Sunday night, I decided to attempt a modified WnG incorporating the techniques of Naptural85 and Cipriana of Urban Bush Babes and putting my own twist on them. Back in October, CurlyNikki posted a Winter Wash & Go video tutorial by Naptural85 aka Whitney. Essentially, Whitney washed and twisted her hair (sans detangling and styling or leave-in product!) and then allowed it to fully dry overnight under a satin scarf, finally releasing and separating the twists in the morning for the finished style.
via Naptural85
Frickin’ GORE-GEE-US!! I LOVE Whitney’s hair. It is just so thick, curly, shiny and delicious.
I often place my hair in large twists after washing and applying my leave-in and styler for a WnG. However, this is typically in the morning, not at night prior to going to bed. So, although my hair is not similar to Whitney’s, I decided to “leverage” her nighttime twisting routine, if not her product and detangling free styling session.
Then in December, I read Cipriana’s post, Turn Your Tumbleweeds to Seaweeds: 6 Quick & Simple Steps to Longer Lasting Sealed Ends, on BGLH. My biggest “take away” from that was how she wrapped the ends of her twists around bobby pins after moisturizing and sealing them. Sometime between then and now, I experimented with this on twists or braids and found that it worked very well. Given the earlier results, I thought it would probably work well for this modified WnG experiment.
So, without further ado, here is how I achieved the above WnG … or WTSnG (Wash, Twist, Seal and Go ;)).
WTSnG: What I Did
On Sunday night:
- Pre-pooed, de-shedded and lightly detangled hair in 6 sections with Vatika oil mixed with EVOO.
- Loosely braided each section after pre-pooing, donned plastic baggie and “marinated” for approx. 2 hours.
- Shampooed scalp and hair in braids using DevaCare No Poo; Rinsed.
- Applied HEHH conditioner to braids, donned plastic baggie while finishing shower rituals (approx. 10 min.); Rinsed.
- Applied Darcy Botanicals Pumpkin Seed Conditioner to braids, donned plastic baggie and heat cap for approx. 1 hour 30 min.
- Allowed hair to cool for approx. 15 minutes then applied conditioner rinse (Aussie Moist diluted with cold water) before doing final rinse with cold water.
- Squeezed excess water out of hair with Curl Cloth.
- Released each braid to apply modified Kimmaytube leave-in (2 tbsp KCKT, 2 tbsp Aloe Vera juice, 1 tsp jojoba oil, 1 tsp JBCO/EVOO mix), detangle and twisted.
- Repeated until all four sections complete.
- Secured ends of 4 twists to crown with jaw clip.
- Donned two satin bonnets and hit the sack with very damp twists.
Monday morning (hair still damp, especially at roots):
- Removed jaw clip to allow twists to hang.
- Applied JBCO/EVOO mix to last 2-3 inches of twists and wrapped the ends of each twist around doobie pins.
- Applied Sofn’Free Nothing But Mold & Hold Wax to tame front frizzies and tied down edges with a silk scarf.
- Allowed hair to dry a little more on 15 minute drive to work.
- In parking lot ;), removed scarf, released ends of twists from doobie pins and unraveled twists without separating any further.
- Allowed hair to dry for another hour or so at work before lightly and gently separating (ends were dry; roots were still slightly damp).
Finished Look (Pics taken after work)
Overally, I think I got pretty good results. I achieved a pretty consistent curl pattern using this technique and nice curl definition on my ends. Here is a comparison shot of the same section last week and this week.
Left: First wash after having hair straight for two weeks. I also didn’t use a leave-in conditioner.
Right: Second wash after having hair straight. Used Kimmaytube leave-in and bobby pin sealing technique.
“Heat damage? We don’t see no stinkin’ heat damage.” LOL! Although I was pleased with the uniform curl pattern, curled ends and mostly frizz-free appearance, my hair was a little flatter and generally less ginormous than I like. I’m hoping that placing it in a pineapple overnight will “pump up the volume.” Also, although it’s not super noticeable against the grey sweater, that pesky gap is still readily apparent in the rear shot. This is why I prefer TnCs over WnGs as they give me bigger hair and make my gappy perimeter appear full. I still can’t determine if the gap is caused due to my shorter and more tightly curled crown, less dense, finer and shorter nape hair, a permanent part or some combination thereof.
All that being said, if it’s due to a shorter crown and/or nape, I’m planning to close the gap a little very soon (no pun intended!). I recently won a contest for a free wash and trim by Ahava Felicidad! She is actually the friend of a mutual friend and works at a natural hair salon in West Orange, NJ. You may have even noticed her commenting on a few of my posts recently. Anyway, I was supposed to be getting my hair straightened to trim it myself. But, uhhhmmmmm, yeaaahhhhhh … see what had happened was … yeah, I wussed out. So, this contest was right on time given that I was going at my split ends like a madwoman today. And bonus, Ahava follows the blog and knows a lot about the level of care I take with my hair, so I’m thinking I’ll be in good hands :).
