what are your stories about the hair straightner selling people at the mall?

[TealDolphin]

How do you handle them? lol

[angelfell]

When they open their mouth I say "NO." before words come out. When I'm nice, they only pester me, so I have to be ignorant. But I watched one of them do the hair curling trick with the straightener and all on my friend, with a Chii I think. I can do it with my $20 remington :p.

[ScarlettAdelle]

Whenever I go to the mall I have a routine:

Prior to leaving the house-
-grab headphones from ipod. Over the head headphones work best, but earbuds will do.
-if using earbuds, make sure ears are visible.

Upon ariving at the mall-
-put earbuds in and tuck end of cord into pocket or purse.

I find this significantly cuts down the amount of unwanted agressive salespeople trying to talk to you. If I've forgotten my earphones, I make sure I have my phone at the ready. This way, if I see one lurking, I can "get a phonecall" before they have a chance to start talking to me. You're the only one who has to know you're not listening to anything or talking to anyone :D

[julliams]

Just tell them you already have one. Saves argument and pestering.

[bellawave]

One came at me waving one of those things, and I literally hopped sideways and then walked away quickly. I must've looked like a skittish horse... LOL

[Demetrue]

Ignore, walk right past them, do not make eye contact. You are NOT being rude by not responding - they are being rude by accosting you.

[Aleria]

I applied at one of those... got told to come to the group interview. I went home and realized "Oh no.. they are gonna make me straighten my hair everyday"
I didn't especially need the job, so I didn't go to the interview.
Fortunately I don't get bothered by them as I have mastered the art of the "Don't **** with me" glare.

[spidermom]

My hair is usually put up, so I fly under their radar.

[mariika]

OR - if you are feeling like getting some attention - you could put up a very public (and loud) discussion:
- WHAT? You think my hair looks BAD?? So you are saying I look BAD?? You don't like my curly/wavy hair?!!! Who do you think you are, Anna Wintour? You want me to change my personality just so that you could earn your buck? You think that's what I pay my therapist for? For you to come and ruin it for me? Insulting me??! You are basically standing here and saying that I'm not good enough, like, I am some shallow supermodel listening carefully to her stylist and ready to go under a surgeon's knife only to make other people happy. You are saying I should cut on my sleep to get my hair straightened every morning, hell, cut on my food to buy this thing in the first place! You are basically threatening my basic human rights here! It's like those poor slaves being shipped in bunkers from overseas being deprived of their most basic needs - you want me be one of them? Do you? And I thought America is a free country! And look, right here in broad daylight here is this (wo)man trying to rob me of the only thing I got left! It's actually you murdering my hair, burning it, to the very base, ripping it off and destroying my dignity, my identity! You should be ashamed of yourself. You make all of us be disgusted over the fact that we are here in this room with you! (looks at the audience for supportive looks and cheers) *curtain*
That must work if you have some comedic skills :D

[Coffeebug]

Hahaha I actually did something similar to someone who was
trying to flog me some kind of hair thing. She didn't accept the polite 'no thankyou' so I had to resort to a startlingly snippy 'what's wrong with my hair???!!!!'

It turned into my general policy with people bothering me with clipboards/brochures etc - I start with a nice polite refusal and if that doesn't work, then they have earnt an angry snappy NO!

[Animae]

I told him not to force his eurocentric beauty ideals on me. (I'm pretty sure I made up a word there, but it worked)

Loudly. And then I said I like my hippie hair.

[mariika]

I told him not to force his eurocentric beauty ideals on me. (I'm pretty sure I made up a word there, but it worked)

Loudly. And then I said I like my hippie hair.
Eurocentric sounds kinda offensive against Europeans... Here in Europe there are just as many wavies and curlies as anywhere.


Hahaha I actually did something similar to someone who was
trying to flog me some kind of hair thing. She didn't accept the polite 'no thankyou' so I had to resort to a startlingly snippy 'what's wrong with my hair???!!!!'

It turned into my general policy with people bothering me with clipboards/brochures etc - I start with a nice polite refusal and if that doesn't work, then they have earnt an angry snappy NO!
Hahahaa, that's right, go get'em!!