Hair Twists

Table of Contents

Clearly, we’re big fans of crochet faux locs, that’s why it was very easy for us to fall in love with hair twists.

WHAT ARE HAIR TWISTS?

Hair twists are simple styling that involves twisting natural or synthetic hair strands in twirled plaits. This can be done with clumps of hair sectioned into any size. Many hair twist hairstyles use a two-stranded twist technique to create a more aesthetic appearance and versatile loc. Hair twists are considered a protective hairstyle because of how the styling safeguards your natural hair and tips. 

Twisted red and black hair with no face vector of black women.

Of course, there are other ways to achieve it, but that’s pretty much the basic understand of what a twist is.  Now, that we have a basic understanding of the look, how about some hair twist history

HISTORY OF HAIR TWISTS IN NATURAL HAIR

Because of the simplicity of the hair twisting technique, stylings were worn with uniquely created designs throughout history. The exact origins of the twist hairstyling’s are unknown, but we know that some of the earliest evidence of hair twists is recorded back to 2500 b.c in Hindu scriptures and past relics (1). The scriptures show depictions of men and women with twisted loc’d hairstyles covering over their heads. Some hairstyling’s were worn for battle, and some to display symbols of high power and respect. These styles evolved from dreadlocks to create wonderful stylish variations. As generations passed, the variations of the twist became a symbol of so much more than hair!

The styling of twisting your hairs led the way to more intricate patterns and braids. The combination of braids and hair twists are prevalent in over 500 African cultures (4). Some standard braid and twist creations include cornrows, Bantu knots, Zulu twist, and Nubian knots. These locs could be worn to show marital status, age, religion, wealth, and rank in many parts of Africa. All these stylings are just variations made from two-strand twists (2).

Queen act logo calirfornia black girl - crochet faux locs

 

Creating a
Respectful and
Open
World for
Natural hair

CROWN ACT (California) LEGALIZING HAIR TWISTS IN NATURAL HAIR

On July 3, 2019, California passed the Crown act to protect against black hairstyles’ discrimination. It put forth rules to help stop black discrimination from schools and workplaces because of their existing grooming policies. This includes workplace dress code and grooming policies that don’t allow afros, braids, twists, and locks. Black individuals claim they feel a burden or punishment for wearing their natural hairstyles in the workforce (3). California is one of the first states to enact a law to protect against such discrimination.

ADDITIONAL HAIR TWIST INFORMATION

Hair is relaxed from soaking in hot water or hair locking products. To get the hair’s ringlet to hold correctly. Use this technique of interlacing strands of human hair together to create the best stylish twist creations.

Natural and synthetic hair extensions are added to twists to create a protective loc styling that shields the natural hair from damage. These hairstyles are Faux locs. They are imitation locs that are inspired to look like traditional dreadlocks.

It is harder to keep delicate hair textures, such as caucasian hair, twisted together without unraveling. Thus, the protective style is more familiar with black women of African descent, who have beautiful, kinky, and dry hair. These twisted creations have been around for thousands of years and were created in many shapes and stylings.

Black and white vector picture of twisted cornrow flat twist against head.

 

EVENLY SECTIONED AND TWISTED CORNROWS LOOK AMAZING AND PROFESSIONAL

COMPLETE GUIDE HOW-TO MAKE HAIR TWISTS

PREP

  • Always wash your head and scalp. Start with a clean base. This will help extend the length of time you can leave in your stylings.
  • Apply nourishing oils like tea tree and peppermint for good scalp health. Leave-in conditioner can leave hair too moist for twists, so don’t apply heavily.
  • Grab a comb and stretch your hair. If you are adding hair extensions, make sure those come pre-stretched for faster and easier application.
  • Pre-soak hair if not already moist. The twists will lock better when the hair is naturally relaxed and wet.
  • To help hold those twist, grab your favorite holding pomade or butter hair products.

