My Wash, Twist N’ Go Routine
One random Saturday, I was face timing with my best friend who lives in NYC. We were both complaining of how bored we were when she randomly said that she thinks she’ll hop on a bus down to DC. I looked in the mirror at my hair that looked a hot mess and knew I had to figure something out as we made plans to go out that night. The first and only thing that came to mind was a wash n’ go.
I used to have a love-hate relationship with the infamous wash n’ go style. My fine 3c/4a hair would result in major shrinkage with super coily curls. It just didn’t do it for me. I immediately considered the option to alter the routine by incorporating two strand twists into the process as a way to stretch my strands without frizz and loosen my curl pattern.
It worked! 45 minutes later I was done and could head out to complete my errands before my friend arrived in a couple of hours. Here’s how I achieved the style:
Wash
I first washed my hair. If you’re in a rush, like I was on this particular day, I recommend co-washing instead of using shampoo. This way you won’t have to worry about deep conditioning*. After washing be sure to add a good leave-in.
Twist
Next you simply two strand twist large sections of your hair. I averaged ~8-10 twists total. Be sure to use a cream styler and an ample amount of gel to increase hold and definition. I also like to pin my roots with metal clips to ensure that my roots are stretched.
Diffuse
This process requires 3 rounds of diffusing. The first round will be completed with the twists installed. Use medium heat for about 3-5 minutes. For the second round, unravel the twists, while leaving the clips in place, and diffuse for another 3-5 minutes.
Following this, you will take the clips out and define each section by finger coiling or twisting the strands around your finger while adding gel as needed.
After your hair is defined, complete with your final round of diffusing for about 10 minutes. Gently fluff with a pick and you’re done!
Check out the video below of me completing this style.
