Twist for Growth Challenge (Fall 2011)

NaijaNaps · Sep 13, 2011

Looking good ladies!

I've been extremely lazy with these twists and pretty much haven't tried to style them since washing on Saturday. Might take them out this weekend.

When do you ladies determine the right time to take down your twists? If I wash mine and don't re-twist, they can only go for about 2 weeks before the locing starts to happen lol. But if I wash and re-twist can go for a 4 weeks (maybe more!).

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

NappyNelle said:
ETA: Fine haired ladies are posting pics! Yay! @discodumpling and @faithVA, your twists look good, especially for the size you both were able to make. Your twists look so much fuller than mine.

Thanks NappyNelle,

I don't usually make my twists this big. I wear them much smaller so it gives the effect of having fuller hair. But of course those take a while to put in. My mom was surprised I actually wore them out of the house. They looked ok. I am still wishing for some length, especially having the crown hang over the back to fill in some of the holes.

But hanging out with you ladies will help me get through this rough length patch.

LoveTheSkinImIn · Sep 13, 2011

PaigeJessica those are cute! thank you

lovenharmony · Sep 13, 2011

I was in this 'challenge' and didn't even know it! :lachen:

I had my twists in for over 2 months during the summer. I recently took them out (for about a day) and will keep them in for another 2 months.

My regimen is pretty simple - spray with water every morning, and moisturize with my own leave-in when needed. I cut down washing my twists to every 2 weeks or so, and co wash maybe every other week, or if it feels extra dry. Every now and then I'll undo individual twist and retwist so they don't end up matting.

Here's when I first put my hair in twists

Here's my hair length after I took out the twists

Here's my hair now that it's back in the twists

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

lovenharmony said:
I was in this 'challenge' and didn't even know it! I had my twists in for over 2 months during the summer. I recently took them out (for about a day) and will keep them in for another 2 months.

My regimen is pretty simple - spray with water every morning, and moisturize with my own leave-in when needed. I cut down washing my twists to every 2 weeks or so, and co wash maybe every other week, or if it feels extra dry. Every now and then I'll undo individual twist and retwist so they don't end up matting.

Here's when I first put my hair in twists

Here's my hair length after I took out the twists

Here's my hair now that it's back in the twists

Welcome lovenharmony, old long term challenge member. :lol:

What great retention you have.

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

Hopefully during this challenge we can learn from each other ways to better maintain our twists. So I have a question.

Question of the Day - Water and Twists

There are some ladies that can mist their hair with water and then seal and there are some ladies that can not. I have misted my hair with regular water, filtered water, distilled water, water with conditioner in it, water with AVG, etc. And when I do the hair at my roots gets hard and tangly whether I seal or not.

There are also ladies that can wash or cowash their twists and others of us that can not due to unraveling, matting and tangling. I have braided my twists before, clamped them down and tried washing with a wig cap. So far twists and water on my head don't mix.

I would like to hear any theories from you ladies on why this may be. And from any ladies that have had this issue how you may have reduced it or eliminated it.

Seamonster · Sep 13, 2011

Lol, I haven't twisted my hair yet. I am getting it ready. I have an appointment to get a pretty flat twist style with extentions for my birthday, but I am going to try and do it myself today. Gotta make a stop at the 99 cent store for some hair.

lovenharmony · Sep 13, 2011

faithVA said:
Hopefully during this challenge we can learn from each other ways to better maintain our twists. So I have a question.

Question of the Day - Water and Twists

There are some ladies that can mist their hair with water and then seal and there are some ladies that can not. I have misted my hair with regular water, filtered water, distilled water, water with conditioner in it, water with AVG, etc. And when I do the hair at my roots gets hard and tangly whether I seal or not.

There are also ladies that can wash or cowash their twists and others of us that can not due to unraveling, matting and tangling. I have braided my twists before, clamped them down and tried washing with a wig cap. So far twists and water on my head don't mix.

I would like to hear any theories from you ladies on why this may be. And from any ladies that have had this issue how you may have reduced it or eliminated it.

My theory is that it depends on your hair's texture and density. It also depends on the products to maintain the style. Using the LOIS system, the curl pattern of my hair is very coily (S/O) so it's variably easy for my hair to twist itself, let alone placing it in twists. My hair is also dense and a mixture of silky / cottony texture, so it would be better to keep my twists small since big twists will unravel and frizz out due to the thickness.

