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How to Twist a Black Woman's Hair

Jan 20, 2012 / By Diana Prince

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Style ethnic hair beautifully and easily with the regular or flat twist.

Photo: Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images

There are lots of fun, easy ways to style your hair, including the twisted hairstyle. The great thing about the twist style is that you can do it on dry or wet hair, and it takes only minutes. This makes for a perfect hairstyle, even when you're in a rush. There are two types of twists often styled on ethnic hair: the regular twist and the flat twist. Get twisting!

Regular Twists

Use your fingers to grab a section of hair on the end of one side of your hairline, just above your ear. This section of hair should be about 1/2- to 1-inch wide. You can make the twists smaller or larger as desired, but for the most authentic twist style this size is ideal. Don't worry about getting the measuring tape out; it doesn't have to be perfect. Just use this as a basic guideline.

Begin twisting the hair, holding the hair close and tight to the scalp as you go. Not so hard, right? The trickiest part is making sure you hold the hair you have already twisted down as you twist down the length of the hair to ensure the twist stays tight in place and does not come loose. It can help to have a friend there to give you a hand.

Continue twisting down the length of this section of hair, keeping the width of the section as even as you can. Once you reach the ends, you can either braid the last inch or two of hair or leave it loose, and then secure the ends with a hair tie. Now you just continue twisting your hair in this manner across the rest of your head. Voila!

Flat Twists

Divide a small section of your hair with your fingers about 1-inch wide, starting at the very end of one side of your hairline, just above your ear. This is where the first twist will go, and remember you want to keep the twists relatively all the same size as you go along. Although it's easier to work with larger pieces, a twist style this size is ideal.

Separate the hair in this section into two even pieces and begin twisting one piece around the other, keeping the hair close to the scalp to ensure a tight twist. You should feel a bit of strain, which assures you that you are making the twist tight enough; just don't hurt yourself!

Continue twisting your hair this way until you reach the ends. Now you can add in a short braided section or leave the hair loose. Secure the ends with a hair tie, to keep the twist from coming out. Repeat this twisting process on the rest of your hair, working from the finished piece over to the other side of your head, until all of your hair has been made into twists.