Flat twists are a great protective style to try when your hair needs a break from manipulation. “Less daily handling helps reduce the risk of breakage and split ends," says Lynch.

Plus, flat twists introduce a layer of versatility into your routine. "You can wear 'em for a while and then take 'em out for a bomb twist-out style," says Cantrell.

From there, your braider will either box part or free part your hair. Once the hair is parted, the braider starts to flat twist it at the base by applying a conditioning gel.

There are also multiple ways to do twist-outs. "The first method mentioned (and that's also the most common) is a flat twist," Cogdell says. "You can also get the look via box twists and finger ...