Rapunzel was not a working woman. Nor was she a exam going student.
She did not have to fight the stress of everyday life. She was safe from the wrath and fury of the big bad world (full of beckoning hair stylists) and also oblivious to all the temptations (like rebonding, straightening, perming et al) there.
Life was so much easier---all she had to do was sit in that four walled tower in that pollution free forest zone and deal with a witch who visited her once in a while to check if everything was okay.
Like how much could she have on her mind except maybe thoughts of somedork prince on a white horse who was bound to get mesmerized by her soulful melody and climb up a tower to rescue her?
No ambitions..no passion..no competition----no reason of stress/worry to pull her hair apart (at least till the prince got there)
So, it was not such a big deal that she could manage those lovely long tresses.
Place her in a modern day setting and we shall see...Hah!!!
When people around me would flaunt their lovely tresses, I'd often feel a pang of guilt along with a surge of nostalgia of my days as a carefree teenager.
I would cringe when relatives would ask my mom what I did to my hair to bring it to this situation and my mom would reminisce about old times amidst angry stares at me, explaining how medical school ate up all my time and energy (the 'modified Rapunzel' story worked with her too---err...though she did not take it very well)
Come home and I would have to hear sermons on how I wouldn't listen to what anyone has to say and if I continued being reckless, it wouldn't be long that I would have to count the hair on my head...yada yada yada.
Amidst sleepy yawns and cheeky grins, I would listen to her ramble.
But the truth was that, I was guilty...guilty as charged...for having neglected my hair and taking it for granted.
However, Laziness prevailed and I would never make the time. I always opted the easy way out.
The first time I felt my hair was turning frizzy---I went ahead and got it straightened.
Despite being handed over a number of hair products for maintenance, the live-for-the-day philosophy persisted and I tucked them away in my closet.
End result, my hair stayedflat smooth and silky, albeit for a few months after which the chemicals slowly started taking their toll thereby rendering them equally fragile and prone to fall.
Amidst angry rebukes from all at home, I swore that I would never get my hair straightened again.
The next time I went to the parlor, I made it a point to sigh and complain to the hair stylist there, about my misery.
I sulked a good thirty minutes on how I had never expected that to happen since hair fall had never been a problem with me...until the cretin looked at me calmly and suggested that I try 're-bonding'.
Now, don't blame me, I was naive and vulnerable. She should have been more careful.
Instead, she continued to take full advantage of the situation and inflicted three hours of even more terrible torture to my tresses (which by now had acquired a grass like quality..sniff)
That was it!!! This was my story 3 years back.
After that series of torturous and violent afflictions, my self respecting hair did what any self respecting identity in an abusive relationship would do---it gave up on me!
Initially, I thought it was just a lover's tantrum that my hair was throwing, which would wear out soon enough and that it would return to its lively self again.
But as time went by, I realised that it was much more than that---my hair had started behaving more and more stubborn by the day.
It started revolting in split ends.
Then it begun showing resistant signs of extremely temperamental frizzy behaviour.
Dryness and roughness became a daily routine.
The more rough it would get, the more tough I would behave with it---trying to tame it down with stronger shampoos and gels.
and one day, it dawned on me that it was no use beating a dead horse---no amount of ironing and hair styling products would restore my relationship back to what it had been.
The zing was lost.the love was dead. and all I could do was save what was left of us...sigh!
Now where could i have gone wrong?
Well, after a lot of realisation I figured out that I loved my hair but never expressed it the right way---mistake 1.
I tried changing it into something it wasn't (that is where the straightening, perming, hair styling products came in)---mistake 2
I knew all the things that were required to be done (To start with, I would oil massage it, brush it several times a day and avoid all harmful chemicals).
But as time went by, I had started taking it for granted and wished for easier alternatives (which unfortunately did not exist then)---mistake 3.
and like all unrequited love stories, my hair eventually fell out of love with me.....
I pined for its original quality three long years. I had now started brushing and oiling my hair as and when I got the chance (which was still not enough though, due to time restraints). I tried to make up for the neglect i had shown towards it in the past.
But alas, the damage was done---it was not to be convinced.
The more I stressed, the more hair fall I had---it's a vicious cycle, they told me.
After hours of sleepless nights gazing at the ceiling and wondering how things would have been if different, like every love lorn lover, I made peace with the fact that things would never ever be the same again.
...and just as I was struggling to ignore all the nasty remarks from family and friends (who like we all know, somehow always take great pleasure in digging up stories of past fame and glory and get critical about how you were lazy and foolish enough to have neglected what was bestowed upon you), DOVE launched the new oil care range...TADAAAAA!!!
