Micro Twist Takedown on CNapp Hair

PHOTO: (L) Putting in twists, (R) After 4 weeks

So, as some of you probably already know, I've been wearing my real hair in micro twists for 4 weeks.

This weekend is takedown time!

Here's the GAME PLAN:

*Soak my twists with unrefined shea butter whipped with coconut oil + olive oil + etc.
Because my hair loves to shrink and has super tiny coils that coil upon themselves, wetting my twists with conditioner or water for the takedown process is a big no-no. Whipped shea butter lubricates my strands while allowing my hair to remain stretched. Applying this mixture will also act as a "prepoo" before my wash.

*Take down a twist & finger detangle
After I take down a twist, I finger detangle to remove shed hair, lint, etc. This will make the washing and comb detangling much easier.

*Put loose hair in 10-15 big twists, then clarify
Washing my hair in a loose state (especially after a micro twist takedown) is just asking for trouble. Loose hair that loves to shrink + loves to coil upon itself = tangles and knots when wet. I use 10-15 twists (as opposed to, say 5-10) because my hair is really dense. It also makes the detangling process more efficient.

*Deep condition, then comb detangle each twist
I need a thick deep conditioner to temporarily loosen my tight and tiny coils, provide hang, and coat my dense strands for detangling. For my hair, conditioners containing cholesterol and an oil are ideal. (I like to mix Lustrasilk cholesterol with olive oil.) After the conditioner sits for about an hour, comb detangling will remove whatever shed hair and tangles the finger detangling missed. I use a wide tooth comb first, and then the D3 (Denman) if necessary. (If you have hair like mine, never use the D3 on undetangled tresses.)

*Thoroughly rinse, then "seal", and airdry in the big twists
I "seal," or lock, the water into my strands by applying the whipped shea butter mixture. Then I airdry my hair in a stretched state to minimize shrinkage and knotting.

*Style once dry!
Styling my hair after it's airdried and stretched is a preference. It allows me to show more length and have a neater, longer-lasting style. It's also easier.

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FOR INFO ON MAINTAINING CNAPP HAIR

Too Busy for Healthy Hair?

Have you ever been just too busy to do your wash routine? too busy to deep condition? too busy to style your hair? too busy to maintain healthy hair?

Almost every one of has been at one time or another. Whether school has gotten us bogged down in homework OR our career has consumed our schedule, life has gotten hectic to the point where our hair has begun to suffer. Factor in stress and lack of sufficient sleep and whoa! It happened to me years ago, ... and it almost happened again recently. So, what stopped my hair from sufferring this time? A combination of the following:


*Protective styling
This is my number one go-to when life just gets too busy. Styles such as twists, braids, wigs, and more allow for me to go weeks without fiddling with my hair, a task for which I don't have time. It, of course, also protects the ends of my hair while I put my energy into work.

*Skip a wash day (or co-wash instead)
It is good hygiene to wash regularly, but skipping a wash day isn't going to kill my hair. If I don't have time for the entire wash day routine (i.e., prepoo, wash, condition, retwist my edges), then I just don't bother washing my hair at all. Most black women cannot get away with simply shampooing alone, and I am one of them. Due to the nature our hair, some level of conditioning or pre-conditioning is needed, which I cannot skip. So when I'm on a time crunch, I am better off just co-washing or skipping the washing altogether. There is also the option of using a dry shampoo (such as witch hazel on the scalp) to cleanse. Whatever route I take, I simply postpone my complete wash routine for when I do have time ... rather than doing it halfway.

*Sleep with a silk pillow case
Sometimes, after a long, tiring day the last thing I want or even remember to do is put on a silk scarf/bonnet. For that reason, I sometimes get in the habit of using a silk pillow case ... that way all I need to do when I get home is hit the bed.

*Moisturize
No matter how busy I am, I make the time to moisturize my hair. This step takes less than 5 minutes so there really is no excuse. Without adequate moisturization, my hair will definitely suffer.

*Postpone detangling
If I know I am not going to have time to detangle, then I don't bother touching my hair. I don't tangle it any further. Ideally, my hair is already in a set of twists or braids, so I just leave it in that set until I am ready to detangle. What if my hair is loose? Well, if it's time to detangle then I force myself to make the time to do so. Until then though, manipulating my tangled hair is bound to cause knots and more tangles ... so I just don't touch it. (It may be otherwise in your case, so definitely learn your hair.)

