Thinking About Wearing Twists this Summer?
Keeping your hair looking its best in this summer heat can be a challenge. And let’s just all admit it…We want to look good stepping out on these beautiful days AND nights. One natural hair style that is perfect for the summer weather is a Twist Set or Twist Out. It’s a nice polished style to wear on vacation, to work and for a night out. We love it because you can wear it beautifully with your own hair! To achieve the perfect Twist set or Twist Out, you'll need to use the right products and technique. This guide has been created to help you select the right products for your goals and to give you some style inspiration.
You Decide: Twist Out vs.Twist Set
This will be the easiest decision to make. Do you want to set your twist and take them apart after drying for a nice cascade of thick curls? Then opt for the twist out. In this article when we say Twist Out this is what we mean.
Did you want to set your twists in a very pretty style and leave them twisted until your next wash day? Perfect! We refer to that here as a Twist Set. So as you read this article and our recommendations, you will know how we recommend you use a product -- for Twist Outs or Twist Sets or Both!
You Decide: Cream vs. Gels
Ok, so you have decided how you want your finished style to look! Now let's decide if you want to use a cream product or a gel product to style your twists. Here is a quick rundown of what kind of results you can expect with both.
Urbanbella Creams are going to provide more moisture with lighter hold. This results in fuller and plush looking twist. Creams are great for leaving your twists in and building moisture and hydration in your hair. If you Twist Out with an Urbanbella Cream it will give you a nice fluffy look with soft definition and soft hold.
Urbanbella Gels will give control to your twists without making them too fluffy. Your twist will have high shine, leaner look and last a long time which makes our gels perfect for a Twist out.
And yes, you can combine Urbanbella Gels and Urbanbella Creams to get the perfect Twisting Cocktail for your Natural Hair Style!
The Creams
When it comes to creating the perfect summer twist set, one product that is perfect for this style is the Urbanbella No.10 Stretch + Twist Curl Cream. This curl cream helps to define and elongate your twists, while providing soft-hold. It is recommended for Twist Sets since you plan to leave them twisted. While your twist will be nice and fluffy, they will have a soft controlled finish to them. I love this product for naturals that want a nice style but are trying to build their moisture level at the same time. I usually recommend this product to some who is new to Urbanbella and not quite ready to do the Wash-N-Go due to dryness or Urbanbella Tribe members who love wearing Twist Sets as their go-to style.
Another popular cream in the Urbanbella collection is the Urbanbella Babassu Hydrating Twisting Lotion. This lotion is perfect for taming frizz and adding moisture to your hair. It contains babassu oil, which helps to soften and strengthen your hair. It's a lightweight formula that is wonderful all year round but for Summer this fast drying position is perfect . The Babassu Oil will give you a very polished finish and shine with your Twists.
I've applied the Hydrating Twisting Lotion while my hair is wet. No other gels have I used with it, and I love the results! - Nora
The Gels
You have a lot of curly hair gel options within the Urbanbella Family of Products. In the classic collection one was made for Twisting -- Cre’gel. It’s a blend of a Botanical Gel and styling Cream to give you both style longevity and smooth control over frizzy hair. Twists sets styled with Cregel are perfect for a Twist out because of the control and hold it provides without leaving hair hard or crunch. In the Seasonal Collection you have Keratin + Babassu Hair Gel. This is new approach to a Cream + Gel blend using Babassu. Urbanbella Tribe members rave about the stretch with this one. You can use the Urbanbella Gels for a Twist Set or Twist Out. You will notice your twice are not a fluffy and more controlled. They will also have higher shine and last a full week without requiring re-twisting for definition.
Loving the Winter Spa Experience box. I’m rocking a twist out and my daughter is rocking twists. We love this soft, shiny moisturized hair! I think I’m gonna need some more twist lotion.
The Surprise Moisturizing Hybrid
Sometimes your products will surprise you. Like the Babassu Hair Lotion released in the The Summer Resort Box - it is designed to give your moisture and help refresh your curls. But don’t hesitate to try it out as a styling product too! It will give you a soft hold and moisturize without being too heavy. I would recommend it for a soft twist out or a twist-set.
The Process
You want your twists to look polished as if they were done by a professional. If they are well hydrated and moisturized this is a lot easier. To keep your hair hydrated and healthy maintain your weekly routine of cleansing and Conditioning with No.7 Non-Lather Cleanser and No.4 Hydrating Conditioner. This will help prevent your hair from drying out in the summer heat and looking frizzy. For additional moisture use a leave-in conditioner, like the Silk Hydration Mist. This Treatment contains Silk Amino Acids that add shine and moisture and will help make your style last longer.
Once your hair is prepped and ready, it's time to start twisting. To get started, section your hair into small sections. Then, apply a small amount of the Urbanbella Cream or Gel to each section. Be sure to set your twist going in the same direction. Starting at the roots, use your fingers to twist your hair in a downward motion. Once all of your hair is twisted, apply a light amount of your styling gel or cream and smooth it on the outside of each twist. This will keep you from having stray hairs coming out of the twists and give you a more polished finish. Let it air dry or sit under a hood-dryer.
Once your hair is completely dry, you can start undoing the twists if you plan to wear a Twist Out. Rub a pea-sized amount of Shine Butter between your fingers to reduce frizz as you open up your twists. Start at the bottom and carefully unravel each twist. Once all of your hair is undone, you can style it as desired. Finish off with a light mist of hairspray to help keep your style in place.
Key Tips
- Just glaze on products for twisting. Urbanbella products are very concentrated and only requires a little for shiny and beautiful twist sets
- Air Drying is fine and the gels and creams will back a punch delivering the moisture and shine you want
- Drying under a hood dryer is great for twist outs and will lend to longer twists with less frizz. They will also be shinier than air-dried twists
- Using a Leave-in can help with what?
- 1. Moisturizing Shampoo: To keep your hair hydrated and healthy, start by using a moisturizing shampoo. This will help to prevent your hair from drying out in the summer heat.
- Only wear your twists for a week or two. Leaving them in longer leads to dry hair especially with the summer heat!
- Small twists take longer to set but last longer. Be sure to strike a balance that works for you between small twists and chunky twist styles.