 

THE BEST PRODUCTS ARE ONES LABELED FOR USE IN FAUX LOCS AND DREADS WITH NATURAL AND ORGANIC INGREDIENTS

Mango line bottle with yellow label for lock gel hair product container with black lid cap

STEP BY STEP TWO STRAND TWIST

  1. Begin by sectioning your freshly cleaned and stretched hair. Sectioning the hair will ultimately depend on your desired thickness or the density of locs you want.
  2. Start in the front and grab your first bundle of sectioned hair. Divide the strands as evenly as possible
  3. Begin by twisting the two strands together one at a time.
  4. Finger comb the overlapping strand all the way from root to tip to pull it tight and align the strands. After every twist, it is highly recommended you do this to help lock in the twists faster and straighter for a better look and feel!
  5. Work the twists all the way down. If you are adding hair extension, you will add the strands one at a time, overlapping your natural hair starting from the roots and twist out naturally or you will begin to with cornrows and interlace the hair locs and begin the twists at the scalp all the way out.
  6. The tips are an intricate part to master. We usually finger coil the tips together for creating a nice knot. Sometimes we have to use butter or pomade for a better hold. There’s nothing wrong with using a tiny amount on the tips. But keep the hair natural and free of product for the best results!
Black and white vector image of braided hairstyle with flat laying twist.

 

KEEP THOSE EDGES TIGHT AND EVENLY SPACED FOR AN AMAZING LOOK

3 TIPS TO MAKE TWIST LAST LONG

Twists and other faux loc styles are hard to keep looking so fresh and clean. Luckily we have the best tips and tricks to lock in those twists!

  • Help hold those twists by routinely tightening the twirls and applying a loc butter to unraveling tips that won’t keep.
  • Wear a satin bonnet when showering to avoid detangling your twist creations and to help hold those twists together.
  • Wrap a durag around your locs to help them hold better while you sleep. Tossing and turning while you slumber can be devastating to an updo.

 

HAIR SO CAREFULLY CRAFTED TO LOOK MORE REAL THAN NATURAL HAIR

Beautiful blak twisted crochet faux locs hair indivuduals for passion or senegalese twist hair.

ACTUAL TWISTS VS CROCHET HAIR

Faux locs are a growing trend in the hair braiding community. Real dreadlock masterpieces inspire the locs. With so many notable inventors and beautiful creators, styles and aesthetics are always changing. This has led to a recent trend in crochet methods of attaching hair. Crochet hair is hairpieces intended to be crocheted through cornrows with a simple loop or interlaced through box braids.

Pre Loc’d crochet hair comes already made into individual faux locs. These locs typically come pre-looped to add directly through cornrows. This style is very fast to install and looks fantastic. The pre loc’d hair comes in twists, braids, locs, and curly hair.

Twisted strand techniques vector in black and white with single strand twists and braids.

 

TWISTED HAIR STYLES CAN HAVE ANYWHERE FROM ONE STRAND TO THREE STRAND TWIST PATTERS

9 TWIST STYLES TO TRY RIGHT NOW!

No matter if you have straight hair or curly hair, we got all the styles you need to rock those lovely twists. Once you have mastered the two-strand twist, you can step it up to the more complex stylings.

 

THREE STRAND TWIST CAN BE A GREAT WAY TO CREATE JUMBO TWIST HAIR LOCS

Beautiful black woman at salon getter her hair retwisited by another sister using special tools.

1.THREE STRAND TWISTS
Many think the three-strand twist is a braid. It’s not a braid at all. It still follows the same twisting technique as a conventional coil. The main difference is the thickness achievable with the three strands looks more intricate than using fewer strands. A good trick and technique when starting are, to begin with, a simple braid to help the root and loc versatility. Seal the tips the same way you seal any other ends with pomade or butter.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

Happy black african model wearing kinky burgundy ombre faux loc z twists

 

