Attack by Straightening Iron! (not really)

[Hay22]

Today my mother and I decided to have a nice girl's day out and go to the mall together. While walking through the main part of the mall, we passed a straightening iron kiosk and the sales girl called out to us. I wasn't sure what she said, but I smiled and said, "no thanks" while we continued to walk away. She proceeded to try to follow me while clacking the plates of her straightening iron together, saying "Please ma'am, just one strand! Please?"

I don't know why, but this really freaked me out. I've been very anti-heat for the past year and this almost felt like someone was chasing after me with scissors in their hands.

Any similar mall experiences?

[little_acorn]

eeekk thats enough to give you nightmares!

[Sheltie_Momma]

YES. We have this at our mall and I have the kind of hair that gets them excited, like they are just hell-bent on straightening my wild hair. Go away please, don't they know how hard it was for me to put that thing down????

[tangocurl]

I once had a woman at one of those mall kiosks clip a hair falsie--one of those fake ponytails on the plastic jaw clip--without my consent. I said I wanted to look at it. And suddenly she was behind me, clipping it onto my head. I impulsively blurted out, "ow!!"

Um--excuse me?!?

[smilinjenn71]

Yea, I basically avoid those kiosk sales people like the plague! If I want their products I will let them know. When they try to talk to me, I don't really look their way and I simply say 'no thank you' as I keep walking.

[Sister13]

Unhygienic. Run for your hair's life!

[HoneyBun]

Yes, they are typically very rude, so I go out of my way to avoid them. I will purposely look away from them, and pretend to be very interested in window shopping. I know they are only trying to make a living, but I resent their tactics.

[amaiaisabella]

On the one hand, I kind of feel bad for these people because I'm sure their profit is suffering in the economy. On the other hand, guerilla tactics do not make for happy (or ANY) customers!

[squee]

I am so happy I stay away from the mall in general. :)
Sorry that happened. :(

[cuddledumplin]

I get that all of the time from the straightening people, the nail buffer people the massager people and pretty much anyone trying to sell me anything. I just say "No thanks" and keep walking. If one of them persists, I say that I'll come to them if I'm interested.

[ZaBasDa]

My hair usually looks too wild for them to want to attempt to straighten the entire thing, so I'm safe from the straightener people. I've had a few people try to come at with me curling irons, but I don't know why I'd want to recurl my already curly hair. I usually just try to pay attention to anything but the kiosk people when walking by though.

[Shermie Girl]

Wow! It sounds almost like being chased by a hungry alligator! :lol:

Kiosk sellers can be very aggressive. I just shoot them my patented "Come near me and die!" glare and they tuck their tails and run. :lol:

[Keildra]

My hair usually looks too wild for them to want to attempt to straighten the entire thing, so I'm safe from the straightener people. I've had a few people try to come at with me curling irons, but I don't know why I'd want to recurl my already curly hair. I usually just try to pay attention to anything but the kiosk people when walking by though.

I've had that happen to me before, and my sister who has perfectly stick straight natural hair was attacked by the straightener lady. I don't understand why they do that.

[Elenna]

I know that these people are trying to make a living, but wouldn't they get better public reception by being interesting instead of aggressively pursuing people as they walk by? I don't appreciate being harassed while shopping at a mall. Guess that their tactic is to intimidate shoppers who can be intimidated into buying their product(s). Usually, I try to be pleasant to sales people, except for aggressive kiosk salespeople.

[Clarisse]

I'm glad we don't have this where I live! It must be very frustrating to be chased with straightening irons and curling irons while at the mall :P

[Liat]

..........

[Fethenwen]

:rollin:I got the funniest mental picture from this thread.
These mall salesmen people sure are unbelievable! We have them to in the bigger cities, I was once "attacked" my someone who insisted on doing my nails :rolleyes: He was like, "mam! mam! could I please see your nails, just for a sec?! It wont hurt!" I think I responded with something like: "you really would not want to see my nails, trust me!"

[Arctic]

:rollin:I got the funniest mental picture from this thread.
These mall salesmen people sure are unbelievable! We have them to in the bigger cities, I was once "attacked" my someone who insisted on doing my nails :rolleyes: He was like, "mam! mam! could I please see your nails, just for a sec?! It wont hurt!" I think I responded with something like: "you really would not want to see my nails, trust me!"

