Fanfiction spam - and shampoo

[igenlode]

I'm still getting spam via fanfiction.net (thanks to its PM alert still being connected to my GMail account), despite not being able to view the site:

Dear, i have read one of your book and i am very honored to offer you to try publishing your novels with us, exclusive or nonexclusive. the following are the welfares of our company. if you have more questions, please mail me at or hit my inbox in my facebook. p?id=100058122373339

(Apparently they hadn't even done enough research/experimentation to realise that FFnet aggressively strips anything that even looks like a URL, including sentences where a space has been missed after a full stop...)

I read somewhere that the mangled English in these communications is actually seen as an asset, on the grounds that anyone who is prepared to respond to the offer despite the obvious unprofessionalism of the writer is by definition going to be an easy mark - pre-selection for gullibility :-(

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I used some 'liquid shampoo' for the first time in years yesterday, after having been converted to the practicality of the Lush hair soap. I was taken aback by just how *much* I had to squeeze out: at least a fifth of the whole bottle for a single wash. Admittedly my hair was very greasy and badly needed washing, but even under those circumstances I'd only expect to need five or six rubs with the hair soap, which has lasted me since last August and is only now starting to look rather diminished.

Of course when it's liquid a fair proportion of the extra volume is simply taken up by water, but even so, it's a stark reminder of just how much extra washing (as well as less packaging) you get out of a single purchase of concentrated solid shampoo.

Comments

[betweensunandmoon]

I didn't even know solid shampoo was a thing! I only need a little bit of liquid shampoo when I wash my hair, and I have fairly long hair. I've tried several different brands over the years, and I've found that the measure of how well a shampoo works is how well it lathers. Perhaps you need to try a different brand?

[igenlode]

Possibly I need to wash my hair more often!

I did a twenty-minute haircut this morning in order to make myself more presentable (I didn't bother with a hand-mirror and still haven't looked at the back; it was done entirely by feel and will probably need trimming) and it was amazing how much less shampoo it used when I washed out the bits afterwards. Of course I don't know how much of that was simply having less hair, which always takes less soaping -- it dries off far more quickly, as well -- and how much due to the fact that I'd only just washed it a couple of days earlier ;-p

With short hair it does make a very noticeable difference having it cut, though. I just dislike the labour of having to do it.

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Solid shampoo is one of those eco-gimmicks that really works; it lasts forever, you don't end up disposing of endless bottles, and it takes up very little space (because you're not storing the water). The upfront cost is higher, but it probably works out the same or cheaper on average. Lush started the idea, but I believe other companies are selling them now.