KINKY CROCHET TWIST LOCS LOOK GREAT IN BURGUNDY AND OTHER RED COLORS

2.KINKY TWIST
These twist styles are unique because the hair used has more kinks and coarser texture hair extensions wrapped around the user’s hair. The styling starts with two strands braided with Marley hair or other short hair extensions at the roots. About 3 inches down, the hair is then twisted into a regular two strand twist and finished all the way to the tip. The locs tend to be uniform at about shoulder length. Because of the size of the twists styling, the hair usually is not worn up.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

 

BROWN AND BLACK PASSION TWIST FAUX LOCS ARE SHINY AND REFLECT VIBRANT RAYS OF COLOR

Pretty brown skinned girl wearing long brown micro braids with sealed tops

3.PASSION TWIST
Passion twist is another wonderful two-strand creation. This styling uses a silky smooth hair texture to create a lovely styling that will carry so much passion and satisfaction! Because of the quality hair texture required, the styling typically doesn’t use regular human hair. Instead, the styling uses synthetic fibers to achieve a silky smooth appearance. The fibers used are susceptible to abrasion and defects that will reduce their reflectiveness to light. This can hurt the aesthetic appearance of the locs. These locs are one of the more elegant twist hairstyles. To help keep them shiny, we recommend an alcohol-free mousse.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

 

SIZE DOES MATTER WHEN YOUR TALKING FAUX LOCS. GO BIG WITH JUMBO LOCS OR GO SMALL WITH MINI TWISTS.

African model wearing grey shirt with burgundy havanna twisted faux locs

4.JUMBO AND MINI TWIST
Twist can be made up to any size and shape. They can be mixed with braiding hair and plaits to create wonderful heavenly creations. With different hair density and twist techniques, a hairstylist can add more strands to create jumbo twists or use thinner, shorter hair to make mini twists. Depending on the size will depend on how deep of a wash you will need. Jumbo twist requires extra time to dry and a really deep cleanse to get rid of any build-up. Avoid extra-jumbo plaits on your head that will weigh you down and cause tension on your scalp. Use shorter lengths for better frizz control and low maintenance hair care.
Mini twists are intricate and delicate. They can be easier to make if you use a comb to twist the strands. Mini locs usually unravel easier than regular twists.

 

USE YARN AND OTHER DENSE FIBERS TO ROCK THOSE LOVELY SENEGALESE TWISTS

Fit black girl model with pink crop top shirt wearing brown thick havana half bun hairstyle

5.SENEGALESE TWIST
These are my favorite form of twists as the name gives away their original origin, the Senegal area of west Africa. The styling uses a combination of jumbo kinky and coarse hair that is very reflective to create thick, dense, shiny, and smooth twists. Some hair extensions used in making this protective hairstyle include synthetic fibers, expensive yarn, and silky ropes. The large twists spiraling down these locs give the hair generous structural support to hold an excellent twist shape. Paring golden or light brown hair fibers really bring an aesthetic elegance to the hairstyle. Click here for more on Senegalese twists.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

6.HAVANA TWIST
This styling uses a loose distressed curl and winding technique with jumbo crochet hair to create a thick and bouncy hairstyle. The hair used closely resembles denser Marley hair. The extension hair is added with a crochet method or twisting. The hair for this style can be any jumbo, thick, kinky, coarse fibers. Havana twist typically doesn’t use shiny hair textures like the Senegalese updo. The wraps can be tight or loosely wrapped, and the ends are usually heat sealed lightly to hold the velcro-like hair together.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

 

BLACK ACCESSORIZED MARLEY TWIST LOOK AMAZING IN SHORT LENGTHS

Black model with short black passion twisted crochet hair sitting in a car.

7.MARLEY TWIST
Marley’s hair was initially used from crochet faux locs and other stylings like box braids. It wasn’t long before the hair began being twisted into beautiful creations. The unique dark hair has a very distinct kinky look with dry and coarse erratic lines. The hair is great for styling in braids, twists, and crochets. The twists can vary in size and twirl density. You can use other hairs like Cuban twist and Havana hair to pull off merely twist.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

Black model with flat twisted crochet hair on her scalp as she looks away from the camera.

