I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s a sucker for a pretty face. What I find surprising is how easily I’ll hand over money when I meet one. (And I’m not talking prostitution here.)

Beauty is a major weapon in a company’s marketing arsenal. Instead of breaking hearts, these pretty faces separate average Joe’s (like me) from their money.

It’s a no-brainer that beauty sells. We see it in movies, TV shows, and advertising of all shapes and sizes.

We can sometimes resist when it’s at arm’s length.

We don’t have this luxury when we actually have to talk to them.

My Brush with Weaponised Beauty

I was in a shopping centre when I passed a cosmetics counter. You know the ones. They’re in the middle of the thoroughfare so you either have to hurry into the shops on the edge or barrel through with your eyes down.

While I was loaded with bags and wearing my gym gear (and my hair was a mess), the guy behind the counter called out to me.

To my great shame, I stopped.

To my even greater shame, I went over.

He was a good-looking Israeli man with sculpted stubble. Someone this good looking talking to me… I was wary. I should have run but, like a fly trapped in the proverbial web, I stayed put, transfixed.

Then the selling began.

Resistance is Futile

Did I cleanse? Did I moisturise? No? But you’ve got such a beautiful face. Those eyes! Let me give you a demonstration. Do you see how much dirt comes out, and that’s just from one hand? Look at my skin, you think this is natural? It’s only because I use this. I had terrible eczema and now it’s gone. We’re running a special on this at the moment. You get this product but for a bit extra you get this one too. Let me show you what it does.

I could see every part of the selling technique in play, first building the problem then moving onto the solution. He was good at it. Smooth.

But I knew what he was up to.

It went for fifteen minutes. I could see it all. I knew his tricks. I wasn’t going to fall for this. Who did he think…

‘Ok, sure, why not?’

I handed over the credit card. He continued to chat. We discussed his accent and then he handed over my purchases and bid me farewell.

Dazed, I wandered off with a few hundred dollars’ worth of cosmetic products and worried how I was going to explain this extravagance to my husband.

I managed to justify the purchase to myself – my skin had been in need of some TLC and he had spent all that time with me – but I was more shocked I’d been suckered so completely.

All because of a pretty face and an attractive accent.

But having been through it once, I know better next time.

Know better than to resist.

What’s your experience with weaponised beauty? And speaking of beautiful people, have you met the stunners in my Bonds of Blood series? (See what I did there?)