Now a shattered lover doesn't have much choice but to pick on the last straw that is offered to her.
So hoping against hope and gathering whatever little faith I had left in me, I decided to give it a shot.
Besides, the temptation was looming high...what better option that an oil care range incorporated in shower products---a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and serum.
In this busy race of life, this was just what I needed---an easy quick fix it solution---now only to check if it worked and I'd be sorted.
And so I braced myself, pushed aside all the strong shampoos and styling products that I was using and try it I did!
Okay, now before reading any further, please knock on wood---I'm superstitious like that.ahem!
Hold your breath ladies and gentlemen (*drum rolls in the background*), it gives me great pleasure to announce before you that after around three weeks of regular use, things have started changing already...gradually..slowly but steadily. *blushes*
I see chances of a reconciliation.
I see the lost shine returning. My hair has almost stopped falling out on me.
I see my soft locks bounce now and then and toss themselves with joy.
The stubbornness and frizziness my hair used to exhibit as retaliation, has slowly started dwindling and I see its original texture and softness returning.
It's not just me.My friends have started noticing it too.
Angry looks from mom have decreased a great deal and relatives have started considering medicine as a career option, once again for their daughters.
Well, I've not exactly won a 'Ms Beautiful Hair' title or an advertisement campaign contract yet. But life is full of WOW moments like these---which I think, is quite a good start! ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So all you modern day rapunzel's, this one is for you.
Last but not the least, I share with you this wonderful eye-opener that I have started practicing and would strongly recommend too.
Cheers...
to 'Rapunzel' hair days and a 'Happy' you,
not just on the outside but from the inside too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This post has been written for Dove's Love is a Two Way Street - Love your hair and it loves you back Contest.
If you are an IndiVine user, and you like what you read, you can vote for me here
I would also take this opportunity to thank 'IndiBlogger' for sending me the entire 'oil care' range which has led me to consider trying out more of 'Dove' products in the near future...and needless to mention, kudos to 'Dove' (in corporation with 'IndiBlogger') for organizing a fantabulous bloggers meet.
She did not have to fight the stress of everyday life. She was safe from the wrath and fury of the big bad world (full of beckoning hair stylists) and also oblivious to all the temptations (like rebonding, straightening, perming et al) there.
Life was so much easier---all she had to do was sit in that four walled tower in that pollution free forest zone and deal with a witch who visited her once in a while to check if everything was okay.
Like how much could she have on her mind except maybe thoughts of some
No ambitions..no passion..no competition----no reason of stress/worry to pull her hair apart (at least till the prince got there)
So, it was not such a big deal that she could manage those lovely long tresses.
Place her in a modern day setting and we shall see...Hah!!!
When people around me would flaunt their lovely tresses, I'd often feel a pang of guilt along with a surge of nostalgia of my days as a carefree teenager.
I would cringe when relatives would ask my mom what I did to my hair to bring it to this situation and my mom would reminisce about old times amidst angry stares at me, explaining how medical school ate up all my time and energy (the 'modified Rapunzel' story worked with her too---err...though she did not take it very well)
Come home and I would have to hear sermons on how I wouldn't listen to what anyone has to say and if I continued being reckless, it wouldn't be long that I would have to count the hair on my head...yada yada yada.
Amidst sleepy yawns and cheeky grins, I would listen to her ramble.
But the truth was that, I was guilty...guilty as charged...for having neglected my hair and taking it for granted.
However, Laziness prevailed and I would never make the time. I always opted the easy way out.
The first time I felt my hair was turning frizzy---I went ahead and got it straightened.
Despite being handed over a number of hair products for maintenance, the live-for-the-day philosophy persisted and I tucked them away in my closet.
End result, my hair stayed
Amidst angry rebukes from all at home, I swore that I would never get my hair straightened again.
The next time I went to the parlor, I made it a point to sigh and complain to the hair stylist there, about my misery.
I sulked a good thirty minutes on how I had never expected that to happen since hair fall had never been a problem with me...until the cretin looked at me calmly and suggested that I try 're-bonding'.
Now, don't blame me, I was naive and vulnerable. She should have been more careful.
Instead, she continued to take full advantage of the situation and inflicted three hours of even more terrible torture to my tresses (which by now had acquired a grass like quality..sniff)
That was it!!! This was my story 3 years back.
After that series of torturous and violent afflictions, my self respecting hair did what any self respecting identity in an abusive relationship would do---it gave up on me!
