August 26th, 2020

So here's what happened.  

The above is my most favourite shampoo brand in the world.  Or at least in my world.  This particular brand has loads of different, ummm, what do you call them, flavours?  This is just one of many.   Sometimes I choose this one, sometimes other ones. Thus far, I have adored every single one that I've tried. Except the bamboo one in the green bottle.  Did not dig that one at all. But the rest?  Yummm.

I love the way it smells, the way it feels and the way my hair looks.  And I would use this brand all of the time except for one thing. (and yes I've mentioned this briefly once before a long time ago).  It's hard to get the product out of the bottle.  What?

Well not initially.  At first it's not a problem at all.  Gravity, y'know?  But the more empty the bottle becomes, the harder it is to get the goo inside, out.  I am perfectly aware that part of the problem is me.  My little arthritic hands aren't as strong as they used to be. But for heaven's sakes. I ought to be able to get shampoo out of a bottle without requiring power tools!  And as the bottle gets used up, sometimes, I just cannot.

I don't know what they make these bottles out of, but mercy!  I squeeze as hard as I can with my hands.  Sometimes I put the bottle against my leg and push  both hands with poor results (and sometimes the bottle kind of slipping out and onto the floor with an alarming clatterbang).  I have even wedged the bottle up against the wall of the shower and put all my weight into my hands on it trying to squeeze product out to no avail (and risking slipping and falling myself!)  It just shouldn't be that hard.

I did write to the company about it.  They wrote back fairly quickly. It was a very kind note full of apologies and promises that they would look into this issue.  Several weeks later I heard back from the parent company (also very nicely written) apologizing for the problem and asking for the lot number on the bottle.  Well of course by then I had thrown the bottle away and so that was the end of that.

With a  normal bottle of shampoo I could stand it on it's head and let the product slide down to the opening between uses.  But in the design of the bottle holding the shampoo I prefer, the little round top prevents any headstands.  I finally gave up, threw it away and tried to find something else I liked as much.

After some experimentation, I ended up settling on something that was perfectly fine and a wee bit less expensive. The two best parts are that I can squeeze it if I need to and the top is flat so if necessary, I can stand it upside down.  It does it's job.  When I use it, my hair is clean and that is the entire point of it. There is nothing in the world really and truly wrong with it except that I just don't like it as much.  I missed my old shampoo.  Ratz.

And that's when it happened.  My moment of revelation.  I was standing the shower about to wash my hair and I noticed that the bottles were close to empty.  I made a mental note to add shampoo and conditioner to the grocery list.  I heard myself say, outloud, 'Or I could reuse these bottles for the old product!"  Huzzah!

I cannot swear that it happened, but I think it was just like in the cartoons when a fellow with a problem suddenly gets a great idea and that little light bulb comes on over his head.

The next time I went to the store, I bought my  favourites.  "Hello old friends", I said to them.  I thoroughly washed out the old bottles, took the tops off the new ones , flipped the new ones upside down and carefully balanced them  atop the old empty bottles.  Viola!

Yes it's an extra step. And no I shouldn't have to I suppose. But hey, it works!

Creative Problem Solving baby.  Sometimes I rock!