So stay tuned for the post-trim update at some point in the next month or thereabouts!
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Have you tried Naptural85’s Winter WnG and/or Cipriana’s Sealing technique(s)? If so, what were your results? If not, do you have any tips or tricks for achieving the perfect WnG or perfectly sealed ends?
hairscapades 
omg sis.. HAIR PINNED ENDS!!! Genius!!!!! That is what i NEEDED!! I am going to try this tonight and let you know how it turns out!!!!!
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Well you’ve already seen my results of this winter wash and go method on my site. I love it. Without products, my hair actually dries. With products, I still had damp hair in the morning and my curls weren’t as defined.
You’re brave for waiting until you get to work to release your twists. Lol. I’d be too scared that something bad will happen.
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Rece, I was thinking of you when I did it too!! Your hair looked nice! As to waiting until I got to work to release it, I’ve been doing that for years. So, it’s no biggie. My hair tends to be pretty predictable … well, after 12 years, guess it should be!! *lol*
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Luscious, curly ends, Shelli!! If I set my hair in braids then I’ll apply extra product to about the last inch of hair and then twist the ends up on each other. I got this from Terri LaFlesh but I don’t tuck the twisted ends through the braid; I leave it out and then bobby pin my braids stretches across my head to achieve more length as it air dries. 🙂
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Thanks Lauren!! You stretch to show more length and I’m constantly trying to get my hair to be curlier! LOL! But, your hair is so thick, it’ll look thick with length showing. I like to encourage shrinkage so mine will look thicker and bigger:).
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I hadn’t heard about curling the ends…I gotta try it. I have tried the Winter WnG method and like Rece I love it! It definitely does dry fully when you don’t use products. Like Naptural85, I just used the mudwash and had one of the softest WnG ever and it was pretty defined. You’re making me want to take these twists out and do a WnG.
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And you’re making me want to order the mudwash!! I gotta do that soon!
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Thanks for this post! I’m always trying to figure out how to curl my daughters ends for the hair that grows from the crown of her head. everywhere else, her hair easily curls on its own or around my finger. I tried the bobby pin trick, but i think either my pins were too small or i just had extreme butter fingers, literally (shea butter that is), so i gave up. Next i will try it with doobie pins, assuming they are a bit larger. Your ends look amazing! And the rest of your hair of course…as always. 🙂
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LOL @ “butter fingers … (shea butter that is)!” LOL! If I was doing small twists, I would use regular bobby pins. But for these huge twists, I knew that was a no go!! So yes, they may work better for you Niah! And thank you lady:)!!
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I need Shelli’s “detailed instructions” on how to wrap my ends around the doobie pins…lol SERIOUSLY!!!
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Michelle, it’s easy. Just pry the doobie pin open and hold it open, then wrap the ends around one side of the pin and then let it close. If you are doing small sections and using a bobby pin, wrap the end around the “crinkled” side. I start about an inch or two up the twists and then wrap it around until I get to the end. Then, allow the pin to close. You’ll get the hang of it!
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Shells, I think as your hair gets longer (and I think you got more coming!) a wash and go may make your hair flatter. Just an observ. I may be wrong. I think you get your currliest poofiest hair with your method but of course it’s good to try different things every now and then.
I love Cipriana’s method and was actually doing it before I saw her video but for different reasons. I figured if I’d wrap my hair around the bobby pin then it would keep my ends from unraveling and they would also be curlier. It works but I can’t do it all the time. I just don’t have time and when I’m pressed for time I rush. The good thing is even though I don’t do it always, I still maintain some nicely moisturized ends.
I haven’t washed going on 2 weeks and they are still moist! Yahhhhhhhhhhhh! Of course that ends today LOL
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Michelle, I’m wondering what it would do with no product … but I think I’ll get the Terressential first before I try that experiment!!
I can totally get not doing it all the time as it probably is time consuming to do it on small twists. But, the next time I do twists, I’m going to allot enough time so that I can do the ends like that. And, for the exact reason you indicated, I figure it should help reduce/eliminate unravelling because the ends will be curlier. But, it does seem to work really well to set the curl and keep it “like seaweed and not tumbleweed;).”
I thought you were wearing a braid out today? Are you in twists now?
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No today I’m still wearing the braidout. I was just speaking of in general.
Soooooooooo on another note, guess what I got? More hair products from B.A.S.K. LOL
I am going to do a review of them for Monday. I also got some more hair swag. I can’t help it. Those as seen on tv commercials get me all the time! LOL stay tuned.
