Cutting my hair into a tapered style has been a fun and exciting change for me. I’ve been told by many people that I look older and more mature which was the goal. One of my fears when I decided to cut my hair was if I could keep it up and do it myself. I’ve never had short hair before but I figured it would much easier and thankfully I was right! Having less hair obviously saves so much time and effort but best of all it saves so much of my morning routine. I simply fluff out the hair a little and go. Today I wanted to share my easy twist-out routine on my tapered cut hair and some of the products I use.
1. Wash and Condition
I’ve tried so many different shampoos and conditioners out there over the years and the one thing I’ve learned is that more expensive doesn’t always mean better. One of my favorite and most used washing products are Pantene Pro-V Truly Natural Hair Clarifying Shampoo and Pantene Curl Defining Conditioner. Both are super affordable and always get the job done. After washing and conditioning I use Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner. If you talk to any person that has used this, you will know it’s a natural hair must have! Not only is it a great conditioner but it can also be used as a style serum so once you apply this nothing else has be added. The leave-in conditioner has the right consistency and it’s not too oily like others. It’s especially great to apply before using gel to avoid flakes and dryness.
2. Twist Out
The first step when styling a tapered cut is to focus on the top first. You will first need the separate the longer hair from the tapered sides and back by pulling it into a small pony tail at the top of the head if possible. I usually start with the top hair by applying any kind of moisturizer or oil followed my new obsession, Nairobi Wrapp-It Shine Foaming Lotion. Applying the moisturizer before the foaming lotion helps it from drying the hair out and keeping it fully moisturized. For this look I used Bekura’s Honey Latte Detangling Hair Milk. After applying these products you can either flat twist or individually twist out the hair like the pictures below.
The tapered hair is the easiest. You simply add the moisturizer or oil to the sides and back followed by Eco Styler Gel. I’ve learned to mix the two products together in my hand for an easier application. It’s best to apply the gel by sections to make sure every piece of hair gets touched evenly. If you are sitting under the dryer or steamer, my stylist recommended drying the top first than applying the gel afterwards to let that section air dry. This helps the gel from looking a little crispy after sitting under the dryer.
I always recommend air-drying the hair however due to the thickness of my hair, air drying takes too long and sitting up the dryer always guarantees my hair being dry.
3. The Take Down
To take down the hair it’s always important to add oil to the hands first to avoid frizziness. I take down each twist one by one and since my hair is shorter I pull the pieces apart by hand instead of using a pick. You can fluff out the hair and break apart the pieces to your liking depending on how defined you want the hair. I usually add extra gel the the edges to clean them up a little and that’s it!
Feel free to leave comments and ask questions below.
All Products Mentioned
Nairobi Wrapp-It Shine Foaming Lotion(8 oz)
