So, I thought to myself, as I was home on the 4th and 5th snowdays of the season, and merely 1 day away from a week off/February break, GOD it is GREAT to be a teacher! No, really, I was thinking we hadn't yet examined shampoo. I mean, I blogged about life through lipgloss, and Sue threw out the whole fragrance map of life thing, but shampoo, now there's uncharted territory.

Thing is, shampoo is a life necessity, you know, so I think you can tell a lot by people's choices. Some people are "down to business" types, and are going to choose the quick and dirty. Literally, what will quickly make me less dirty. Then you have the "pennypinchers" who say, I need it, so how can I do it as cheaply as possible. Me, well, surprise, I am one to try "the new thing," reminisce in the old, and treat myself well if I damn well feel like it. Yeah, yeah, you can read that last line as sometimes I will "pay the price" to get what I want. My marketer's wet dream trait, again, SURPRISE! There's my personality, in a nutshell, well, a shampoo bottle, well, whatever...

I guess it goes back to childhood, as all good psychosis does...and I am going to begin by attributing it to Clairol Herbal Essences shampoo. You know the one, green like the old Tube 'o Prell, but in the pretty bottle with the girl with the long flowing blonde hair that turned into flowers? Well, did I ever want that! But did I get it? No! According to mom, it was a "want," not a "need," and even when it was time to go to summer camp for a week, and I needed some shampoo of my own, mom had already taken care of it and I had a half sized bottle of Fabrege Organics that she had gotten somewhere on special. And that bottle lasted me for YEARS of camp, YEARS! Aargh, probably my "If I want it I am going to buy it, damn it..." attitude comes from that. And as much as I am usually pointing to Dad for my formative moments, a shout out goes to mom for that one, Thanks mom!

Then came the middle grades - 5th - 7th I would say - and "Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific" hit the shelves. Again, I believe I was told I didn't need it, but with my own solvency due to babysitting gigs, I bought it myself. And, gee, my hair DID smell terrific, but alas, I was young, and who was smelling it but ME?

Moving on to the High School years and along came Nexxus. I was IN LOVE with Nexxus Therappe, and it was expensive, but I did not care. The rich creamy lather and texture, and the smell, OH the smell. I think that was where my love of all smells tropical began, and it has not wavered in all these years. In fact, I just bought myself a bottle of Therappe the other day, needing something rich and thick to buffer my hair from the harsh upstate NY winter we are enduring. It is just as good today as it was all those years ago, and now, years older (and wiser?) the name gives me a little giggle as well...Therappe in a bottle? I'll take it!

High School years also brought swim team and Helene Curtis Salon Selectives. I will always be drawn to the smell of apples and chlorine...always...

College was full of years of frugality, all in the name of conserving more cash for drinking and fun, and so came the years of Suave. Not a bad product overall, and the Suave Mega Hold Styling Spritz DID plaster up those 90's bangs to hold strong against the Oswego State wind, but it was really the only time I was shopping completely based on price. I would occationally splurge on some Aussie product, but their grapey smell would draw me in, but then wear on me, and often the bottles of product would go unfinished...

And we end our journey, for now at least, in Adulthood. I have come full circle in that I have gone out and gotten that Clairol Herbal Essences of my youth with my OWN money. Now packaged to provide a "Truly Organic Experience," a la "When Harry Met Sally," it entices, but really, I still long for the flowing haired beauty of my childhood. I can buy what I want, I can clean as I please, but the pleasure brought to me along with my bathing necessity, that is what it is all about.

Off to shower, and to be transported, for a short time at least, away from the frozen tundra and off to my tropical isle. Therappe - take me away!

-Cheryl