The patriarchy hurts men too, and capitalism screws everyone

[sabotabby]

Why is men's hair dye way more expensive than women's? That makes no sense whatsoever. If anything, you'd think it would be cheaper.

P.S. I am awesome at dyeing hair.

Comments

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

Less of it sells?

I'm sure you are awesome at hair dyeing. Cuz you are awesome at everything.

[apperception.livejournal.com]

Wanna dye mine? I've got too much grey.

[sabotabby]

I guess. Supply and demand. But then, why sell it at all? It's not like there's some fundamental difference between men's and women's hair beyond average length. So you're paying more for less dye just so that you don't need to use the box with the lady on the cover?

IBTP.

[sabotabby]

Personally, I think that grey is distinguished. I will probably not feel the same way when I have a lot of grey, though, so sure.

[marrythebed.livejournal.com]

Cuz they gots %25 more cash?

Oh, and up there I was trying to figure out what IBTP meant, so I looked it up, but accidentally put IBTB. Urban Dictionary said "I'll bring the beer", so I was all, ohhhhh, she'll bring the pot. And then imagined you and your friends getting high and dyeing each other's hair and was like that should be interesting. But I looked it up just in case. And boy was I wrong!

That was a fun waste of a minute!

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

"Blah blah market forces blah blah optimal price point blah blah wank wank wank."

[sabotabby]

Cuz they gots %25 more cash?

Oh, good point! Who knew that the hair dyeing industry was actually sort of progressive?*

My friends and I would never get high before dyeing each other's hair. Or, well, I wouldn't, and I wouldn't let anyone high near my hair either. No drunken dyeing either; I've made that mistake before. Hair dyeing is serious business.

* It is not. Garnier, which makes my favourite shade of red that looks amazing on me and is dirt cheap, is owned by baby-killing Nestlé.

[zingerella.livejournal.com]

Best. Answer. Ever.

[sabotabby]

It's hilarious, because it's a product that is not actually needed. But people pay more for it.

[marnanel.livejournal.com]

A true story from my youth:

Condoms are cheap to produce. They need a small amount of latex and some very very good quality control. Total cost is perhaps five U.S. cents, not much more. The cheapest you can buy a condom for in the US is *maybe* 50c if you're lucky, probably more like $1 or higher. So there is a pretty crazy markup.

When I was a teenager I was interested to note[*] the entry of a new brand of condoms onto the market; they were called Mates. Not only did they have an amusing name, but they sold at something like half the price of the other brands. However, the public was suspicious of being sold something for half the price and assumed it was a shoddy product. The manager of Mates had to appear on TV and explain that he was raising his prices to match the other brands. What is it with people and why do they behave this way, and how can we persuade them to stop?

[*] out of sociological interest, not personal, sadly

[rohmie.livejournal.com]

I have never* dyed my hair. I have amazing, silky, beautiful hair and am scared shit-less of doing anything that might aversely impact that. Plus, it's work.






* Not counting one experiment with colored hairspray in the late 1980s.

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

i am a paranoid schizophrenic and i believe that all brand name products have some kind of addictive or antidepressant chemicals in them so when you buy the cheaper store brand you fail to get the some slight euphoria and end up repulsed

at least that's how i feel

i refuse to accept that cocoa roos are anything more than shit compared to cocoa puffs

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

i am attempting to grasp the connection between male hair dye price imbalance and patriarchy, failing, and then realizing that the patriarchy in its all encompassing nature is utterly incapable of NOT affecting something like male hair dye and now i am nodding sagely and saying "touche"

[sabotabby]

You don't have any grey yet, do you?

[terry-terrible.livejournal.com]

Why do we have gender-specific hair dye in the first place? Kinda like the difference between deoderent and anti-perspirent, it makes no sense.

[sabotabby]

Here's how I figure it. Most products, and almost all beauty-related products, must be divided into Products for Girls and Products for Boys. It is marginally okay to dress a girl baby in a blue onesie, but it is never okay to dress a boy baby in a pink onesie. The gender division continues into adulthood, when Products for Girls usually cost twice as much and come in pink.

There's no reason, as I confirmed with an experiment on a friend's hair, why men can't use women's hair dye. There are more colours, more varieties, and it's cheaper. Therefore, the only reason men would buy men's hair dye is that they feel that their masculinity would be somehow in doubt if they bought women's hair dye. Hence, patriarchy. Though I like marrythebed's theory better.

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

well i buy womens' hair dye and like to kiss boys and girls

[sabotabby]

What is the difference between deodorant and anti-perspirent anyway? All I know is that when I buy men's deodorant it usually works better but all the smells suck. So again, I pay twice as much for the pink women's one.

[rohmie.livejournal.com]

Only in my beard and my pubes. I had bought some beard dye once, but threw it away without using it.

The patriarchy hurts men too.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Then they really need to stop.

Re: The patriarchy hurts men too.

[sabotabby]

I tell them that but they really like the free labour.

Re: The patriarchy hurts men too.

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

i'm doing my best to crush the masculinity in the ones around me but one double agent can only go so far

[mcpreacher.livejournal.com]

i had a girlfriend for a long time that thought it was weird how i loved what old spice smelled like on her, it reminded me of the distinct smell of a dried flower in an old book

if she insisted on using old spice she should have been grateful i didn't get all up in her grill about it

Re: The patriarchy hurts men too.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

If they really want to help themselves, then they should volunteer.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Surely it's because they make more money than women. Because there is less selection and with less selection the consumer is willing to pay more for a "rarity".

As for the Patriarchy hurting men... I'm sure they don't mind working longer hours, so that can pay for more sex.