I tried several bantu knot outs over the first two years of my healthy hair journey without any success. This style is formed when your hair is twisted around itself until it forms a knot that resembles a stack of tires. When you remove the knots your hair will resemble a corkscrew rope. The “rope” may then be separated with your fingers and, if necessary, finger combed to loosen the curl and shape it into the style you desire. The finished result is a head full of springy, bouncy curls that may be as tight or loose, as defined or tousled as you desire. It is an awesome way to style your hair without using heat and does not require much manipulation. Early on, I made a lot of beginner mistakes but now am able to get a gorgeous bantu knot out that lasts for several days by following these simple tips:
- Start with detangled, well moisturized hair. You want your hair to be smooth when creating the knots – tangled, dry or rough hair will not achieve the look you desire.
- Always do bantu knots on DRY hair! This was my #1 mistake. I did the knots on wet hair, on damp hair, on lightly spritzed hair – all with the same result. My hair never dried while in the knots and the next morning, I removed the knots to reveal hair that was still damp with only light definition in some areas. Dry hair that is well moisturized produces the best results.
- Create sections according to the final look you want. If you want to show your length, or have loose waves rather than defined curls make between two and four sections. If you want large curls create 6-8 sections and for tight, springy curls do 10+ sections.
- Do not over twist your hair. Twisting the hair too tightly can stress your hair and cause breakage, but also it will not result in nice curls/waves either. Instead twist the hair about two to three times then wrap it on itself and continue until all the hair is twisted and wrapped into the knot.
- Use a moisturizing product with a light hold rather than gel or mousse. If the product creates too much hold, the hair will not “fall” into a natural style. Also gels and mousses can be drying and therefore damaging to the hair, instead opt for butters and pomades. Bee Mine Curly Butter is my personal favorite.
- Use the greenhouse effect method at night if your curls do not usually last all day. Many ladies complain that their knotted curls quickly fall once they leave home. If this happens to you, use the greenhouse effect (cover with a shower cap) to create steam that helps “set” the style. In the morning after you remove the shower cap, your hair will be damp but do not disturb the knots until your hair is completely dry. It usually takes about 15 minutes. By doing this it gives the same lasting power as a bantu knot out that has been done on wet hair, minus the damp hair in the middle.
- Unscrew the knot as if you are unscrewing a cap. Do not pull the knot apart; instead unscrew your hair to keep the form of the curl. After the hair is loose the curl will still be intact and you can separate it gently using your fingers.
- Pineapple at night to preserve the curls. After a full day of sporting your curly look, pin the hair up on the top of your head (or use a large ponytail holder) and wrap the sides with a scarf. I also sleep on a satin pillowcase to ensure my hair does not suffer. In the morning, pull the hair down with your fingers and style, your curls will be just as cute as the previous day, if not cuter!
December 18, 2015
My hair does come out nice in the morning. But, my hair is constantly dry after putting products in my hair. Does it help to put products also at night?
November 18, 2015
Could you further explain the greenhouse method. Every time I try to do the knots they fall down within 30 minuets. There is also twazayah (Twa-Zae) that I do which is braid twist wrap. But that falls down even quicker. So is it my relaxed hair or what?
January 3, 2017
Try using bobby pins too keep them together
June 24, 2017
It not your relaxed hair that is the problem because I do bantu knots on my mothers hair all the time and her hair holds the curl at first it didn’t but I changed the product that I used on her hair which is now oil based moisturizers and it helped her hair hold it a lot better
July 12, 2017
I don’t know if the relaxed hair has anything to do with it, but I make sure to end the knot at the bottom of it and secure them all with small rubber bands
October 3, 2015
Can u use hair mayonnaise instead of custard???
July 24, 2015
Could you blow dry your Bantu knot out and get the same results?
August 11, 2015
Ho Quandeshia. I’m not certain if you’re asking if you could blow dry the actual knots for them to dry thoroughly, or if you could blow dry your hair before you twist the knots. This girl on YouTube named “Alyssa Forever” has a Bantu Knot-out that I followed & got great results. She blow dried her hair 1st to get sleek results. She also mentioned sitting under a hood dryer or using a blow dryer to set the knots, & speed up the drying process. I didn’t have my hood dryer with me when I did the style & so some of the knots were still a little damp from my heavy-handed application of the custard. But overall I had great definition!!!! Wish I could post a pic so you could see it. Anywho…check her out to see if it might work for you!!!! Hope this helps…stay blessed!!!!
August 11, 2015
APOLOGIES QUANDESHIA!!!! I MEANT “HI” NOT “HO”…TYPED TOO FAST!!!! NO DISRESPECT!!!!☺
November 29, 2015
Wel
March 16, 2016
I blow dried my hair last night and bantu knotted them and I find that they work better with blowed out hair
February 2, 2015
Best ever
February 6, 2015
This is the best I have ever used for hair help
March 3, 2015
Really helped me out a lot. I used raw shea butter in it works perfectly
March 12, 2015
helped a lot thanks .
