Whining + Stupidity = Hearty Laughter at Self

For the past two months I've been whining about how terrible the water here is for my hair. The water is really hard here and the prevailing attitude seems to be that water softeners are for pussies or something.

I don't get it. I've got more "de-scaling" and "lime-away" type cleaning products than I ever thought possible. Don't they realize that a softener would make cleaning soooo much easier? I'm going to have to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it is a space issue, rather than a enjoys-cleaning-lime-scale genetic propensity.

Anyway.... Back to my hair.

My limp, lifeless, uncharacteristically blah hair.

It has been a minor obsession.

I get out of the shower and my hair feels like a pile of hay, despite massive conditioning treatments. I put on some spray-in conditioner and then my Aveda Be Curly lotion with a little Brilliance mixed in... my usual routine... and then my hair is just meh. It feels heavy, hasn't been as curly, and has been feeling filthy really quickly, requiring me to wash it every other day, which is more often than I used to have to. (Stop your grumbling, you people with fine hair! We all have our crosses to bear. It's my hair and I'll whine if I want to.)

I've had a couple good hair days since getting here and they both occurred when I showered at the gym or a hotel, so I assumed it had something to do with their water being softer.

I'm getting round to the point now, so bear with me just a little longer.

Yesterday, I was making preparations for the gym and was very excited to wash my hair while there, but was out of conditioner so started rummaging around in my drawers for the Aveda conditioner that I remembered buying before I left the States. After pawing around awhile, I found a tube of my curl enhancing lotion, but no conditioner.

And then I started thinking, that's weird, why do have an extra tube of that?

And then I looked at the countertop round-up of hair and face creams....

And then I realized that I had been putting conditioner in my hair, instead of my curling lotion, for the past two months.

This lotion is the best thing I have ever found for my curly, thick hair. I love it.

BUT. (and it's a big but)

I have to file a formal complaint that these two containers look so much alike. Aveda?? Are you listening??

(And, yes, I feel like a total ass. Because I really have been whining about it to almost everyone I know. For two months.)