Fairy Tale Salon, located in Long Island, New York, confuses me. Why are these hair care products a fairy tale? Is it because the products make children’s hair “soft and manageable?” Or because the shampoos and conditioners contain “only the finest all natural, organic vitamins, minerals, oil extracts, citrus and fruit enzymes”? Or maybe it’s because these products “act as a natural deterrent to lice and other insects”?
Is anyone else confused? Why is this product a fairy tale? It seems as though people have forgotten (or perhaps never learned) what a fairy tale is. In addition, due to the fact that the fairy tale industry (e.g. Disney products, weddings, prom, matchmaking websites, etc.) is a trillion dollar business, companies know that fairy tales promise amazing, mystical, intangible feelings that an individual cannot obtain with “ordinary” products. As a result, shampoos and conditioners marketed by lice infested children, or should I say, formerly lice infested children, are considered a fairy tale.
So, who cares? Why does it matter that a small company in New York uses fairy tales to market an extremely useful product? The problem lies with the fact that the phrase “fairy tale” can sell almost anything. And the reason these words can sell anything and everything is the beautiful, magical, albeit unrealistic, life these words promise. Why is this a problem? Because people truly believe that hair care products, magical weddings, and matchmaking websites can change their lives, can make them real life princesses and princes. And when reality catches up to them, they're devastated, heartbroken, and bitter, yet somehow, they're still willing to literally buy into the fairy tale.
http://www.fairytaleshaircare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
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I don't find the Fairy Tale salon/product line that worrisome or problematic. In fact, I think it's pretty funny, and potentially useful.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, the product line started in a salon with the same name. The owners probably just wanted the salon to sound appealing and exciting to kids. I don't blame them, I know a lot of little girls who don't want to get their hair cut (ladies, we know that long hair can be a security blanket; if you're used to it, it can be hard to give it up). I'm sure it's more marketable to have a gimmick or theme to a children's salon, and what is more traditionally "child-oriented" than fairy tales?
Second off, if I were three years old and my shampoo was "Fairy Tales" shampoo and had a castle on it, I'd think it was pretty neat. It's a great marketing plan. Little girls probably imagine that this stuff makes their hair "princess hair" or something... why not? It's for kids. I still maintain that letting kids be kids isn't a bad thing. If the Fairy Tales hair care line was aimed at adults, then I would be concerned.
Another thing to consider: how much it sucks to try to detangle a young girl's hair... it usually involves a lot of screaming and possibly some crying. Does the Fairy Tales hair care line have detangler? An easier and less painful hair-brushing in the morning before school? Thank you fairy godmother! ;)