So during my daily natural hair web surfing, I seem to come across dozens of questions on how to maintain Senegalese Twists and Kinky Twists, there isn't much information on caring for these guys so I decided that this should be my first official post!
I got my MBL/ waist length Senegalese twists on 9/9/12...about 10 days ago. They took about 4 hours since I had two people braiding my hair, which was awesome since I had to work later.
Check out my twist reggie!!
Preparation: A week before on wash day (I also did it again the day before)
-Prepoo'd with Oils mixed with Aussie Moist
-Shampoo with Shea Moisture Retention Shampoo
- Protein treatment with Millcreek Keratin Conditioner
- Deep conditioned with Shea Moisture Shea Butter Masque
- Applied my leave in of Aloe Vera Juice/ Taliah Eaajid Protective Mist Bodifier/ and some Shea Moisture
- Sealed with some random oil
- Banded my hair so it would be stretched for the braiders.** (This is where I messed up because when I got to the braiding place they still blow dried my hair, and I may have lost a lot of hair, so I recommend blow drying it yourself or doing some other form of stretching).
Maintenance: I was pretty nervous that my natural hair would pouf out of the twists but it's doing pretty good for right now, it's starting to show but I don't notice unless I'm looking for it. ACV mixed with water helps to keep the frizz down though.
Cleansing/ Moisturizing: UPDATED
Before I was all "I don't want to wash my hair with these twists in" but now I do so thought I would update this!
IF YOU DO WANT TO WASH:
- Dilute shampoo with water, more water than shampoo, in an applicator bottle and squirt onto your scalp and throughout your twists
- Rinse thoroughly
- Apply diluted conditioner onto your twists
- Baggy hair (cover hair with a plastic bag) for like an hour (optional but the conditioner is not!)
- Rinse and spray some diluted ACV to keep the frizz down (just a splash in 16 oz of water, less is more)
- Add leave ins
- Put a bit of serum/oil on to smooth an extra frizzies
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WASH:
- Use WITCH HAZEL (cleans/tones scalp and has antibacterial qualities, make sure it's alcohol-free) in an applicator bottle on my scalp, wipe off with water/clean cloth and then I apply my oil mix
- On hair/twists use Apple cider vinegar (just a splash in 16 oz of water, less is more) in a spray bottle to remove buildup and frizzies (the smell disappears after it dries)
- Apply moisture mist (make sure whatever you use is very light so that you don't get any buildup!)
- Baggy hair with a plastic bag for like an hour
- Put a bit of serum/oil on to smooth an extra frizzies
That's it! My hair always feels soft and my scalp feels very cool and refreshed
Daily:
- I apply my oil mix in the mornings, mostly focusing on my edges and nape
- If my hair is feeling dry, I spray on my moisture mist
Nightly: I just pop my bonnet on after putting my hair in a low bun.
