Braid VS Twist, Which One Is Better For Hair?

As is well known, protective styling is one of the best and most efficient ways to grow your hair, strengthen your hair, and keep it healthy. The most popular go-to styles for black girls, when they want a protective style, are braids and twists. Braids and twists are all versatile and low-maintenance, especially during the hot summer months. If you’re looking forward to knowing how to choose between braids vs twists and which style is best for you, continue reading to learn more!

What Are Braid-Outs?

Braids are a complex hairstyle formed by interlacing three or more strands of hair and are also referred to as plaits.

In recent years, braids have been used as a way to add human hair wigs or hair extensions to the hair. For instance, human hair weaves can be woven directly into the hair or sewn to thin, tight lines of braids that are placed close to the scalp and hidden under other layers of hair.

The most common braided hair protective style is box braids. Except for box braids, there are many other types of braided hairstyles for natural hair, including knotless box braids, cornrows, feed-in braids, goddess braids, braided ponytails, Ghana braids, braided bob, crochet braids, braided buns, and more.

The Pros And Cons Of Braids

Pros:

1. Long-Lasting

Although twists and braids are both protective styles, in terms of durability, braids will last longer. Braids can stay in your hair for up to 8 weeks without appearing frizzy.

2. Low-Maintenance

This style does not require a lot of upkeep and is easy to wash and maintain throughout the weeks. The only thing you’ll really need to do is to try using an edge gel for flawless edges.

3. Versatile

The versatility of braids is unlike any other protective style, which can give you many chances to express your creativity. Depending on which type of braids you want, you can design different patterns, add some fun colored hair extensions, or accessorize your braids with beads, pearls, and feathers. Believe it or not, the possibilities are endless.

4. Fit For All Hair Types

No Matter your hair length and hair texture, you can boldly wear braids as a protective style.

Cons:

For everything, there will be both positive and negative sides. Now let us see some of the cons of braid-outs.

1. Heavy

Braids typically weigh more than twists.

2. Damage Edges

As we all know, the hair around the edges is the most fragile and a lot of pulling or tugging on them can cause edges breakage or damage. Since braids are heavier in weight, they can put extra pressure on your edges or cause hair loss if you don’t take proper care of them or if they are installed too tightly.

3. Require More Installation Time

It takes a lot of time and energy to install and unbraid braids, which even may increase the chances of breakage.

What Are Twist-Outs?

As a beautiful protective hairstyle for natural hair, twists also known as two-strand twists that is a hairstyle created by twisting two sections of hair around one another from the root to the ends and can help your hair grow and stay healthy. If you’ve worn box braids a lot and are ready to just switch up, twists may be a great look to try out.

And there are many different styles of twist hairstyle options such as:

Havana twist;

Marley twist Strand twist;

Spring twist;

Senegalese twist;

A Twisted top knot;

Two-strand twist;

Bun twist;

Curly twist;

Passion twist;

The Pros And Cons Of Twists

Pros:

1. Easy To Install And Remove

Twists can be installed relatively quickly and taken out just as quickly. For example, compared to the 4-12 hours that it can take to install mini braids, twists only require 1-3 hours.

Compared to the removal of braids, twists can take between 30 mins and 2 hours to remove.

2. Low-tension

Twists are very lightweight so they will cause little to no tension on the scalp of the hair.

3. Versatile Style

There are various ways to finish twists according to your desired look, such as the Marley twist, two-strand twist, and so on.

4. Friendly For Type 4 Hair

The twisted hairstyle is perfect for the hair type and hair texture of black women. Since twists are easy to be unraveled, the kinkier the hair, the better the twists stay intact.

Cons:

1. Require More Maintenance

Twists require a bit more upkeep and maintenance to keep the twists in place and avoid unraveling.

2. Prone To Damage

If twists are not installed properly, they can cause breakage and damage to your hair.

3. Not As Long-Lasting

The protective hairstyle for natural hair can start to slip and unravel over time. Twists can usually only last up to about 4-6 weeks, otherwise, these twists could prevent your natural hair from getting the moisture it needs.

What Is The Difference Between Braid And Twist?

Both twists and braids can lock in moisture well and are great options for protective styles. Naturally, there are some differences between braids and twists. Now keep reading to figure out these differences to make the best decision.

1. Technique

The main difference between braids and twists is the technique. Braids are finished by intertwining three strands of hair, while twists require only two strands of hair to be wrapped around each other.

2. Installation And Removal Time

As above mentioned, compared to the 4-12 hours that it can take to install mini braids, twists only require 1-3 hours. Compared to the removal of braids, twists can take between 30 mins and 2 hours to remove.

3. How Long Time They Last

Although twists and braids are both protective styles for natural hair, in terms of durability, braids will last longer than twists. Braids can stay in your hair for up to 8 weeks, while twists just can usually only last up to about 6 weeks.

4. Hair Types They Work Best On

Braids are suitable for any hair type, and twists will work best on curly hair.

5. Maintenance

The amount of maintenance needed is a big difference between braids and twists. As we've already mentioned, twists will need a lot more maintenance than braids. If you're a busy, active woman or enjoy working out, twists may not be for you.

With braids, you can wash your hair once a week and apply deep conditioning treatments and hair oils without worrying that your braids will come undone. Unfortunately, the same condition does not apply to twists.

Twist VS Braid, Which One Is Best?

Both hairstyles have pros and cons, and you cannot blindly say that one is better than the other. It depends on the preference of various people.

For instance, some people like to have braid-outs more than twist-outs. But some may prefer the twist-outs style.

It can also depend on the type and texture of your hair as well. For example, if you are looking for a quick, low-tension style and you have more kinky, coily, type hair, then twists are perfect for you. Braids will be the right choice for you if you want a long-lasting, low-maintenance style and don’t mind spending a bit longer getting it done.

You can always try both hairstyles so that you will know which style suits best for you. No matter which style you choose it will be great to protect your hair from damage and promote hair growth.

If you want to know the difference between braids and dreads, you can read: Braids Vs. Dreads, Which One Is Better?

Are you ready to be fabulous in your new look for summer?