How to Two Strand Twist Natural Hair

Photo: @chia_habte

When it comes to easy-peasy protective styling with natural hair, two-strand twists are among the hairstyles that top the list. Besides it being a hairdo one can DIY from the comfort of their home, it requires very little daily maintenance and grows more beautiful the longer it stays on the head (which can be for weeks, if you want). However, like with other hairstyles, it has its own drawbacks which include time consumption and arm cramps. But like they say, beauty comes with some pain and what is a few hours of that compared to the three to six weeks that you’d spend enjoying this versatile hairstyle? Totally worth it, I’d say. So, without further ado, let’s get straight into it:

TOOLS NEEDED for Two Strand Twists

Spray bottle of water
Hair cream
Hair oil
Hair twisting butter or hair gel
Hair clips (optional)
Wide-tooth comb or detangling brush
Rattail comb or three-tooth African parting comb

Check out: 20 Low Maintenance Twisted Hairstyles For Natural Hair

How to Do Two Strand Twists, Step by Step

STEP ONE: PRIME HAIR

Mist hair with water from the spray bottle and massage a moderate amount of hair cream into it. This is to prepare it for sectioning so that you don’t feel much pain when you divide the hair.

STEP TWO: COMB

With your fingers, part the hair into four sections. You can use hair clips to hold three out of the four sections in place while you work on one. If you don’t have hair clips, you can simply put the other sections into loose braids or twists to prevent them from interfering with the one section you’re working on. Now, spritz the one section you’re working with and rub in some amount of hair cream and oil from roots to ends. Comb with your wide-tooth comb or detangling brush for smoothness.

STEP THREE: TWIST

Make a smaller neat part about an inch wide or more – depending on the size you are aiming for – on the section of hair you’ve combed with the tail of your rattail comb or three-tooth African parting comb. Saturate the new small section of hair with a finger size amount of twisting butter or twisting gel (this gives the twists a long-lasting hold, curl definition, and shine). Separate into the small section into two equal strands. Now, to prevent puffiness at the base and make it last longer, you can do one of these three methods.

The first is to first divide the hair into three equal strands and braid until about one inch from the base. The second is to tie with rubber bands at the base while the third is to first roll each of the two strands at the base before twisting them.

After you may have done any one of these, wrap both stands around each other until you get to the tip of the hair. To keep the twists from unravelling at the tips, dip your forefinger in hair twisting butter or gel and twirl the tips of the twist around it.

Repeat each of these steps for the entire hair.

This how-to video tutorial by stylist Linwood Darkis, aka GlamFam Hair & Beauty, will visually guide you into creating a two-strand twist hairstyle by yourself:

Article continues after video.

Products for Two Strand Twists

LUSTER’S PINK SHEA BUTTER COCONUT OIL CURL & TWIST PUDDING

This lush blend of nourishing ingredients produces soft, defined natural-textured styles. Whether your preferred technique involves wash n’ go, twisting, braiding or bantu-knotting, your style will be lustrous, moisturized and touchable.

MIELLE ORGANICS POMEGRANATE & HONEY TWISTING SOUFFLÉ

From washing to styling, you can trust Mielle to create the Type 4 hair products you need. Bring home this styling twisting souffle for your next twist-out, braidout, or bantu knots, and enjoy intense hydration and natural shine! Made with organic ingredients including pomegranate extract, honey, and essential oils, this formula provides the nourishment, definition, and hold that you need for beautiful, healthy styling. Order yours today and explore Mielle’s Type 4 hair products for a hair care regimen you’ll love!