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That bobbypin on the end trick is so smart! Going to try that when my hair grows out. I have a really dumb question, but what is the difference between a washngo and twist out? Thanks!
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Hi Annabel!!! Naptural85 calls this a WnG and explains why she doesn’t classify this as a twist out on the video, I believe. Generally speaking, a WnG usually doesn’t involve twisting, but just washing, conditioning, detangling and styling. I think she calls this a Winter WnG because she doesn’t want to wash it in the morning and go out with a wet head and since she didn’t detangle or brush the hair to elongate before twisting to set it in a different curl pattern, she isn’t classifying this as a twist out. I’m just guessing with that. A twist out done on wet hair will usually make the normal curl pattern larger because you are doing it on wet hair, detangling, twisting, allowing it to dry and then releasing to reveal a wave. Hope that makes sense!!
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AHAHHA, Shelli, you left the house with a scarf on your head, I’m telling. lol.
Love the curls.
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Paulla, I leave the house with a scarf almost EVERY day!! LOL!! Gotta let the edges set as long as possible! LOL!
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You are so right Michelle, the hairpins are great but it is surely time consuming. I saw this first done by Cipriana, and tried it out on only one twist. I couldn’t spend all that time doing the rest of my hair. It’s hard enough at nights when I do retwist. Cipriana has a huge head of hair, that’s just a lot of work with hairpins.
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Yeah, it must take HOURS on her hair! It’s so thick! But, I think she only does her twists once a month … though, I may be wrong!!
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Ok, so I did the Terressentials detox…and OH MY….nothing has EVER cleansed my hair this way, without stripping it. I’ve been natural for 3 years, my hair is big like CurlyNikki’s but long like Shelli’s, but over the years and trying this product, and that product, my hair started to get stringy, and weighed down, I no longer had the volume I had, and I was blaming henna because it did loosen up my curl pattern ALOT after 5 full treatments. But see thru-hair? oh no, I don’t even flat iron, I might blow dry once a month, so what gives? A case of extreme build up over the years. So…the detox, I noticed a huge difference after the first day, but by the third day I started oiling with vatika after the wash and let it air dry. I also started diluting it on the 4th day. By day 4 my hair was fuller, bigger, shinier, and my curls were springing back up at the ends..so imagine day 7! .and no more see-thru hair!!! I love it, I can do a twist out with just oil and water, with MAJOR hold. I guess because my hair is so clean. Sorry for the long comment, but I think you would absolutelly LOVE the terressentials, I used the lavendar like naptural did. It does seem like a lot of work to wash your hair for 7 days straight, but it is worth it!
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I LOVE long comments Star (c’mon, have you read my posts ;)?)!!! So, you never have to apologize for that. And you have now TOTALLY sold me on trying this!!!! I hope that I have the same results as you!!!! Okay, the GC is sitting to my left and I’m about to order as soon as I hit “Post Comment!!” One question, do you think I could dilute it from the get go or do you think full strength washes are in order for days 1-3? I was thinking of diluting from the get go because I know Naptural85 does and the bottle is NOT big. Okay, heading off now! Thank you soooooooo much for coming back to comment on this thread and tell us of your results!!!
(p.s. Oooooooh, if you are on FB, would you post a picture of your hair there?!?!?! We (We being I) wanna see!!! LOL!!)
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Shelli we means us too. I would love to see her hair too. My Terresential mud wash is en route.
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Marsha, how long ago did you order that?! I remember you posting about the order … was it last week?? I’m hoping it doesn’t take too long!! I want it NOW!! LOL!!
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I ordered it last Wednesday. So it has been a week. Its coming from Canada. I will check my tracking number.Patience, patience, patience…What is that?
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….and I love long posts! Honestly, I believe you can dilute it from the start. I wish I would have, because I used the whole 16oz bottle during the detox! and I was REALLY stretching the last 2 days, even putting water in the bottle to get the last of the mud. What I think is, if you haven’t been putting too many chemical laden products in your hair, you can do it that way. When I started diluting, I used a 6oz applicator bottle and did a half&half mix which still came out pretty thick. I’m not on FB, although I need to put a page up. I’ve been trying to post a gravatar pic here with no success, I’ll try again today so I can show you guys my hair! I live in MD, and their store is 45 min from me so it came in 3 days, I figured the gas money and shipping costs would even out so I was lazy and ordered 🙂 I hope you love it like I do!!!
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Pingback: Terressentials, Here I Come! « hairscapades
I def have to try your bobbi pin method the top portion of my hair has a mind of it’s own and sticks straight up. I thought they were relaxed ends, but I’ve had my hair trimmed three times in ten months ugh, I’m going to chalk it up to yet another texture of hair.
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