Twists 411

[DarkAngell]

Alright ladies. I want to get twists but I don't know the first thing about them.

Can somebody break it down for me?

Do I have to pay alot of money for them?
Should I do it myself?? ( i know alot of you do!)
HOW DO I DO THEM?
Can I do it without adding hair?
Do it on curly hair or straight hair?
How do i keep the ends from unravelling?

Any other information or tutorials. Feel free to post. Iwant them so bad but I've realized I'm completely stupid on the subject of twists!

I'm not looking to do it for a twist out. I want something I can leave in for a few of weeks/months

 

[Nonie]

Do I have to pay alot of money for them?

Yes. Any money you pay for something that you can master yourself is a lot IMO.

Should I do it myself?? ( i know alot of you do!)

Yes, make that a resounding yes!

HOW DO I DO THEM?

Divide a section into two and then twirl the two sections in one direction along their own axes, then wrap them around each other in the opposite direction as shown in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-PPsh1_Np0

I know that looks like it takes forever but not once you get the knack of it. It takes me about an hour and a half to do small twists in my APL hair. This is more or less how I do them (real time):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm0c7KPcj08

Can I do it without adding hair?

Yes you can. I do.

Do it on curly hair or straight hair?

Either is fine but I have 4B hair and find it easiest to work on it while it is stretched. I don't blow it out or straighten it, I just braid it and let it dry stretched, and then I under and finger part to twist. I used to use a comb to part but because I leave the twists in for weeks on end, I started to notice the parts becoming permanent and hard to hide when I took the twists out.

How do i keep the ends from unravelling?

If you have type 1-3 hair, you may need to put rollers at the ends to stop the hair unraveling. If you have type 4 hair, the coils hold the twists together. After I finish twisting my stretched hair, I usually will wet the hair so the ends coil and the twists shrink up and puff up. I have fine hair so the twists look skinny and sparse until after a wash. Also wetting them makes them hang down better and loose that wonky look. You can see the difference below:

Any other information or tutorials. Feel free to post. Iwant them so bad but I've realized I'm completely stupid on the subject of twists!

I'm not looking to do it for a twist out. I want something I can leave in for a few of weeks/months

I don't use any products in my hair when I twist, but I baggy nightly and wash my hair twice a week. I find this keeps my moisture just right and my hai doesn't lock up or tangle. I did try using S Curl on my ends but whenever I'd redo a twist, I'd find the hair somewhat threatening to tangle instead of separating as easily as you see in these two videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jff-Uqfb_SA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5iU4NgNGgI

So when I was trying to use S Curl, I'd have to first wash my hair and make sure it's free of products and only then could I work on it with ease. Go figure.

I redo my twists one at a time as I feel like it--usually while watching TV--so my hair is never overwhelming. I find twists easier to style when damp so I will usually spritz them to style or just style them after a wash after towel-drying while they're easy to stretch and let them airdry in the style I'll wear for a few days. Saran wrap is a good way to baggy as it holds the style too. If I plan to wear them down, I'll either let them drip dry after a wash with a towel draped across my shoulders so they hang right as in the photo above, or I'll spritz them if I haven't just washed them to get them wet so they hang the same way.

 

[Fhrizzball]

Twist Series

I think you may find this helpful. Be sure to start at the bottom of the page and work your way up so you'll be going in order.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I am working on keeping my hair twisted. The wash n go until fall is not working out for me the way I thought it would.

 

[DarkAngell]

I am working on keeping my hair twisted. The wash n go until fall is not working out for me the way I thought it would.

See I really just don't feel like it this summer. 2 summers ago i did micros and it was so great to get up and go but the time it took to put it and take out is just not worth it to me. But i'm looking at this as an alternative. This and I'm also going to try putting it in buns and wearing some scarves.

 

[Tiye]

Alright ladies. I want to get twists but I don't know the first thing about them.

Can somebody break it down for me?

Nonie broke it down from the diy perspective
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Do I have to pay alot of money for them?

Depends on the stylist. Cheaper isn't better IF the stylist doesn't know what s/he's doing. But otoh some talented people work out of their homes or will come to your home for affordable rates. If you have a family member or friend who can help that can be cheap - or you can exchange something instead of cash.
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Should I do it myself?? ( i know alot of you do!)

IF you know how to do them, then yes, go for it.
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HOW DO I DO THEM?
Can I do it without adding hair?

Yes.
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Do it on curly hair or straight hair?

You may have problems getting them to stay in with straight hair.
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How do i keep the ends from unravelling?

Some people find aloe gel helpful. You can also use any other holding gel.
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Any other information or tutorials. Feel free to post. Iwant them so bad but I've realized I'm completely stupid on the subject of twists!

If you absolutely don't know how to twist you may be better off having someone else do them for you to start.
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I'm not looking to do it for a twist out. I want something I can leave in for a few of weeks/months

Just an FYI - most people with curly or curly hair will experience at least some preliminary locking if they leave twists in for a few months. So a few weeks is a better idea than a few months ... unless you are open to the idea of locks.
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