*Eat well
If I am too busy to get sufficient sleep or if my stress level is up, then I try to have my diet in check at the very least. In my opinion, lacking sleep + stress + eating healthy is less detrimental than lacking sleep + stress + eating crap. Certain nutrients that help us deal better with stress are just not found in junk foods or fast foods. Thus, on busy days, I attempt to choose the deli sandwich over the greasy burger. Aside from that, I try to work on getting more sleep and decreasing my stress, since lack of sleep and stress are conducive for hair loss.

Overall time management is a factor of arranging your priority list well and efficiently. Is it more important that you watch "Real Housewives of Atlanta" tonight or that you catch up on some necessary sleep? How about responding to emails while your hair is sitting in deep conditioner? Your healthy hair does not have to suffer.

Do you have any "on-the-go" hair care tips you want to share?

Boar Brush = Damage to Your Edges?

I was on youtube some months ago when I came across a number of educational videos by a popular trichologist. One video, in particular, addressed the harmful tools we use on our hair versus healthier options. I was already aware of some of the tools that were discussed, but one surprise was that a soft boar brush -- a tool many of us swear by -- is more detrimental to the edges than a rattail comb. A surprise, but well reasoned. Just ask yourself, would you rather move bristles across sensitive skin ... or would you rather move a smooth object? Check out the video link below to see what I mean. After watching the trichologist's demonstration, I gradually weened myself off my beloved boar bristle brush.

**From her video, I'd also infer that the Denman brush is more gentle on the edges than a boar brush.

VIDEO ON HAIR TOOLS

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 #3: Short Natural Hair

Just because your hair is short doesn't mean you can't fit "healthy hairstyle" and "beautiful" into one sentence. Twists do not have to be boring. Twistouts do not have to look crazy. Play your styles up with a beautiful clip, scarf, or headband. Put a spin on a simple twistout with partial cornrows in the front or a pompadour. Wear protective and low manipulation styles ... but HAVE FUN and FEEL BEAUTIFUL while you're at it! Healthy hairstyling does not have to be bland.

HEALTHY STYLES FOR SHORT NATURAL HAIR:
Twists (protective)
Braids (protective)
Finger coils (protective)
Bantu knots (protective)
Twistouts (low manipulation)
Braidouts (low manipulation)
Coilouts (low manipulation)
Combinations of the above (protective/low manip)
Wigs over braids/twists/cornrows (protective)
Strawsets (low manipulation)
Sew-ins (protective - when properly done and cared for)
Kinky twist / braid extensions (protective - when properly done and cared for)
Etc.

Here are some PHOTOS of protective & low manipulation styles. I did these when my hair was shorter. (Hair length was approximately 4 to 6 inches.)

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.

Healthy Hairstyling #1: The Twistout

The twistout is one of many hairstyle options you can do to maintain healthy hair. It requires no heat usage, thus preventing heat damage. It can be worn for days at a time, therefore requiring little mechanical manipulation to our tresses. With the twistout there is no tension on the scalp, and thus no damage to the hair follicle. What's more? It is simply a hot hairstyle for any length of natural or chemically straightened hair!

HOW TO DO A TWISTOUT:
1. Wash and condition the hair as usual.
2. Apply a mixture of butter (e.g., shea, mango, etc.) and gel OR butter and oil. (You can throw in other ingredients, like conditioner, if you like.)
3. Two-strand twist the hair.
4. Reapply butter mixture to the ends of each twist.
5. Allow the hair to air dry fully.
6. Separate each twist into two sections for longer lasting twistouts. (More sections for volume.)
7. Fluff the hair at the roots.

MAINTAINING A TWISTOUT:
The smaller your two-strand twists AND the longer you leave them in, the longer your twistout will last and more defined it will be. The key to maintaining the style is to simply leave the hair alone. The more you fiddle with the hair, the shorter the life of the style. Before you go to bed, put on a silk/satin bonnet to keep the twistout intact. In the morning, simply fluff the twistout with your hands. Re-moisturizing should be kept to a minimum though not at the expense of dry hair. If you must re-moisturize, spritz your hair lightly with your favorite product. Try to stay away from products that contain glycerin, which is a natural humectant and may shorten the duration of your twistout. EDITED TO ADD (Thanks, Jai!): Another way to maintain a twistout is to do about 8 big twists at night and sleep with a satin bonnet/scarf then untwist and fluff in the morning. This will keep the frizzies at bay.

STYLE DURATION:
About 3 to 7 days for naturally curly, coily, and kinky hair.
About 2 to 4 days for chemically straightened hair.

HOW TO VIDEO:
If you are a visual learner, the following videos may help guide you as you try the twistout. I think the lady does a great job perfecting the look. What follows are videos #3 and #5; check out her youtube page for the entire series.

VIDEO #3 (Twisting)
VIDEO #5 (Twistout)