INFOMERCIAL INFO-MATION!
Katehrm777 here! I would like to make a disclaimer before I go any further. I am usually a very smart, very practical person. Keep that in mind as you read what I am about to say. I have a weakness for infomercials. I won’t get into too specific detail about everything I have purchased (I have a reputation to uphold!), but it ranges from weight loss systems to kitchen appliances. My most recent foray into the world of infomercials was the hair accessory, the “Bumpit”. If you haven’t seen the commercial, this product claims to save you the hassle of teasing and spraying while giving you much desired body and root lift.
First I would like to discuss the customer service here, as for me, that is all important when buying from unknown companies. I ordered the bumpit off of their website, and they mistakenly charged me twice for two orders. I called them immediately to let them know I only wanted one order and they told me that my order had not yet been processed and I had to wait 24-48 hours for it be processed before I could cancel. I called back the next day and they told me my order had already been shipped and it was too late to cancel. Hmm…..a little shady if you ask me.
When I finally got the product, I quickly ripped open the package so I could finally have the teased, voluminous hair of my dreams. False. The bumpits barely stay in place, are nearly impossible to cover, and don’t actually increase volume all that much as all. By the time you have teased and prepped your hair to make the darn thing work, you have just spent about 5 times as much time as you would spend if you just teased it yourself.
My final take: skip it. Or if you are convinced you can make it work for you….don’t buy online and fall victim to their shady antics or the ridiculous $10.95 shipping and handling. They sell them at Walgreens for $9.99.
Anyone else feel like bumping their bumpits? Or fallen victim to any other infomercial? If so…what worked for you? What didn’t?
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Reviews
Great review Kate! I too am lured by the siren call of the infomercial. And I have to admit that the bumpit sounded great. But I will not submit to my infomercial desires and spend foolishly thanks to your crack investigation of the product. But I will say that my favorite and most successful infomercial buy has been the Magic Bullet. Wow! That baby blends like nobody's business. The infomercial for it mesmerizes me!!BTW-I love that this is quite literally in every way a hump day hair review!!
I have wanted the Magic Bullet for years! We registered at Bed Bath and Beyond for our wedding and had that on the registry... Alas, my poor heart... No one got it for us.
Brooklyn the magic bullet is amazing! It definitely works! I use mine everyday. Sometimes multiple times a day!
The Magic Bullet is going on our registry list too! Every time I see the commercial I want to make salsa or salad. Same with the Slap Chop. I have been tempted by the Strap Perfect as well, the plastic thingy that changes your bra from regular to racerback. Then I always think 'well can't I just do that with a twist tie or something?'We laugh at most infomericals though.. particularly at things like the Snuggie.. as the red one makes people look like they're cult members. And wtf, it's just a bathrobe without a hood turned backwards! Then there are ones like ShamWow.. which are just hilarious to watch.The only product I've decided I will go out and buy is the Ped Egg, based on all the rave reviews on here. :)
Thank you so much for taking one for the team! I've been sharing my excitement for purchasing the Bump It but haven't actually made the purchase because I hadn't heard any reviews yet. I guess we're stuck with the old fashion ways of teasing our hair!
Kate, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this review. I am a fellow infomericial lover, although I have gotten better about waiting till in stores after a snafu with ordering Snugglers, that actually ended up in my favor, but, still left me leary of ordering. I have been avidly eyeing Bumpits. You see, I like height in my hair. Give me some hot rollers, a comb and a can of good spray and I can get my hair up there. I don't do that much, but I like a bit of height. I think it draws the eye up, and my face up and makes me look younger. Well maybe it does. LOL. As I said, the Bumpit has so intriged me, I have been contemplating my self imposed infomercial ban, but, your review actually convinced me of what I suspected about them. That they weren't what they were cracked up to be. Your review came though just at the right time. I saw the infomericial again last night and was thinking of them just today!And one final thought, you mention being charged twice. I hope that has been rectified, but, what amazes me about that is if you google some of these various products sold by infomercial it seems double charging is a common event. I wonder why.