 

STAY PROFESSIONAL WITH FLAT TWIST THAT LAY AGAINST THE SCALP TIGHTLY

8.FLAT TWIST
Flat twists closely resemble braid techniques because of how the hair is folded over each other as they twist. A two-strand flat twist and a two-strand braid are very similar. It isn’t until you add another strand will you notice a difference. The flat twist keeps the hairs winding all in the same direction to pull off that thin but wide loc. Plat twists tend to flop around a lot and are often styled by hairstylists half-up to maintain the locs.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

9.TWIST OUT
A twist out is a beautiful trick to rock a crinkled hairstyle. The tip and trick to this do, is to keep your hair wet after a shower: braid or flat twist all your hair into locs. Leave the styling overnight for as long as you can keep the hair wrapped up. Once your ready, remove the braids or unwind the twist, and your hair will have a wrinkly wavy pattern imprinted. The longer your hair is left in the braids, the longer the design will stay imprinted in the hair. For extra life, add hair spray to your braids the night before. This will definitely help you hold a unique design.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:

 

TWIST HAIR LOOKS AMAZING AND ACCENTUATES ANY STYLE

Black crochet individual crochet hair twist hair pieces.

CURLS AND COILS VS TWIST

Yes, ladies, these are two different styles. Twists involve using two strands at least, just like a braid. A curl doesn’t need but one strand of hair. The same goes for coils.

Coils are usually curled with more in-depth definitions and cylindrical shapes. Waves can be twisted around each other to create twist stylings. Typically a hair is not called a twist if it doesn’t have intertwining strands the twirl around each other.

Twists vs braids: social media shareable meme

TWISTS VS BOX BRAIDS

There is a clear difference between the two stylings. Twists use a spiral pattern to create a long hair loc design. The hairs are never intertwined are typically easy to take out by just twirlings in opposite directions.

On the other hand, Braids use a repeating folding pattern that interlocks the fibers together to create a loc’d styling that usually can only unravel at the tip. This pattern is definitely a lot stronger than the twisted technique. Many ropes are twisted to add strength to the fibers because as they are pulled, the folding tightens even more.

FAQ

HOW LONG CAN I KEEP MY HAIR TWISTS?

All twist designs are unique and will last on factors like cleanliness, growth, prevention, and maintenance. Check out our hair twist-specific articles for more information on specific stylings. 

WHAT HAIR IS USED FOR NUBAIN TWISTS?

Nubian twist hairstyles are going to use a specific kind of hair called Nubian hair. The hair is soft like silk and used for creating very tight and neat Nubian designs. 

CAN I RETWIST MY HAIR TWISTS MYSELF?

If you are experienced with hair twists and styling your own hair, then it is possible to retwist your hairstyle yourself when needed. 

CAN I DO HAIR TWISTS ON WHITE HAIR?

Yes, All hair has the potential to be twisted as long as there is enough length and hair to accommodate basic twist designs. 

HOW MUCH DO HAIR TWISTS COST?

The cost for install and hair is going to vary on your hairstyle choice and hairstylist. 

HOW LONG DOES MY NATURAL HAIR NEED TO BE FOR TWISTS?

Most stylists are going to require you to have at least a minimum of 3 inches of natural hair. Some styles like comb coils do not require much hair. 

CONCLUSION

Twists are an excellent way to style your already long hair or a great way to add some extensions to your shorter hair. No matter what, you definitely will be ready to take all those pics for the new york fashion shows after reading this article! Make sure to so subscribe by leaving your email and definitely leave us a comment below!

SOURCES

  1. “Religions – Hinduism: History of Hinduism.” BBC, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/history/history_1.shtml.
  2. Horne, Madison. “A Visual History of Iconic Black Hairstyles.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, February 28, 2018, www.history.com/news/black-hairstyles-visual-history-in-photos.
  3.  SB-188 Discrimination: Hairstyles., leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB188.
  4. Byrd, Ayana D., and Lori L. Tharps. Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2002.

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