I have about three inches of very tightly coiled natural hair that is more often than not — in Afro Helmet status. My hair is very dry and tends to get crunchy when I do a twist out…until now. My absolute must have product for a twistout is a DIY combo of ingredients that my girlfriend shared with me. I modified the recipe to use products that I had on hand, to decrease the crunchiness and also to extend the life of the twistout.
HERE GOES:
Twist Out
INGREDIENTS:
- 2oz 100% Aloe gel
- 2.5 tablespoons of my special oil blend: Organic Argan oil, Macerated Carrot oil, Camellia Seed oil, Lemongrass essential oil, bergamot essential oil and vitamin E. I use this oil on hair and skin and I absolutely love it. You can use cold pressed Olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, safflower oil or a combination of all )
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 2.5 tbsp Vegetable glycerin
- Wash and deep condition hair, towel dry in small sections, add mixture and do a two strand twist. The hair is going to dry out as you go along, so, mist with water before applying mixture and doing two strand twist. For best results, let the hair air dry. If you are pressed for time, sit under a hooded dryer on low to medium heat until hair is dry.
Day 2 [ Yes, this is a passenger photo op 
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WHY THIS WORKS FOR ME:
Glycerin: Glycerin is a humectant and is used to help retain water or moisture. Without product, my hair is coarse and almost feels like a wiry steel wool pad. Glycerin (along with water or water like substance) prevents my hair from getting crunchy and depending on how much I use, my hair is very soft. The malleability of my hair helps to retain my twists and prevent frizzing. I think glycerin is invaluable for hair that is as coarse as mine. I will wait to see how the results differ in summer, when it’s much warmer out.
Honey: Honey is also a humectant but I like it in this more as a moisturizer and I think it helps to soothe my scalp.
Aloe Gel: The aloe gel provides a good moisture base, (water like substance needed with glycerin) but it is also used for hold. A twistout with just the aloe gel would leave hair feeling dry, brittle and crunchy…the glycerin pairing is key!
My Special Oil Blend: The oils are a significant boost of moisture and nourishment for my hair that gradually work their way down to my scalp as my scalp heats up. I like this blend of oils because it is highly nourishing and it smells fantastic! It contains antioxidants, omega fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. You can’t moisturize without water or water like substance, so, the oils by themselves would simply make hair feel greasy but not deliver moisture.
I love this special blend of ingredients and will continue to use it until it stops delivering the results I want. My hair is so tempermental that this could be as soon as next week. If you have hair like mine, I suggest you try this blend for your next twistout. Don’t be afraid to tweak it to find the combination of ingredients that work for you.
About Christene
[...] Curls Curls – a premium, ethnic hair care line – is specifically for biracial/multiracial women and girls with naturally curly hair. Curls products contain an exclusive blend of certified organic ingredients, natural oils and exotic extracts. Products in the collection are $17.99 each. [ThisThatBeauty Assoc Editor, Christene, shares her thoughts here] [...]