Thanks for the review I've also been curious. However I think I have enough poof in my hair, no teasing required. I need a reverse Bumpit, still, I can't wait till radiolover52 gets some to try on my hair, cause I know she will. HA!
Oh man...I am so glad someone finally reviewed this product! It has lured me as well, only I have found the strength to JUST SAY NO thus far! But I am so glad to stop wondering about it. :)Thank you sweetie! :)
Infomercials! I swear the lure of the voice on television and the people you see who are vastly improved by the product of the moment...SO tempting...SO FULL OF HOPE FOR CHANGING YOUR LIFE! I have purchased many exercize equipment gadgets based on info-mercials in my former life until finally - the very last exercise purchase my then boyfriend and I made was for an ab tightening inflatable rocking chair. STUPID us! The kids liked to sit in it and watch TV and that was about the extent of our using it. I got rid of it at our garage sale, just like I have gotten rid of every exercise themed item we ever purchased from an infomercial website. The most recent sucked-my-husband-in infomercial was for the ShamWOW!!!!!!! My husband had eyes as big as fried eggs every time the now famous ShamWow spokesperson shouted out and amazed you with all the things this cloth could do! One day my husband informed me that any day now the ShamWow cloths he ordered would come to our home! Once they arrived, man oh man the spills and water it was going to soak up and change life as we knew it! Well the cloths came, and I tested them out! I will say this...if you spill a huge spill into your carpet, the cloths will undoubtedly soak it up. But so will most rags or towels. After I do my dishes, the counter is always full of water, so I figured instead of paper towels I'd use the ShamWow's but...they really just move the water around and I still have to use a papertowel on the countertop if I want it truly dry. My husband tried using them for drying his Harley when he washes it, but he didn't like the lint it left on the shiny black surface. I see they have them at Walgreens now. Sometimes I find myself yelling, "SHAM WOW" only my meaning is...What a SHAM I fell for again and WOW am I gullible!Oh, one thing that I DO use them for that really does work well is..after I mop the kitchen floor or any of my tile floors and am wanting them to dry quickly...I get two of the ShamWow's and I put them on the wet floor and I step on them and then slide my way around the room with my feet in the middle of the ShamWows and I just keep going back and forth until the entire floor is totally dry!
Jeanasina!
I've always wondered about the ShamWow. It looks too good to be true on the commercials; I guess it is.
I just read yesterday that doing that (well they said do it with a towel, but Sham-Wow will certainly do fine,) along with tightening your glutes at the extension, will amp up your bathing-suit backside. Sham-wow, indeed! See you at the beach, Barbara
Yoo hoo - I'm obsessed with infomercials - I don't want to think of the of all the 'firm your abs', 'firm your butt', etc etc stuff I have lurking in a guilt inducing way around my house. I will never learn. Have to say unfortunate name choice - when I first read it I saw 'bum pit'. I don't know why I always spot this kind of thing, but maybe an indicator of the product.....having looked at the picture, I don't hold much hope that it would deliver, unless you are some sort of hair whiz. Great Review...
Happy to hear I'm not the only one taken in by the latest gadget - which then gathers dust. Infomercials make such compelling viewing. By the end of every one you are convinced that you simply cannot go on without, for example the *&^% egg cooker - even though I don't really eat eggs. They must really know how to work the viewer. I end up mesmerized, so I try to avoid the shopping channel as much as possible
Thank you for this review -- I have been wondering whether this gadget works. The ladies in the infomercials have such great hair and I was sure that I could have such full voluminous hair (despite its fine texture). Alas it is not the "miracle" hair appliance. I am glad that you have forewarned me.