Since my hair is coily by nature, water helps to make it more pliable so I can 'set' my twists in place rather than make it unravel. Once it dries, it's more apt to frizz out and unravel. What also helps to maintain my twists is the leave in I use. My leave in has pure Aloe Vera gel in it, which gives my twists more hold. If I notice that my hair is becoming too 'soft' in the twists, I'll re-wet and use my leave in to set, then leave my hair alone.

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

lovenharmony said:
My theory is that it depends on your hair's texture and density. It also depends on the products to maintain the style. Using the LOIS system, the curl pattern of my hair is very coily (S/O) so it's variably easy for my hair to twist itself, let alone placing it in twists. My hair is also dense and a mixture of silky / cottony texture, so it would be better to keep my twists small since big twists will unravel and frizz out due to the thickness.

Since my hair is coily by nature, water helps to make it more pliable so I can 'set' my twists in place rather than make it unravel. Once it dries, it's more apt to frizz out and unravel. What also helps to maintain my twists is the leave in I use. My leave in has pure Aloe Vera gel in it, which gives my twists more hold. If I notice that my hair is becoming too 'soft' in the twists, I'll re-wet and use my leave in to set, then leave my hair alone.

Thank you for your insight lovenharmony. Perhaps it will help some who have similar textures and are looking to further maintain their twisted styles.

-PYT · Sep 13, 2011

faithVA I believe it also depends on your method of twisting. Remember how Nonie was saying to turn each piece of hair along it's axis before twisting around the other piece? This has aided me in being able to rinse or wash my hair while in twists without them unraveling much or at all. It makes for a Very solid and smooth twist. HTH!

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

-PYT said:
@faithVA I believe it also depends on your method of twisting. Remember how Nonie was saying to turn each piece of hair along it's axis before twisting around the other piece? This has aided me in being able to rinse or wash my hair while in twists without them unraveling much or at all. It makes for a Very solid and smooth twist. HTH!

Thanks -PYT,

I am familiar with the method Nonie suggests. It does make for very beautiful twists and twist outs. This may be of use to some newbies that want to have tighter twists.

pookaloo83 · Sep 13, 2011

I'm gonna read through this thread later, but I wanna join. Sign me up please! faithVA

discodumpling · Sep 13, 2011

I rinse or cowash my twists as needed. I don't fear the frizz! I embrace it, or tame it with my shealoe mix and a scarf for a few minutes and keep it moving. I spritz with water and seal it with whatever shea mixture is close at hand at least 2X a day and almost NEVER wear a shower cap so my twists are always moist.
Yeah they tangle occasionally but my hair is so very moisturized that tangles are not an issue..i'm patient extremely patient when it comes time for the takedown!

bronzebomb · Sep 13, 2011

faithVA do Kinky Twists count? I refuse to wear regular twists in public. I look too childish. My hair shrinks more than 50%.

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

pookaloo83 said:
I'm gonna read through this thread later, but I wanna join. Sign me up please! @faithVA

Ok pookaloo83,

I will be watching for your initial stats. The thread is just getting going but it looks like it will be busy. Hopefully :yep:

faithVA · Sep 13, 2011

[USER=178944 said:
bronzebomb[/USER];14223919]@faithVA do Kinky Twists count? I refuse to wear regular twists in public. I look too childish. My hair shrinks more than 50%.

No this is only for the real hair. I understand about the childish look and the shrinkage. :yep:

I have just been toughing it out.

discodumpling · Sep 14, 2011

Bantu knot out for today. After moisturizing and sealing last night I placed my small twists into 5 knots and released for a tightly curled twist fro this morning! ...Let's see what they look like after 1/2 hr of cardio :spinning:

faithVA · Sep 14, 2011

discodumpling said:
Bantu knot out for today. After moisturizing and sealing last night I placed my small twists into 5 knots and released for a tightly curled twist fro this morning! ...Let's see what they look like after 1/2 hr of cardio

Looks cute. I love how easy it is to curl twist with bantu knots and braids.

pookaloo83 · Sep 14, 2011

I put my hair in twists last night. I washed my hair and put it in plaits and sat in front of the fan. It dried in about 30 mins. I then undid each plait moisturized and sealed. Then I twisted it up. It's in a low bun right now.

My hair gets the itchies after about a week. I hope I can make it last 2.

faithVA · Sep 14, 2011

pookaloo83 said:
I put my hair in twists last night. I washed my hair and put it in plaits and sat in front of the fan. It dried in about 30 mins. I then undid each plait moisturized and sealed. Then I twisted it up. It's in a low bun right now.

