Twisting Fine Natural Hair – Tips & Tricks
Last updated on September 6th, 2023 at 07:24 pm
Twists are a low maintenance way to maintain length on natural hair. This is true of all hair types but for those of us with fine natural hair, twists can cause us to lose length versus retaining if not done properly. So, below you’ll find some tips for twisting fine hair.
Imagine you have installed your two strand twists with the hope of retaining every single piece of growth. Two months have gone by and you know that hair grows an average of 1/2 inch a month.
That means that when you take your twists down, you should have a solid inch of new hair growth or rather growth that’s been retained.
Yet, that’s not the case. In fact, your hair has only appeared to retain about a 1/4 inch of growth. Why?
For starters, if you really left those twists in for 2 months then that’s where you made your first mistake. Fine natural hair does not like to be “contained” for such a lengthy period of time. It will begin to loc on itself. That’s why there were snarls and additional tangles during the take down process.
The Tips & Tricks for Twisting
In order to use twists as a means of low manipulation styling that helps you with length retention, consider the following simple tricks and tips for twisting fine hair:
- Twist in medium to large sections vs small or micro. This will prevent the difficulty caused by removing twists that have begin to tangle.
- Begin your twist as a rope twist for about a 1/2 inch before resuming your method (ex: loose twisting) of twisting your entire head.
- Prep and set your twists with a lightweight cream and gel OR a cream styler with slight hold. These types of products keep frizz at bay.
- Moisturize your twists with a spritz of water or spray moisturizer daily but don’t stop there…
- Smooth on a thick sealing oil like Jamaican Black Castor Oil, to the ends of the twists to keep them smooth and protected.
- Keep your scalp healthy. Massage your scalp every other day to keep the blood flow stimulated. Don’t forget to moisturize it as well.
- Keep your twists in for no longer than 2 weeks (same reason as the first tip above)
Tips for Twisting Fine Natural Hair:
How to Get Smooth Frizz Free Twists:
How to Protective Style Fine Natural Hair with Twists:
Breathing New Life Into Old Twists:
A Prayer for Our Hair:
“Dear Father God, you’ve blessed me with a crown of glory. Please help me to respect and care for my hair as an extension of my body. In Jesus’ Name. Amen”
What can I do for my hair,it is so thin I can 👀 my ,, , scalp do I need protein and what kind and how often…..please me!!! Email me back please
Hi Edna-
Sounds like you could be experiencing some early hair loss or the start of alopecia. I recommend you see a dermatologist before trying any DIY methods.
Hi Michelle, I have 4c texture hair, what product can I use to get curly curls?
Hi there. Products only enhance what you already have. They won’t create something new. I hope that makes sense. The way your hair looks when wet will determine if you have “curly curls” The key is “freezing” your hair in place using specific curl enhancing products. Gel is my go to for setting my style in place. However, you want to be cautious when using gel. Always use a non-alcohol based gel that provides significant hold without drying your hair out. Apply a thick leave in conditioner underneath it to protect the moisture. Some products you can try:
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker (expensive but worth it and very moisturizing)
Eden Bodyworks Coconut Shea Curl Defining Cream
EcoStyler Gel is an affordable brand and they have lots of different types of gel. You have to test out different ones to find out which one you like best. I personally like the Curl and Wave Gel and the Black Castor Oil & Flaxseed gel. I’ve also heard that lots of ladies love the Olive Oil version. Just remember, what works for someone else’s hair may not work for yours. That’s the fun of it all though. Testing!
One final thought…how you apply your products determines how effective they are as well. There’s different techniques. Rake ‘n Shake, Smoothing, Shingling (one of the best but takes forever). Here’s a video I created sharing the technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWjY5D1TZlM