I quit ordering from infomercials after my spacebag incident, they don't stay all sucked up. They slowly inflate back to their original size and the web site had all these fun little buy me, buy me things built in that you have to turn down or uncheck because they add themselves right on into your order. Yay, fun. I have tried Nad's and Smooth Away, what a bunch of crap! Oh not to mention the Windsor Pilates money disposal system. The only thing that I have tried that has EVER worked is something they snuck into my Nad's order and proceeded to put me on auto delivery for, their version of chitosan. You take it right before meals and it absorbs the fat, ok that's fine. I did loose about 8lbs from the stuff. Btw you can buy chitosan at any vitamin store so don't get sucked into that scheme either. (But don't it if you have a shellfish allergy)
I got sucked into that damn ponytail twisty thing back in the 90's. I swore I was going to return the thing for a full refund but I HATED going to my overcrowded post office back then. It sat in my closet for two years until I gave it to Goodwill. Wasted $$$$.I did buy my Shark Steam Mop off an infomercial. I LOVE that friggin' thing!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
I bought these from Walgreens and I HATE them. I agree with you about them not staying in place. They also made me look like a conehead so I gave them to my teenage niece. LOL And like you said, they are nearly impossible to cover. Don't buy these ladies!
Laughed like a hyena at your review girl!I haven't seen the infomercial but did go to the website after seeing them in a magazine...ended up buying at Walgreen's and honestly have only used a couple of times but I liked them.:)My hair is longish and fine and I found that it I anchored with a bobbypin on either side,they really gave me a nice poof...yes,a bit gang-girlish I agree...but a pouf I'd never get otherwise,LOL! I draw the line at black lip-liner though.;)I feel a bit "obvious" with them in however so it's strictly been at night use for me...I pull the sides back too.I wonder who thinks this chit up???
Thanks Kate for the candid review. I wasn't tempted by the bump-it because I have unbumpable hair. Jeanasina - I almost fell for the ShamWow. The only thing that stopped me was how much I dislike the guy doing the commercial! I didn't want to encourage him. Thanks to you both for the warnings about these clowns who want to take our money away from us. Geez, that money could be used to greater advantage at Sephora!
Carole
Thanks for all of the informercial product reviews! I won't lie, I've spent quite a while wanting but resisting SHAM WOW! I mean, who wouldn't want a magical towel that sops liquid up so easily?! Thanks for saving me some money, ladies :)
♥ bluedevilkittyhttp://mtycer.weebly.com/
OMG...I just saw the infomercial for this Monday evening...I was already in bed and heading quickly towards nighty-night land very quickly but I made a mental note to look up bumpit on the computer...I'd forgotten all about it until I read this post, saved again by Megs Make-up! the only thing I've ever bought from an infomercial was "Orange Glow", it worked pretty well but the orange scent began to get overpowering.thanks for the great review kate!!
So many of the items that start on the DIS-infomercials often make their way to Target, Bed, Bath, Beyond, CVS, etc. I try to wait because I can return the items to those stores whereas shipping back to the dsitributor is often a nightmare and they make it that way so we are stuck with the junk. For instance, those buffing pads that are supposed to take unwanted hair off any area? Well, I found they work on the upper lip, but it's time consuming. And if you wanted to do your legs? Well, you would be in a never ending cycle because by time you get to the top, it will be time to start at the bottom again.
Have you SEEN those pads you put on the soles of your feet and supposedly they "draw out toxins???"O...M...G.Nasty-ass.I do LOVE my "Pedi Egg" though...I get a perverse satisfaction out of tossing those funky little shavings out,HAHAHA! They really work well though!
The Ped-Egg is awesome!! I forgot about its unique and useful grossness. Grating dead skin off of your feet looks nasty but feels so good. This is another infomercial product that really worked for me.
I too was drawn on by the Bump-it, only this time on QVC. I saw some of my fave youtube gurus make it look so easy. Out of all the times I tried (and it was a lot) I only got it to look halfway decent one time, and only because I had hot rollers in my hair and it was voluminous to begin with. I had the hardest time covering it (and my hair is not thin) and when I did cover it, it didn't look like a teased bump, it just looked like a hump. I was so dissapointed in this one!
ha! mjsred, I bought those Kinoki Detox Foot Pads, I used it for 2 nights and then had insomnia for a week! It really does look that gross when you pull them off the next day.And I also got the PedEgg, though I do not like to empty it, grody.Bed Bath and Beyond has a whole wall of "as seen on tv" I cant help myself.
