Tiffany writes:
“I did some small twists and wore those for a few days and now I have the best twist out I’ve ever had. But I can never seem to keep the results for more than a day, and I REFUSE to put all those twists back in every night. Anybody have any suggestions on how to maintain the definition overnight? I usually just put my bonnet on and pray for the best in the morning!”
Jamila responds:
As with any protective style, always remember to moisturize. Before setting your hair for the night, I suggest spritzing with water or another moisturizing agent and sealing your ends with an oil or butter. Here are two simple ways to maintain your twists and twist outs for days!
Retwist in Big Chunks:
It may seem like a pain, but retwisting your hair at night is one of the best ways to maintain the definition of your twists. Don’t worry– you don’t have to do mini twists every night to get the same look, you can retwist in bigger sections and get similar results!
Tips from the video:
- Take a big section of hair and stretch it out a bit
- If sections are frizzy, take shea butter or other creams and smooth it over each chunk
- You might want to stick with a lighter product so it doesn’t weigh down your twists
- Get the twist really tight at the root, otherwise it will unravel
- If ends unravel, take a little bit of styler and twirl it on your ends for hold
- Sleep with a satin bonnet!
- In the morning, separate them like normal and fluff at the roots
Scrunchie Method:
This is taken from Naptural85. Watch her maintaining routine starting at 5:15.
Tips from the video:
- Spritz your hair with water at night to moisturize
- Secure your hair with a satin scrunchie and make a bun
- Make sure your ends are secure in the scrunchie
- Cover your hair with a satin bonnet!
- In the morning, shake it loose and re-mist with water.
- Separate your twists with your fingers for some extra volume.
Pineappling:
Pineappling refers to putting your hair at the crown of your head and securing it with a loose ponytail. Check out CurlyNikki’s pineappling method! If your hair is shorter, you will need to try the multi-pineapple. Here’s a guide on how to pineapple for all lengths…from twa to bsl.
Ladies, how do y’all maintain your twist outs at night?
This post was originally published on June 2012 and has been updated for grammar and clarity.
All of these ideas were super helpful! I've just learned how to successfully do a twist out this past week (I used waaayyy too much product the first couple tries) but had no idea how to maintain this other than a satin bonnet. Mybhair's only about 6 inches long at the moment so I may try the upside down scarf trick or just retwisting at night. Thanks ladies!
I maintain my braid-outs using the method in the "Maintain a Braid n' Curl / Twist-out / Braid-out" YouTube video by wwestNDNbeauty [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS3hBqmZeak].
In the morning, I just, take off the scarf/bonnet combo, shake fluff and go. My braid-outs last about 5 – 7 days without re-braiding. I think this is because I allow them to dry for a full day.
Pineappling never worked for me. I retwist with larger twists using curl junkie and sealing with almond oil.
Okay, this Naptural85 video changed my life.
http://youtu.be/P60mRRrcKPQ
I maintain my braidouts for a week by wrapping my hair like a relaxed wrap style. This way moisture from the other strands get on each other. The satin scarf helps the hair maintain moisture too. Pinapple-ing dried my ends, and retwisting was too yucky with more moisturizer and water. It also made single strand knots. You will retain your beautiful braidouts and twist outs if you wrap your hair.
These are all great tips, thanks for sharing all.
I've also found that doing a loose, low bun will preserve a twist out OR a wash n go for at least a couple days. My hair is too long for the pineapple, but the bun works just fine.
Traditional pineappling doesn't work for me, so I pineapple without a hairtie. I bend over until my hair is falling straight down and put a satin bonnet over the back of my head. Then,still while bending over, I'll take another satin bonnet and put that on my hair. I'll start at the ends of my hair and then come up until the bonnet is on my head. This method works so well for me.
And by the way my latest holding product I've fallen in love with is DESIGN ESSENTIALS curl stretching cream COMBINED with Joico's FIRM HOLD GEL. This combo gives me the hold and definition I need for my fine 3c/4a curls,
My best twist out came from 2 things: great holding products and drying with heat under bonnet dryer THEN sleeping overnight. The hold was fantasic. Definition AMAZING and last nearly a week
I re-twist my hair everyday. I flat-twist my hair using a curling cream on damp hair. I love the curl definition that I get. Because I have shorter hair pine-appleing won't work. It takes me about 20-30 mins to do while catching up on reality TV programming.
Antoinette
Good tips, I usually just slap on a bonnet and it will last for a week but Imay try the bun thing to keep my hair stretched.
celebrateyournaturalbeauty.blogspot.com
I use water & Tresemme naturals as a spritz I put coconut oil on & the sm curl enhancing smoothie. I leave my twist in for at least a week, I untwist & at night I just sleep with a satin bonnet. I can sleep w/o retwisting for up to two nights & then I will retwist on the third night using the curl smoothie.
Brooke B.
I use Giovanni Natural Mousse Air-Turbo Charged Hair Styling Foam as I twist. It has a medium hold that works well on both wet and dry hair. My twist out can last for the whole week (since I was weekly) But i'm sure you can try to stretch it out. Your hair stays soft and shiny all week long! Then once you take out the twists, then you can put your butter or oil on the ends.
Oyin Hair Dew, Shea Moisture's Enhancing Smoothie, my coconut-olive-rosemary-peppermint oil mix, retwisting, and my satin bonnet. I tried to pineapple and I didn't like it.
Oyin hair dew, then silky scarf, then bonnet on top. In am, fluff and go. I twist on fri then untwist Monday and wear x one week. Does not last if I don't give my hair 2 days to air dry. Otherwise would recommend bonnet dryer x one hour and then overnight. Not to encourage product junkism, but I had to try a few to find out what works for my hair. I have 4a/b medium density and medium strains. I set on wet hair. Use a light leave in (kinky curly) and twist with any butter. Any butter or grease works for my hair type. Some may need styler with hold like a twisting gel others may need a hard hold gel.
Thank you I needed this because my twist out start to look really stringy or stretch out and smushed after a day. At night I did not know what to do I just moisturize,seal and put on a satin bonnet, in the morning it is frizzy and to stretched out that I have to bun it or put it up. I am going to try retwisting or pineapple at night now. Thank you for posting this helpful article.
Megan Montgomery