Protect Your Edges with These Knotless Senegalese Twists

From Cosmopolitan

Don't get me wrong: I loveee getting my hair braided, but sometimes the look can put an unnecessary amount of strain on my scalp and edges. (This is why it's so important to find a stylist who doesn't braid too tightly, BTW.) Because of this, I like to switch up my look every once in a while with a protective style that's much easier on my scalp. That's why on this week's Braid Up, our hair-braider extraordinaire Stasha Harris is giving you knotless Senegalese twists (aka one of my faves).

First, a refresher: With regular Senegalese twists, there's a small knot at the base of the twist that helps anchor it in place. Knotless twists, though, are created using a feed-in technique, where the braiding hair is fed into your natural hair for an installation that isn't as heavy on your scalp. Okay, down to recreate this look? Here's what you need to know:

1. Before you start twisting, make sure your hair is freshly washed and detangled. You want a good base for your twists, and that means starting off with clean and moisturized hair. Lather up with a sulfate-free shampoo—that won't strip or dry out your hair—beforehand.

2. Feed-in smooth braiding-hair extensions, and two-strand twist until you reach the very end. Then, dip the ends in hot water—this will seal the twists and keep them from unraveling (which, like, is never a good look).

3. Pro tip: Never twist your baby hairs! They can't handle the weight of the extensions—instead, swirl your edges into a cute design with a non-flaky edge control.

4. Wear your hair up or down. Don’t want to wear a bun every single day for six weeks? Don’t worry, this style is super versatile. Because the bun is held together by bobby pins, you can take it out and wear your twists down your back.

And there you go! Don't forget to watch the vid above before you hit up your braider.

Hair: Magic Fingers Studio; Makeup: Lakeisha Dale; Stylist: Ann Wang; Beauty Assistant: Ama Kwarteng

Senior Director: Jason Ikeler; Producer: Amanda Kabbabe; Videographer: Josh Archer; Editor: Andrew Desgaines; Production Assistant: Jay Aguirre

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