Selling Wishful Thinking!

I went to get my hair cut on Saturday. I'm not one of those women who really luxuriate in the experience - I am more of a 'get it over with' kind of girl. However, I am as susceptible as the next person to what I call 'Hairdresser Talk'. Hairdresser talk is the same kind of thing that you get at the dentist, when the hairdresser/dentist in question points out to you all the bad thinks about your hair/teeth and consequently what you need to do to rectify them.

I am convinced that it is all the hairdresser talk that makes me dread getting my hair cut. I have thick, frizzy hair that I determinedly try to make curl rather than frizz because the alternative - a thick wedge of artificially straightened hair - is too dreadful to imagine! I treat it pretty well if I may say so myself; it gets washed and conditioned every day, I scrunch in extra conditioner when it is drying and it never goes near a hair dryer. I do admit to coloring it at home but I have a handy little comb applicator that keeps the evil chemicals on my roots only.

However, all this care and attention still doesn't protect me from the hairdresser talk. It usually starts with an innocuous question like 'what type of conditioner do you use?' and ramps up to 'your hair is really dry and frizzy.' Well - duh. I have kind of known that ever since I was old enough to care what my hair looked like and envy all my friends their straight, shiny locks.

Firstly, I have to admit that I would be much more inclined to rush to make my next appointment if the hairdresser told me what beautiful hair I had - a little white lie goes a long way. Secondly, I know that I am now in for the hard sell on the outrageously expensive hair products that line the wall behind the reception desk.

The worst part of all though is that I fall for the sell every time. I must have 50 discarded wonder shampoos and conditioners from various trips to the hair salon hidden under my sink. Somehow though, this doesn't stop me from shelling out a week's salary to buy the latest new anti-frizz, super-moisturizing wonder product.

So it makes me ponder whether this is a successful selling strategy or not. I mean it works, in that most of the time I buy something I don't really need (I always go back to the same tried and true products I was using before). On the other hand, I usually end up feeling annoyed about the whole thing which may not be good for long term customer loyalty.

Oh well - my hair looks just the same as it always does!

What a surprise.