Initially, I thought it was just a lover's tantrum that my hair was throwing, which would wear out soon enough and that it would return to its lively self again.
But as time went by, I realised that it was much more than that---my hair had started behaving more and more stubborn by the day.
It started revolting in split ends.
Then it begun showing resistant signs of extremely temperamental frizzy behaviour.
Dryness and roughness became a daily routine.
The more rough it would get, the more tough I would behave with it---trying to tame it down with stronger shampoos and gels.
and one day, it dawned on me that it was no use beating a dead horse---no amount of ironing and hair styling products would restore my relationship back to what it had been.
The zing was lost.the love was dead. and all I could do was save what was left of us...sigh!
Now where could i have gone wrong?
Well, after a lot of realisation I figured out that I loved my hair but never expressed it the right way---mistake 1.
I tried changing it into something it wasn't (that is where the straightening, perming, hair styling products came in)---mistake 2
I knew all the things that were required to be done (To start with, I would oil massage it, brush it several times a day and avoid all harmful chemicals).
But as time went by, I had started taking it for granted and wished for easier alternatives (which unfortunately did not exist then)---mistake 3.
and like all unrequited love stories, my hair eventually fell out of love with me.....
I pined for its original quality three long years. I had now started brushing and oiling my hair as and when I got the chance (which was still not enough though, due to time restraints). I tried to make up for the neglect i had shown towards it in the past.
But alas, the damage was done---it was not to be convinced.
The more I stressed, the more hair fall I had---it's a vicious cycle, they told me.
After hours of sleepless nights gazing at the ceiling and wondering how things would have been if different, like every love lorn lover, I made peace with the fact that things would never ever be the same again.
...and just as I was struggling to ignore all the nasty remarks from family and friends (who like we all know, somehow always take great pleasure in digging up stories of past fame and glory and get critical about how you were lazy and foolish enough to have neglected what was bestowed upon you), DOVE launched the new oil care range...TADAAAAA!!!
Now a shattered lover doesn't have much choice but to pick on the last straw that is offered to her.
So hoping against hope and gathering whatever little faith I had left in me, I decided to give it a shot.
Besides, the temptation was looming high...what better option that an oil care range incorporated in shower products---a shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and serum.
In this busy race of life, this was just what I needed---an easy quick fix it solution---now only to check if it worked and I'd be sorted.
And so I braced myself, pushed aside all the strong shampoos and styling products that I was using and try it I did!
Okay, now before reading any further, please knock on wood---I'm superstitious like that.ahem!
Hold your breath ladies and gentlemen (*drum rolls in the background*), it gives me great pleasure to announce before you that after around three weeks of regular use, things have started changing already...gradually..slowly but steadily. *blushes*
I see chances of a reconciliation.
I see the lost shine returning. My hair has almost stopped falling out on me.
I see my soft locks bounce now and then and toss themselves with joy.
The stubbornness and frizziness my hair used to exhibit as retaliation, has slowly started dwindling and I see its original texture and softness returning.
It's not just me.My friends have started noticing it too.
Angry looks from mom have decreased a great deal and relatives have started considering medicine as a career option, once again for their daughters.
Well, I've not exactly won a 'Ms Beautiful Hair' title or an advertisement campaign contract yet. But life is full of WOW moments like these---which I think, is quite a good start! ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So all you modern day rapunzel's, this one is for you.
Good people here of every sort,
read on if you can dare...
This isn't a story of love or life,
albeit a lesson of self care...
I grew up a fine young lass,
with tresses thick and strong...
But the last few lazy careless years,
left me wondering what went wrong...
My hair grew lifeless, thin and dry,
it lost its natural bounce...
I blamed it on the stress galore,
and emotional up's and down's...
I fretted and I worried more,
as I reminisced about my past...
The oil care and the head massage,
now no longer did they last...
Life was at its busiest best,
that left me no time to care...
Shampoos I changed now and then,
stripped the moisture from my hair...
Took notice all my peers and pals,
and whispered about my crime...
I wished my hair would normalise,
I just could not find the time...
And then as if by a magic stroke,
'Dove' came up with this 'oil care range'...
It seemed a blessing in disguise,
I knew it was time to change...
So change i did to the shampoo first,
then the serum and conditioner care...
I tried it for a whole two weeks,
and saw the love back in the air...
My hair feels pampered and cared for now,
and as if it's pleased with me,
is getting back to its happy self,
that I knew it was meant to be...
