CUBA ?? has always been a place that has held my imagination – the people, the music, the food, the history, and the culture – for years I have wanted to go there…
So last week I flew to Havana for 2 days. To be honest I was not sure what to expect…what kind of local hair products or skin products would I discover? Products derived from mint, pineapple or other fruits? To my surprise I did not find many local beauty products.
However, one of the first things I noticed was a woman holding a cigarette in a manner that reminded me of Coco Chanel, which was fitting as I discovered that in addition to being naturally beautiful, Cuban women – like Coco Chanel – are very confident and independent.
Did you know that Cuban women have one of the highest rates of political participation in the world? That they are leaders in virtually all segments of society?
There was an overall absence of beauty products, and for the most part the only beauty product available for women were scarves to protect their hair against the high humidity. I did see many different types of hair scarves – different colors, styles, etc.
For the most part the women had short hair, just above the shoulder – it reminded me in 1920’s when women started cutting their hair to show the neck and little more skin. Women always want to be more sexier – it is true across time and cultures!
The women in Havana might not have all the beauty products that we have in the U.S., but the beauty they have is real, it is authentic, and they confidently show their skin and shoulders. Their eyes tells you that they are comfortable with themselves, and proud of who they are. This was the most important thing I learned from this trip, and I want bring back home to share with all of you. Each one of us is beautiful in our own way. We all define beauty in our own way. And we want to be comfortable, confident and proud of who we are…
I hope to one day to help bring beauty products to Cuba to help enhance the natural beauty of Cuban women… in the meantime I will continue to be inspired by their strength and dignity…
With love from Havana
Lily
