I am downgrading. I realize that this isn't something that you hear much. Usually everyone is concerned with upgrading--getting the newest technology, the best phone, the super-sized hamburger meal. But I've downgraded.  This week I converted to "Wash &amp; Go" shampoo. I used to be a devoted Nivea user. No more.

[caption id="attachment_2136" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Wash &amp; Go "]<a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/dsc01499.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-2136" title="Wash &amp; Go " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/dsc01499.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a>[/caption]

Now don't feel bad for me. I certainly don't.  I found the "Wash &amp; Go" shampoo on the bottom shelf of the shampoo isle at Billa at a lower price than Nivea and bigger volume.  <!--more-->I've always like a deal so I like getting more shampoo for less. But the name doesn't really inspire confidence.  Don't have enough time to really take care of your hair? Buy this shampoo. Don't care about how your hair looks? Wash it, dry it with a towel and then go.  Not interested in spending time or money on your look? Use this shampoo.

So I bought the citrus shampoo. Name aside, it seemed pretty non-offensive.  Sure, there's nothing sexy about this shampoo but as long as it works I guess it doesn't much matter how much it is, what the bottle looks like or the name of the product.

I am happy to report that the shampoo had nice suds and rinses out with little effort.  It's not heavily perfumed which is normally a plus in my  book.  Well, except for this morning, when after a night out in a smokey restaurant, bar and club my hair was saturated with stale smoke and even after washing my hair and drying it it still smelled faintly of smoke. Gross. But my hair just may be extra dry given the long cold dry winter--giving the smoke the perfect place to hide.

Well, by now I guess you're wondering this: is her life really so boring that she's writing a blog post about shampoo? <em>Yes</em>. Okay, this is a good point. My life is kind of boring but actually I am writing because this experience confirms something that I've long suspected.

I've suspected that shampoo is shampoo and that it doesn't much matter what name is on the bottle.  Sexiness and marketing aside, how different can shampoo actually be? My guess is the brands of shampoo are only minimally different. And that in the end, it's more about selling a feel and a lifestyle than selling the physical shampoo.

Many shampoos on the market are simply selling and promoting a lifestyle that hints at something slightly more glamorous, sexy and interesting than the one promoted with the Wash &amp; Go name and bottle. And this is why I am downgrading. I feel no need to pay more for the same product and I don't need to reaffirm the sexy glamorous life (ha, ha) that I am living in Sofia with my shampoo.

Here's to the downgrade (and feeling good about it)!

Oh but I hate how hard the lid is to open.