During my natural hair journey — yes it is a journey — I am always on the look out for products as my hair’s needs change. One product that has been hard for me to find is a good leave-in conditioner. A fellow naturalista and friend of mine swears by a product by Kinky-Curly called Knot Today. So when I won a $10 Amazon gift card, I decided to purchase a bottle and give it a try. I found that this product made three of my favorite natural hairstyles easy to do.
Wash and Go’s Made Easy
When you see the term “wash and go” that seems like a pretty easy hairstyle. You think you should be able to just wash your hair and go on about your business for the day. That couldn’t be further from the truth for naturally kinky, curly hair. When I used to do a wash and go I had to apply a moisturizer, curl-enhancing product (in smaller sections) and a hair oil or butter to seal in moisture. Then throughout the day I needed to carry a spray bottle of water to refresh my hair and apply a small amount of hair to help lock in the moisture. That is hardly wash and go. However, when I tried Knot Today my wash and go took four steps:
Wash. Apply Knot Today to wet hair. Blot hair dry with paper towels. Apply a quarter-sized drop of Extra virgin olive oil to my hair by rubbing oil into palms and working through hair as I fluffed to style.
At night I sleep with a plastic cap and scarf tied to my head. The following morning I refresh my hair with a little spritz of water and oil to seal in moisture.
Kinky Twists or Two-Strand Twists
If you have a big head like I do, creating kinky twists (two-strand twists) can be a chore that takes a few hours. However, I found that when I applied Knot Today to dry hair, my twist time was cut in half.
I divided hair in four sections without the use of a comb (so there won’t be “hard parts” in the hair). I applied Knot Today to one section and combed it through to detangle hair. I created individual kinky twists within that section. I prefer smaller twists but you can create larger ones if you hair is long enough to handle them. Repeat steps two and three for the remaining three sections.
I like to leave my twists in as a protective style. I will also create two large flat twists or crown twists around my head for an elaborate-looking woven hairstyle. Usually two days before wash day I remove the twists and wear my hair out in kinky curly spirals (result of my kinky twists).
Bantu Knots
Another natural hairstyle I love to do is the knot set or Bantu Knot. As with kinky twists this usually takes a few hours for me because I need to smooth each individual section with a curl enhancing product or hair pudding before a create the knot. When I began using Knot Today, I followed the same steps I use for my kinky twists but instead of creating the twists I created knots. Most people use Bantu Knots as a hair set to create larger curls that are more defined and less kinky. While I ultimately will use the knot set for this purpose, I also wear them as a natural hairstyle.
These three are my favorite natural hairstyles that Kinky-Curly’s Knot Today made easier. This leave-in conditioner is ideal for thick and coarse hair types. If you have fine hair it is recommended to use Knot Today as a rinse-out conditioner. However, as many naturalistas find out, the recommended product usage is not always the best way to use the product on our hair. So if you have fine hair, give Knot Today a chance as a leave-in conditioner to help with your hair styles. You can purchase Knot Today at CurlMart or directly Kinky-Curly for $12.
Related Content
Do Curl Enhancing Shampoos and Conditioners Work?
Going Natural: Finding the Right Products for Your Hair
Natural Hair Styles: Twisted Knot Set