Saturday, May 1, 2010

Beauty Illiterate

Me and beauty salons are poles apart...Yes, unbelievable but true, I have somehow been averse to all those procedures to make oneself feel good. I mean, its not that I am clumsy and not presentable. I can confidently tell that I am attractive, but have not indulged in these things.

Weird, but that's how it has been. The only time I go to a salon is to have a hair cut. It was around a year back that I decided to appear like a girl with decent hair length and decided to grow them after having a boy cut. But that was not the case. And there were these depressed moments when lumps of hair would come in my hands with a stroke.

So I decided to visit the salon.Oh my goodness, is there anyone here who has been told "Wow!! Great hair!!"

Guess not!! Same happened with me. Got disgusting looks from the stylist after she felt my hair. "What have you done to your hair!!!" she sighed. "Split ends, dry scalp.....how often do you oil?" "Do you condition them?" " What shampoo do you use?".....magazine of questions shot at me. I answered them to her disappointment and told her "Just remove those split ends and chop it off as short as possible". Somehow, she thought it was too much a punishment and decided that she would give me a layered cut.

I wanted to just leave the place, but after having decided to step the gallows, let me get hung!!! Beauty salons somehow seem like a hospital OT to me!! The sight of those array of bottles, creams, gels.......eeeeeeeewwwwwwwww....give me jitters the same way the phenols, sanitizers, white and green screens in an hospital give. Those stylists are just as pale and expressionless as doctors and nurses!!


The stylist insisted that my hair needs a wash even though I had just washed them. So I let her way and operate my hair. She applied some shampoo, washed them, applied a cream, let it for a while and then I was ready for the LAYERED cut. I must admit that I was quite impressed the way she handled my hair. It put me to shame, there I was, pulling it and tying it up as if it was a unwanted extension on my body. And this lady was handling it with sheer elegance and care. She was graceful in styling it, applied some cream, hair perfume and dressed it. After that 2 hours, it was as though those hair were never mine!!!

What a metamorphosis!! I fell in love with my hair...The OOH-AAH factor!! This OOH-AAH was quite too fast I thought, it was PHEW!!! after I saw the bill...Cool 900 bucks!! And not to forget the products worth 1000s of rupees they try to sell "Your hair needs it. Repairs extra damage, conditions and regenerates".

I don't understand how only they can do it? The same shampoo or the cream doesn't work when I use it!!

It doesn't end here. I have always been a victim of "Oh dry, lifeless skin. Your skin is beautiful and healthy, why don't you have a facial? It will bring a glow. Aww..your eye brows. They have good shape. Why don't you trim them? Do you want to have a manicure? You have beautiful hands".........

Are they trying to say you look pathetic and un-kept? Or are they trying to compliment and say they will make it more better? I don't understand what's a night cream and a day cream? I don't understand what is the difference between a eye liner or a mascara? I don't follow a matte lap-stick and a glossy lip-stick. I don't understand how different is eye shadow from pancakes!!

I never use them and have felt I would never ever need them. But a visit to the salon always makes me think again; especially when you see 60+ women getting their hands and feet worked on!! Am I an illiterate? But the thought just lingers for a while. I don't want to know their differences....Ignorance is bliss :-) And fortunately I have never needed these high maintenance!!

Before signing off, an incident that I got reminded of....

Once, a friend of mine was leaving for India. He requested me to go to Walmart with him to choose cosmetics for his wife. Now, I did not want to say I didn't have a great knowledge about them. So I went with him, and he led me to the aisle which housed all those beauty and grooming products. He was picking up each pack and asked me if it was needed. I nodded for everything....gels, creams, oils, matte, gloss.....rows and rows of Latin and Greek for me. I randomly picked up packs and he happily obliged. The bill came to $670. :-|

Errrr......Do I suffer from Callophobia?? :-S

41 comments:

  1. I am aware about the kinda beauty products available around..I do not use make up; but manicures and pedicures, waxing, eyebrows I do always..I am not a beauty illiterate tht way :P

    there are many people like you around..so chill girl..but these things do help you to have a good mood..you feel relaxed after getting pampered at salons :D

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  2. I dunno what's the line which segregates literate and illiterate...but yes...I think one must pamper one's ownself once in a while..N I write while someone at my back blurts out....Look who's talking...!!

    Even i don't visit saloons much...if not for a haircut or waxing!!!:D

    Chillax re!!N haan ur frnd must have been showered with extra affection on returning to India after his wife'd have chkd out d stuff worth $670:P

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  3. I also stay away from cosmetics, I also went to trim my long hair once and I got the 'Wow great hair'. I do have shiny straight black hair and even a hair band cannot hold it for long when I plait my hair. But slowly they are turning into silvery shiny hair. Its nothing, only my age:)but I don't like to give artificial colouring too.

    I am happy you are staying away from the so called beauty enhancing products. The beauty should come from with in.

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  4. "Split ends, dry scalp.....how often do you oil?" "Do you condition them?" " What shampoo do you use?"

    "Split ends, dry scalp.....how often do you oil?" "Do you condition them?" " What shampoo do you use?"

