Healthy Hairstyling #4: Twists

The two-strand twist. A protective style that can be done on natural or chemically straightened hair. A style that is relatively easy and quick to do. A style that protects the strands by minimizing tangles and locking in moisture. A style that helps many to retain length.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INSPIRATION #1:
This lady wears twists for up to two weeks and a twistout the following week. Her routine has visibly contributed to her long, healthy tresses. Every now and then, she switches up her style with a sleek, straight do, a puff, etc. Her channel includes twist and twistout tutorials, explanation of her hair care routine, healthy hair tips, style experiments, and more:
Rusticbeauty

YOUTUBE CHANNEL INSPIRATION #2:
If you are uncomfortable wearing twists with your current hair length or simply just prefer the look of kinky twists, this lady may be an inspiration to you. She has achieved healthy, long hair through a kinky twist do-it-yourself (DIY) routine. She wears the style for a few months with breaks in between in which she wears intricate puffs, simple two-strand twists, ... you name it ... on her real hair. Her channel includes a kinky twist tutorial, explanation of her hair care routine, healthy eating and exercise tips, and more: BeautifulBrwnBabyDol

Twists can be done on wet or dry hair depending on the look you want achieve or other preferences. Twists done on wet natural hair are generally thicker, shrunken, and less likely to unravel while those done on dry, stretched hair are sleeker, thinner, and longer.

Twists can also be done as large or small as you want them to be. Smaller twists tend to last longer, lock faster, take longer to do and remove, and yield more defined twistouts. Larger twists tend to be faster to achieve and unravel, look more scalpy on certain heads, minimize knotting of the ends for certain hair types, etc.

Twists on chemically straightened hair is feasible. Apply a butter, gel, and/or setting lotion to the ends of your hair while twisting. (Naturals may benefit from the application of these products as well.) Then place a perm rod on the end of each twist, allow to dry, and then remove the perm rods. This process will prevent the twists from unravelling.

Twists are not for everyone. Some naturals do experience knotting and tangling of the ends with twists. A few options to overcome this dilemma include:

*twist on dry, stretched hair (stretched hair is less likely to knot/tangle),
*get a trim (a few scragglers can cause tangles),
*put perm rods on the ends of your twists (this stretches the ends),
*braid the ends of your twists (this keeps the ends intact), or
*opt for kinky or senegalese twist extensions.

If none of these options work, braiding the hair instead of twisting it may be your best bet.

Healthy Hairstyling #2: The Bun

The ends are the oldest part of the hair, and have consequently experienced the most wear and tear. For those with tresses at or past their shoulders, the ends may undergo further weathering due to friction with clothing, sofas, etc.. Thus, it is critical to find styles that protect and retain moisture in the ends, and what better way to do it than with the timeless bun. Here are some versions of this style (Photos from Essence Magazine) ...

CLASSIC BUN (left) and UNIQUE BUN (right):

MULTI-BUNS:

BUNS on kinky/coily/curly hair:
Depending on the curl pattern of your hair, extra preparation may be required for the bun. Women with curly to coily hair may find it easier to style buns on wet or damp hair. Meanwhile, women with coily to kinky hair may prefer to work with stretched hair (via banding, rollersets, etc.) to combat shrinkage. The method you choose also depends on the density and length of your hair. Learn what works for you! In either case, a little water, conditioner, gel, natural butter, or a combination of these ingredients may be applied to the hair to tame any frizzies. Be sure to moisturize the ends of your hair. Also refrain from applying too much tension. The following are various videos on how to do a bun on natural hair:

HOW TO VIDEOS for natural buns:
CURLY/COILY HAIR: tutorial 1 - damp, tutorial 2 - stretched
COILY/KINKY HAIR: tutorial 1 - stretched, tutorial 2 - stretched
For more videos, check out youtube.