I’m going to make an admission of guilt here. I have been known to be sucked in. Haven’t we all? No…? Just me? Come on! I’m talking about finding yourself completely taken by an infommercial, and finding yourself suddenly repeating your three-digit credit card security number down the phone… And it’s done. You’ve bought yourself something-or-other that now the thrill of the ordering is done, you’re not sure you actually want or need.
The first thing I ever bought off an infommercial was an Abtronic in 2000. You remember those devices you could strap around your tum and let them magically make you a six pack? First, let me tell you, in 2000 I did not need such a device. No sirree, my tummy was as flat as it was ever going to be, but I was convinced I had to have it to further develop my abs. Did it work? Erm, not sure, because I got sick of it before I could see any results anyway. Just quietly, I suspect it would not have.
It was several years until I ordered from the telly again, and I am ashamed to admit it was none other than the Proactiv 3-step skincare system that I bought this time. Again, did I need it? Hell no, I was maybe 25 at the time and acne was not present on my face! I probably just had a random pimple when I saw the ad. This is all it takes, people. And this is what they count on!
Apparently, Proactiv is Australia’s leading acne brand… and over 15 million people use it worldwide, including Katy Perry. I’m here to say, this is a travesty to the skincare industry! ProActiv certainly does work… for the first month, because it strips your skin of everything, including any goodness what-so-ever. After that, expect a steady decline into the world of skin dehydration. Look, just don’t buy it. Unless you enjoy that raped skin feeling, that is.
On another note, some seemingly dodgy infommercial products can turn out to be surprisingly good! My sister once found herself completely taken with Thin Lizzie, the 6-in1 beauty product that claims to magically make you look amazing with just a few sweeps of a brush over… every part of your face. Oh how I laughed and laughed.
“You bought WHAT?! Why would you not consult me! What did you think when you saw 6-in-1? Did that in itself not tip you off that it would be a completely useless product?”
I absolutely love how in the infommercial they make it look like they are carefully applying to each part of the face with precision, but really the way they carry on, you may as well just go around the whole face in a big circular motion and… Voila! Perfection.
No, it’s not going to happen like this. Nothing claiming to be 6-in-1 is EVER going to do what it claims to, but I will say this – it does make for a nice bronzer/contour. Don’t go using it on your eyelids and lips as they say, and don’t expect it to cover anything at all, but adding a little colour to your face here and there over your foundation is actually okay. It’s a decent colour that would suit most skin tones, and has a nice subtle shimmer to it. Not bad as far as seemingly ridiculous products with stupid names go.
Look, I’m not suggesting you go out and buy this product, I’m just saying if someone gifts it to you, don’t throw it back in their face, because you will find a use for it. So… I guess one could ask, “Why bother with this post at all if you’re not actually recommending anything?” Good question, my little friend, good question. Why bother with any of it at all? The moral of the story is, don’t buy things like cosmetics off the telly – try them in a store first, but don’t even buy on the spot, wear them for the day and go back if you’re satisfied.
And they all lived happily ever after (cosmetically speaking). The End.
So tell me, have you ever been sucked in? What did you get, huh? Leave me some comment love below.