The side twist is the toddler hairstyle South African moms go back to again and again — because it takes two minutes, works on every hair type, and still looks deliberate. Here's exactly how to do it.
Ask any South African mom what her go-to school morning hairstyle is and you'll hear a version of the side twist more often than almost any other style. Here's why it works, and exactly how to do it in two minutes.
Why the Side Twist Works Every Time
It works on straight hair, wavy hair, fine hair, thick hair, and everything in between. It keeps hair completely off the face. It takes between ninety seconds and two minutes from start to finish. It holds through a full school day. And it looks intentional — not like you ran out of time, like you knew exactly what you were doing. That combination is rare and valuable on a busy school morning.
How to Do It — Step by Step
Lightly mist the hair with water. Take a section from one side — from the temple to about the middle of the top of the head. Twist this section backward, away from the face. As you twist, feed in a little more hair from the front hairline with each rotation — like the beginning of a French braid, but much simpler. Once you've incorporated the hair from the hairline and reached behind the ear, secure the twist with your clip. Done.
The result is a sweep of twisted hair from one temple to behind the ear, secured with a visible clip, with the rest of the hair falling freely. It takes practice the first two or three times and then becomes genuinely effortless.
Making It Work on Short Hair
The side twist works on shorter toddler hair too, though with less hair to incorporate you'll be working with a smaller twist. On shorter hair, the result is a sweet pinned-back section at one temple rather than a full sweep. It still keeps hair from the face and still looks intentional. Use a smaller clip proportioned for less hair.
The Upgrade Version
Once you're comfortable with the basic side twist, try doing two — one on each side, meeting at the back and secured together with one clip. This creates a half-up style that uses both sides of the head and looks significantly more elaborate than it is. Still under four minutes. Still reliable for a full school day.
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