Al-ʿiqāṣ refers to bound or braided locks. Muthannā suggests something folded, twisted, or doubled; mursal is left loose. The three terms identify different arrangements of the same hair.
The phrase fī muthannā wa-mursal places both types together in one scene. The essential contrast is bound or twisted ↔ free-flowing. The hairstyle mixes the two rather than presenting a simple, uniform braid.
Context prevents a literal misreading. In taḍillu al-ʿiqāṣ, no person has lost a path; “becoming lost” is figurative, emphasizing how the braided strands disappear among the intricate folds.