So, I have a confession. I’m super late to the pumpkin craze. But hear me out. Growing up, pumpkin was never really a thing in my household. My parents didn’t eat it, and as I got older, it never really appealed to me. Eating pumpkin? I couldn’t imagine what that would taste like. Pumpkin-scented products? Never cared to try it. Aside from eating the pumpkin-shaped candy that is mixed with the candy corn that’s popular around this time of year, which I know isn’t real pumpkin, the thought of pumpkin didn’t excite me. But that has recently changed.
Like many of you out there, I love Starbucks, and as you may know, every fall, they release their pumpkin spice latte. This year, I decided that I was finally ready to see what all the hype was about, and let me tell you, I am now a fan. It surprisingly didn’t taste like what I expected, meaning it wasn’t disgusting (haha). The oat milk probably helped, but I enjoyed the taste and have since ordered it a second time, and the other day, I bought a vanilla pumpkin candle from Target. I may be late to the party, but I’m still going to enjoy myself. I want to share my new obsession with the world, and so I’ve listed a few cool pumpkin products that you can enjoy this season.
Brown Sugar By Kesha Janaan Pumpkin Spice Soap
Keesha Janaan
How cute are these jack-o'-lantern soaps from Brown Sugar? Not only do they smell amazing, but it's good for your skin. Pumpkin has vitamins A and C, which helps moisturize the skin.
Hempz Pumpkin Spice And Vanilla Chai Lotion
Amazon
As the weather gets cooler, it's important to keep your body soft and hydrated. Hempz limited edition pumpkin spice and vanilla chai lotion can be used daily to achieve the moisture you need.
Candier By Ryan Porter’s Pumpkin Spice Things Up Candle
Ryan Porter
Like the candle says, "spice things up," and fill your home with this intoxicating fall scent.
USDA's Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil
Amazon
USDA's Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil is rich in vitamins A, C, and E and can be used on the hair and body to get rid of dryness.
Too Cool For School’s Pumpkin 24K Gold Mask
Too Cool For School
This Pumpkin 24k Gold mask is made with pumpkin extract and gold flakes to help with skin brightness, elasticity, and moisture.
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Feature image by Maskot/ Getty Images
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
