands of late. Too scared to do another braid install due to the potential snagging. So I'll probably be bunning for the next 3-4 months.
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I wish my hair grew as fast as my nails did. My nails have grown out of the breaks in less than 2 months. And I have visible length over my finger. Luckily management is on vacation so I can keep them long for another 6-7 weeks. I find it easier to keep my long nails filed which makes it easier to do my hair. Not sure why it works this way, I just know that it does.

Bunning was going fine but my hair was taking a long time to dry. I tried to diffuse but that seemed to make the shrinkage worse. Now I have cornrows in a pattern that I can turn into a Dutch braid. Most of the time they are under a wig but a quick store run will be in the braid or a mini bun. Plan is to keep them in until the day after Christmas. Then I'll do all the things for an end of year length check.
 
snoop said:
I'm currently taking down my twists. It's hard to tell. I haven't been completely kind to my hair over the last 7 weeks, but at first glance, it looks like I've been retaining.
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I bet you have! Just like last time you felt you were neglectful and your rewarded you! :)

I'm excited to hear your report back!
 
MzSwift said:
I bet you have! Just like last time you felt you were neglectful and your rewarded you! :)

I'm excited to hear your report back!
Click to expand...

I think that it all worked out. First let me say that it seemed to take forever to take these twists out. Like why a day and a half? Why? It's just hair? :nono:

I took everything down, then just did a water rinse, yesterday. I'm going to try to do a clarifying mask either today or tomorrow. Doing pull tests seemed so much easier. I think my shorter lengths are now under my rib cage and my longer lengths are past waist length...maybe even hip length, but I'm going to wait to claim that. I'm going to wear my hair in medium twists for the next little while just so that I can have less tension on my scalp.
 
snoop said:
Doing pull tests seemed so much easier. I think my shorter lengths are now under my rib cage and my longer lengths are past waist length...maybe even hip length, but I'm going to wait to claim that. I'm going to wear my hair in medium twists for the next little while just so that I can have less tension on my scalp.
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I am excitedly waiting!!!
tumblr_lvgm1whNKs1qdlkgg.gif
 
MzSwift said:
Temps are finally dropping where I live. I transitioned to cornrows 2 weeks ago. I plan to just live with cornrows under scarves and wool hats over the winter and then I'll be back to mini braids in the Spring. I'm excited about the surprise growth I'll see then. Hoping for BSB mini braids next year!! :pray:
Click to expand...

Just when I think I have things figured out, life be like:

not-quite-kate-mc-kinnon.gif


So not only did I get summoned for jury duty but my little one is making friends and I can't be showing up to events rocking 4 week old cornrows, like I am now :look:. There goes my plan to keep everything under wraps this winter! So after my EOTY flat iron, I'll be in small to mini braids and twists until things die down. AND THEN, I'll go into cornrows until spring..I hope. :lol:
 
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