You guys, I don’t think I have EVER felt my natural hair the way I’ve been feeling it this week!!! And everywhere I go, I have been getting exuberant compliments and huge, positive reactions — even congratulatory reactions — to my hair.
What’s the DIFFERENCE, you ask? I don’t know, you guys! It’s SOMETHING about this twist out. I have pictures to share with you, of course, but I’m slightly frustrated because pictures just DON’T. DO. IT. JUSTICE. I look in the mirror and then look at my photos, and I just can’t capture the shine, the definition, the bigness — just the overall gorgeousness of this week’s twist out. It won’t show up on film! Grr! Other naturals have told me that they’ve run into the same issue: the inability to actually capture in photos the way their hair really looks.
Anyway, so, yeah, this hair is amazing this week. And it’s important to say that I absolutely do not say that with even an IOTA of any sort of bragadocious feeling. I say it because I gotta be honest: As a black woman who used to relax her hair for 30+ years, it has been a real challenge to learn my hair, to love my hair . . . And so that is where I’m coming from when I open my mouth to announce, “This hair is amazing!” I’m announcing it to myself as much as to anyone, and it marks a significant day in my natural hair journey, for sure. 😀 ❤
Twist Out Details: Process, Video Tutorials, Products, and Preservation
Below I share every detail I could think of about how I achieved this week’s twist out and how I’ve been preserving it throughout the week. And though the photos just don’t do it justice (smh 😀 ), I share plenty of photos. I guess you can just . . . well, okay: When you view the photos, imagine the volume and shine and definition to the UMPTEENTH level above and beyond what the camera was able to capture, okay? Okay. 😛
Process: Transforming a Failed Wash and Go into This Week’s Twist Out
Ironically, this twist out started out as a wash and go. I cowashed my hair, deep conditioned my hair, and applied leave-in and gel like I typically do. THIS TIME, however, I decided to trial Ampro Curl Activator Gel.
You guys, this wash and go was drying just BEA-U-TI-FULLLLLLLL . . . until I decided to tension blow dry it for elongation. It gradually started looking like a hot mess as I attempted to tension blow dry it. I think I either needed to let it fully dry and THEN try to elongate it (either via tension blow drying or banding) . . . AND/OR I needed to apply a strong hold gel over it. Regardless, that wash and go turned into a wash and no really fast. 😦 😛 I had no choice but to try to transform it into something else.
Products I Used
Products Used for the Original, Failed Wash and Go
| Cowash and detangler | Shea Moisture High Porosity cowash (first-time use) | I liked it. I feel that the Jane Carter Curls to Go Curl Drench Cleansing Co Wash detangles better. |
| Deep conditioner | Anita Grant Rhassoul Condish (first-time use) | Was absolutely fabulous on my hair. Left my hair elongated and hydrated and soft. However, too pricey. I hope to DIY this at some point. 😀 |
| Leave-in | Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water leave-in | Good |
| Curl definer | Ampro Curl Activator Gel (first-time use) | Before I ruined it by attempting to blow dry, this had my hair looking amazing! The smell is slightly annoying for me (I have a sensitive sense of smell). Likely a deal breaker. I’ll seek an alternative. |
Product I Initially Used to Transform the Failed Wash and Go Into a Twist Out
I ended up rewetting my hair with a water bottle, applying Bronner Brothers Firm Hold Curling Gel over all that previous product, and installing 5 twists on one side of my head and 6 twists on the other.
PROBLEM: After my twists completely dried, when I began to untwist them for the twist out, my hair was CEMENTED TOGETHER. Yes, that’s how strong that Bronner Brothers Firm Hold Curling Gel is, I kid you not. (It’s great in the right amount, but too much per section and BAM!: Cement.)
Would you BELIEVE that because of the cement-level hold, I got BREAKAGE from untwisting my hair?!?? There were tiny pieces of broken hair in the SINK, you guys!
Product I Used on Subsequent Nights/Days to Remove the CEMENT-LEVEL HOLD and to Preserve the Twist Out throughout the Week
I was able to soften my hair and retwist throughout the week — as needed — using The Mane Choice Ancient Egyptian 24K Gold Twisting Gel.
Tutorial Videos: Twist Out Technique and Style Preservation Technique
The videos below together provide every detail about the method/technique I used to achieve and preserve this week’s twist out.
Method of Installation of the Twist Out
What “Correct” Twists Look Like and How To Achieve Them
The Hair Sock I Use To Preserve the Twist Out Overnight if It Does Not Need Re-twisting
Note: The hair sock is discussed and demo’d starting at around time stamp 7:37.
The Strategy of (Perhaps Chunkily) Retwisting at Night (as Needed) To Preserve the Twist Out
Photos of My Twist Out
