How to Wash Twists

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References

Twists are a popular hairstyle that look sleek and eye-catching. Twists are made by wrapping two strands of hair around each other until the hair resembles a rope twist. This delicate hairstyle needs gentle care to ensure it does not unravel or become frizzy. In order to keep twists looking their best, shampoo and condition your hair every 2 weeks and dry wash in between water washes. Drying your hair completely and applying natural oils to the twists will help to keep your twists looking their best.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Washing Your Twists in the Shower

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Wet your twists in the shower. Start by running some water lightly over your twists in the shower. Wait until all of the surfaces of your twists are wet. For best results, use warm (not too hot) water.^{[2]
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2
Clean your scalp using diluted shampoo. Dilute about 3 tablespoons of shampoo in a spray bottle with an equal amount of water. Shake the bottle well and then spray the mixture onto your scalp. Gently rub the mixture over your scalp and the top of the twists using your fingertips. ^{[3]
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3
Rinse the shampoo through your twists. Tilt your head back and direct the shower head to the top of your scalp. Rinse the shampoo out of your twists using gentle water pressure. Gently squeeze the twists to help remove the shampoo. Continue rinsing until all of the shampoo is out of your hair.^{[4]
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- Be careful not to rush this as you need to give time for the shampoo to clean your twists as it is pushed down the hair.
4
Cover your twists with conditioner. Squeeze a moderate amount of conditioner into your hand. Gently massage the conditioner into your scalp and then work your way down to the ends of the hair. Make sure that all of your twists are covered with conditioner.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ndeye Anta Niang
Natural Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 5 March 2020.}
- If your hair is particularly dry, gather your unrinsed braids on top of your head in a loose bun and cover them with a shower cap. Let them soak in the conditioner for 15 minutes before rinsing.
5
Rinse out the conditioner. Tilt your head back and direct the shower head to the top of your scalp. Rinse the conditioner out of your twists using gentle water pressure. Gently squeeze the twists to help remove the conditioner. Continue rinsing until all of the conditioner is out of your hair.^{[6]
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6
Use a towel to absorb any excess water. Gently pat your twists with a towel, starting with the scalp and moving down to the ends of the twists. Use your towel to lightly squeeze the end of the twists to remove any drops of water.
- Avoid rubbing the twists as this can make them frizzy.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Dry-Washing Your Twists

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Dampen a facecloth with warm water and shampoo. Wet a face cloth with warm water and squeeze any excess water into the sink. Squeeze a small amount of shampoo onto the face cloth and spread it around so that it covers the bulk of the cloth.^{[8]
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Use the cloth to wipe down your scalp in between your twists. Start by pulling the hair away from one side of your scalp. Wash that section of scalp by wiping between the twists using the facecloth. Continue to separate the sections of twists and wash the scalp in between them.^{[9]
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3
Spray an astringent over your scalp if your twists get oily quickly. Hold the bottle of astringent about a hand length away from your head and spray your scalp until it is lightly coated in astringent.
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Leave your hair to air dry. The roots of your hair may be slightly damp from the wet cloth. The easiest and least damaging way to dry your hair is to allow it to air dry.
- This should take about 30 minutes - 1 hour. ^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Maintaining Your Twists

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Moisturize your twists with a natural oil.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Ndeye Anta Niang
Natural Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 5 March 2020.} If you find that your twists get dry, try using a natural oil. These help to soothe the scalp and moisturize the twists. Squeeze a small amount of natural oil into your palm. Rub your hands together so that the oil is evenly spread on your hands. Starting at the scalp, gently rub the oil over the twists in a downward motion.
- Coconut oil and almond oil work well and don’t clog pores.
- Avoid using mineral oils as these will build up in your twists making your hair look greasy. ^{[12]
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2
Dry your twists before styling. Damp twists that haven’t properly dried can lead to scalp issues like dandruff, fungus, and mildew. Allow your braids to air dry for a full day after washing. Do not try to pull the braids into a style until they are completely dry.
- Sit under a hooded dryer for at least 30 minutes if you need to style your hair quickly after washing your twists.^{[13]
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3
Tie your twists up before exercising. Gently gather your twists and secure them using a hair tie. Tying your twists up will keep them out of your face and off your back while you exercise. Keeping them off your skin will help them to stay cleaner between washes.^{[14]
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- Limiting the amount that you wash your hair in the shower will help your twists to last longer.^{[15]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How do you keep twists looking fresh?

Ndeye Anta Niang
Hair Stylist & Master Braider
Ndeye Anta Niang is a Hair Stylist, Master Braider, and Founder of AntaBraids, a traveling braiding service based in New York City. Ndeye has over 20 years of experience in African hair including braiding box braids, Senegalese twists, crochet braids, faux dread locs, goddess locs, kinky twists, and lakhass braids. Ndeye was the first female of her tribe in Africa to move to America and is now sharing her knowledge of African braids passed on from generation to generation.

Ndeye Anta Niang

Hair Stylist & Master Braider

Expert Answer

Natural products such as witch hazel or diluted lemon essential oil work well and will help to remove trapped oils in your scalp.
Question

How do I get my hair to grow?

Community Answer

There are some great tips in Grow Longer Hair.