November 19, 2014
I’m transitioning my hair and I always get perfect coils on the relaxed part of my hair but the natural part ends up being a puff ball even with curl definers… so the two textures are not blended AT ALL!. I love my bantu knots and I’d love to see the definition from root to tip. Should I stretch my roots in addition to detangling? Any tips ladies????
Thanks
June 23, 2017
Yes. Stretching will help to show off some more length and make the curls more defined.
November 13, 2014
I’ve been doing bantu knots for a while now and I’ve found that neither soaking wet hair nor dry hair is best. Lightly damp hair is preferable so that the hair is still able to create new hydrogen bonds (curls), but not soaking wet that it’s unable to dry overnight. Moderation in everything.
November 1, 2014
I’ve done this style several times and I love it! Still though, I realized I’ve been doing some things wrong. This website gave some great tips and information!
September 9, 2014
How many days can you do Bantu knots
November 16, 2014
I would prefer that you don’t wear it bantu knots for more than a day or two. Other than that, you should do something else to your hair,but I mean if you know a good way to still maintain that curly look everyday, then you can wear it for as long as you like.
August 5, 2014
This advice was really good but it didn’t answer my question. My question was if you do bantu knots with styling gel, do you wash your hair out to get rid of the gel and just moisturise the scalp after or do just unscrew the knots and moisturise the scalp to preserve the curls?
Please and thank you 🙂
June 27, 2014
Hi!I havent even tried the knot out yet. Im waiting to do it for the first day of school!I want too add some highlights,so I am going to have to add some extensions. Maybe color 30.Please tell me how,I can Bantu Knot on artificial hair,if I still have my natural hair out.Or how to do temporary highlights to my natural hair.Thanks!
March 16, 2014
I just tried this style last night after watching a YouTube Video, and I’m thankful that what I did aligns with what was suggested in the video. You had some additional tips that I needed, and I will apply those the next time. Thank you!
December 30, 2013
id have to disagree! you do not have to do bantu knots only on dry hair! i do bantu knots on my daughters hair only whn its wet and i use jamaican castor oil. her hair is the best ive ever seen even better than professionals or any pics ive seen on sites! they are shiney, moist and when im tired of them i simply comb them out; its a piece of cake! i would never do them on dry hair simply because it looks better and easy to do when wet and only takes an hour to style; no blowdrying or flatironing!!
May 31, 2013
How many time a week or month should these knots be done? so far this week, I’ve done them twice but I’m thinking it may be too many times because of not only the shortness but also fragileness of my hair.
May 14, 2013
is there a certain direction to twist the knots? Sometimes I notice one side of my hair being way more defined than the other.
February 20, 2013
Hi! I just wana say thank yu so much 4 this explanation. 1 q? Tho:
if i do it on my natural short hair will the curls come out just as defined etc? Ima 4b tight and kinky zigzag curls. I just recently did the big chop and am now rocking my teeny weeny afro but hav a weave in atm but when i take it out id really wana try this.
November 16, 2012
Beautiful!!! I have short relaxed hair and I get bored with it easy and I have finally found something new thank you!!! Now I have a bouncy curly fro just like I wanted. You guys should try the “straw set” it gives beautiful results as well 😀
November 7, 2012
I love this hairstyle, but it seems that on cold foggy days my curls fall almost immediately- same thing on hot humid days. Should I use a holding spray in the morning to keep my curls from falling? Is it because my hair is relaxed?
November 4, 2012
I wish I had seen this sooner. I washed my hair earlier and did bantu knots. Everything you’ve listed that’s wrong, I’ve did it lol. I’ll get it right next time!
October 16, 2012
Great – thank you!
October 17, 2012
You are more than welcome!
June 17, 2012
This is by far the best explanation I’ve read thus far for doing bantu knots. I’ve done them on we hair and yuck, I hated it. Today I’m going to try them following your tips. I have weird hair that is more straight in the back (a different curl pattern) and the one time I tried to do the bantu knots on dry hair, I didn’t get definition but I think that’s because I didn’t set them properly.
October 17, 2012
Thank you so much, sorry for the delayed reply. I hope they turned out well!
May 27, 2012
what kind of weave is good for doing bantu knot outs? pleaseee helpp !
October 17, 2012
Sorry for the delayed reply – I would suggest a wavy texture.
May 11, 2012
Is this method for natural hair only?
May 11, 2012
Is this for natural hair only???
May 11, 2012
No ma’am, I’m relaxed! Check out my blog for pics of different bantu knots that I’ve done.
February 23, 2012
How do you dry your hair? Do you use a blow dryer or air dry? And if you air dry what do you put on it to keep it from being frizzy?
May 11, 2012
Currently, I have been rollersetting my hair for smoothness. When I “air” dry I sit under my professional hooded dryer and use indirect heat to dry, which is faster and gives me a smoother finish.
June 4, 2015
Love my knots on my natural hair.