Senegalese twist is the most cherished African hairdos that has not just been an African style but loved & worn by women world wide. It has brought some tremendous revolution in the glamour field of hairstyles. Black women get the entire credit for wearing it with the outrageous styles & making it so amazing.
Senegalese twist is similar to an Afro braid but is lot easier one to prepare. It is a protective hairdo with shielding attributes. You receive an excellent hairstyle with Senegalese twists that will add charm to your personality. If you do not get it right, you might end up making your locks damaged with harsh tools, ending up with breakage. Adding hair extension can also be something you do with nice research.
We provides you full information about this crazy hairdo starting from its definition to types then ideas you can perform, advantages, popularity index, images, and so on. This is a complete package of stuff one is seeking about Senegalese Twist. Continue reading for the fascinating stuffs waiting down!
What do you mean by Senegalese Twist?
Senegalese Twist, also known as Rope Twist is a protective style of twisted African hairdo. It is created by wrapping braided hair around the root of your natural hair. The twists can be prepared by adding hair extensions but yet is easier than micro braids or cornrows. It takes six hours of twisting, but the best part is, it lasts for two to three months if handled well. Senegalese twist is something you would wish to do with a friend but with enough practice you can do it on your own as well.
African women are best known for the outstanding hairdos they come up with. Carrying the historic meaning, these hairdos are amazing. Protective hairdos have been their style and a necessity too, giving birth to amazing Senegalese twists. There are several other twits hairdos like Havana twists & Marley twists, but all of them are unique.
What is the origin of Senegalese Twist?
Senegalese twist originated in Africa without a doubt. By name it is clear that it was in Senegal area of West Africa. Today you can even find the African hair saloons in the USA that provide amazing Senegalese twist hairdos. This hairdo uses synthetic Kanekalon hair making it last for more than three months. But it can also cause severe damage to the natural hair forming it into a type of a dreadlocks in a long run.
Senegal has been very popular for unique ethnic groups. The people used Senegalese twist as one of their cultural hairstyle or an identity hairstyle for their tribe. You see, African take their hairstyles very seriously, and wearing one can bring you so much close to them. Senegalese people have been wearing this hairdo for more than few centuries now and are still able to put so much popularity to this hairdo today.
There is an amazing bonding among the people sharing a same tribe. Senegalese twist is associated with that bond among women. This hairstyle takes time which also requires help from your mother or sister or another women making it an amazing task that brings so many people together. This bonding is reflected in the long lasting Senegalese twist. Senegalese people has provided this amazing hairstyle for the rest of the world to feel the same love & bonding.
What things are to be considered before getting this hairdo done?
Senegalese twist as a mind blowing hairdo that looks fantastic but has complex procedure too. One has to keep several things in mind while getting this hairdo done. Following are some of the things that you might have to consider before getting this hairdo done:
- Clean The Hair Extension With Apple Cider Vinegar:
Protective hairdos are to make your work easier, add strength to your hair, and protect them for a long time. But wearing them can be reverse sometimes. It can cause harm from the lye and some of the chemicals. So, it is always recommended to apply a gentle wash to the hair extension with the help of apple cider vinegar. Also, the extension should be completely dried before applying them with natural hair. The moisture in the extension can create some unpleasant smell, encourage the growth of bacteria, and damage the natural hair too. This is a must do step no matter how clean you might think the hair extension is.
- Avoid Putting A Lot Of Stress On The Hairline:
It is absolutely right the braids should be tight to keep everything on place. But how tight? It should not be very tight. You might lose enormous hair from very tight braids. This leads to hair damage, & traction alopecia. This is a result of extreme pressure on the hair shaft. In long term, there will be permanent reduction of the hair line making you bald at some areas around the edges. Do not make very tight braids keeping this fear in mind. It also causes temporary irritation and extreme pain while having the tight braids. So, while getting the braids, do not suffer in silent but rather make perfectly tight braids instead f extremely tight braids. This is also keep your scalp healthy.
