Alright y’all, strap in ’cause this passion twists journey ain’t been all sunshine and rainbows. Hit the four-month mark last week and lemme tell ya exactly how I kept these babies from lookin’ like a bird’s nest.
The Rough Start
First off, installation day was rough. Got my hair braided down real tight – hurt like hell for two whole days. Didn’t sleep proper, pillows felt like rocks. Woke up lookin’ like I fought a pillow and lost. Used some cheap gel the stylist gave me at the ends, worst idea ever. That mess flaked like crazy after just three days, felt like snow fallin’ on my shoulders every time I moved. Awful.
Figuring Out My Own Routine
Ditched the cheap gel fast. Went down to the beauty supply store, stared at them aisles for ages. Ended up grabbin’ a basic edge control – nothing fancy, just a pink tub. Slapped that ONLY on the twisted ends where the fake hair was sealed. Game changer right there. No more snow shoulders.
Washing? Oh man, learned the hard way. First wash was maybe week two. Didn’t tuck the ends under a shower cap properly, just kinda held ’em. Water seeped in, made the roots puff up real bad where my braids met the twists. Looked insane. Like little puffballs on my scalp. Felt like screamin’.
- Now I wash right: Got a satin bonnet, tied that sucker TIGHT over my head. Shower cap on top for double protection. Only wash my scalp carefully in sections – no soakfest. Lean over the tub like my life depends on it.
- Drying: Hated this part. Air drying took forever and left damp spots that felt funky. Bought a cheap hooded dryer. Sit under that for like 45 mins, low heat. Twist the dryer head different ways to hit every section. Done proper now.
- Sleep Matters: Thought my old scarf was fine. Wrong. Woke up with twists stickin’ out all crazy, friction city. Switched to a smooth satin bonnet AND sleep on a satin pillowcase now. Twists stay smooth, don’t rub against nothin’ rough.
The Real Turning Point
Biggest mess-up was around month two. Didn’t moisturize the roots near my braids AT ALL. Scalp got itchy, braids started lookin’ fuzzy and loose at the base. Panicked! Grabbed my spray bottle – mixed water, cheap conditioner, and a drop or two of lightweight oil. Started spritzing ONLY my scalp and those braid foundations every other morning, massaging gently. No more itch, fuzz went way down. Felt so dumb for missin’ that basic step.
Keeping ’em Tight & Fresh
Every single night, I check. No joke. Flip my twists around, feel the ends where my hair is sealed. If one feels rough or sticks out funny, I grab the same pink edge control and twirl just that end between my fingers. Quick fix in ten seconds. Takes discipline, though – sometimes dead tired, wanna skip. Force myself. Otherwise you wake up unraveled. Lotta twists got shortened ’cause I trimmed the raggedy ends myself with scissors. Gotta be brave or end up messy.
Four months later? Still rockin’ ’em. Not perfect – some twists thinner than others, few ends a bit blunt from my DIY trims. But overall? They swing, don’t tangle much, and look neat enough for folks to ask if they’re new. Saved mad cash not redoing ’em every few weeks. Feels like a win. Hard work, routine, and listening to your dang scalp – that’s the real secret nobody tells ya upfront.