This Bump-it reminds me of the banana comb back in the 80's except its wider. Great review and thanks for not wasting my money :) Yes much more needed at Sephora.I have to admit I do have the PedEgg and I love it. It does work and no I don't like to empty it, grody yes. ;-) I do have the space bags too and I don't like them. I thought they were inflating back to their size because I thought my cat was poken holes in them with her claws but maybe not, hmmm... aha!
we are all so darned gulable, I have taken quite a few hits in that category. I have seem the "bumpits" commercial , usually it is on after 12, the time of the infomercials. I make reference to the things and my roomate has never seen like 90% of them since she goes to bed at a reasonable hour. If you haven't seen the infomercials late at night you have a treat coming. You see the Guthy-Renker full length "class" ones and the 1 minute sleezy ones and all the sex, makeup and money sandwiched in-between. The bumpits never really interested me since i find no need to look like Angelyne, a LA bimbo blonde in a pink topless car who seems to have a mythical connectionwith Sunset bl. I am a sucker for the old music compilations. and I did fall for the Bare Esentuals promo but girls, it is worth it, a nice deal and if you like the product, it is like a bonus.Don't bother with "raw Minerals", i took a hit on that one, way too expensive and when ou try to return it, they keep asking you to try it again, so you forget when you have to send it back, As a consequence, you pay way too much for something you dont want. If you play the game it can be a rewarding experience, since most of the products prodly tout their mantra" sasfaction or your product is free". But when i think about it, what the heck it is only money and the things i buy i don't like i give away to deserving relatives so no one really loses, except the "ex-tenze" guy. My roomie who is a dear, my real little sister who showed up when i was 29, tells me i act as if the internet is Vegas and i always win. She might have something there. So i limit myself to the real stuff QVC, HSN, but still manage to do much damage.dotti
dotti, old but not dead yet, polymath still in training, makeup junkie and general overspender.
Really? I heard good things about it, but I don't think I will be getting them. my hair is so flat. thnx for the review!
Holy heck tortiequeen that was funny! The internet is Vegas and you always win! HAHAHA. I can just see you sitting there with your laptop, clicking ADD TO CART, pulling down an imaginary slot handle and yelling CA-CHING!!! hahahahahahahaI was getting internet shopping BAD a few years back (when I still had $.ggggrrrrr) and remember the rush of ordering YET ANOTHER pair of shoes from Zappos! Addicting.
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
I was holding off on getting these until they came out to Walgreens. The girl I worked with bought from the website and even though she looked great with them she told me they weren't worth the time and effort. So I have been debating for a few weeks if I should get them. Thanks to your review on top of hers I will skip them. Thanks so much from keeping me from spending $10 on something that I would never use! :)
not interested in bumpits. maybe if my hair was longer...
I found something called The Hair Poufs, by Vidal Sassoon, at Rite Aid for $7.99. They claim to create height and volume at the crown that will last all day. They come in blonde and brunette, with a small bump of faux hair attached to a matching comb. These are small, about 1.5", and the faux hair is wound around a small hair comb. Here is a link to a how-to video on you tube, from a site called Bombshell Beauty:Watch a video demonstration There is also a link on this site to buy them.
Indi
There ARE some items I've bought and loved--a group of dusters of all sizes which reach everywhere and really do pick up everything, my PedEgg (can't figure out why it works so well, much better than the companies who try to imitate it, and I'm holding onto mine), and Oxi-Clean. Pittsburgh has a weekly feature called, "Does It Really Do That?" and we get the truth before we buy from fellow consumers. However, what is with these infomercials? My husband and I rarely argue. I do use a line which brings him to his knees (unfair, I know). If I'm upset, I tell him, "You never bought me my 'Nicer Dicer' and I needed it." He falls apart!
Indi, thank you!