I was just thinking that I've never seen anything like this, but I avoid big malls when I visit big cities usually. There are often sales people in stores salling some specific brand or product, but they are not agressive. BUt oh my, in summertime those people trying to get new members sign up (and pay) on some otherwise well-reputed, often charity, organizations... They can be pretty agressive, running after you when you peacefully walk the street. :rolleyes:

[julliams]

Yes and I'm a target. They take one look at my wavy hair and feel the need to make it straight - like I would never had heard or used a straightener before.

The next time they do this I am going to stop and talk their ear off about how I did have one, used it weekly until I came across LHC and now.........

Actually I probably won't because I'll be too busy.

[florenonite]

I've had that happen to me before, and my sister who has perfectly stick straight natural hair was attacked by the straightener lady. I don't understand why they do that.

Because it's obviously the wrong type of straight :rolleyes:

I haven't been approached by these people, perhaps because I normally wear my hair up when I'm out and about. Either that or because my hair is pretty straight already.

If any of the nail people come up to me, though, I'll show them my nails (or lack thereof). It might scar them for life!

[halo_tightens]

What if they did that to someone who was wearing some sort of melt-able synthetic hair?! Wouldn't they feel stupid if they grabbed a lock and liquified it in their jaws of fire?

[JamieLeigh]

Wow! I've never had this happen...of course, I'm usually in an updo when I leave the house. Those poor kiosk people have no idea what they're missing. :p

Still...:eek: That's a bit much.

[SHELIAANN1969]

hehehe, I'm a grown woman but *fear* the Kiosk people, lol.

I generally act VERY interested in something far away from the Kiosk so as not to make any eye contact at all, and I ignore all noises, movements, shinies and walk by fast.

The people in Kiosks aren't real bad here, but I have been in some malls where they are pushy. egads, it's insane.

[Hay22]

What if they did that to someone who was wearing some sort of melt-able synthetic hair?! Wouldn't they feel stupid if they grabbed a lock and liquified it in their jaws of fire?

This literally made me laugh out loud. Mall people are always pushy, but they usually don't chase you down. Most of the time they desperately ask "Can I ask you a question?" and I like to use other people as shields.

[Laurel32]

I feel bad for those kiosk workers... I always feel awkward walking by them, purposely looking away. I've never been asked to straighten my hair, but then again, my hair is always in a ponytail and I do my best to avoid them.

[rags]

Updos won't always save you! I had one come behind me and pull my hairstick out. Ummm, we'll just leave it at I don't think she'll be doing that to anyone again. I was NOT happy. ETA: I'm with SheilaAnn - I fear the kiosk workers!

[Mabel Grey]

I once had a woman at one of those mall kiosks clip a hair falsie--one of those fake ponytails on the plastic jaw clip--without my consent. I said I wanted to look at it. And suddenly she was behind me, clipping it onto my head. I impulsively blurted out, "ow!!"

Um--excuse me?!?

I had a woman do this to me. My lovely boyfriend, was much quicker than me, on this. He grabbed the thing and tossed it on the floor and stomped on it with his size 12 boots. And they were his nastiest boots, he uses the when mucking the pens. (hehehe I get tickled just thinking about it.) He stomped on it and said" I thought it was a bug or something..." :cheese: he had an innocent, sheepish grin. I really had been looking at a clip...but I didn't purchase it. He made a comment, as we left, about hair lice and suing. Funny, thing is, I am deathly afraid of lice; had once that was all it takes. The only thing I feel bad about is the damaged goods, but at the same time...ew...who else's hair had that thing been in.

[Sissy]

eww, that is creepy!

[SeaShell]

This happened to me today!! I told them I already had one from their kiosk :/

[Autumnberry]

That would freak me out, being chased by heatshudder:. Once I had perfume sprayed on me. I don't wear perfume, so it was poorly received (a sharp scolding). When I walk past kiosks, I'm very cautious-looking and never friendly, and this has worked. Geez, I never thought about hair straighteners. It's scary out there!

[Pifkin]

I've had a few of those people ask me if they could straighten my hair.

I told one lady that I hate straight hair. That shut her up.
(I really don't, but she doesn't have to know that) :p

[Wicked Princess]

Wow...I'm a little surprised by some of the stories here. I've worn my hair, that is wavy and sometimes frizzy, down at the mall and kiosk people will do the, "Hey, do you have a moment to see my <insert product>" thing at me...but it's always non-invasive, and they don't treat me differently than anyone else. :)

[liseling]

I've had a similar experience!!! But it was for curly hair rather than straight hair. I'm not even really sure what the product was but since they had all this fake hair at the kiosk I guess that it must be some kind of clip-in hair piece thing.