- Choose Coarse Or Kinky Hair Extensions On The First-Try Over The Smooth Ones.
If you think you can get the twists done easily with the straight hair, then you are wrong about it. It makes the installing even more difficult. You will require some kinkier hair extension to get the job done with ease. The twist coarse hair extension helps to make the twisting simpler with amazing twisting strategy. Therefore, do not go for smooth, silky hair extension that will unravel easily but pick something kinky & coarse.
- You Must Secure The Finishes Properly To Prevent Unraveling Prematurely.
The most important part is sealing the ends of the hair locks after getting the Senegalese twists. The seal should be very good. It might sound very easy, but it is not as easy as sealing your braids. If the seal breaks, the entire efforts are in vain. You can dip the end of the twist into a boiling hot water to prevent unraveling. Or you can also apply a curling rod to master your twisting strategy and still get the job done. This is one of the most important thing to keep on mind to have long term protective twists.
- Remember To Learn The Twisting Approach, Do It Very Carefully:
The time for the twists to last longer depends on the way you have twisted the hair. Protective hairdos require plenty of time to install and then need correct procedure along with right technique and tools for the outstanding result. If you have no enough idea, you might end up spoiling half of the hair. Then, undoing and redoing will cause another nine hours of time. So, it is better to first learn well, then apply it on your hair. This will avoid some enormous dangers from coming.
- When Installing The Senegalese Twists, Try To Make Size Of The Twists Uniform.
Uniformity is is very much important unless you wish to create some unique patterns. Getting too big locks then too small then another again a big one might be confusing and provide less idea of how much time you should provide to one strand. Therefore, the first thing you do before starting the twists and braids is divide the hair properly into equal parts. This will provide you a good idea and make things go uniform.
What is the procedure for perfect Senegalese Twist?
One can get a perfect Senegalese twist even without following a right guide. But this is not sure always that you get the perfect twists. If you follow the right instructions, there is very little chance that your twists might go wrong. Follow following steps for some amazing Senegalese twists:
STEP 1 WASH YOUR HAIR WITH CLARIFYING SHAMPOO
You need to begin by washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Remember once the twisting is done, your locks are intact for 2 to 3 months that does not let you wash your hair very well. You might get to wash the twists once a week and scalp few more times a week. So make this wash a fruitful one
STEP 2 CONDITION IT
Now that you have washed it, apply conditioner. This is done to add moisture to your hair. It makes your hair smooth and fresh. Adding a conditioner before such complex hair task is a must.
STEP 3 BLOW DRY IT
It is recommended to let your hair dry naturally as long as you are not hurry. Avoiding heating device such as blower is a good idea unless you are in hurry.
STEP 4 CLEAN THE SYNTHETIC BRAIDED HAIR WITH VINEGAR
The hair extension that you have brought should be kinky and coarse. Wash it well in an apple cider vinegar that kills all the bacteria and make it ready to stick in your natural hair. You need to dry it well to remove moisture.
STEP 5 MAKE THE HAIR READY
Once that your hair is dry, apply hair lotion. If you are an oil person, you can apply gentle coconut or Amla oil massage as well. Then, remove the knots and hair tangles. Use thick tooth comb to begin with then a thin tooth comb later. Use fingers if you have thick knots or tangles.
STEP 6 DIVIDE THE HAIR INTO SECTIONS
Divide the hair into equal parts unless you want to make different thickness strands. Better use a comb to divide the hair. Make plenty of sections.
STEP 7 START TWISTING WITH SYNTHETIC BRAID
Now, start twisting the synthetic braid with your hair section right from the scalp. You need to do it very carefully. It should be done tightly but not extreme tightly either.
STEP 8 REPEAT UNTIL DONE
Repeat twisting in a same clock-wise direction until you reach the bottom of the hair.
STEP 9 SEAL WELL
Now that you have reached the bottom of the hair, sealing is done. For sealing, apply the tip inside the hot boiling water. Or, you can do it with a curler instead. Make sure the tip is sealed very well to avoid unraveling of the hair.