Those infomercials always look too good to be true. I saw the infomercial for this product, and I must say I was curious. Thank you for taking one for the team!
Thanks for the review! Although I can create the look easily I was interested in the bumpit for the time saving part but I didn't think it would work, now I now I should save my money.
nanisnails.blogspot.com
they seem so awesome, i did want to buy them but i held of until a friend bought and told me how they worked for her, she said it was very hard to cover it up with her hair.
I succumbed to this piece of garbage and as my father-in-law used to say: "it's meant to sell, not to use". This is a major rip off, it doesn't work and furthermore it's hard to get out of your hair i.e. lots of hair pulled out. Don't fall for this scam.
I don't think anything I have ever ordered from an infomercial has worked out for me. I usually get sucked into ordered some magic "exercise in a bottle" or some ridiculous thing like that. And I have also found that the customer service is pretty awful, and they are very prone to double charging, etc.
Ok, So I admit to have not ONE but, TWO Snuggies in my closet. My boyfriend ordered them because I am cold all the time in the winter. In concept they are ok. However, I swear mine are made of FELT not polar fleece! They do not keep you warm.I have a plan of sneaking them out of the house and donating to a warming shelter. This product is not warm but, if you have nothing it may help.
Glad to see a review on this, like a lot of the other girls I had been eying this one for some time now. Not gonna waste my time & money on this.
Kim
Me too Kate! I think my thing with infomercials has to do with being a terribly optimistic person. Right? It could happen.....Plus, I am a night owl, sometimes there isn't anything good on the old boob tube. What? It's not like I'm going to actually turn off the T.V.. I'm not that crazy! Geesh! Thanks for making me smile.
WHAT IS UP WITH MEN AND SNUGGIES? I can't tell you how many times I have had to insist that Stylepapa NOT purchase a friggin' Snuggie for me. It's like a bad looking, all bundled up anti-sex device, if you ask me.
Oh my gosh, the Snuggie! I think they look like "cult wear". A local radio station compared them to Jedi knight robes. The DJ's became so obsessed with Snuggies they did a Snuggie pub crawl where everybody hit up bars in Snuggies! I did not attend, but did look at their pics! What a sight: a bunch of crazy drunks in Snuggies roaming through the streets down town...
I am SUCH a sucker for those "as seen on TV" ads... try asseenontv.com- it's As seen on tv p*rn!
I was once addicted to infomercials but I have learned my lesson. Thanks for the review and for discouraging us from buying another useless thing!
Stylemama, I howled when I read that last comment. "It's like a bad looking, all bundled up anti-sex device." Classic! Those people on infomercials always look so pleased with themselves, don't they? Like, I have a better life than you do because I bundle myself up in a backwards long coat/blanket with sleeves. Or I have an oven that I can Set and Forget! And now this one. When my sister has a formal occasion, she usually wears her hair teased into a bump on her head half up and half down. So my mom saw this and she ordered it. I think it ended up being more than 25 dollars and took like 8 weeks to get its way from CA to the East coast. We could have driven and picked it up from the factory faster than that. "Not sold in stores my ass." I saw the dang thing in a drugstore a few weeks after we'd ordered it. I don't know if she ever had any success with it. I know I stuck it in my hair to try it out and I felt like I had an egg on my head. Something was stuck up there and it was kinda wobbling and slipping and sliding about. And it showed! Even though I stuck half my hair on it, the teeth still showed through. Only two things I have seen on an infomercial and tracked down to buy: Bare Minerals and the Ped-Egg. Great products and worth the money.
Bare Minerals is not pure as they advertise. The final powder, for the finishing touch, is loaded with parabens. I ended up with pure pimples. Back away from the pretty picture.
Thank you for the warning. Having fine hair, I took one look at those tiny teeth and thought, "Ripped-out hair waiting to happen." Then, the construction alarmed me - looking much like a bear trap from the frontier days. So thank you for convincing me that the idea of making my hair into a teased ball, then securing it with this alarming device is cause for damage control.