Thursday, April 16, 2009
Fat Twists Are A Girl's Best Friend
"Define without the dryer! Air dry without the drip! Try the magnificent, splendiferous FAT TWISTS!"
I know, I know, I've been needing to update. But I've been enjoying my hair too much.
Fat twists are my new best friend.
An explainer: Fat twisting is what I do now to dry my hair after my weekly deep-condition. The process is simple -- saturate my hair with my styler/leave-in of choice (this week, it was Organix Vanilla Silk), seal with the with the oh-so-wonderful castor oil, and twist the hair in several, large, chunky sections (hence the name, Fat Twists).
I make about seven or eight twists, coiling the ends around my finger so they curl up on their own, and then just leave my hair be. End scene. Turn out the lights, turn on Leno, cuddle up on the couch. I take them out the next day, when they're about 75-85 percent dry. The twisting (I believe) helps the curls find each other and clump together, and after I separate the twists, the hair spends the rest of its drying time settling into happy curl families.
It's worth mentioning that I don't rake my fingers through my hair when I'm separating, out of fear of major frizz. Instead, I slide my fingers down each section -- kinda like I'm shingling, just with no product -- and the clump families seem to separate and define themselves. (Okay, maybe it would make more sense to show rather than tell... ooh! Future video maybe?) Once they settle, I get a head full of bouncy, boingy curls... which "feels like sex," apparently. (That's what my best friend said. Her words, not mine.)
Anywhoo, my second time trying fat-twist drying made me just as happy as my first. Another bonus: the curls LAST. For, like, ever. Okay, not forever, but it sure seems like it. (Confession: Last time I washed my hair was two weeks ago. I was so impressed by the staying power of the curls that I wanted to see how long they'd stick around. Alas, an unhappy scalp got the best of me.)
I especially love that fat-twisting eases the process of drying. I don't have to sit under a hood (and worry about halo-frizz). And I can air dry without having to try to keep wet strands off my neck.
Now I'm wondering how fat twists work on other textures and lengths. Have you dried your hair in chunky twists? How did you like it?
I know, I know, I've been needing to update. But I've been enjoying my hair too much.
Fat twists are my new best friend.
An explainer: Fat twisting is what I do now to dry my hair after my weekly deep-condition. The process is simple -- saturate my hair with my styler/leave-in of choice (this week, it was Organix Vanilla Silk), seal with the with the oh-so-wonderful castor oil, and twist the hair in several, large, chunky sections (hence the name, Fat Twists).
I make about seven or eight twists, coiling the ends around my finger so they curl up on their own, and then just leave my hair be. End scene. Turn out the lights, turn on Leno, cuddle up on the couch. I take them out the next day, when they're about 75-85 percent dry. The twisting (I believe) helps the curls find each other and clump together, and after I separate the twists, the hair spends the rest of its drying time settling into happy curl families.
It's worth mentioning that I don't rake my fingers through my hair when I'm separating, out of fear of major frizz. Instead, I slide my fingers down each section -- kinda like I'm shingling, just with no product -- and the clump families seem to separate and define themselves. (Okay, maybe it would make more sense to show rather than tell... ooh! Future video maybe?) Once they settle, I get a head full of bouncy, boingy curls... which "feels like sex," apparently. (That's what my best friend said. Her words, not mine.)
Anywhoo, my second time trying fat-twist drying made me just as happy as my first. Another bonus: the curls LAST. For, like, ever. Okay, not forever, but it sure seems like it. (Confession: Last time I washed my hair was two weeks ago. I was so impressed by the staying power of the curls that I wanted to see how long they'd stick around. Alas, an unhappy scalp got the best of me.)
I especially love that fat-twisting eases the process of drying. I don't have to sit under a hood (and worry about halo-frizz). And I can air dry without having to try to keep wet strands off my neck.
Now I'm wondering how fat twists work on other textures and lengths. Have you dried your hair in chunky twists? How did you like it?
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15 comments:
Your curls look too adorable and totally natural! Actually I noticed the same sort of effect by doing plats all over and I had a similar experience to yours just this morning! I am doing the conditioner-only method (have you heard of it?) where I leave conditioner on my hair after I get out of the shower. Well I did that on Sunday and then did maybe 15-16 plats around my head. I made sure to curl the ends into a sort of bantu knot and then twist it (its hard to explain) but it gives me perfect ringlets at the end of the plats (I think it would probably work for twists too so I might try that one day).