The fiber actives and vita oils,
much needed by my locks so weak,
are contained in the shampoo rich,
to make them feel nourished and sleek
Back is the softness and the shine,
which I'd sulked as an impossible task...
Thanks to the double nourishment repair,
of the conditioner and the mask...
I have begun to adore the serum too,
for it smoothens out frizzy hair...
It's non greasy and smooth to feel,
yet prevents the wear and tear...
My hair feels nourished with every wash,
and it seems so quick and easy...
No greasy lotions, oils or packs
No excuse of being busy or lazy...
And to dove care range, I owe it all
these moments that spell a W-O-W...
A solution quick fix I'd always wished,
I guess my search has ended now!
read on if you can dare...
This isn't a story of love or life,
albeit a lesson of self care...
I grew up a fine young lass,
with tresses thick and strong...
But the last few lazy careless years,
left me wondering what went wrong...
My hair grew lifeless, thin and dry,
it lost its natural bounce...
I blamed it on the stress galore,
and emotional up's and down's...
I fretted and I worried more,
as I reminisced about my past...
The oil care and the head massage,
now no longer did they last...
Life was at its busiest best,
that left me no time to care...
Shampoos I changed now and then,
stripped the moisture from my hair...
Took notice all my peers and pals,
and whispered about my crime...
I wished my hair would normalise,
I just could not find the time...
And then as if by a magic stroke,
'Dove' came up with this 'oil care range'...
It seemed a blessing in disguise,
I knew it was time to change...
So change i did to the shampoo first,
then the serum and conditioner care...
I tried it for a whole two weeks,
and saw the love back in the air...
My hair feels pampered and cared for now,
and as if it's pleased with me,
is getting back to its happy self,
that I knew it was meant to be...
The fiber actives and vita oils,
much needed by my locks so weak,
are contained in the shampoo rich,
to make them feel nourished and sleek
Back is the softness and the shine,
which I'd sulked as an impossible task...
Thanks to the double nourishment repair,
of the conditioner and the mask...
I have begun to adore the serum too,
for it smoothens out frizzy hair...
It's non greasy and smooth to feel,
yet prevents the wear and tear...
My hair feels nourished with every wash,
and it seems so quick and easy...
No greasy lotions, oils or packs
No excuse of being busy or lazy...
And to dove care range, I owe it all
these moments that spell a W-O-W...
A solution quick fix I'd always wished,
I guess my search has ended now!
Last but not the least, I share with you this wonderful eye-opener that I have started practicing and would strongly recommend too.
Cheers...
to 'Rapunzel' hair days and a 'Happy' you,
not just on the outside but from the inside too! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This post has been written for Dove's Love is a Two Way Street - Love your hair and it loves you back Contest.
If you are an IndiVine user, and you like what you read, you can vote for me here
I would also take this opportunity to thank 'IndiBlogger' for sending me the entire 'oil care' range which has led me to consider trying out more of 'Dove' products in the near future...and needless to mention, kudos to 'Dove' (in corporation with 'IndiBlogger') for organizing a fantabulous bloggers meet.
43 comments:
Wonderful post and even cooler poem :)
Haircules Speaketh!
Love is two way!
Do vote for them if you find them interesting.
Keep BLogging
Agreed about Rapunzel... and after 3 years 'dove' did the trick??.. beautiful poem.. Loved it.. All the best pri..
Someone is Special
@ ranting indian
thanks :)
@ someone is special
thanks..and yes, my first sign of hair damage was three years back, when i first started using strong styling products on my hair.
my hair, though did not worsen, showed no signs of improvement either in the last couple of years.
but after trying Dove's new oil care range, i have noticed signs of improvement in its texture and softness :)
i guess all my hair needed was me to stay away from strong shampoos and lotions (which i was trying in a desperate attempt to regain its lost glory) and shift to something that suited its type---a little bit of attention can sometimes go a long way.
so it definitely has helped!
this had me in giggles on how you incorporated the videos.
The light hearted nature of the post makes you want to read on further and further till the end.
The poetry is very cute and beautifully put across.
and loved the thought you shared at the end too.
i am going to try this oil care range.because i can totally relate to what you have written.
i permed my hair and now i want my old hair back :(
the same strong shampoo and no time problem.
i will try out dove now.is it available everywhere?
i am not a indiblogger member.how do i join?
can people who are not bloggers vote too?
agreee with u completely on this :D
amazing stuff :D
Nice one. I liked the post and poem as well.
Also the youtube links.
Dove seems pretty cool
Great start and a great end with great in between too. Thanks for solving the mystery of long hair of Rapunzel:Rapunzel She was not a working woman.Nor was she a exam going student.
