Passion Twists Protective Style

Box braids will always be the crown jewel of protective styles, but with new techniques being birthed at light-speed, the black girl staple is quickly fading to the background while buzzier new styles take the throne. Last summer, knotless braids—a more modern iteration of classic box braids but with less tension at the root—held the crown for summer’s go-to hairstyle. Then, passion twists entered the fray.

Created by Miami-based hairstylist Kailyn Rogers (or Boho Babe on Instagram), the style meets at the intersection of Senegalese twists and bohemian or goddess locs—the latter of which inspired Rogers to create the now-trending passion twist. “I fell in love with goddess locs and felt I could do the same thing: make women of all textures feel amazing with a hairstyle,” she tells ELLE.com. “I knew I wanted a style no one else was doing and cater to all hair textures.” So she “prayed on it, woke up the next morning, and executed the style.” The result? Thousands of YouTube videos with Black women demonstrating how to do the style in varying lengths and iterations, including crochet, knotless, jumbo, etc., and multiple hairstylists adding the style to their services.

Whether you’re on the hunt for a new style to try post-social distancing or looking to pick up a new skill while you’re sitting at home, here’s everything you need to know about passion twists.

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What are passion twists?

Think Senegalese twists, but with a touch of Lisa Bonet. Or as Rogers puts it, “Passion twists are two-strand twists with a curly, bohemian, carefree vibe to them.” At first glance, they appear to be a little lived-in, but they’re actually twisted neatly and curl up—because of the hair used. “I felt that this style would align with women who wanted to express their free spirit through their hair,” says Rogers. “The name is personal because one, this was the very first style I’d ever created, and two, I named them after my mother. Yes, her name is Passion.” Hey, mom!

How do they differ from Marley twists or Senegalese twists?

“As beautiful as Marley and Senegalese twists are, Marley twists and Senegalese twists have a very uniform look—every twist should pretty much look the same,” she explains. “But with passion twists, every twist comes out different, just like how every curl and kink on our head is unique.”

How do you install passion twists?

Rogers suggests adopting the “knotless” root method for the best-looking passion twists. To create a knotless root, Rogers advises parting out a section in the client’s (or your) hair and splitting the hair in two. Then, place the extensions in the middle of the split hair and begin to twist the extension with the natural hair on one side, then do the same on the other side. After the hair is secure, “begin twisting down as you would a regular two strand twist, and when you get to the bottom, use a little gel to define the curl at the end of your twist.” To tame flyaways, Rogers suggests purchasing a setting foam to keep the twists neat and frizz-free.

How many packs are needed?

“I’d recommend 8-12 packs depending on the amount of fullness you’re looking for,” Rogers says.

How long do they take to do?

Depends on the speed of the stylist, your own patience level, or desired length and thickness, Roger says. But passion twists estimated time can take anywhere from three to eight hours.

How long do they last?

“With proper maintenance, passion twists can be up to eight weeks and a bit longer if you don’t mind a little frizz.”

What products do you use to keep them neat and moisturized over time?

Protective styles are meant to protect your hair, but you’re responsible for keeping the hair underneath the extensions moisturized and healthy. “To keep my roots moisturized, I use a leave in conditioner twice a day,” Rogers explains. “To keep my scalp hydrated and dandruff free, I dab some oil on my scalp daily and use witch hazel and a cotton ball to remove build up, dirt, and dandruff.”

What tools do you use to do passion twists?

• FreeTress Water Wave hair
• Eco Styler Gel
• Edge control
• Rat tail comb
• Hair ties and clips
• Setting foam
• Hair and scalp oil

Nerisha is the beauty commerce editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty (and fashion and music). She has a penchant for sneakers and nude lip glosses, and spends way too much time re-watching 90s sitcoms.