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View Full Version : Why do some tutorials make french twist to look so difficult to make? :D



BowTie
November 8th, 2013, 12:41 PM
I love french twist. However, I've always wondered why some tutorials make it more difficult than it is (probably non-LHC members:D)

My way to do the twist: I twist my hair clockwise upwards. I held it with my right hand and tuck the ends in on the left and also some hair from the left. Then I secure it with a side comb or a hair stick. Looks pretty and holds all day.

Then, I've seen some tutorials that involve heat, teasing, 200 bobby pins and it looks so difficult and probably takes at least 20 minutes.

So, am I doing my French twist totally wrong?

Becky9679
November 8th, 2013, 12:46 PM
It seems that some people have just been indoctrinated to think that updos can't possibly be that easy, and that they have to use a million and one products in order to make them work. It's one of the reasons that I thought I "couldn't do" updos for many years, because I can't be bothered messing around with all that rubbish. Then I got educated ;)

AmyBeth
November 8th, 2013, 12:49 PM
I've watched every tutorial known to mankind on the French Twist, multiple times. I can not do it. At least not presentably. If you ask me, it's not difficult, it's impossible. And I've tried it at every length from shoulder to hip. I am all thumbs.:(

Seeshami
November 8th, 2013, 01:03 PM
I refer to the french twist as the five second loop. My hair it to much to have any hope of not having a loop on the top and tucking my ends.

Anje
November 8th, 2013, 01:04 PM
For what it's worth, the longer your hair, the more you end up having to try to cram into that pocket between the twist and your head. Eventually it can get awkward, hard to hold, and/or dinosaur-like.

MsBubbles
November 8th, 2013, 01:10 PM
Some updos are easier for some people, than for others. :shrug: Vive la hairdo difference.

Taenarian
November 8th, 2013, 01:11 PM
Thank you for these observations!

I believe the length window for a successful French twist is narrow by LHC standards. I like wearing them (except I have to pin it once for any chance of staying where I put it before I dress it with a stick or Flexi) but beyond a certain length it is just an extended exercise in Fiddly.

Of the dozen or so French twist videos I've seen, one technique worked for me. Can't recall whose, sorry. Just make a low ponytail and twist until theoretically perfect.

BowTie
November 8th, 2013, 01:47 PM
Becky9679: I was the same. But then I joined LHC and realised you can do beautiful updos without any heat, teasing or lots
of styling proucts.

AmyBeth: There are so many different tutorials so it might be very confusing. I hope you find the way. It took me quite long to find the right way f8r my hair.

Anje: I agree French twist (especially with "my" method) provably gets difficult the longer your hair is. I have to find another way when my hair is long.

florenonite
November 8th, 2013, 01:54 PM
I think there are a few reasons. For one thing, the tutorial may be geared at people who don't do updos on a regular basis, so need to secure the hair as they work with it (as in tutorials I've seen which involve pinning the hair across before twisting) as they're less adept at keeping it contained. That also holds true for shorter hair or layers. For another, for many non-LHCers a French twist is a special occasion style, so they tend to involve subtle differences that make the overall look more polished. For instance, I saw a tutorial recently that had the "basic" French twist, as you described, as well as the "full" version, which involved leaving the hair on the top of the head out of the twist and then pinning it into curls above the twist; it was more complex, but I also thought it made a nice formal style.

And finally, some people just don't have an easy time of it. I'm reasonably proficient at updos, yet I cannot make the French twist work. I've actually been watching quite a few of these supposedly over-complex tutorials recently to try and get a grip on the style, and I think I'm closer to achieving a neat, professional French twist than ever before.

BowTie
November 8th, 2013, 02:00 PM
I think there are a few reasons. For one thing, the tutorial may be geared at people who don't do updos on a regular basis, so need to secure the hair as they work with it (as in tutorials I've seen which involve pinning the hair across before twisting) as they're less adept at keeping it contained. That also holds true for shorter hair or layers. For another, for many non-LHCers a French twist is a special occasion style, so they tend to involve subtle differences that make the overall look more polished. For instance, I saw a tutorial recently that had the "basic" French twist, as you described, as well as the "full" version, which involved leaving the hair on the top of the head out of the twist and then pinning it into curls above the twist; it was more complex, but I also thought it made a nice formal style.

