Sucked in by a shopping video - when will I learn? | Lou Hannan

My latest useless purchase is a so-called miracle towel.

Picture the scene. I’m scrolling through Facebook and up pops a video of a woman with long brown hair standing in her bathroom and donning her pink ‘miracle towel’.

She wraps up her hair, turban-style, and stands with a speeded-up shot of a timer as it whizzes through to three minutes.

She unwraps the towel and… hey presto… her hair is bone dry looking like she’s just stepped out of a salon!

With my new routine of rising at 4.20am and attempting to get up, showered and off to work in 40 minutes, I honestly thought this invention would be the answer to all my prayers.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking…

Clicking on the link and entering my payment details for the £3.99 purchase price (free postage and packing included, I’ll have you know), I spent the next three days patiently waiting for my wonder towel to arrive.

When I came to unwrap it, my first moment of disappointment arose when I saw something that resembled two flannels sewn together with a button. Comparing it to the ad, I was not sure whether it was even the same item.

However, I persevered thinking it didn’t matter what it looked like, it was promising to dry my hair in three minutes without the aid of a hairdryer.

I bounced into the shower, washed my hair and could hardly contain my excitement as I grabbed my new purchase, wrapped my hair in it and then stepped out of the shower waiting for it to work its magic.

Clearly I was a little sceptical so I decided to give it five minutes instead of the advertised three.

I gingerly unwrapped the towel to look at my salon-like locks and, guess what?

Yep… my hair was still wringing wet. You didn't really have to guess did you?

What was it PT Barnum said? There’s a sucker born every minute!