10/12/14

Diva Review: Old Wives Tail Organic Oil Treatments

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When I decided to go natural  2 years ago – and for me that just meant not putting anymore heat (curling/flat irons) in my hair as I hadn’t had a relaxer in 5 years previously –  it took a long while of trial and error to find products that worked best on my hair to get it to do what I wanted it to do and look the way I wanted.

 

Through trial and error, signing up for about 6 month of those sample kit box of the month things, and asking what worked for others, I came to realize that the hair product game is a very individualized thing and what works for me AND my budget won’t necessarily work for anybody else. Just because it is expensive or brand name popular don’t necessarily make it awesome. I am notorious for mixing and matching products/brands to achieve my desired effect.

 

N.E.WAY…I was asked to give Old Wives Tail Organic Oil Treatment a try. Old Wives Tail is:

100% Organic Hair Care

Old Wives Tail is a small hair care company selling handmade organic hair care products – absolutely no additives or chemicals. They aim to nourish your hair back to life the Latino way with their unique blend of oils. Their main lifetime goal is to eradicate animal testing in the beauty industry and 10% of their profits go to charities that save animals from being tested upon. Love your pets, love the environment and love your hair naturally with OWT!
FREE WORLDWIDE DELIVERY on any order.

 

I read their history, liked that it was truly 100% Organic and handmade and agreed to give it a try. I received the Melado Organic Hair Growth Oil Treatment

 

A unique blend of 100% organic oils that will give the kiss of life to even the most dry and damaged hair. Rich in natural vitamins, antioxidants and proteins just one sacred drop of Melado will do wonders for your hair and scalp.

The natural vitamins and omegas in Melado restores shine and deeply moisturises the hair back to health. When massaged into the scalp this oil will stimulate and encourage healthy hair growth by penetrating deep into the roots and strengthening each hair follicle.

Directions for use: Massage into damp hair weekly to stimulate long, healthy, nourished hair growth. Leave on for an hour. Rinse with fresh water and shampoo. Repeat this process until your hair feels clean and product free. After shampooing you can use conditioner on the ends of your hair only. Rinse out thoroughly and style as normal.

If your locks are in a really bad way then use twice a week leaving the oil on overnight wrapped in a warm towel. 

Melado can also be used to tame fly-a-ways, frizz and split ends. After blow drying rub a tiny drop into the palms of your hands and smooth through the mid-lengths and ends of your hair

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When I got the jar, I was kinda indifferent as it appeared to be just another jar of oil. I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. I massaged in into my scalp and roots as well as throughout the length of my hair, waited about 30 min (ain’t nobody got time for an hour – I don’t) and washed it out. I used conditioner on my ends only as directed and then two strand twisted as I usually do.

 

My hair was VERY soft, smelled great and when I did a twist-out the next day, the curls held for an entire week of workouts and daily living. I loved it. I tried it on Princess Cara’s hair next and she has the driest hair on the planet. Her hair absorbs moisture like nobodies business! It is unreal. After a treatment with the oil, Princess Cara’s hair was soft – that dry & brittle feel was gone…for about 2 days and then I had to reapply.

 

Would you like to give it a try? Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on what products/system/tips you do for your hair to keep it look fierce.

 

If you would rather just go check it out for yourself, visit www.oldwivestail.com to place an order. Free Worldwide Delivery on Any Order.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

10/1/14

Frustrated, Fed up & Failing Forward Race Report: IM 70.3 Princeton

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That smile right there…yeah, it hides a whole lot of frustration, embarrassment and just plain “I should just give up & quit this shit” attitude.

 

I crossed that finish line sobbing, in pain and DEAD ASS LAST….FUGGING AGAIN!! I was just so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of (in my mind) failing, putting  in so much damn work and choking at game time, of letting all the people that support me/believe in me down. I felt like a big fat ass embarrassment to my friends/family and to the whole damn sport.

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching all my tri-friends, MMTC friends, RipIt Teammates crush it and I just bring up the MFn rear with a cheer and a smile. FUG THAT!

 

I was so sick and GAWD DANG TIRED of watching and hearing about people learning to swim and/or ride a bike and then in 9 month bust out a full IM and in 3 years I have a medical DNF and 2 barely finish at a 70.3. SON OF A BEYOTCH!!!

