Thursday, September 9, 2010

Twist Series: Maintenance I

It's official!  The twist series has begun.  Today, I start by answering some of your questions.  The remaining questions will be answered in the weeks to come ...  Feel free to continue adding more questions/comments.


How long do you keep yours in?
2-3 weeks. I no longer keep them in for 4 weeks at a time since my current lifestyle requires that I look more "polished".

How many twists do you make?
About 40 twists on average.  Sometimes 30, sometimes 55.

How large do you make them?
Medium to large. Sometimes I make them small. I no longer do jumbo since they don't last as long. I haven't had time for micro/mini twists since my last set.  (My micro twists can be seen here.)

What products do you use?
On twist day, I start off with a Coconut Oil prepoo, followed by a wash with Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree, followed by deep conditioning with Lekair Cholesterol. I then detangle before rinsing the conditioner. I airdry about 80-90% of the way in plaits. Then I apply a homemade Whipped Shea Butter to my whole head and begin twisting. (The whipped shea butter recipe can be found here.)

Do you do any daily/weekly/monthly maintenance?
Yes. I wear a satin scarf or bonnet nightly to keep the twists moisturized and intact. Before putting on the scarf/bonnet, I put my twists into a french roll or three big twists. (No bobby pins, ouchless bands, or anything; just hair.)  Weekly, I spritz my hair with a little water ... just enough to make it slightly damp and no more than that. Then I reapply the whipped shea butter and wrap my hair with a satin scarf. If it is a wash week, I may redo the perimeter of my twists.

How do you keep your ends moisturized?
I spritz water and apply whipped shea butter weekly (unless it's a wash week). I then follow up by wrapping my hair with a satin scarf until it dries ... otherwise, it'll be frizz galore. Before wrapping my hair, I put my twists in a french roll or three big twists.

How often do you shampoo/condition your hair while it is twisted up?
About 1x every 1-3 weeks, depending on the season. I tend to wash more frequently in the summer versus the rest of the year. I tend to wash more frequently if I've been sweating or if my hair is extremely parched.