Got Fine Natural Hair? Get Big, Bossy Twist-Outs Anyway.
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- May 5, 2014
my abbreviated henna gloss be poppin’!
Hola Chicas!
I’ll keep this shawt.
Do you or a curly you know have–
(1) fine, highly porous hair that dries quickly after washing?
and/or
(2) a curl pattern so fierce that it resists wet sets… like, due to a lack of weight or leverage, your roots maintain your natural texture while the rest of the length takes on the twist or braid-out pattern? #Awkward
I have a solution to help you achieve full, voluminous Twist-n-Curls with a more consistent texture. No heat. Less time. Hella moisturized.
The only way I’d been able to achieve consistent root-to-tip definition using twist and braid-outs was on dry or damp hair. Previous routines involved heat (stretch blow drying) or ALL the time and my last nerve (waiting hours for a Curlformer set to dry in order to dry twist-out… later). I had also tried damp sets– allowing my wet, (leave-in) conditioner-laden hair to dry for a while (either air dry or in a t-shirt) before commencing the twist action. The problem is, product-y hair takes a long time to dry and it only helps to lock in my super strong curl pattern which doesn’t bode well for the set.
Anyway, y’all know the tricks. I’ve shared them all here.
My new routine still takes a bit of patience, but it’s less time intensive and there’s no need for a blowdryer. Since I’ve been pre-pooing with coconut oil + a deep conditioner (with heat) before every wash day, I’ve found that after rinsing and detangling in the shower, my hair is super soft and moisturized before adding a leave-in conditioner. Like, soft and moisturized enough to get out the shower and just let that ish dry. Naked.
Here’s what I do–
1. Pre-poo w/ coconut oil + Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa (they changed their formula! #WayMoreDoper) w/ heat for 30 minutes. Sometimes overnight if I get lazy and decide not to wash.
2. Hop in the shower. Rinse treatment thoroughly. Apply a slippery conditioner in sections (Aussie Moist or the like)
3. Allow to marinate and then finger detangle while rinsing under the shower head.
4. Create 4 large twists (middle part– two twists in the front on either side and two in the back on either side)
5. Get out of the shower and tie on a t-shirt like this to soak up the moisture–
6. Leave it on for 15 minutes. Remove and air dry for a while longer (30 minutes to an hour, or whatevs). Since you haven’t applied a leave-in conditioner or cream styler your hair will dry faster and less defined (my naked hair would be fully dry in 2.5 hours).
Peruse the internets. Do Mommy and/or Wifey things. Have a glass of Riesling.
7. Take down one section at a time. Finger detangle if necessary (my hair remains detangled in the twists) and bask in the luxuriousness of soft, hydrated naked hair. Run through once with a wide tooth comb to break up any curl clumps and definition, especially at the roots. At this time, the section should look a bit like a shrunken blow-out. The hair should be just barely damp to the touch.
8. Apply a little Oyin’s Hair Dew (or a moisturizing, leave-in that’s not too wet but still has detangling agents like behentrimonium methosulfate) and create two, two-strand twists.
9. Repeat the above with the other 3 sections. I end up with 8 chunky twists in total that are barely damp to the touch.
10. Seal the ends with Qhemet’s serum (a throwback I’m revisiting and loving!) and roll more than half the length on flexi rods to get the ‘bob effect’, which I so crave.
If I didn’t roll the ends…
The best part is, since your hair was barely damp when you set it, it only takes about an hour or two to dry. If you needed to, a bonnet dryer could have you good to go and out the door in 30 minutes. It takes me about 3-4 hours from ‘pre-poo’ to ‘bomb’.
Finally, a combination of the pre-poo/deep treatment, applying a moisturizing cream to almost dry hair and sealing it in with a softening serum, leads to ridiculously hydrated, shiny hair that lasts for a couple of days. At night, I shove it into my satin bonnet (pineappling without the hair tie) and hope for the best. I lubricate the ends daily with oil or shea butter.
Hope this helps!
Later Gators,
Nik
p.s. I’ll be updating my Spring/Summer routine soon!