The silly thing was that that day I had a really good hair day, and my curls were really knocking themselves out being good and behaving themselves. I was walking along with my dad and we were running the kiosk gauntlet when the woman at the hair piece kiosk called out to me: " Hi! I really like your hair.... come over here and let me show you something!" I said no thanks and kept walking, and my dad and I had a conversation about how weird that is to try to market curly hair to someone who already HAS curly hair. And she'd said that she LIKES my hair..... so what? You like it but you think I should change it to fake hair?
Very strange.

[Calista]

I think the whole concept of a straightening iron kiosk in a mall is very very funny! I had never even heard of such a thing until I joined LHC. Here we may have kiosks that make latch key duplicates or that sell flowers, but straightening your hair? That&#180;s bizarre.

[LilyAV]

This has happened a few times at the mall in my hometown. The booth has been there for years and stands right outside of a store I frequent. I always smile and say no. However one time on an outing with few friends we were shopping in said store and suddenly realized one of our more free-spirited friends had either wandered off or had gone missing as she was wont to do. After a frantic search we found her in the kiosk outside, trapped by the hair straightening ladies going at her wild, beautiful curls. We tried to get her away, but they insisted that they finish so she didn't look odd with half still curly.

[Bereft]

I was in the Miracle Mile Mall in Vegas, and as I passed by this booth with curling irons galor, a many with a very heavy French accent started shouting random compliments about my hair at me, and tried to get me to try one of his curling irons ( I had just had my hair straightened (I know :o) for the Marine Corps ball) When I said no thanks he yelled 'Oh please beautiful! Dont break my heart!'

It wasnt scary, more funny and pathetic really.

[Juanita]

The're everywhere. Didn't think to see one in Darwin but there it was and the guy kept trying to get me to stop. I was in a hurry. Was flying to Bali next day and trying to get everything done. I think he said something like Why wont you stop? Admittedly hair was down and probably in need of a comb.

[florenonite]

Updos won't always save you! I had one come behind me and pull my hairstick out. Ummm, we'll just leave it at I don't think she'll be doing that to anyone again. I was NOT happy. ETA: I'm with SheilaAnn - I fear the kiosk workers!

That's really creepy. It's also arguably theft because they're depriving you of the use of your personal property.

[tangocurl]

I was in the Miracle Mile Mall in Vegas, and as I passed by this booth with curling irons galor, a many with a very heavy French accent started shouting random compliments about my hair at me, and tried to get me to try one of his curling irons ( I had just had my hair straightened (I know :o) for the Marine Corps ball) When I said no thanks he yelled 'Oh please beautiful! Dont break my heart!'

It wasnt scary, more funny and pathetic really.

That's my feeling about most of those kiosk salespeople. Some guy about 5 to 10 years younger than I am, and sort of desperate for attention...whether it is a cell phone accessory, a magic salt rock, blankets, or hair products. I want to say, "really? you're going to convince me that I need XYZ? Yeah like a toothache."

[spidermom]

Those people selling the Dead Sea Salt products are relentless, but I'm a fast walker. Ha!

[tangocurl]

Those people selling the Dead Sea Salt products are relentless, but I'm a fast walker. Ha!

I don't know what it is with me. Unless I'm at a very nice department store I generally like to be left alone when I shop.

[kmangus]

Yeah..those people always stop me and complement my hair color (henna obviously) then they either want to A) Curl it B) Straigten it C) Curl, then straighten the curl!!!! :( I just say no thanks and walk away quickly. But i have to say that it ruins my mall experience because i am more worried about running away from the crazy sales people than i am window shopping :(

[practikalmagik]

I never used to notice these in Oxford, but since I've moved to Leicester they are everywhere in the shopping centres!!! I think it doesn't help that it's near christmas.

I generally just point-blank ignore them, i don't think I'm being rude, as I don't know them and why should I talk to someone I don't know.

I saw one today that made me laugh actually. You know the ones that sell beauty products etc, they had a giant poster of a middle aged woman with photoshopped smooth skin and these big arrows where you get creases with the caption that basically reads "Want to get rid of expression marks?".....

yes. yes i want to get rid of any sign that I might feel an emotion *eye roll*. Honestly!