Then I wore a braid out for two days, and then on Wednesday I put a little water on my hair in the shower and shook my head. I ended up with little coils all over! It was a different look from my chunky braidouts.
I have done finger coils in the past and that took a while to coil individual sections around my finger, but this method gave me the same effect instantly! I think I might be able to go a week with this method and the curls really seem firmly in place. Maybe our hair is supposed to be like this, but it just needs a little shaping first! Maybe this is the way to 'train' our hair to curl and maybe it will be easier for the curls to form the more we do this. I am just loving all the interesting things my hair can do right now. I don't know if I'll ever use rollers or flexi rods again :)
Oooh gorgeous! This is by far your best curl yet!
Bronze ~ Thanks girlie! I really think braiding and twisting helps encourage the curl. I'm learning that curls like to clump, and when they're not allowed to, they get angry and frizzy. Lol.
Also, the conditioner-only method has been my staple for most of the last seven years. :o) The funny thing is that when I started doing it, I was the only one I knew who *gasp* LEFT IN her conditioner. It was kinda weird but it worked, and I just kept doing it.
Tara ~ Thanks boo! Experimentation is not always futile. Lol!
Super cute and fab as usual, where did you get the castor oil, is it Jamaican blk castor oil
Your hair looks great----I will try this tonight----I have a similar technique---but since my hair is much shorter then yours I do small twist. I think this will work great with the back/half of my hair (the texture is a little diff)-I love it V!
Cute!!!!! I want to try this!!!
When you say "fat twist" do you mean you are twisting in a two strand twist manner? Or like a flat twist? I need details...it's cowash night, lol! But seriously...can you share these details by around 7 tonight....that's when home spa night begins ;-)
Wow you have been doing it for 7 years? Your hair looks very healthy and moisturized so I guess it is working. You probably have to use less products that way too. I am loving the conditioner only method and I think braiding or twisting my hair will be the way to go. Did you ever think before that your hair could form such darling curls? I know I didn't think so about my hair. If only my mother knew what I know now, I could have had long spirals down my back and I would have never straightened my hair!
Loooooove your hair!!!..I will definitely have to try to this method because when I do two strand twists it never comes out like this.
Omg I looooove fat twists. I developed my love affair with them a few weeks ago - my hair loves it! It defines my curls like no other, plus it reduces shrinkage and tangles. It makes my life so much easier, lol.
Tara ~ Yup, I just mean a few chunky two-strand twists (though I haven't done the flat-twists in a minute! Remember that used to be my staple? Lol!)
Bronze Trinity ~ Thank you! And... well, I'ma have to answer your comment with a whole 'nother post, because I could go on and on! Lol!
Afia ~ Thank you. And please, do try it, and let us know how it works... in fact... I just got an idea... standby...
Crystal ~ Aren't they great? I'm like, why didn't I think of this earlier? These have been the three easiest hair weeks of my life. Lol.
Thank you, Thank you! I've been looking for a new styling method. My beautician did this but in smaller sections. Its good to know it works in larger section. Pls do a video.
Naturalhairrules.com
Wow! I can't believe this happened just with twists! Looks really really nice. I don't really have a curl pattern though (I like to think of myself as a 4Z), so I dunno if it'd work on me. But on you, pure fab!
Ditto on the video!
thefeistyhouse.blogspot.com
BOO When I fat twist my hair it just becomes wavy... (http://www.flickr.com/photos/afrodandy/ ) maybe I am not making them fat enough or the length of my hair is weighing my curls down...The only way my hair will curl like that is if I do a wash and wear, and even then they start to get that angry frizz effect. Maybe my hair's not ment to be curly WHOMP WHOMP (sad violin sound) I still love it.
Naturally Beautifully ME ~ Thanks love. I'm going to try them one more time before I do a video, because my hair has been tangling at the ends this week. Don't want you walking around with knots in your own hair! Because then I'd feel bad.
Koos ~ Thanks honey! As for your texture, I'm convinced there's a way for every woman to enhance her natural texture. It's just a matter of finding those ways.
Zavi ~ First, your hair is INSANE. Omigod, it's gorgeous, and I love how you rock the different styles. Also, how much product (moisturizer, styler, whatever) do you put in your hair? I know I saturate mine with my moisturizer of choice because it will frizz like hell if I don't. Either way, I love your hair too. And your name. And your blog. Okay, you just kinda rock all around. :o)
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