eyebrows

Since being published ten months ago, I've taken more notice of eyebrows - mine and those belonging to others.  This interest reached its zenith after I received my first professional photo since I was about six.  The photo was good (it's all relative, after all), but it did bring to my attention the fact that perhaps I'd overrated my eyebrows.  What appeared to be robust, purposeful creatures in the mirror, were not portrayed so positively by a studio camera.  Needless to say, this prompted the purchase of an eyebrow pencil, which initially I used sporadically, and now apply more conscientiously, but until recently, with little skill.


In those days where the internet plays an increasingly more pivotal role in our lives, the opportunities for online sales are infinite. Once upon a time I was amazed that it was possible to buy an elephant - or at least order one - from Harrods.  Now if I developed a whim to own such an animal, I expect I'd turn to Amazon.  It's also possible to acquire online knowledge on a myriad topics, from legal matters, to social problems to health/beauty tips.  Some of this information is easier to access than others.














Organisations selling dietary products to enhance weight loss have capitalised on electronic selling.  Except, of course, that their approach is far from transparent.  How many times have my eyes homed in on:  five foods to help you lose weight  or  lose abdominal fat in a week by following this method?  How many times have I, with the optimism and naivety of a child, listened to a 20 minute video promising me such information, only to learn at the end that I won't be told which foods are the culprits/heroes, but if I care to fork out a mere $50 I'll receive a carton containing a wonder pill, or worse still, I can avail myself of the chance to sample the product for a greatly reduced price, or even for free, only to find out that once the company has my debit card details, it's incredibly hard to cancel the arrangement I'd unwittingly agreed to?  The internet is full of complaints about such organisations.






             Several days ago, I stumbled upon an internet advertisement for improving the shape of eyebrows.  In cynical mode, I viewed the video.  I expected to be taken through the usual preamble that I'd seen in diet aid videos:  the credentials of the presenter, the anatomy of the eyebrow, the myths that people like me have about eyebrows, the life story of the presenter - how he'd reached the stage in his life when he realised he had to address the problem of his eyebrows, how he'd witnessed the pain of those around him who'd neglected to resolve this issue until it was too late, how he didn't want one single more person to go through the hell
of not having eyebrows to die for.











In fact, this concise video did the opposite of what I'd anticipated.  No information was given about the presenter.  I learned nothing about the complex and essential purposes of having eyebrows.  What I did learn was how to apply eyebrow pencil to help my brows attain the shape and thickness I wished.  It didn't promote an expensive pencil to be
shipped from the US, I wasn't asked for credit card details.  Doubtless a modicum of advertising was cunningly slipped in somewhere, but it wasn't thrown at me.  I received education on an aspect of cosmetics.

In the scheme of things, obviously this must be relegated to the bottom of an evergrowing list of ways to improve one's appearance, but it was lovely for once to be given something for nothing.


Jane