Dry Twist-out Results

Here it is ladies! The picture above shows the results of my version of a dry twist out. I've been working towards achieving a twist out that has full definition from roots to ends, elongation, and hold. Finally, I feel as if I am nearer to my goal. To begin with, I took down my aforementioned puff and rubbed organic coconut oil through my hair. Knowing that I wanted this set to last a few days, I was more than generous with the oil. For those of you who have tried Extra Virgin Coconut oil, and dislike the smell, you should try the Spectrum Organic brand. It's machine pressed and literally has no scent to it, but it works just as well. I actually like the smell of coconut oil, but this brand makes it easier to mix with other scented oils or shea butter. I then worked from front to back, making sections as I went, and adding Giovanni 50:50 before twisting. For the sections that were really dry, I would add a little water to make the hair more pliable. I didn't use a comb or even my "Fenman" to detangle; each twist section was small enough to use my fingers. Here are the finished twists. Look they have a lot more swing to them and are stretched out. They are only slightly damp and dried fully by morning, which is a definite plus.To smooth my edges, I used a sample of a product that I'd gotten from the Bronner Bros. International Hair show. The product is called LAID and it's made by Essations. I've never heard of them or their products, but I was impressed with their smoothing pomade. It works better on dry hair and lays it right on down. Once this sample runs out, I will be looking to purchase this by any means necessary. The next morning, I separated each twist once, and never did separate them further to reduce frizz caused by over manipulating. The set lasted me 4 full days before I pulled it up into a high puff. Each morning, I would remove my silk scarf, shake, and go. So there you have it! I usually like to let the pics speak for themselves. Let me know if you have any questions about products or techniques. *Smooches*

Prepping for Dry Twist-out

Here are my pineapples I did to prep for my dry twist set. I co-washed and deep treated with Giovanni 50:50 and Organic Coconut Oil. Afterwards, I rubbed a little of the mixture back through, separated my hair in half and into the two puffs above.

Then I noticed that I'd left a curl hanging out and thought it was the perfect example to show you all exactly how fine/tightly coiled my hair really is.

That little, itty-bitty curl actually has quite a few strands of hair clumped together. My hair looks thick, but it really is extremely fine and dense. This is the reason I struggle with elongation and uniform twist sets. This little curl was actually still damp and hanging a little "long" if I can even call it that. Once dry, it was a shriveled little mess of a curl and looked all of 2 inches long. I haven't measured, but the pic below shows the true length of that same curl stretched out...

Crazy, isn't it?? I am working to learn how to elongate my hair without blowing it out, and pineappling helps to stretch my hair at the roots as it dries. Using a scarf around the edges helps them to lay down and keeps frizz down overnight.

The next day, I rocked a high puff all day before twisting my hair. Check back for the resulting twist out!

Twist Out at 2.5 Years Natural = Hang Time

This twist out was acheived with Giovanni 50/50 Conditioner and EVOO on hair that had been freshly co-washed and left to dry for over a day. As you can see I used smaller sections and twisted through to the ends. I was pleased with the results for the most part. Twisting the ends while wet is a horrible challenge, especially in the back where my hair is a lot more dense. There was a ton of frizz in the back, but I rocked it for about 3 days.

Then on day 4ish...I decided to pull it back in a pony tail because I don't handle frizz very well, and it's still to cold to wash-n-go. This time, I decided to leave some hair out in the front, adding a little more 50/50 and some water to make twists. While twisting, I noticed that the ends behaved a lot better on hair that was only damp and not soaking wet. I let them dry on the ride to work and unraveled very slowly because they were still a little damp.

I was amazed at how defined my bangs were with such little dry time, and they were in good shape at the end of the day. Another thing I couldn't get over was the hang time!! My bangs were hanging perfectly and even had a little swing to them (ok!! ---ya'll know we naturals sometimes miss the swing!!) I retwisted at night with a little water and managed to keep them for about 3-4 more days.

Needless to say, this inspired me to dry twisting my whole head from a "mostly dry" state.. I did it and well...you will have to stay tuned for the results...lol!

Product Review: Taliah Waajid's Curly Curl Cream

I know I recently posted about using bobby pins at the ends of my twist outs to prevent frizz, but shortly after that post, I tried a product that changed my outlook on how I can style my hair. That product is Taliah Waajid's Curly Curl Cream (pictured above is the Curl Sealer...umm..my bad! lol!). The cream is a new item in her line for curly hair that is designed specifically for those with tighter curl patterns. Typically, I am a huge skeptic of stylers because I feel that I can achieve a very similar look with conditioner and oil, but at about $9 each this product is worth trying out.

I twisted my hair using Taliah Waajid's Curly Curl Cream and while I was twisting, I noticed that it smoothed and clumped my curls together so well that I didn't notice that I was twisting to the ends. Usually, it is difficult for me to fully twist to the ends because the coils bunch together and get smashed. The Curly Curl Cream solved that problem for me. It gave me a well defined twist pattern down the entire length of each section, incredible hold, and elongation. The set lasted me about 3 days. It probably would have lasted longer but I was lazy and didn't pineapple.

As much as I loved the Curly Curl Cream, I do have to report that after three days I attempted to co-wash and re-twist my hair using it, and it was a no-go. My hair felt different. I can't explain it, but it felt dryish and didn't twist as easily. After it dried, it was even drier, so I felt the need to co-wash again the next day with my beloved Giovanni 50/50. After a few days of babying, my hair was back to its normal moisture level....but I was left wondering what went wrong.

I haven't given up on the Curly Curl Cream. I plan to try it again, and maybe it's something that I will use when I have special occasion styling to do. It gives killer results, but I have to figure out why my hair got so dry so I can effectively moisturize in the future. I have a few products from the line to try out and I will review each one. I gave away some products to friends and family to review because I thought they were better for their hair types, so I will have them weigh in as well.

Have you ladies tried Curly Curl Cream? If so, what was your experience?