Who has a twa and doesn't cowash daily???

[empressaja]

I have a twa and am at a loss for how my hair can look nice without the wetting completely everyday. I moisturize every night but of course my hair due to its length is squished to my head in the morning.

So today I get in the shower and just let the steam softened it up a bit, then I added my carefree gold instant moisturizer(I don't like this stuff but I have a big bottle and refused to waste it) and some activator gel. But my hair looks frizzy and I can feel the roots are just shrunken.

Am I doing something wrong or is this going to be the name of the game until I achieve some more length??

 

[Nonie]

According to Nonie's Bible, you sin if you go to bed w/o braiding your hair. Of course that's why it's squished in the morning.

I never cowashed daily when I had a TWA, but then again, I wasn't pressed for coil definition but loved to comb out my 'fro. And I reckon I looked fine:

By braiding my hair every night, it ensured tangles and knots were non-existent and my hair combed with ease in the AM w/o any breakage. Baggying also ensured I didn't lose my moisture (S Curl) and so I didn't have to reapply every morning--yet my hair stayed moisturized as if I had.

My wash regimen back then is the same as it is now: shampoo/condition/ACV rinse twice a week, with one of the two times involving a DC.

 

[MizzBrown]

I have a TWA and althought I poo about 2-3 times a week, I am not co-washing every day.

I still think that's just too much manipulation. I manipulate it enough spraying distilled water on it everyday to "style" it.

And by styling it, it just means spraying the water so i can poof/pick it out as my hair is squished to my scalp too,when I get up everyday. TIGHT curl. I really don't have a choice either until it grows out.

 

[*CherryPie*]

I wash and condition twice a week. After I towel dry my hair, I moisturise and braid, or twist my hair. I take the twists down in the morning and a little moisturiser. I wear it that way for days, applying moisturiser in the morning and night. No water unless I want it to curl up and shrink....

 

[Stormy]

I don't. I just wash and condition twice a week. Moisturize in the mornings with either glycerine and water, then sealed with EVOO and CO, or just simply use one of my spray or lotion moisturizers.

 

[empressaja]

Okay y'all I am talking about a real twa. I don't even have enough hair to braid. When it grows to a length that is braidable I will do that or even twist. But I am trying not to have to wet it in the shower daily.....

I guess I'll have to wait for more length then change it up.

 

[LoveTheSkinImIn]

If you have enough to twist (even if the twists look horrible and only go for like 2 or 3 rounds lol), then I would recommend spraying with water, adding moisturizer, and twisting then baggying overnight. Previously I had been cowashing every morning but I started baggying 2 nights ago and it prevents me from having to cowashing in the morning but surprisingly doesn't squish my hair

 

[PlatinumBronze]

I don't co wash daily and I don't braid or twist my hair nightly. I don't know how to braid and I hate twisting my hair nightly only if I'm wearing a fro in the AM. I haven't had any moisture control issues and I sleep on a satin pillowcase. So far my regimen is working for me. I don't have a set schedule. I wash and condition as needed which can be anywhere from once per week to a few times per week.

 

[nisemac]

as someone who cherished my 1/2 inch, non-braidable twa, i would mist with water first thing in the a.m. then apply a leave-in and seal, using my fingers to style. if i needed some product to combat the frizzies, then i would use some gel or aloe vera then seal. styling without water left me with the frizzies--maybe you need something a bit heavier when styling, especially if you're are going for more curl definition.

i would sometimes do my hair in the evening, use a good amount of gel to define my curls, immediately seal with oil and let it dry. i found, using a slightly heavier hand than normal--start with a little product then work your way up until you get the desired effect-yes, it would feel a bit hard once dry, but in the morning, i would just mist with water, let it sit, then lightly apply oil to finger style. that got rid of the crunchies AND my hair 'stayed put'. i could usually get 3 day hair by just spritzing in the morning and adding oil as needed. by the third day, i would normally have to cowash or rinse any product out. take advantage of the shower steam--its added moisture that soon, you may be fighting to hold on to. i learned that my twa hair was easier to style the next morning because it was always moisturized.

i didn't bother fighting the shrinkage. at that length, shrinkage was my friend because it allowed me to have more consistent curl definition, and didn't seem so squished in the a.m. my 3c/4a (fine and coarse which i think are more 4b) parts looked more consistent when short. once i get to about 3-4 inches, the texture differences really show and are trickier to work with.

some of the products i used that gave me good results were:

Ampro Protein Styling gel--i know, it probably has stuff most dont want to use but i got really good results with it. i didn't have to use to much and as long as i used an oil after applying, my hair stayed soft. plus, its like, 2 bucks and last a long time. i also found it useful when i needed a little bit of hold when i finally reached twisting length.

Eco styler gel (olive oil)--same as above, although sometimes i had to be careful or you can get flakes. another cheap product.

Giovanni Direct leave in--apply to soaked hair and really distribute thru hair. immediately seal with oil and let dry. i found if i work it thru as if i was co washing i got really nice definition and some hold to curls--and my hair didn't get hard. i found i could also do this with any dc that could be left in the hair, like Shea Moisture Deep Treatment.

Kinky Curly Knot today--same as above

Kinky Curly Custard--same as above. once dry, i could just spritz with water in the a.m. to revive, getting up to 3 day hair--sometimes 5 day.

i truly loved my non-braidable twa. so much so that once my hair started to grow, i would run to the barber and cut it down. it became addictive--styling took all of 5 minutes, and i never had a 'bad hair' day. it was also a simple solution to my lack of knowledge regarding growing out my natural hair. now i've learned that, once i can braid my hair, i need to move right into protective styling--i'm combining cornrows with a half wig, but at 3 inches still consider myself a twa due to shrinkage.