Twist Outs have been part of my natural hair routine for over 10 years. I love twist-outs because they organize my tight coils and they are versatile. There are so many hair styling options for twist outs, you may be wondering if gels are the right choice for you?
You should use gels for twist-outs if you plan to use heat to dry them or have a minimum of 12 hours to air dry your hair. Twist-outs set with gels give great definition and reduce some of the bulk in tight coils and curls.
There are lots of gels on the market, using the wrong one can dry out your kinks and curls, cause build-up and lead to damage. Keep reading to learn more about choosing the right gel and to decide if a twist-out with gel is the right choice for you.
Gels for Twist Outs: Not all Gels are Equal
When I was a kid, I got in trouble for letting a friend use gel on my hair. The gels back in the 90s and 2000s were full of drying alcohols and sucked the moisture out of your hair. The gels dried quickly and left your hair feeling hard as a rock! Fortunately, gels have moved away from drying alcohols like the “Citre” gel featured in this article from allure.
Fortunately, today’s gels for coils and curls contain botanical ingredients which nourish the hair, combined with holding ingredients give a nice flexible hold.
Botanical Gels for Maximum Moisture
Botanical Gels have a light to medium hold and contain humectants such as glycerin, aloe, slippery elm and marshmallow root. Humectants are ingredients that draw water into the hair. Humectants help to clump coils and let the natural texture in your hair shine through. Humectants can weigh hair down (in a beneficial way for us tight coilys) help to give a slightly elongated twist out.
Pros of Botanical Gels for Twist Outs
- Extremely Moisturing
- Clumps coils and shows of texture
- The Weight of Humectants help to elongate coils
Pros of Botanical Gels for Twist Outs
- takes a long time to dry
- does not last as long as stronger hold gels
- Can Frizz Easily in Humid environments
Examples of Botanical Gels:
- Curly Magic by Uncle Funky’s Daughter
- Curl Mix
- Hi-Definition Curl Enhancing Gel by treluxe
- Kinky Curly Curling Custard
Strong Hold Gels for Twist Outs
Strong Hold gels for curls have some botanicals as well as flexible hold ingredients. For Twist Outs, these can be used alone or with a leave-in or with a botanical gel.
How to Set a Twist Out with Gel
My Favorite Tools & Products for Styling a Twist Out with Gel
- Aligator or Croc Clips to keep the hair organized
- ratail comb for section
- styling comb for smoothing
- Light Weight Leave in (Alikay Naturals Lemon Grass Leave-in)
- Styling Gel
Setting a twist out with gel can be tricky. Using too much product or mixing the wrong products can lead to big white flakes and force you to start your twist out from scratch.
Start on Freshly Washed and Detangled Hair
For best results start on wet freshly washed hair.
Sometimes it’s tempting to try to restyle your hair from one style into another, but if you have already applied other stylers to your hair it can lead to the white residue and/or flake city for your twist out. Also if there is a build-up of oils and butter on your hair, it weakens the hold of the gel.
Detangled Hair is MUCH MUCH easier to work with, and I currently detangle with lots of water and conditioner in the shower. I use brush with the best to detangle.
Work in Sections
I use the Croc Clips to help keep my hair organized. I section my hair into at least 4 sections. Working in sections helps to keep me organized, I find I move faster and use less product when I keep my hair organized.
Apply a light leave-in
I use a lightweight leave-in and it is usually the Alikay Naturals Lemon Grass Leave-in or the AS I Am classic leave in. I don’t like starting on “naked” hair. I need the lubrication of a leave-in to help me work through my hair. I’ve used these two leave-ins with several different gels and I haven’t had any issues with flaking.
Apply Gel to Wet Hair
I keep a spray bottle nearby to keep my hair wet. I always apply gel to wet hair. Applying too much of even the best-formulated gel can lead to flaking.
How long do Twist Outs with Gel Last?
When I set my twist-out with gel, I typically wear my hair in the twists for one or two days then take the twists down and wear the twist-out for another 4 to 5 days. So, between the twists and the twist-out, I can get a solid 5 to 7 days out of the style.
For Twist Outs with texture and definition use Gel
Gels clump curls and coils and highlight the texture of natural hair. Setting a twist out with gel will highlight the natural texture in your hair. If you want a smoother twist out, a styling foam or twist out butter used on damp or stretched hair is a better option.
Skip the Gel if You Need Your Twist Out to Dry Quickly
Twist Outs with gels especially, the botanical ones leave the hair nice and moisturized. They add a nice weight to the hair that helps to elongate the twists. The downside to the heavy moisturizing gels is that they take FOREVER and a day to DRY!
You can speed up the process by using a hooded dryer, but that usually takes at least an hour to dry. Drying overnight for 8 to 12 hours is hit or miss. It can be extremely frustrating to wake up to damp
Are You Okay with “Crunchy” Twist Outs?
For a long time, I chased soft “touchable” curls. The fact of the matter is my hair is not naturally soft and those touchable curls don’t last as long. The hard as a rock cast left, by old school gels were extremely drying. The new school gels leave a firm but flexible hold that helps styles to last without drying out your hair.
Gels even the all-natural botanical ones will leave a cast on your twist out. The gel cast helps your twist out last longer. As you untwist your twist out you start to break the cast. You can scrunch or gently press on your twists out to get rid of the crunchy feeling. Leaving the crunch will allow your twist out to last longer. The cast will eventually start to wear off and over a few days, your hair will get bigger and start to lose a little definition, it is fun to watch the twist-out transform day after day.