Naturals: How do you wash your hair while styled in twists?

[FtrDrO]

My twists could probably last 2 weeks, but I like to wash my hair every week. Does anyone wash their hair while its styled in twists? How do you do it so that they remain neat and don't get tangled? I'm mainly a 4a.

 

[naturalgurl]

When I had twists I washed them in the shower and massaging my scalp with shampoo then rinse. I hardly moved the actual twists around. When I had twists they were extensions, not just my hair. This was also before I found this place so here's a bump for some one with more experience...

 

[E. Princess]

You can try braiding your twists before washing to prevent them from unraveling and tangling.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

I only washe my hair in twists... I cannot untwist to wash.... OH NO!!!

 

[tottzu]

My twists could probably last 2 weeks, but I like to wash my hair every week. Does anyone wash their hair while its styled in twists? How do you do it so that they remain neat and don't get tangled? I'm mainly a 4a.

I wash 2-3 times a week with my twists in and they usually last 2 weeks. To keep them from loosening I braid at the root and then twist. (I wish I remember the member who suggested this to me, I would like to thank her) Its been a twist-saver. My hair used to begin unravelling at the roots when I washed with my twist in and would only last a week.

 

[oooop2]

Grab some pantyhose. Cut off the legs, but leave enough where you can tie a knot. Once knot is tied, place waist area of pantyhose over head making sure all twist are covered. Hop into shower, and place head under a slow steady stream of water. Shampoo and condish as normal making sure not to remove the pantyhose from head. Rinse. Lightly blot head w/ towel or teeshirt. Remove pantyhose. Shake any excess water out. Lightly apply oils to hair. You will still have some frizz, but not as much if done uncovered.

 

[Nonie]

I do it like Naturalgurl. Shampoo scalp and massage well. I then let the shower head spray some water on my head diluting the shampoo and making less viscous so it can flow down the length of the twists as I gently squeeze them without roughing them up. I would repeat the shampoo step after rinsing if suds were dirty but with two washes a week and no products, one shampoo usually suffices. Next I apply conditioner taking a few twists at a time and applying the way relaxer is applied. I skip the very base as I don't care for conditioner on my scalp. Once I smooth conditioner over a few twists, I squeeze them to encourage conditioner to penetrate them, then plait them to get them out of the way so I can work on another set. If DCing, I put on a cap and go under a dryer. If not, I may still put on a cap for a bit to shower or to keep the damp hair from getting me wet while I do sth else waiting for the condish to do its thang. I rinse by letting water run through while I squeeze the twists gently. All through my wash, I never pile the hair up on my head but rather I let them hang freely and only give squeezes along the length. I dunk my head in an ACV solution letting the twist just hang while I focus on massaging the scalp. Finally, I drape a towel around shoulders and just let my hair drip dry.

I don't know if this method of washing is any different from most people's but I do know that my twisting method helps keep tangles at bay. Perhaps my not using products helps keep the hair from loc'ing.

 

[Sugarhoneyicetea]

Grab some pantyhose. Cut off the legs, but leave enough where you are tie a knot. Once knot is tied, place waist area of pantyhose over head making sure all twist are covered. Hope into shower, and place head under a slow steady stream of water. Shampoo and condish as normal making sure not to remove the pantyhose from head. Rinse. Lightly blot head w/ towel of teeshirt. Remove pantyhose. Shake any excess water out. Lightly apply oils to hair. You will still have some frizz, but not as much if done uncovered.

Wow thank you for that suggestion, I'm going to try that the next time I wash.

 

[anherica]

My process is similar to Nonie's, except I use diluted shampoo. My shampoo is in a color application bottle, and after thoroughly wetting my hair and scalp I apply the shampoo to the scalp and gently massage, then I rinse allowing the suds to run through the twists while gently squeezing the length in a downward motion.

Then I squeeze out excess water and apply my conditioner, squishing it through the twists, again in a downward motion (if that makes sense), put on a plastic cap and finish my shower. Remove cap and rinse for at least three minutes under the showerhead while squeezing the length. If I'm doing an ACV rinse, I do it after my conditioner, and apply it with a squeeze bottle, then rinse. Wrap hair in a tshirt or micro fiber turban and after the drippies are gone, apply shea butter and oil to hair and let dry completely.

I don't really get that much frizz to be honest, and I keep my twists in for at least two weeks before redoing them and I always wash in twists-never loose.

 

[FtrDrO]

Thanks everyone! I'm definitely going to try some of these suggestions and see how they work out