I found that taking my mom or husband to the beauty salon is a world of difference—when my mom is with me, I feel like a little princess; with my husband, I become a plain-looking woman.

Actually, it's not that my husband treats me poorly; the key issue is whether I have money to spend.

My mom loves and cares for me. Before the wedding, she specifically asked me to dress up nicely. I prefer a low-key approach and advocate for a simple wedding, so my mom proposed the minimum requirement—getting my eyebrows tattooed.

Having been taken advantage of before, I became cautious. Before going to the beauty salon, I put on my psychological armor, ready to refuse any sales pitches.

The tricks at beauty salons are pretty much the same: first, they advertise online, attracting you with low-priced services, then the salespeople showcase their professional skills, chat with you to build trust, and assess your financial situation. Once they have your feedback, they specifically push high-priced products or services. In short, they lure you in and then take advantage of you.

Although I was mentally prepared, I still couldn't guard against everything! With the wedding approaching, I went to get my eyebrows done and brought my mom along, hoping she could help me avoid hidden costs. As a result, my mom became the driving force behind a high-priced transaction (the advertisement said 360 yuan, but I ended up spending nearly three thousand yuan).

Having my mom with me was a "trouble," so I decided to let my husband accompany me next time.

This eyebrow tattooing also came with a free touch-up after two months.

Although my previous experience told me that once I enter a beauty salon, I would be sold to and have to spend money, I still had to go again.

There are two reasons: first, to complete my mom's task, I had already spent over three thousand yuan, and giving up the touch-up would be a big loss! Second, my husband is a sales rep's nemesis; he is the son of a farmer, born simple, and salespeople have no chance of scamming him! With my husband by my side, what do I have to fear!

My husband knew we were going to the beauty salon, so he deliberately made himself look very sloppy—he only showered once that day, changed into a T-shirt and shorts, and put on flip-flops before heading out. In fact, he usually showers twice a day; he weighs 180 pounds, has a big belly, and sweats easily, with a strong body odor.

When we arrived at the eyebrow tattooing shop, we both plopped down on the sofa at the entrance, waiting for the touch-up artist to come over. Unexpectedly, we waited a bit longer; ten minutes passed, and no one acknowledged us. As a considerate daughter-in-law, I suggested my husband go for a walk to avoid boredom. He listened to me and stepped out of the shop.

Just as my husband left, the touch-up artist arrived. She asked me to lie down on a beauty bed and then casually picked up the touch-up tools from the table to start working. While working, she also asked me how I felt about the eyebrow tattooing shop and whether I was satisfied with the service. To avoid trouble, I mostly nodded or responded with "uh-huh."

I didn't say much, making it hard for her to find a sales pitch. After more than ten minutes, she still hadn't gotten to the "main topic." In fact, she wasn't stupid; she knew that bombarding me with sales pitches would make me uncomfortable, and that would likely ruin her business.

However, halfway through the touch-up, she finally spoke up: "The skin around the eyebrow area may have varying degrees of bruising after tattooing, and you need to use a conditioning liquid to care for your eyebrows. How about I apply a little for you to try?"

"I came here today for a free touch-up; does this cost money?"

"The products we carry are all from big brands, certified by professional institutions, so you can use them with confidence..."

"Does it cost money? If it does, then no thanks!" There are too many news stories about the beauty and hair industry tricking customers into spending large amounts, so I had to be cautious.

"A bottle costs 6000 yuan and can last for half a year."

"No thanks!" I firmly refused.

"Then, do you think the color of your eyebrows looks coordinated? Do you need to deepen the color?" She changed the subject, handing me a mirror to see the touch-up effect.

"Hmm, make the color a bit darker; I'm afraid it will fade."

"If it's darker, the eyebrows won't look natural."

"That's okay; I just want the color to last longer." I insisted on deepening the color, even if it looked a bit ugly, because that would make the money spent worthwhile.

Hearing me say this, she didn't say much more and continued with the touch-up.

At that moment, a voice came from the door: "Which uncle is sitting on the sofa? It smells so strong!" Out of curiosity, I leaned my head toward the door and saw that my husband had returned, sitting on the sofa, drenched in sweat.

"Do you want to try the conditioning liquid?" The artist called me back, trying again to make a sale.

"No thanks."

"Then do you still need a touch-up?"

"You can do it."

After I refused again, the artist's expression instantly darkened; she stopped smiling and talking, but her movements became very quick, like a factory worker tightening screws. She held the needle and poked at my eyebrows repeatedly, and I could feel a sharp pain. I couldn't help but wonder if she was taking out her frustration on me for not buying anything. It's not that I was being petty; before I refused to spend, the touch-up didn't hurt at all.

However, I didn't explode on the spot. Because I had successfully resisted the impact of "forced consumption," enjoyed the service I deserved, and rejected the "suggestions" I didn't want to accept. Moreover, I wasn't hurt, and I didn't plan to come back, so there was no need to escalate the situation.

Those artists are like hunting leopards, and I cleverly avoided their traps. Turning against them might lead to even bigger troubles, after all, I might have already jeopardized their livelihood. To be honest, treating customers this way will only narrow their career paths.

I adjusted my breathing and tried to appear calm. After the touch-up was completed, I prepared to leave, and the artist suddenly said, "Are you really not considering the conditioning liquid? It's really suitable for you." I politely shook my head and smiled to refuse.

At that moment, my husband walked over, his eyes full of concern. I held his hand and told him we had to go.

Stepping out of the eyebrow tattooing shop, the sunlight outside was particularly glaring. I squinted slightly to adjust to the light. My husband looked at me and softly asked, "How was it? Was it smooth?" I nodded and said, "It was okay, just a bit of a bumpy process."

On the way home, I talked to my husband about today's experience. I told him that although some services at the beauty salon were uncomfortable, I learned a lot. I told him that in the future, when facing sales pitches, I would be more resolute in my stance and not easily persuaded. My husband smiled and patted my head, saying, "You did the right thing; it should be like this."

As the days went by, I transformed from a pampered little princess into a plain-looking "plain Jane." But I don't feel ashamed because the essence of marriage is "living life"—both partners support each other economically, socially, and emotionally, sharing the responsibilities and obligations of life together.

As a woman, I should spend more money on myself to stay young and beautiful. But as a wife, I should spend money on the essentials of life, truly living day by day.