[lapushka]

I had a woman do this to me. My lovely boyfriend, was much quicker than me, on this. He grabbed the thing and tossed it on the floor and stomped on it with his size 12 boots. And they were his nastiest boots, he uses the when mucking the pens. (hehehe I get tickled just thinking about it.) He stomped on it and said" I thought it was a bug or something..." :cheese: he had an innocent, sheepish grin. I really had been looking at a clip...but I didn't purchase it. He made a comment, as we left, about hair lice and suing. Funny, thing is, I am deathly afraid of lice; had once that was all it takes. The only thing I feel bad about is the damaged goods, but at the same time...ew...who else's hair had that thing been in.

If that were my BF, I'd leave him on the spot. No wait. I would never have a BF that behaves like that. I mean... how ever horrible sales people can be, they're mostly just doing what they're told to do. You have to realize that a huge part of it is "just" sales tactics. Talk about going *way* too far. I know that some sales people can be rude and unrelenting, but it doesn't mean your BF should destroy property... the way you describe it, with the sheepish grin and the comments... it's so creepy!


The silly thing was that that day I had a really good hair day, and my curls were really knocking themselves out being good and behaving themselves. I was walking along with my dad and we were running the kiosk gauntlet when the woman at the hair piece kiosk called out to me: " Hi! I really like your hair.... come over here and let me show you something!" I said no thanks and kept walking, and my dad and I had a conversation about how weird that is to try to market curly hair to someone who already HAS curly hair. And she'd said that she LIKES my hair..... so what? You like it but you think I should change it to fake hair?
Very strange.

Because you were having such a great curly hair day, I think she was trying to use you as an example to show everyone else how great her curling iron was. Nothing strange about it.

[SHELIAANN1969]

Updos won't always save you! I had one come behind me and pull my hairstick out. Ummm, we'll just leave it at I don't think she'll be doing that to anyone again. I was NOT happy. ETA: I'm with SheilaAnn - I fear the kiosk workers!

Wow, I would be livid, don't these girls know that 1) we love our hair ornaments, 2) sometimes it is near impossible to get that updo back the way it was, sometimes it WILL NOT cooperate, and 3) pulling out said hair toys are fightin actions?


I had a woman do this to me. My lovely boyfriend, was much quicker than me, on this. He grabbed the thing and tossed it on the floor and stomped on it with his size 12 boots. And they were his nastiest boots, he uses the when mucking the pens. (hehehe I get tickled just thinking about it.) He stomped on it and said" I thought it was a bug or something..." :cheese: he had an innocent, sheepish grin. I really had been looking at a clip...but I didn't purchase it. He made a comment, as we left, about hair lice and suing. Funny, thing is, I am deathly afraid of lice; had once that was all it takes. The only thing I feel bad about is the damaged goods, but at the same time...ew...who else's hair had that thing been in.

hahahaha, I am :rollin: here, if anyone tries that on me, I'll smash it too! hahaha, that is hilarious!

[enfys]

I have my hair up pretty much all the time so the hair people don't harrass me. They look or stare but they don't get involved with me!

It's a shame really; for all I know they sell hair sticks and forks and whatnot, but if I go within 10 feet of them they think I want to buy the cosmetic version of a George Foreman lean, mean,fat reducing grilling machine.

Sort of unrelated, but once the home spa stall shouted after a man who wouldn't go over, "Don't you have a mother?!" I'd guess he was in his 40s; his mother could easily have passed away, in which case I wouldn't have blamed him if he punched the man. Why are they so rude?!

[Kris Dove]

I had one a while ago try his straightening irons on me, and my hair smelt burnt after he'd finished. I do straighten my hair myself on occasion, as well as my bangs if I'm wearing them down, but it doesn't usually smell burnt once I'm done! If that wasn't enough to put me off, he was rather pushy and rude to boot.

[florenonite]

I never used to notice these in Oxford, but since I've moved to Leicester they are everywhere in the shopping centres!!! I think it doesn't help that it's near christmas.

I generally just point-blank ignore them, i don't think I'm being rude, as I don't know them and why should I talk to someone I don't know.

I saw one today that made me laugh actually. You know the ones that sell beauty products etc, they had a giant poster of a middle aged woman with photoshopped smooth skin and these big arrows where you get creases with the caption that basically reads "Want to get rid of expression marks?".....

yes. yes i want to get rid of any sign that I might feel an emotion *eye roll*. Honestly!

Umm, ok?

That's just weird. I mean, yeah, a lot of women do want to get rid of wrinkles because they make you look older, but calling them "expression marks" is, IMO, a poor sales tactic. Surely most women *want* their faces to show expression!