Tia Mowry Just Took The Two-Strand Twist Up A Notch With Some Extreme Length

There aren’t too many hairstyles — or hair colors, for that matter — the ever-glamorous Tia Mowry hasn’t experimented with at least once. She’s been blonde, curly, braided, and coiled, piled it all up into a chic updo, and left it to all flow freely. She’s also tried out every possible length, but her latest look is one of her most deliciously extreme on to date. Mowry’s new twists, a knee-sweeping set of two-stranders, are more than just a cool take on a protective classic — they might be summer’s single most perfect hairstyle.

Mowry showed off the new look on Instagram, striking a posing with her son, Cree, before heading out to an event that night. Her long raven-black hair is pulled back into what looks like five distinct box braids, which turn into glossy twists right around the nape of her neck. The cascade all the way down to her knees, ending in a delicately spiraled tendril about two inches long. The style’s sleek, shiny nature complemented the understated glamour of her one-sleeve black gown as well as the shimmery, smoky eyeshadow and liner that makes Mowry’s eyes look all the more intense and piercing. Altogether, the hair-makeup-outfit combination is ideal for a warm-weather night out.

Celebrity hairstylist Marquita Lynch is the creative behind the eye-grabbing look, as revealed by Instagram tags. Lynch and Mowry have worked together plenty of times in the past, and she’s also responsible for some of the year’s biggest hair moments in general — think Zendaya’s tribute to Serena and Venus Williams on the Challengers press tour, and Beyoncé’s beaded braid moment on the Cowboy Carter alternate cover.

Of course, twists of all types are old hat for Mowry, who reveals new hairstyles at breakneck pace — she is the founder of her very own product line, 4U By Tia, after all. She’s done long and short takes on the protective look, adorned them with beads, texture, and highlights, but this mermaid-level length will surely be everywhere this summer. Based on the gushing comments beneath her Instagram photo, fans are already making plans to get the look themselves.