She did not have to fight the stress of everyday life.
Had a great time reading it.
Hahaha. This was funny! Good one
Whoaaa. This is too good a poem. Mixture of all the awesome elements!
@ anonymous
well, it is easily available everywhere...and is definitely worth trying.
as for being an indiblogger, its mandatory that you have a blog...if you do, then you can register yourself at www.indiblogger.in.
it allows you to submit your posts, participate and vote.
so now that you got the details, hope we get to see a blog handle as opposed to anonymous next time :)
cheers!
@ priya joyce
yes, happy to know we think alike (asif i didn't know that already) :D
@ kushal
yups..we women like to pamper ourselves sometimes.you could buy it for your mom/sis/gf/wife :)
@ bemoneyaware
im glad you enjoyed reading it.
all i'd say is DOVE is worth the LOVE
(ok ok..i know that line was kinda lame..but you dont expect us modern day rapunzels to sing ballads anyway, do you?) :p
@ whaaat?
sigh! irnoy of life today---someone is complaining...someone is laughing :-|
not anymore though---GOOD HAIR DAYS, here we come!!! :D
@ crystal
thanks dear...you should try the 'oil care range' by dove---its a good way to pamper your hair in the polluted and equally stressful times that we are living in.
Loved your post!! Its so amazing the way you to put it together! Modern Rapunzel is indeed realistic now because of Dove :)
Hey pri, I really enjoyed your post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Dove surely rocks :)
Do visit my wow-hair moments at http://crispingcanary.blogspot.com/2011/11/affhair-to-remember.html too :)
@ ayesha
firstly, thanks and welcome to the blog :)
///Modern Rapunzel is indeed realistic now because of Dove :)///
couldn't agree more with you...
seeya around!
@ canary
you are most welcome, dear...thanks for reading.
will visit you soon--would love to read your 'dove' experience :)
cheers!
@pri- i loved ur style of writing..people have complained on the forum regarding spelling mistakes in ur post...but then i feel when u pen down something that comes straight from the heart, its a winner always..... i loved ur post... and it was worth winning...we can always ignore the spelling mistakes :)
congratulationsss!!
i love it fr is honesty :)
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
an award well deserved.
loved the way you incorporated poetry, experience and advertisement by making sure the reader never gets bored.
i loved the post!
congratulationsssssssssssssssssss! :)
I discovered your post from your listing as the First prize winner on IndiBlogger.
I am glad this is the first piece I read today coz it is so lovely and well-written. I loved thinking how Rapunzel didn't have hundreds of things to worry about, no pollution and dust issues...!!!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Forgot to mention both me and my husband doved... loved the title of your post!
Congratulations, was not much of a surprise to see you win this one!
I loved the way you had expressed. I felt like my own experience. Congratulations!! I love your blog!!
Congrats! on winning the contest :)
@ chitz
congratulations to you too, chitz!
however as far as the mention of spelling mistakes on the forum is concerned, all i can say is that---when bitterness and bias clouds the eye, it tends to see things which dont even exist in the first place :)
As is the ritual after every contest, it was quite expected that some contestant (who expected to win but did not) would lack the spirit of the contest and get all hostile about the judges decision...and that is probably what seems to have happened there.
neverthless, thanks for the vote of confidence :)
cheers!
@ sadiya
thanks sadiya..and welcome to my nostalgic moments! :)
@ anonymous
thankyou for the kind words...much appreciated! :)
@ shweta
thanks dear :)
@ anuradha
thanks dear...and congratulations to you too :)
i did visit your blog and loved the tips you mentioned in your post.I tried to leave a comment but somehow blogger seemed to eat it up every time i tried---until i got fed up and quit trying.
Hope you read this.but just in case you dont, no worries..i plan to drop by your space again sometime soon :)
cheers!
@ pooja
thanks for having the faith :)
@ varshu
thanks varshu.im flattered.
that really means a lot to me :)
@ joueles
danke! :)
Hey thanks Pri... I have moderation enabled in my comments section, but could not find yours... looks like blogger played foul! See you around!
Wow! you manage to keep the reader's interest till the very end. Congratulations on the big win.
@ whaaat? sigh! irnoy of life today---someone is complaining...someone is laughing :-| not anymore though---GOOD HAIR DAYS, here we come!!! :D
Hey thanks Pri... I have moderation enabled in my comments section, but could not find yours... looks like blogger played foul! See you around!
Lovely blog post :-) u really deserve to be the winner of this contest :-) awesome :-)
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