My hair gets the itchies after about a week. I hope I can make it last 2.

Thanks pookaloo83.

Please share with us the following when you have a chance. If I missed it from a previous post, forgive me.

Your go to twist style (alternatively braid style)
Your twist care regimen
What you hope to achieve by December
Anything else you would like to share.

pookaloo83 · Sep 14, 2011

faithVA said:
Thanks @pookaloo83.

Please share with us the following when you have a chance. If I missed it from a previous post, forgive me.

Your go to twist style (alternatively braid style)

Your twist care regimen

What you hope to achieve by December

Anything else you would like to share.

Oh yes! I'm sorry!

Your go to twist style (alternatively braid style)
Your twist care regimen
What you hope to achieve by December
Anything else you would like to share.

1. My go to style will be twists in an updo or bun.

2. My regimen will be moisturize and seal every 2 days with Qhemet AOHC and seal with Hot Six Oil. I have ran out of Qhemets at the moment so I have the burdock root cream at the moment until My Qhemets come in the mail.

3.I hope to retain more length and thickness since I'm a fine haired natural.

4.I hope I can stick through this. I have never stuck through a challenge all the way before, but I want to get serious with this. Twists usually give me knots, but I'm trying to see how I can avoid this. It's like they want to lock up after a while.

I was thinking on wash day to wash in the twists and dc in them as well. Then let them airdry and retwist. What is everyone else doing? I'm trying to not manipulate the strands too much.

pookaloo83 · Sep 14, 2011

Here's my twists. I didn't look in the mirror when I did them. I will next time. I pinned the sides up and put them in a bun.

pookaloo83 · Sep 14, 2011

And here's some videos guys. For some twists styles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j5UrYnHoxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahTC1q9dilg&feature=mh_lolz&list=FLsdBWkhc8rNaU_YnPkdnlsg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PBvb3lsVD4

faithVA · Sep 14, 2011

Thanks ladies Krystle~Hime and pookaloo83.

I have added the new styles to the list.

faithVA · Sep 14, 2011

I realized trying to stretch my twists by pulling them back or putting them in cornrows causes them to unravel faster. So this week I tried not to pull them back and they have lasted much longer than usual. Today though I put the back up and the back twists are unraveling as usual. So pulling the hair is definitely a culprit.

So I will try to wear my hair down 3 days, up 2 days and in a twist out 2 days and wash on the 7th day. If I want to wear my twists longer I will have to eliminate the up styles.

MaraWithLove · Sep 15, 2011

Well, here's my shrunken start; first-time natural twists lol. I think I'll have to make my twists smaller next time since my hair is so thick and they get puffy/unravel kind of quick. Gonna see how long these last.

PaigeJessica · Sep 15, 2011

Looking good MaraWithLove. My hair is thick too and it does help to have smaller twists. In my crown they really like to puff up so I have to make those twists twice as small as the rest of my head for it all to match lol.

My twists for today. Twisted the left side back and had the front swept over. It'll be one week on Friday and I hope I don't start itching. I don't want to wash them yet, they never look as good after I do.

greenandchic · Sep 15, 2011

Ill be lurking to see twisted styles. I would love to join, but I look juvenile with braided/twisted hair. I may just need ideas. :lurking:

NappyNelle · Sep 15, 2011

Lurk away greenandchic I'm sure you don't look as childish as you think!

So... I found these inspirational photos on my computer:

westNDNbeauty- Is this you? :look:

If I had skills, I would attempt these styles. LOL

FroFab · Sep 15, 2011

^^^Those styles are awesome.

faithVA With the water I generally try not to cowash to often because its just not a good look for my hair (I have fine strands which frizz easily). Previously I was wetting my hair with water with my hands (like a light dampening) then adding a hand mix of leave-in, castor oil, and shea. Since I've run out of castor oil I have been experimenting with different things. I spritz with a water and aloe gel mix, then add a nickel size amount of leave-in, then a pea sized amount of JC N&S. Its been keeping the length of my twists feeling moisturized so far. I wash when itchy or my head smells sweaty (I live in a very warm climate) and although I try to keep frizz at bay I don't fight it either so if it frizzes after 4 days then so be it...these bad boys will just have to stay in anyway.

Twist for Growth Challenge (Fall 2011)

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