Senegalese Twists: The Complete Step-by-Step Tutorial

Senegalese twists, also known as rope twists, is a gorgeous protective hairstyle that’s growing in popularity within the African American community.

The best thing about this protective styling method is that Senegalese twists can protect your hair from damage caused by over manipulation, daily styling, and other damaging factors.

With the popularity of Senegalese twists recently on the rise, the hairstyle has gone from one of many cultural options to one of the most coveted hairstyles around.

Overview of Senegalese Twists

More and more women are embracing the natural hair movement and opting to wear their natural hair. While there are many reasons someone may decide to go natural, some people attribute this movement to the resurgence in braided hairstyling options.

While Senegalese twists can be done without weave, it’s common for ladies to wrap extensions around the root of their natural hair and twist the extension hair into each section. Don’t worry if that all sounds confusing. We provide step-by-step tutorials within this article.

How to Install Senegalese Twists (Beginner’s Guide)

Save Time by Using Crochet Braiding Techniques

One common complaint about Senegalese twists is the amount of time required to install the braids. We often hear about six-to-eight hour installations, which can be a deterrent for some women.

One way to shorten the install time is to use the cornrow technique from the equally popular crochet braids hairstyle. This cornrow installation method has been adopted by the natural hair community.

When using this technique, Senegalese twists are called Crochet Senegalese Twists. The modified installation process reduces the installation time to approximately three hours (or less).

Senegalese Crochet Twists: Step-by-Step Guide

Make sure that your hair is spaced out properly. You need to space your hair closely together in the front, in order to hide the cornrows, but don’t overdo it when working in the back.

Best Practices That Will Improve Your Experience

Wash and Moisturize Your Hair

Make sure that your hair is clean and properly moisturized before you install the twists. Since you’re not going to have direct access to all of your hair for at least the next month, you need to make sure that it gets moisturized thoroughly.

Use Simple Braiding Patterns

It’s not necessary to create an elaborate braiding pattern if you decide to use the crochet technique. You can use straight, front-to-back cornrow braids, and the hairstyle will still look just as good.

If Time is Important, Use Pre-Twisted Hair

Since the time that it takes install Senegalese twists can often be a deterrent, the process is much faster if you purchase pre-twisted hair and use crochet braiding techniques.

You’re Likely to Need Between Six to Eight Packs of Hair

On the other hand, if you are twisting the hair yourself, then the process is going to take a lot longer to accomplish. Thinner twists are going to require more packs of hair, while thicker twists are going to require fewer packs of hair. As a general rule of thumb, eight packs of hair is a safe starting number. If you have thicker twists, you might get by with only a half-dozen packs, but eight packs are more likely if you fall on the thinner side.

How to Install Chunky Senegalese Twist

Senegalese Twist Hairstyles

Senegalese twists are a favorite hairstyle of many black women. This gorgeous look and do-it-yourself convenience are two big reasons for the hairstyle’s popularity. The following are several of our most-loved Senegalese twist hairstyles from popular Instagram pages.

Jumbo Senegalese

If you’d like to try twists that are above average, jumbo Senegalese is a good way to start. Massive spirals won’t take as much time, and you can even try out hair colors that might be otherwise cumbersome to upkeep. Once your hair settles, play around with your parting for a while. Some experimentation can create the perfect look.

A post shared by Hair Bae Daye ✊🏾 (@dayelasoul) on Apr 7, 2017 at 4:51pm PDT

Trendy Short Senegalese Twists

Short hairstyles are definitely in right now, so the fact that short Senegalese styles are showing up all over the place is pretty cool. Bob-length cuts are precise and clean looks, but the blunt edges are quite trendy. Try glamming them up using metal cuffs.

A post shared by Jaleesa M 👼🏽 (@saythelees) on Mar 10, 2017 at 4:50pm PST

Mohawk Braids

Initially, the Mohawk served as a symbolism of rebellion, but it’s also now a modern staple in the larger collection of hairstyles of African-American women. The Mohawk gets even bolder when the sides are shaved. By doing this, you can enjoy a style which is both feminine and fierce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of synthetic hair should be used for Senegalese twists?

We recommend using Kanekelon braiding hair for Senegalese twists. Although, it’s worth noting that marly hair and Kanekalon hair have similar properties, but the textures of the hair types are different.

Marley hair is generally used for Marley twists and other braiding hairstyles. Given its coarse texture, Marley hair holds firmly whether you’re twisting or braiding your hair.

Kanekalon hair has a smoother texture, making it the best candidate for box braids and Senegalese twists.

How long do Senegalese twists take?

Six, seven, or eight hours is common for installation, and that length of time certainly deters some ladies. Using Crochet Senegalese Twists is one way to speed things up.

This modified process of installation cuts the time in roughly half. You can expect Senegalese twist hairstyles to last you a month or two, although it does depend on the installed hair quality, the braid pattern intricacies, and of course your individual maintenance routine.

Given that braids should be a longer-term protective style, stay mindful that you must continue to care for your natural hair too.