How to Blow Dry a Twist-Out at Home

If you’re searching for methods on how to blow dry a twist-out, I’m betting things have already gotten out of hand at home (Am I right?).

In that case, you must be aware by now that keeping those twist-outs looking glorious isn’t child’s play.

lady with twisted hair so how do you blow dry twist out?

Don’t worry, though, I’m here to save the day!

Just keep reading for a complete guide on how to create totally terrific twist-outs in less than 3 minutes right in your own home!

Check: Best Blow Dryer to Straighten Hair

How To Blow Dry A Twist-Out (Video Tutorial)

Blowdrying the perfect twist-out at home is all about stretching, sectioning, twisting, and unraveling. Let’s see how it’s all done.

Step 1: Gently Blow Dry While Stretching Your Hair.

You always need to begin by stretching and detangling your damp hair after washing it. If you have a tough and stiff hair texture, I recommend using either a wide-tooth comb or a brush with a big paddle. That works even if you’ve got coarse hair.

I also recommend using a good leave-in condition in case your damp hair doesn’t allow you easy stretching. It’ll not only make the stretching process easy but keep the hair shafts soft. [1]

Step 2: Sectioning & Twist Up.

For more aesthetic and even hair twists, sectioning is vital. What I generally do is divide my natural hair into three sections: back, right, and left.

The sectioning is beautifully portrayed by Youtuber Browneyed Beaute in her video.

As Bri twists up her hair, she divides the left section into two parts.

Make sure that you’re stretching your hair; it need not be straight.

Until you’re done doing the same for all the sections of hair, continue stretching and twisting.

Once you’re finished with that, take your dryer with speed settings on high and medium heat. Use the dryer until your hair becomes about 80% dry. [2]

Step 3: Unraveling.

Now, you’ve got two options. Once you’re done blow-drying, you can choose to immediately unravel the results. But in case you want longer-lasting and defined twists, use a sleep cap and let it stay on your hair at night.

Check: Curly Hair Blowout Men

Things To Consider When You Blow-Dry A Twist Out

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s check out some tips for success.

1.     Items Needed

  • Wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush.
  • Leave-in conditioner, preferably lightweight.
  • Heat protectant.
  • Clips or hairpins.
  • Blow dryer equipped with a paddle brush or comb attachment.

2.     Time

Based on your hair type, the duration of blow-drying will vary. The drying rate is different for hair with varying levels of porosity.

Also, the density of your hair also matters when you’re considering the time it’s going to take you to blow-dry. Bigger twists take more than drying compared to smaller ones.

3.     Other Considerations

Use a blow dryer equipped with a diffuser in case your twists come out flat. Use the diffuser for your hair ends and roots/head of hair while blow-drying them. 

I strongly advise you to keep the heat on medium. Also, make sure that the speed of the dryer is set on high. These tips will help you to prevent burning your twist out style. 

You can even use hair soil for a more sleek and shinier look.

Tips

  • Detangled hair is a must. Make sure to not forget to apply a heat protectant/ leave-in conditioner.

Exposing your hair to a blow dryer can suck out the moisture and leave your hair dry and damaged.

To prevent that from taking place, I advise you to always detangle your natural hair, followed by ample moisturization. Only then, dry your hair by blow drying.

pretty lady with twisted hair

An efficient and non-aggressive heat protectant or leave-in conditioner is enough to keep your fresh or day-old blow-dried hair moisturized during the blow drying process. That’ll also help your hair look flawless.

  • Extremely HOT Drying is a BIG NO NO: Use Cool Setting/ Low Heat Settings.

I cannot stress enough the fact that your hair will get destroyed if you expose it to too much heat. Excessive and direct heat exposure can damage the hair cuticle, make your hair breakage-prone, and dry out your hair strands.

Keep in mind that you’re dealing with very delicate transitioning hair. Thus, use minimal heat to keep your hair healthy and beautiful for a long time.

Check out the video below for tips on telling how hot is too hot:

  • While twisting your twist-outs, do not let loose hair in.

As you deal with one section, it’s extremely crucial to avoid grabbing loose/stray hair that belongs to another section. That’s because if these strands do a crossover, the result will be pretty ugly.

And when you let your hair down, you’ll end up with a tangled mess.

So, as you make your perfect twist, carry out the stretching and twisting thoroughly, working around each section with care.

And also, as the Mielle Organics creator Monique Rodriguez exclaims, “If you untwist your hair while it is still wet, you could cause frizz and lack definition in your hairstyle.” [3]

  • Make use of perm rods for more even curls.

When you’re creating twist-outs, you’re going to realize that a few sections of your hair will get curled more easily. In comparison, other sections may not comply so easily and remain flat, especially the ends.

For such stubborn flat hair in twists, I use perm rods to get the curls I’m looking for.

A picture showing black lady with twist hair

READ MORE: How To Blow Dry Bangs?

FAQs

Is it better to twist hair wet or dry?

In my opinion, neither! The best is to twist slightly damp hair. That’s because if you expose dry hair to the heat from the blow dryer, you can easily damage the strands.
You must make sure to use a mild heat protectant or spray water on your hair before blow-drying your hair.

Does twisting your hair make it grow?

man with a twister hair

No, twisting doesn’t make your hair grow. In general, in comparison to straight hair, curls do appear shorter in length.
Thus, you might think your hair got longer after doing twists.

Conclusion

With that, I put an end to my guide on how to blow dry twist out. What I must urge you at this point is to figure out your hair type before you expose it to heat.

Also, remember that even if you and I have a similar/the same type of hair, all curls have their own unique personality. Finally, to avoid heat damage, always use hair cream or heat protectant, and yes! Let your hair cool down and relax. 

References

  • 1. How to stop damaging your hair [Internet]. Aad.org. 2021 [cited 2021 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/insider/stop-damage
  • 2. Elias N. The Healthiest Way To Dry Your Hair [Internet]. Prevention. Prevention; 2012 [cited 2021 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.prevention.com/beauty/hair/a20442345/the-healthiest-way-to-dry-your-hair/
  • 3. Dodson T. 7 Twist Out Mistakes You’re Probably Making [Internet]. SELF. SELF; 2018 [cited 2021 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.self.com/story/twist-out-mistakes/amp
girl with a blow dry twist out

Have you tried blow drying a twist-out? Let us know in the comments below!