STEP 10 DO IT FOR EVERY HAIR STRAND
Repeat the same procedure for all the hair strands you have divided and seal it just like mentioned in step 9. This is how you get your amazing Senegalese twists.
What kind of hair extensions go well with Senegalese Twist?
What people normally visualize is that the straight or little wavy hairs go very well with the natural hairs while forming the twists because they are easy to work with. This is a misconception. For Senegalese twists, to avoid unnecessary unraveling, you will require synthetic hair extensions such as Kanekalon, Marly, & Toyokalon. These hair extensions have correct texture that avoids unraveling the twists. They are kinky and coarse but yet have a natural finish.
Marley extension have perfect coarseness when it comes to Senegalese twists. Toyokalon extension might have a fluffy and light texture, but the thing is it makes tangling easier. They can be used even in short hair length and small braids. Kanekalon extensions are easy to handle, requires least maintenance, look more natural, and is very cheap.
Can Senegalese Twist damage your hair?
Senegalese twist is one of the African protective hairstyles that last the longest. While there are certain braids for short time period like few days to few weeks, this one can last for three months. Though they last longer than box braids, but they can also unravel relatively faster. So, while preparing the Senegalese twist, one needs to be very attentive and focused. Sometimes while twisting, one might twist is very hard, or while sealing, one might apply the extreme hot water. In both cases, there are chances of hair breakage.
This hairstyle can cause damage to your hair in case of above mentioned two cases. The third case is when you do not clean your synthetic hair extension in apple cider vinegar or wear it while it is still moist. It can create pungent smell, be home to new borne bacteria and cause permanent damage.
Twisting very hard does not just break the hair but also cause reduction in hair line, cause excessive pain in the scalp, and cause hair fall. If your hair texture seems to soak up any greasy moisture like a sponge, and dry up very quickly, you might rethink in making Senegalese twits. Applying some hair products to gain enough moisture might be important in such case.
Do not live with stress and pain in the scalp just for the sake of a hairstyle, rather take timely action and loosen the twists rather than doing it a week later after all that efforts.
What are different hairstyles possible with Senegalese Twists?
You can prepare different hairstyles out of the Senegalese twist hair. Some of the common and cute ones are presented below:
Halo or Crown:
Halo or crown is the shape you form out of the Senegalese twist. Once you have gotten this hairdo, start rolling the bulk hair strands after parting the hair into two from the front edge. Then stick the rolled hair on the other end. This looks like a halo or crown and provides an amazing look. It goes well with your casual & party events.
One Sided Flow
To make one sided flow, simply roll a large bulk of hair from one side and roll it until the bottom and apply bobby pins to stick it on the center of the back hair. This looks cute and provides a Rapunzel look.
Low Bun
Low buns are cute when you have Senegalese twist. Give it a try!
Braided Twists
Braiding the braids is a new style which look elegant when you make a thick one sided braid over the twist just like in the picture below.
Partial Bun
Partial bun looks cool with Senegalese twist.
Dyed Twists
Dyeing your twists take you to another level of glamour. Give it a try with your favorite vibrant color.
Senegalese Twist Hairstyles
Check out few gorgeous senegalese twist styles
There is undoubtedly a gorgeous Senegalese twist hairdo out there which is perfect for your hair type, personality, and hair length. You should not hesitate to experiment these hairdos with different colors or textures until you get something that you are looking for. Whatever style you choose, ensure that it is one particular you can design effortlessly and that you will feel confident and comfortable with.
This post has enough information that one seeks about Senegalese twist along with unique pictures providing more visualization. Did you make it here? If yes, congratulations! You are at the bottom of the page. Was it helpful? If yes, now is the time you pass it on to someone who is interested in African hairstyles or twisted hairstyles.
Have a happy time with Senegalese Twist!
PIN THIS ARTICLE :
