Hair Love - Nature's Gate Pomegranate Poo & Con

 
I'm a DIY person at heart so when it comes to my hair, I'm no different.  In fact, I've been doing my hair for many years and enjoy trying new products from time to time.  Well, up until about two months ago, I've been using Fresh Soy Shampoo and Pomegranate Conditioner.  LOVE these two products: they leave my hair shiny, soft and full of body.  The price, however, is a little on the steep side - $26/each.  A steep price that I could easily justify because I don't go to a salon.

Well, I came across Nature's Gate products while roaming the natural food/product aisle in my local grocery store and although I was intrigued by their line of skin and hair products, I was immediately seduced by the picture of pomegranates on a set of its poo and conditioner bottles.  My interest piqued, I bit the bullet ($5/bottle) and decided to try the duo.  OMG, I am sooo glad I did!

This sulfate-free shampoo is devine!  And it smells great, too!  The conditioner is the perfect complement and both leave my chemically treated, coarse hair shiny, residue-free and super soft.  Absolutely fantastic products.  I'm not a "natural" nut, but can easily appreciate products that deliver more on their promises while containing less chemicals and "bad stuff", for the lack of a better term.

This was a total win for me.  Two thumbs up.

Hirsutism

I was in the store the other day and noticed a woman at the counter with a portly little boy I assumed was her son.  I could only see her profile as I entered, but once I approached the counter to address the other attendant I immediately saw that the woman had thick, full-grown mustache... and thick stubble remnants of what was once a beard.  I was taken aback by how "full on" her facial hair was, but downplayed my reaction by shifting my eyes to something else in the room.  This was an African-American woman, about early forties and her mustache was thick and coarse, just like a man's.  Umm... think of Aunt Pearly from Friday After Next, but much worse!  And because of her coarse hair texture, the stubble was prominent and dark and stretched from sideburn to sideburn.   Clearly she had tried to resolve the problem by shaving, which is a CLEAR and DEFINITIVE no-no, but with little success. 

Now I'm NOT trying to throw shade to anyone that has this problem or trying to make fun of this woman.  In fact, as soon as I saw her I immediately felt bad for her.  I, like a lot women, have a "lady-stache" that I wax every so often, and I know that women go through a lot with our bodies and hormones so a few errant hairs here and there I understand.  Shoot, I never even noticed my 'stache until a guy told me he thought it was sexy.  I was like, 'Huh?'  I was a teenager, mind you, but I had never noticed.  As an adult woman getting into makeup and all the refinery of being a woman, I started waxing it.  But I must tell you that I was shocked when I first saw my face without it; I actually PREFERRED the way I looked with it over the way I looked without it!  LOL  (Don't worry guys, I still wax...)   But I digress...  Things happen... hair happens.  Frida Kahlo was recognized not only for her art, but also her uni-brow and "lady-stache".  Monique, the comedienne, proudly rocks hairy legs.  Really hairy legs.  My point is, I get it.

But this was different.  This is not a "wax on/wax off" situation.  This was not an au naturel stance on female beauty.  This was an excessive, out of control hair growth issue on her face.  It was such a shock to me that I started to think of what I would do... What would I, what COULD I do if I had that much hair growing on my face... thick, coarse, uncontrollable, undeniable facial hair.  We all know that shaving makes it worse and only -temporarily- takes off the hair above the skin, but then it grows right back... and with a vengeance!

I honestly don't know what I would do.  My sister said she would stay in the house and never come out.  I sort of chuckled and agreed that I would stay in until I had enough money saved to take care of it cosmetically.  She co-signed.  At that point, it wouldn't matter the cost; I would have to do something.  But is there really anything out there for situations so severe?  I know there are lasers, but for your whole face?  And not even that's 100% effective in permanently keeping the hair away for some patients.  And what about scarring?  And sensitivity?  Especially with dark-skin?

I don't know, guys.  I really don't know, but on a brighter note she WAS standing there with a boy I assumed was her son because of their interaction and resemblance so somebody is/was loving the skin she was in, flaws and all!  Again, I wasn't trying to judge but was trying to figure what I would do with that situation.  Whoa...

