Look at this picture, then let me ask you a question — Which one’s the shampoo?

Garnier shampoo & conditioner

Are you sure? Look again.

Now imagine taking this scarlet duo into the shower. Add a bit of water to your eyes, dim the lights (to simulate your shower curtain or door), and take off your glasses.

Not so easy-peasy, is it?

Let’s try another pair. Which one is the shampoo?

Herbal Essence shampoo & conditioner

That’s obvious, you say. Why, even the bottles are shaped differently.

Okay, smartie. Try these, then:

John Frieda shampoo & conditioner

Getting a littler harder, isn’t it? Remember, you’ve got water in your eyes and the lighting is weak.

One more, then I’ll make my point:

Dove shampoo & conditioner

No, I’m not trying to trick you. I really did use one bottle of shampoo and its coordinating bottle of conditioner for each photo!

You know, I never gave much thought to the difficulties “old” people encountered when they turned 40 and started needing reading glasses.We’ve all heard the jokes about the guy who mistakenly used hemorrhoid cream instead of toothpaste.

But “old” people aren’t the only ones who use glasses for close up seeing.

And young people don’t corner the market when it comes to shampoo and conditioner.

Why can’t manufacturers help out a little, instead of making these duos identical?

A few weeks ago, I guessed wrong and put the John Frieda conditioner on before shampooing. Not a pretty thing, I’m telling you. Who wants to stand in the shower, get all pruney, and double-shampoo?

The only reason I buy matching shampoo and conditioner in the first place is their sales pitch — you get the best results when you use products from the same line together. Who knows if that’s true? And who wants to find out by mixing ingredients from one company with those of another, ON THEIR HEAD?

Maybe the manufacturers are concerned with making a fashion statement in my bathroom.

Maybe they just like having matched bottles on the supermarket shelves.

Maybe it’s cheaper to make matching bottles for this stuff.

I don’t think so.

I think it’s a concerted effort to make me feel older than I am and to ensure I use all the hot water trying to figure this stuff out.

What do you think?

(By the way, the shampoo is on the left in each photo. Did you guess correctly?)