When you ask anyone with natural hair what their favourite protective style is chances are, mini twists will come up many times as a common favourite. This cute and easy hairstyle has always been a classic loved for its low maintenance properties but these days, it is making waves as a go-to hair growth hairstyle that has worked for many naturalists.
Now, we're sure the big question on your mind is: do mini twists really help your hair grow? Well, in this article, we will answer your most pressing questions about growing your natural hair with mini twists. Plus we'll be revealing the key tricks to getting optimal results.
What Are Mini Twists?
Mini twists are two-strand twists made with small sections of hair, creating a versatile protective style that can be worn in so many different ways.
Do Mini Twists Help Your Hair Grow Faster?
Mini twists are amazing at helping you retain length which would help you notice a significant amount of hair growth over time. Wondering what makes them so special when it comes to hair growth? Well, they are extremely low tension and do not put any stress on your scalp and hair strands. This keeps your hair healthy and reduces any chance of unnecessary breakage.
Additionally, they also keep your ends protected from external factors like weather or manipulation that could cause dryness. This allows your hair strands to retain moisture for longer and improves the elasticity of your strands.
How Long Do Mini Twists Last?
Mini twists are a long-term protective style, so they can last anywhere from 1-2 months depending on how you maintain them. However, we would not recommend going for longer can two months. In fact, if you have very coily 4c hair, it is best to only wear your mini twists for a maximum of two months to avoid the risk of matting and knots.
Can Mini Twists Turn Into Locs?
Since mini twists are made in very small sizes, it can be easy for the hair to get matted and start to turn to locs if not properly maintained and left for way too long. This is especially common among people with coily type 4 hair. However, it can be easily prevented as long you make sure your twists are properly hydrated and also retwists some of your mini twists if you wear them for more than 3-4 weeks.
How To Do Mini Twists On Natural Hair
To do mini twists, it's extremely important to start on freshly washed hair. So start by cleansing your hair with our Hydration Shampoo. Then follow up with our Manuka Honey Deep Conditioner to soften and hydrate your hair. Once your hair is clean, follow the steps below
- Apply a generous amount of Sofn’free's Manuka Honey Leave-in Conditioner and detangle the hair thoroughly from the ends to the root. You can divide the hair into 4-6 sections to make it easier to detangle.
- Working one section at a time, use a rat tail comb to divide the hair into smaller sections. The size of your twists will be determined by the size of the parted sections feel free to make them to your desired size.
- After parting the hair to your desired size, apply a little bit of our Curl Elongating Gel. Then start by doing a three-strand plait at the root of the parted section of hair before dividing it into two equal sections and twisting from root to tips
- Continue this process for every section of hair until you are done with your full head of hair. You can expect to end up with around 100 twists or more depending on the density of your hair and the size of your twists.
- After twisting, apply a few drops of our Hair & Scalp Oil to seal moisture into your hair and keep your twists shiny and frizz-free.
Pro Tip: When twisting a parted section of hair, try to avoid borrowing or combining hair strands from other parted sections. This will keep your twists neat and also prevent the possibility of knots and matting in the long term. Try to make your twists using only the hair in a single parted section from root to tip.
Dos And Don'ts Of Maintaining Mini Twists For Hair Growth
Dos
- Hydrate your mini twists 1-2 times a week with our Everyday Curl Refresh Spray
- Nourish your scalp with our Strengthening Oil to prevent itching and boost hair growth from the follicles.
- Cover your hair with a satin bonnet before going to bed.
- Get creative and restyle them if you want but try not to go overboard. The key to retaining length with mini twists is to leave your hair alone as much as possible.
Don'ts
- Neglecting your hair: Mini twists are a low-maintenance hairstyle but they still require maintenance. Going weeks without moisturising your twists will result in breakage.
- Leaving them in for too long: The key to reaping to benefits of mini twists is to avoid overdoing it. Make sure you do not leave your twists in for more than 2-3 months.
- Not protecting them at night: If your twists are left exposed while you sleep, you run the risk of dryness and extreme breakage as they could become frizzy and tangled when they rub against your bedding.
Refreshing Your Mini Twists
If you wear your mini twists for more than a month, it is extremely important to refresh them. This will keep your scalp clean and also prevent frizz and matting. You need to do this refresh every 3-4 weeks.
- Start by shampooing your twists with our Hydration Shampoo. Be sure to focus the shampoo on your scalp while you shampoo and simply let the lather flow down into your twists as you rinse.
- Next, apply our Moisture Rich Conditioner to replenish your twists with moisture.
- Rinse the conditioner off thoroughly and gently squeeze off any excess water from your twists. You can use a microfiber towel to pat the hair dry to speed up the drying process.
- Once your twists are dry, apply our Manuka Honey Leave-in Conditioner evenly on your hair.
- Now, check your twists for any sections that are overly frizzy or have overgrown/ matting roots. Take down those twists and redo them.
- Then apply some of our Hair & Scalp Oil to seal moisture into your hair.
Mini twists are amazing for natural hair. They are super versatile, stylish, keep moisture in your hair for longer and help you retain length. With so many perks and benefits, this is one protective style you need to have in your routine and if you want to grow your natural hair, you'll love them even more. Just make sure to follow the tip we've highlighted in this article, the get the best results and keep your hair happy.