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?)
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
It’s not true. I mix products all the time. They lie. Why do I mix products — I was tried of getting products mixed up. A friend puts a rubber band around her conditioner. I agree it is a conspiracy! Every Tuesday, on my Facebook page, we have rant day. I will share your rant–and others will come to support you. I
Thanks for sympathizing. I like the idea of putting a rubber band around the conditioner; might have to give that a try. So mixing products is really okay? Who’d have guessed?!
Oh nearsighted and wet, id have no shot. Why must it be that way?
Glasses tend to fog up in the shower so they’re no help at all. Old people always say getting old ain’t for sissies. I think they’re onto something!
I feel your pain…makes my showers frustrating. I’ll put one on one side of the shower and the other on the other and still forget what I placed where….so frustrating!
I thought about separating them, too, but knew I’d never remember which was where! In fact, I try to keep them in the same place in relation to each other (the shampoo is on the left), but I sometimes can’t remember that, either!
When my shampoo doesn’t lather, I figure out I’ve picked the wrong bottle 🙂
I got most of the pictures correct – the Dove one tripped me up, though. I’ve found that several brands make the conditioner bottle so that it stands upside down (the lid is on the bottom.) This is fine and good until the shampoo gets nearly empty and needs to be tipped over so you can quickly get shampoo out of it.
I like the rubber band idea that another commenter mentioned. (Except I’d probably forget if I put it on the shampoo or the conditioner.) I guess nothing can help me…
Glad to learn I’m not the only one, Janna! The failure of the John Frieda to lather was a big tip-off that I’d used the conditioner first by mistake. I thought it was going to take forever to wash the conditioner out, then lather with the shampoo, then add more conditioner!
I use some of the products you include in the photos and I know how troublesome it can be. Best thing to do is to take a sharpie and right a big giant “S” on one. That’s the shampoos, ergo the other will be the conditioner. 😉
Good suggestion, Monica! Last night I finally took a piece of masking tape, drew a big “C” on it, and applied it to all the bottles of conditioner. Let’s see if that solves the problem!
I keep a Sharpie permanent marker in my bathroom drawer. When I get a new product, I read the directions (like if it’s a mask or serum or some baloney) and then write it in some kind of shorthand on the bottle. Like: “2x wk PM”. For shampoo and conditioner I put an S or a C on the bottle. Because I GIVE UP! I cannot see under those circumstances. Glad I’m not the only one.
Oh, Lynne, I’m so glad I’m not suffering in this by myself! It sounds as if you’ve got a reasonable routine going — I might have to give that a try. Heck, I’ve got to do something!
I am laughing out loud. And I am at work. Rarely laugh here. I use Fructis Color Shield also…and can NEVER tell which is which, though I finally figured out the conditioner is upside down. I think. Ticks me off. (would use other language but I’m at work). Can’t see worth beans without glasses so have done as you, mixed them up. Also…why is their shape so hard to hang on to and slippery? LOL!!!
Glad I made you laugh, Dawn — even if you are at work! You’d think having one bottle upside down would help, but I never can remember which one is upside down. And yes, the manufacturers need to make their bottles grooved or something — dropping a fully loaded one on your foot is NO fun!
I guessed correctly in most cases. It took me a while but I’ve figured out that the right-side-up bottle is the shampoo, and the upside-down bottle is the conditioner.
And is it just me, or have you noticed that the conditioner never runs out at the same time as the shampoo? I find that frustrating.
It’s not just you — I have that same problem! It’s my fault, I guess, for using more shampoo than I do conditioner. You’re lucky not to have to continue guessing which is which, though!
Ok…you and I should share, because I always run out of conditioner before shampoo!
Debbie, I guessed correctly but only because I’ve memorized the shape of the bottle! For some reason, the conditioner always rests on the dispensing nozzle. I’m blind as a bat. I can’t see up close to save my life. The doctor told me that it’s inevitable when you’re hitting 40. Grief. The other day I went out to eat with the Significant Other and he ended up reading the menu cause I had left my reading glasses at home. Is it too late to eat more carrots do you think? 🙂
Carrots won’t help — at least, they haven’t helped me! But you never know, because I haven’t seen any rabbits hopping around with glasses on, haha! I sympathize with the reading glasses though — I’ve scattered pairs all over the house so I don’t have to carry them on a string around my neck!
Debbie,
You make me laugh out loud! I don’t even use conditioner because it makes my hair too flat but I certainly can relate to not being able to read the bottle in the shower! Thanks for my weekly chuckle. It brightens my day 🙂
I am glad I amuse you! I’ve always been near-sighted, not far-sighted, so this getting older thing is really discombobulating me. We really take being able to see clearly for granted when we’re young, don’t we?