 

Why is this thing – triathlon – so damn hard for me? That type A, borderline OCD/perfectionist in me cried for 2 days, railing at the heavens, wanting to quit – and I have NEVER QUIT at ANYTHING – EVER! I have done well at pretty much everything I have put my mind to doing, so WHY, OH WHY, can’t I seem to put this triathlon thing together.

 

The FireMarshall did his best with giving me space to sob and wallow in my own misery and self-pity for a hot second, but forced me to not make any rash decisions (like sell my bike) until I talk to some people that I respect and have more “perspective” that I could possibly have while swimming in my own misery pool.

 

By Tuesday after the race, I got sufficiently sick and tired of reapplying my makeup every time I burst into the self-pity tears, that I contacted my soul sister, Ovetta, and she helped get me get out of that nasty pool I was swimming in. Funny thing…most of what she said, I already knew :

  • This journey is MY journey and no one else.
  • STOP looking at, comparing myself to other people. I don’t know their journey. Worry about me and mine – WORRY BOUT YOURSELF!!! YOU DRIVE!
  • Set some very specific BHAG’s (BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS). No more of those nebulous,non-specific goals like “Finish”.

She also told me I needed to share this story. I needed to be transparent AND accountable. I wasn’t even going to write anything. I was still embarrassed. Who would want to hear about the “Finisher” race report. What lessons about the race could I possible share that would be of any help. She said someone is always watching and someone is out there with similar struggles that needs to know that it ain’t always sunshine, roses and instant success. OH and BTW – define YOUR success. I set the “goal” of finishing and I did. Moving the goal in the middle of the race and then getting all caught up in my feelings is kinda ridiculous, huh.

 

At the end of my “coming to Jesus” talk with Ovetta, she said, “I knew when you called that you had had enough of the just finish attitude. Now you are ready and are going to be a force to reckon with.”

 

I then met up with my RipIt Coaches and they already had some suggestions for attacking 2015 and I laid out my goals. Together we outlined a game plan. So, what are my goals you ask – Here are the 3 MBO’s (Major Business Objectives)

 

  • Lose 40lbs – yep, its true. I’m waay over weight. It is a lot easier to haul a small bootie up and down hills on the bike and to have less strain & pain on these old lady knees, ankles and feet. No more wide load flags on the back of the bike.
  • Build Strength – I’m a weakling…but not for long. I have the endurance & cardiovascular strength to go on forever like that energizer bunny, but I don’t have the upper body strength or leg strength to sustain those efforts. The upper body and legs muscles just give out to quickly. I knew it at the Rebel Race pulling, climbing and what not on that obstacle course that I felt weak and didn’t have the strength to climb a damn rope…but I ignored it or was in denial. NOT AGAIN!
  •  7 1/2 hour 70.3 PERIOD. END OF CONVERSATION

Of course there are Swim/Bike/Run specific goals underlying the three MBO’s, but you get the idea. It is time to GET DOWN TO BUSINESS.

 

As for the race…

 

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I swam. It was uneventful. A lot slower that I had set for myself, but I got out of the water feeling good about it. There was the usual touching, grabbing, hitting that happens in every OWS race. I didn’t like the approx. 200m swim to the start AT ALL. I loved the wetsuit strippers.

 

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I biked. A beautiful, scenic course but the road conditions were HORRIBLE. They did mark the big ass potholes and hazards, but the numerous small holes in the pavement and then the resulting debris (bottles, CO2 cartridges, chain pieces) made the course rather scary (for me). I stopped counting at around 15 flats and crashes combined. As a result, I believe I choked on the course and reduced my speed as I didn’t want to deal with a flat or a crash. I let fear get the best of me.

 

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I ran. THAT DAMN FOOT! This time it wasn’t my neuroma that flared up. I found out later that I probably have a stress fracture in my heel and that was what the pain was from. GTFOOHWTBS. I have decided to let go of the Army 10miler and MCM to heal…Doing them and making the stress facture worse would not advance my goals. My feelings are hurt, but mission first.

 

As most of you know. I live my life out loud. I will be keeping you posted of my progress and I look forward to you guys keeping me accountable.

 

I AM RELENTLESS

I will let no setback, obstacle or challenge get in the way of achieving a noteworthy goal.