We love a good protective style. Apart from keeping natural hair healthy and thriving, there are a plethora of styling options to pick from. There are cornrows, bantu knots, weaves, knotless braids, and way more, but we’re here today to talk about the Marley twist. This hairstyle is characterized as a thick two-strand twist and is inspired by the reggae legend Bob Marley himself. To say the look inspires good vibes would be putting it lightly.

To achieve the low-maintenance hairstyle, you can use your natural hair or add extensions for extra length and volume. Then, unlike other two-strand twists, you only have to wrap the strands around each other as opposed to locking one down with beeswax and wrapping the other around it. To really understand what Marley twists are and how to care for them though, we turned to New York-based stylist Yetty Bames. Read on for the lowdown, plus plenty of Marley twist style inspiration.

About Marley Twists

As briefly explained above, this protective style can be achieved with either your natural hair or synthetic extensions.

“A Marley twist is a two-strand style twisted into the hair, which lessens the tension on the scalp in comparison to three-strand extension braids,” furthers Bames. “[They’re] meant to mimic dreadlock hair and can be done long or short. The twist can be small, medium, or large depending on preference.”

You can personalize your Marley twist as you see fit, with some people opting to add beads and other accessories to make their look more unique.

Marley Twist Hair

The hair used for Marley twists is synthetic Marley hair, which is rough in texture and ideal for creating loc-type twists. Some might instead opt for Kanekalon hair, an affordable option with a slightly more straight texture that resembles natural, 4C type hair,

You’ll generally need about five to six bags of Marley hair to replicate the look (Marley hair is generally cheaper than the hair used for Havana twists and runs about $5-$6 a pack).

How Long Do Marley Twists Last?

In general, Marley twists can last up to two months. “Extensions shouldn’t be kept in longer than that to prevent tension alopecia and hair breakage,” Bames warns. “Marley twists with natural hair should be done bi-weekly.”

How to Maintain Marley Twists

While Marley twists are a low-maintenance hairstyle, Bames says maintaining scalp health is first and foremost when wearing braids. To do so, she suggests cleansing with scalp oils or serums. “I like the Wash & Scrub Detox Shampoo by Curlsmith, which gently and thoroughly clarifies the scalp without drying out the hair. The scalp can also be moisturized with a scalp oil or supplement, like Curlsmith’s Bonding Oil or Virtue’s Topical Scalp Supplement, in order to prevent dry scalp while the braids are in.

Before you begin to style, apply a leave-in and a cream or oil to lock in moisturize. Then, detangle your hair, select how big you want your Marley twists to be, and section off. Coat your strands with curl cream for definition and hold, then get to work.

If Marley twists have been on your list of protective styles, here are 22 different looks you can look to for inspiration.