    So you see, by saying good or bad basically trying to get your business. Not bothered whether initially look good or bad. Just using a flurry of words to make you spend :P

    I think if you ate Rs 900 worth fruits vegetables over a week or two, it will enhance your beauty more (along with health ) :P

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  5. Even I don't visit beauty parlors so often...like you, I go only when I need a haircut and yes even I split ends and dry scalp...my bro says my hair looks like cactus :)

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  6. i have been refused hair cut by a barber.true story.free

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  7. happy to know
    natural and original is best
    beauty saloons are like one visit and one has to visit daily or weekly to keep that look

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  8. lolzzz :D maybe you should have put a picture of your hair too :P
    my sister is my guru and i go to her for any help... even though she's younger her style sense is centuries ahead of me :P
    i could so relate with this post :P

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  9. A wise man told me people with inner beauty don't care about external beauty. It does seem to apply to you.

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  10. Beauty saloons suck!!
    This is also my Mother's view. I haven't seen her going to these parlors for things other than hair cut.
    These products really dont work unless the saloon owners use them.
    How true was that..:)
    I love my hair so much and so I connected twice..:)
    Lovely piece..
    I would call it beauty literate rather...:)

    Cheers

    Nuts

    p.s. Beauty is skin deep..:)

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  11. Hi Neha,

    Hehehehehe.....These are too much for me :-P
    Hmm, good mood is just transitory...stays until you see the bill and the charm goes away for a week :-)

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  12. Jaunty,

    Yes, thats right. But there are different ways to pamper oneself.
    For me, just taking off to a new place and exploring it is a great way to pamper myself.

    :-) Hopefully my friend did get showered with extra affection, or frown that much of what he bought was a waste!!

    Whatever!

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  13. chitra,

    Thats nice. You are really one of a kind where the stylist appreciated your hair.
    Silvery shiny hair - you are aging gracefully and thats a wonderful thing.

    I dont have an inclination towards cosmetics, dont know why but its better that way :-)

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  14. Ashwin,

    I have read and seen lot of grooming products for men as well. Havent tried yet?? :-D

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  15. Hiiiii Stupido,

    Long time no see. How have you been?
    Absolutely, they just want business. I was always fooled not this time.

    Yeah true :-| 900 bucks could have been better spent!! :-)

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  16. Hi Gayathri,

    Cool!! Hehehehe my hair looked like coir!!

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  17. soin,

    I believe you :-) But take that as compliment.

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  18. sm,

    Yes, true. Exactly, they trick you in such way that you need to visit them regularly to maintain that look!

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  19. Rajlakshmi,

    Do you see my display picture? Thats how my hair is. Good, you have a nice guide who can give you tips :-)

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  20. A,

    :-) Thank you. I do hope I have some level of inner beauty and I radiate that

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  21. Nipun,

    Yes, they do. The products dont work when we use them.
    Beauty literate...me? Thanks :-)

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  22. I am glad I don't have this problem.

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  23. last incident was really funny.

    :)

    Keep Smiling.

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  24. Makk,

    Hahahaha yes it was :-) Feel sad for him

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  25. It's not my subject, but I know one fact.
    A girl is the best judge of her looks. No specialist help can help.

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  26. my colleague carries a beauty parlour in her handbag..hehe:)

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  27. Ramesh,

    Welcome to B Log. Oh my!! She is fully prepared it seems :-)

    Please keep visiting

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  28. I was illiterate until I started working. But I don't do anything to my hair. Surprised to learn that you don't do eyebrows. You must be having a nice shape naturally then ..Lucky you. My eyes water every time I get my eyebrows done.

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  29. Lost world,

    You must be having a healthy hair. My eyebrows, yeah thats what I was told that naturally they are beautiful. :-D

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  30. Holy Lama,

    Thank heavens. At last!! someone can relate with my ordeal :-)

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  31. Hmm now i know who to ASK for advice .. I have a perfectly good way for my hair.. if they get too bad I just shave off my HEAD.. let the new ones come :) easy peasy

    no split ends, or unconditioned etc .. It works for me :)

    So how cum u changed ur pic wit ha HAT on.. trying to keep the new hair look to urself .. cum on show us all ... :)

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  32. Bik,

    Hehehehe. I envy you for having a no-problem hair. Yeah right!! Shave off.

    I put a picture with a HAT on to protect my hair :-P

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  33. Can you imagine they try to do the same thing to me too...But I am proud that you let it all pass :)

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  34. Pratik,

    Dear me!! They dont seem to spare anyone now a days I think. I do let it pass always, those are not for me :-)

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  35. few years back i went after a longtime to have my hair trimmed. i was layered with packs and i am not kidding, my hair literally started coming off..and its not easy when u r working to have a bald spot at the top..
    thankfully i didnt worry too much about it, and it grew back..i am just too wary about parlors and their packs and packages..

    when u read about the chinese women who did awful things for the small shoes u wonder how people can be so stupid, but when u peer pressure is so awful..

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  36. WD,

    I agree with you. Intense peer pressure makes one feel so down. And then when you start visiting these parlors, they make it more awful. The experience and the state of being. I let it pass :-)

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  37. Interesting..!

    wud like to know you bought those products? ..I have come across barber cum sellsman cum bugger in one of the saloon .. apart from all gels , creams he offered to sell his trimming machine :) .. Now say ! :D ..

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  38. Hi Prasad,

    Welcome to B Log. Oh no!! I didnt buy them and will never. Hahahaha...thats too much, wanted to sell off his trimming machine as well? Interesting.

    Keep visiting. :-)

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