And finally, some people just don't have an easy time of it. I'm reasonably proficient at updos, yet I cannot make the French twist work. I've actually been watching quite a few of these supposedly over-complex tutorials recently to try and get a grip on the style, and I think I'm closer to achieving a neat, professional French twist than ever before.

This proves us people are different. I find those more complex ones more difficult that don't hold very well. I agree those complex ones look pretty.
I also agree that most people only wear updos on special occasions and they probably are able to spend more time.

torrilin
November 8th, 2013, 02:13 PM
Any attempt at a French twist video I make would look laughably complicated. And it's not that French twists are hard. But in my hair? Not a good plan. For whatever reason, it is not a style that works well with my hair. It's very prone to slithering, exploding or just generally indulging in escape artist antics. Doesn't matter how short it is or how long it is.

On me, a French braid, tucked French braid or flipped cinnabun is going to work better. They're all nominally "harder" styles, but with my hair they're all a piece of cake compared to a French twist.

I do recommend it as a good style for shoulder to BSL. It works very well for a lot of people, and if it suits your personal style, it can be adapted to work well with past knee hair. But you'll probably never see one on my head.

Taenarian
November 8th, 2013, 02:21 PM
This proves us people are different. I find those more complex ones more difficult that don't hold very well. I agree those complex ones look pretty.
I also agree that most people only wear updos on special occasions and they probably are able to spend more time.

That's funny as I wear my hair down for special occasions!

BowTie
November 8th, 2013, 02:26 PM
That's funny as I wear my hair down for special occasions!

I'm the same. Inprefer to wear my hair up on normal days and down on special occasions. But we are LHC-members :)

Saldana
November 8th, 2013, 07:51 PM
A French twist was my hair do of choice from about shoulder length to about BSL. After that, I had too much hair to stuff into the 'roll'. But I agree with the OP - a french twist was SUPER easy for me. Twist, Ficcare or pins. Aloe vera gel to smooth wispies. Voila. :)

Kherome
November 8th, 2013, 08:52 PM
I'm the same. Inprefer to wear my hair up on normal days and down on special occasions. But we are LHC-members :)

What is that you have your hair in, in your siggy pic?

Kherome
November 8th, 2013, 08:52 PM
I manage french twists just fine at Classic length. I use Hypnotica's method myself. Very easy.

florenonite
November 9th, 2013, 04:11 AM
I manage french twists just fine at Classic length. I use Hypnotica's method myself. Very easy.

Can I just say, thank you for mentioning Hypnotica's method. My hair's not nearly long enough to require a lot of what she does, but in the first ten seconds I found out the solution to one of the main problems I have (my hair puffing up at the top). Thank you!

This is the video, for others who are interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIe3wTSuLY8&feature=c4-overview&list=UUM1QoYYnH_XwQCeWUQthsVA

Kherome
November 9th, 2013, 07:51 AM
No problem, it's a great video ;)

LadyCelestina
November 9th, 2013, 08:23 AM
I think it is partly that teasing,extensions,200 bobby pins,tons of hairspray is what most hair dressers do when styling hair into updo's,and most people don't go to the hair dresser for an updo on a casual day.What you see in these videos is not as much "how to do a french twist" but "how to do the same job as a hair dresser would,on your own".

BowTie
November 9th, 2013, 08:24 AM
What is that you have your hair in, in your siggy pic?

You mean with a stick? It's a high gibson tuck =)

wrh452
November 9th, 2013, 08:42 AM
I made the french twist my female dog in cosmetology school. We had to do so many updos so half of mine were french twists.

I would comb all the hair over to the left, bobby pin it down the center, then comb the left side back over rolling it up from the bottom up and then tuck the ends in and pin down the seam.

BlazingHeart
November 9th, 2013, 04:51 PM
My hair is so very thick that I have never been able to make a French twist stable. By the time the pocket is big enough to get all the length in, it is big enough to be hard to hold together. I am half tempted to try Hypnotica's method, though. The way she does it looks much more secure.