Perfecting the Art of Twisted Buns

I'm becoming a protective style queen! Twists and buns are my favorite protective styles. This summer I have been beating the heat by staying hydrated with water for my body and moisture for my hair. Whether I am at work teaching summer school, meeting a friend for lunch, or enjoying my family reunion, buns have been my go-to style. Why am I so enthralled with keeping my hair up and tucked away? Because it is so EASY and helps me to retain lots of length. Not only that, but my hair stays moisturized longer. I can roll out of bed, take my shower, and be ready for my summer gig in no time! How do I maintain my twisted bun?

To style a twisted bun you will need the following supplies:

• Thin, black Goody Ouchless band
• Stylish cloth or plastic band
• 15-20 bobby pins (or as many as you need)
• Spritz--I used bottled water, aloe vera juice, detangling tea, rosemary oil, and JBCO.
• Natural Gel-- My fav is Shea Moisture Curling Souffle.
• Natural Pomade--My fav is Tropic Isles Rosemary JBCO pomade.

I style my hair with a spritz, natural gel, and natural pomade. I start with a clean, conditioned head. I air dry my hair over night in gigantic twists. The next day, I finger detangle and section my hair into four sections. Think of quadrants.. Two sections in the front and two sections in the back. Begin twisting your hair into the size of twists that you want. I prefer medium twists, because I have issues with the takedown from mini twists. I prefer to mix a little souffle with pomade and then apply to each section. I twist really tight per the Naptural85 method. I tightly twist until the hair can't be twisted anymore then move down to the next section.

Front view 

Then, I used a thin, black ouchless headband to pull the twists upward from my face. I wrapped the ouchless band twice for a secure hold. Then, I slowly pulled it upward toward the crown of my head. I was careful not to pull too tight.

Next, I sectioned my twists into two gigantic sections--One on the left back side of my head and one on the right. I folded my twists over my hand and pinned each side down starting with the back section top to bottom.

Side view 

Finally, I smoothed down stray hairs and used a little pomade on my edges and hairs in the back. I wrapped my hair with a silk scarf to hold the style and smooth down my hairs.

I added a colorful scarf to create style and give my bun a vibrant look. The first time that I did that style I used a plain black, chunky headband. The cool thing about the headbands is that you can go casual or more dressy dependent upon your destination for the day.

Next time I plan to make my bun more uniform. I know that it is slightly off centered. For me, the art of twisted buns is an ongoing process. My first goal was to make sure that it looked neat and presentable, which I think I accomplished. When I do it again, I will be sure that each side is more symmetrical. That slightly lopsided bun look didn't get any weird looks, thank God! 

Back view

This style is easy and very sensible for the summer. I don't have to sorry about stray hairs or frizz. I can go about my date without worrying that my style will morph into something else. On rainy days my bun still remains in tact and on sunny days, it keeps my neck cool. Now that my curly hair is growing past shoulder length (stretched inching past APL), keeping it off my shoulders helps me to retain length. This is definitely becoming one of my favorite styles for the summer. I can't wait to adapt it for fall and winter!!

Dear readers, have you tried a twisted bun? What tips do you have for styling and maintaining it? What are your go to styles for the summer?