Days with temperatures at 21 degrees  increase the problems only people with long 

hair understand.  I did box braids in my hair to avoid having to manage it every day.  It is a low maintenance, long wearing hairstyle. Normally, I stick to shoulder length braids for a lockdown.  This time, I decided to get adventurous and go full length.  Who said channeling Beyoncé was easy?

With the extra hair, styling should be one, two, perfect bun, right?  No. I discovered that when it gets

twisted, long hair peels away and you have to go on this tucking spree!  (Since I do not expect to pass any stress tests, I did not add pins).  What this does is leave you doing several messy buns until you get it right.  

After the first messy buns fell out, I decided leaving it down was okay.  This was until it fell in food, water and made trying on clothes a chore.  Also, explain why I have to keep getting new hair ties?  They either break or stretch out by the second day.

Here is the list I got from a month of long box braids:  

• I get headaches if I wear my hair in low buns. 
• Tight high buns take years off your age. 
• Messy buns are sexy when they are not wild. 

You deserve to sashay about when you  have  slayed the problems only people with long hair understand.

By Paula Barker, Silkie Locks Hair Design