Regardless of your specific curl pattern, if you have naturally curly hair and you’re seeking a protective hairstyle that doesn’t require the use of heat, then you may have considered twisting. What is twisting? Twisting is like braiding, except instead of gathering three strands of hair, you would only gather two. Many curly-headed women wonder if they should twist their hair while it’s wet or dry, and the answer will always be wet.
Benefits of twisting hair while wet
While it is possible to twist your hair while it’s dry, it is much easier and more effective to do so when you wet the hair first. Actually, the wetter, the better. So, right out of the shower is the absolute best time to twist your hair to get the best results. If you twist your hair while it’s dry, you won’t get the shrunken curls that wet-twisting gives you. You can also stretch your hair more effectively when it’s wet, so your curls can be more elongated if you desire.
Choosing the proper twisting cream
While twisting your wet hair should be sufficient to achieve your hairstyle goals, there are numerous creams and pomades on the market that can make your curls even more defined. Not all curly-headed women have hair that has the defined, prominent curls that some women do.
If you feel this way, then you should definitely invest in a curl-enhancing cream to use while twisting. Before deciding on a specific curl enhancing cream, be sure to take your time to research the many different choices that are currently available, so you can choose the one that will work best with your hair type.
Necessary tools and equipment
You don’t need many tools or equipment when twisting your hair, which is one of the reasons why twists are such a popular way for people with naturally curly hair to style their hair. You will need a comb, preferably a wide-toothed comb, as small-toothed combs have the tendency to pull out and break off curly and coily hair.
An appropriate comb is really the only tool that you will need. You might want to obtain some hair clips to separate your hair while you’re twisting each part, especially if you have very thick and long hair. However, in most cases, a single comb will suffice.
Is a sleeping cap necessary for twisted hair?
It is always a good idea to have an adequate sleeping cap to put on at bedtime, preferably made of silk, in order to prevent hair breakage. You can purchase a silk hair cover from any beauty supply store, online, or even at Big Box and drugstores. These caps aren’t expensive, and you should be able to find a silk cap for less than $5.
If you choose not to wear a cap, then at least sleep on a silk pillowcase to keep hair breakage to a minimum. A silk pillowcase may cost a bit more than a sleeping cap, but it shouldn’t cost more than $10, at most.
Is twisting hair daily too often?
Unless you have extremely fragile hair that breaks off easily, twisting your hair on a daily basis is permissible. In fact, daily twisting may be necessary in order to maintain the high-definition curls that most naturally curly-headed women believe are attractive. So, if your hair is strong and healthy, then don’t hesitate to twist your hair each night, so you can wake up with the luscious and attractive curls that you likely desire.
How to twist your hair for maximum definition
In order to transform your natural hair into a beautiful crown of curls without heat, you need to twist your locks in a certain manner. First of all, be sure that you have a high-quality curl enhancing cream that you’ll be applying to each twist. If you’re not washing and conditioning your hair prior to twisting, you need a spray bottle full of purified water. If it’s difficult to part your dry hair, then you need to wet it beforehand, which will make parting your hair easier.
Twist each section, one section at a time
Once your hair is wet, use a comb to make small, even parts, wet each section of hair and apply a small amount of the curl enhancing cream to each section. Twist each section from root to end before moving on to the next section. Continue until your entire head of hair has been twisted. If you make your twists too large, your curls will lack definition, so it’s important to make small parts, regardless of how tedious the twisting process might be.
Completely dry your hair before removing twists
Before removing the twists in order to enjoy your curls, be sure that your hair is completely dry. Some women twist their hair and then sit under a hooded dryer until their locks are completely dry, but you could also allow your hair to air-dry overnight in order to minimize the use of any heat in your hair. Never untwist your hair while it’s still wet or damp, as the curls won’t be properly set.
Style your curly hair
Once your twists are completely dry, you can carefully unravel them with your fingers. Be careful not to pull your hair out, which is easy to do when removing twists. Once all your hair has been untwisted, you can style your hair, but don’t use a comb, brush or pick, no matter how tempted you may be.
Using any hair tool will not only tug on your curls and make them less prominent, but it can also cause damage to your hair. Additionally, using tools on your freshly twisted hair can cause your hair to become frizzy instead of curly, which is certainly not something that you want to happen.
Conclusion
As you can see, twisting your curly hair while it’s wet will give you the absolute best curls ever. You can experiment with twisting dry vs wet hair, and chances are, you’ll love how your hair looks significantly more when it was twisted while wet.
So, the next time you decide to twist your hair, as long as your hair is wet and you use a high-quality curl enhancing cream, you should end up with hair that looks so beautiful and curly that you’ll wish you had been wearing it that way all along.
