Finger Coils
Coil & Knot Family
Also known as: Single-Strand Twists
Illustration -- About our illustrations
Finger coils are individually defined coils made by wrapping small sections of damp, product-coated natural hair around a finger until each section forms a spiral. The result is a head of uniform, springy coils without heat.
Distinguishing characteristics
Each section is shaped one at a time with a finger, which sets them apart from comb coils (rotated with a comb, often used to start locs) and from two-strand twists. Single-strand twists is a closely related name; in practice the finger-wrapping motion is what makes a finger coil.
Advantages
Defined coils on short to medium natural hair with only products and patience.
Considerations
Time-consuming to do and easily frizzed by touch or humidity.
Warning signs
Flaking or itching usually means product buildup; switch to lighter products.
Preparation
Start with clean, very wet or damp hair and a defining gel or curl cream. Smaller sections give tighter, more defined coils but take longer.
Daily Care
Avoid touching the coils, especially in the first day, and do not comb them.
Night Care
Sleep in a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase to preserve definition.
Washing
Coils usually last several days to a week; co-wash or wash on your normal schedule and re-coil.
Scalp Care
Use light, water-based products to avoid flaky buildup.
Refreshing
Mist with water and re-coil individual frizzy sections.
Removal
There is nothing to take down; simply wash and detangle when you are ready for a new style.
Styling tips
Small coils give a dense, sculpted look; larger coils give more movement. Dark brown and other colours show the coil pattern well.
At a glance
- Estimated price
- $60–$150
Planning estimate, not a validated market benchmark -- local salon pricing varies and this figure should not be treated as a typical or standard price. - Chair time
- 2–3 hrs
- Sizes
- Small, Extra Small, Large
- Lengths
- Shoulder Length
- Looks
- 4 looks
Looks
- Natural Finger Coils -- Small, Shoulder Length, Natural Black
- Small Finger Coils -- Extra Small, Shoulder Length, Natural Black
- Large Finger Coils -- Large, Shoulder Length, Natural Black
- Dark Brown Finger Coils -- Small, Shoulder Length, Dark Brown
Price & time
- Estimated price: $60–$150
- Estimated time: 2–3 hrs
- Confidence: Low
Planning estimate, not a validated market benchmark -- local salon pricing varies and this figure should not be treated as a typical or standard price.
US national estimate; hours inferred from family-comparable Bantu Knots, not directly sourced.
Culture & history
Finger Coils as a No-Extension Single-Strand Style
Finger coils are made by sectioning natural hair and twisting each small section around a single finger at the root until it coils on itself, without a second strand and without added extension hair -- a genuinely distinct single-strand construction from the two-strand twist-out and three-strand braid-out already in this catalog's Set & Release family, which is why finger coils sit in the Coil & Knot family alongside Bantu Knots instead. Popular on shorter natural hair, where two-strand twisting is harder to execute cleanly.