Forgive... Forgive-Me-Not?

What would it take for you to forgive?  And if you finally got yourself to the point where you could forgive, would you also be able to forget or is that even necessary for forgiveness?  And would it depend on what the offense was whether you would even consider forgiving the perpetrator at all?

Ok, what if the offense caught you off guard and when you found out you were absolutely devastated?  No, no one died or was maimed, but you were hurt to your very core because it was someone you loved and trusted.  Would an apology be enough?  Would money and/or gifts be an ample salve?  OR are you one of those types where the only relief you could find would be to get the person back (avenge your broken heart) via the same manner - if not a more hurtful manner - that was used to hurt you...?

Hmm... just wondering aloud.  I guess I should reveal which of these examples fit my personality, but I'm still trying to figure that out.  My knee-jerk response would be that I would be able to forgive, forget, but depending on how egregious the act was/is, I would know that for my own sanity our relationship... our interaction from that point on would never be the same.

I mean, everyone makes mistakes, but at what point is enough enough?!

Ok, talk amongst yourselves.  I'll be back with my final thoughts once I've gathered them.

Mea Culpa...

I'm so sorry.  I've been so neglectful... so derelict in my duties of keeping y'all abreast of what's going on, what I'm thinking... doing.  A lot has been going on and I have sooo much to tell that the very thought of the amount of thoughts I need to post makes me sigh.

Writing has always been cathartic for me (just like a host of others) but I haven't been craving the urge to put "pen to pad", sorta speak.  Some days I've just been wallowing and I know I shouldn't.

Gotta tell you guys about my Oprah experience, and that it was!  That's up first.  Then the rest soon after.

OPRAH!!

Ok, you guys are the first people I'm telling.  I haven't told ANYONE what I'm about to tell you, but I'm kinda excited.  I'm surprised... SUPER surprised.  But I claimed it a while ago.  Oprah wants me!


LOLOL!  Ok, ok, let me be more specific.

I've been trying to get on the Oprah Winfrey Show for, like, forever and now that this is her last season, getting tickets has become a lot harder.  But I really believed that I would get on the show.  Honest... I actually envisioned myself in her HARPO studios, watching her come out on stage and clapping along with all the other acolytes.  With this vision firmly planted in my head, I've been diligently going onto her website and applying for tickets to her show every month.  And every month I've received a rejection email with the all too common perfunctory outro "Better luck next time".  I even recruited my sister and fiance to apply to better our chances.  Sometimes they would, sometimes they would forget.  Obviously they weren't as dedicated as I was.

Well, after I applied again for an upcoming show, I got an email today that my show reservation request has been accepted!!!  Can you believe it?!  At first I thought I was reading the message incorrectly so I read it again and again.  No, my eyes haven't failed me.  Ise goin' to the Opruh Winfree show, y'all!  I just have to click on the attached link to confirm receipt and reservation.

On most of the applications, you're allowed to list three other guests you would want to bring, but for this special show they only allowed for one so I listed my sister.  I figured she would really enjoy it.  Yeah, a nice gesture even though she gets on my nerves... a lot...but whatever.  I teased the fiance last night about me going on the show without him because, once again, he had totally overlooked applying for tickets when I told him to.  And now look what happened...

So before I click the link and confirm, I'm going to confirm that my sister will go.  No issues, no problems, just are you going or not.  Once I get her to commit, I'm clicking the link to HARPOville, baby!

Ooh, the fiance is gonna be salty.  LOL! What will I wear?  I have a way of getting there, but where will I stay?  Once I fly in, how will I get to the venue - cab or rental?  Sooo many things to think about!

I'm going to see Oprah Winfrey!!  Thank you, God!

Time Away...

I've been dealing with some things over the last two weeks.  Kinda heavy stuff (to me, at least).  I've been processing through some info and trying to figure out a lot of things.  During this process, I've pulled away from my fam and friends so I can focus.  Really focus.  I'll be back in the swing soon because everything will become crystal clear to me shortly.  I've been praying for clarity and lots of answers.  The answers are coming...