If you’ve never had Senegalese twists in your hair then you are missing out! Though it looks challenging, these twists are a lot easier than most braids for African American women to put in and take out. Plus, the look can be easily created with natural hair and hair extensions. You’ll also be happy to know that if you want to preserve your natural hair and keep it super healthy, Senagalese twists are one of the best protective hairstyles out there.
Here’s a quick how-to guide so you can get your own Senegalese twists. Then stay tuned for some Senegalese twist hairstyle pictures for inspiration! You’ll find that this hairstyle is perfect for the summer and will keep your hair out of your face when you’re at the beach. Plus, you’ll look pretty chic too!
1. Hair extensions are ideal to use when braiding your twists. Extensions for bulk braiding is also available on our site, which is used to create hairstyles like this.
2. First wash and dry your hair. You can wash your tresses the night before and let them dry naturally, which is what we recommend. Wash your hair with our hydrating shampoo from the vital hair care line and if you need to further detangle your hair you can use a wide-tooth comb. A leave-in conditioner will also prevent any additional tangles.
It’s important to note that you should not use any hair oil before you braid your hair. In order for your twists to stay in, your hair should be straight and not oily. Your hair will coil correctly if you follow these instructions, especially if you’ll be braiding while wearing your extensions.
3. First part your hair how you would like it. Next separate a small section of your hair that’s in the lowest layer near the front of your head. Separate the rest of your hair so that it doesn’t get in the way.
4. Separate that section of hair into two separate sections of hair. Use your fingers to slowly twist each section to the right. Continue to twist until each section twists into a coil.
5. At this point, you should be able to wrap each coiled strand around each other. Overlap the right-hand section of your hair over the left section. Next coil the combined strands of hair to the right and continue to twist and coil all of your hair this way. Work over and under from the right until you reach the end of each combined section. The twist should be tight and stay in place before you seal it.
6. For the final step, you will seal the ends in boiling water. Please use caution when completing this last step. Sealing your ends will help hold your Senegalese twists in place for as long as you’d like. If your hair is fairly smooth you may want to knot the ends gently before dipping them in the water. Another option is to use hair elastics.
After your water is boiling, remove the pan from the stove top. Next carefully place each individual end of hair into the hot water, fully submerging each twist.
This will work for both your natural hair and extensions, so don’t worry about damaging your hair. Though, if you’re in doubt on how to do this consult with a professional. Allow your ends to dry naturally and now you can use oil, which will help lock in the moisture in your hair and prevent split ends from developing.
A few more tips: Enjoy your Senegalese twists and only wash them once a week with diluted shampoo. Also apply a little bit of oil on your scalp up to a few times each week, which will keep your scalp moisturized. Last but not least, spray our leave-in conditioner on your braids daily and sleep on a silk pillow or wrap your braids in a scarf so your braids will look their very best each day.