My bottle of Menthol Shampoo, next to my other shower supplies.
After yesterday’s Wandertag, I returned to Weimar and got my haircut from my favorite European stylist.
He’s the only person I interact with on a regular basis who doesn’t speak English, and by not speaking English, I mean he only knows the most famous English words but nothing else. Whenever I interact with him, I cannot fall back to English, I must stay with German, which can be tricky because I forget words and I am missing entire sets of vocabulary (like, for example, anything to do with a car).
Each visit starts with him washing my hair, and he uses this really fantastic shampoo, massaging my hair (and head) until it’s tingles whilst feeling cool and refreshed. One time I asked him about the, and then I didn’t know the word… but he supplied it for me, “Shampoo” (it’s the same), and he told me something about it in German—I forget the details, but I like the sensation. Last time I asked about buying a bottle, but they were sold out, so I wasn’t able to enjoy the tingling and cooling sensations at home.
This time it was in stock: Hair Pure JoJo, Menthol Shampoo.
Given my personal theory about the American toothpaste flavors slowly but surely converging with the American soda pop flavors (I believe both come in Vanilla now), I can only assume that Cigarettes and Shampoos are also slowly converging, since both come in Menthol flavoring.
It’s a German brand, but for some reason they stuck some information on the back of the bottle:
Build-up nourishment for hair and scalp. Mint and menthol extracts stimulate the scalp and refresh. The hair is nourished and has a silky glance.
Application: Evenly massage into damp hair and leave in for a short operating time. Rinse thoroughly.
I read it and laughed while still at the salon and told my stylist that the English was ok, but not great, and then I asked him if it was “Jo-Jo” or “Jo-Jo”—that is to say, is it pronounced with the German J or with an American J, and he said it was German (e.g. Yo-Yo). I then asked him about Joop! Jump cologne—which is clearly pronounced with the German J on Joop! and the American J on Jump.
interesting use of menthol. i’m intrigued. i’ll have to see if any shampoo here uses menthol.
isn’t menthol in dandruff control shampoo? i love my hairdresser. a good hairdresser is priceless.
Will your hair start smoking? Please advise. 😛
a friend – joachim – (yo achhhh heem) grew up here as jo-jo (yo yo). he went on exchange to south africa and has been “joe” ever since.
My hubby, the hairdresser, recommends menthol shampoo application on…damn, feeling prudish even though I’m on your territory! LOL…*other* places for a refreshing tingling start to your day. Actually, that recommendation came from a straight hairdresser before my boy even became one. Viel spaß!
@koko: I’m sure it can be found… Scott’s husband uses it in Austin…
@jen: Good stylists are worth their weight in gold. I adore my Bloomington one and it took me over three years to find one in Weimar that I like.
@disenchanted: No, but I felt like lighting one up after my last shampoo, and I don’t even smoke.
@Ann: Conceding defeat is sometimes easiest. I remember meeting Germany exchange students in college named joachim, but I can’t recall having met one here in Germany. Odd.
@Scott: I was thinking about using the menthol shampoo as you suggest, but I just bought it I didn’t have enough time during my last shower at home to try it… I assume you have.
Sure have, nothing mindblowing but its a nice start to the day.
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I always wonder the right way to say JoJoba. *Lucky I’m typing, eh? It’s funny now, because I am teaching my hair stylist english. In return for cheaper english lessons, I my hair cut, dyed or w.e I want for cheaper,too. It’s a wonderful relationship we have!
Here’s a weird shampoo for you, that I have found here in Korea: BEER shampoo.
Seriously.
It smells predictably weird, but it actually works fantastically on my hair.
@kelsey: Beer? That sounds good.. does it tingle if you leave it in for 5 minutes, like menthol?