There are certain signs and symbols you get so used to seeing in everyday life that it may never occur to you to work out what they actually mean. For many people, this includes a certain symbol found on the shampoo and conditioner bottles you pick up everyday in the shower.
The instantly recognisable symbol in question shows a little pot with the lid slightly lifted, containing a number. A number of TikTok users had no idea what this supposedly mysterious number stood for, and can't believe they're only just finding out after years of countless hair washes.
Taking to TikTok with a screengrab from Twitter, flabbergasted Denise - who goes by the username @denisephx_official - remarked that the revelation 'still blows her mind'.
The Twitter screengrab in question reads: "How old were you when you found out….that this means how long you have to use that product from the date you break the seal before it's no longer considered 'a good product?'"
The screeenshot includes a photo of two bottles of shampoo, each one with the symbol circled. The number reads '12m', meaning the haircare product would be good for a year once opened.
On a shampoo or conditioner container, the letter 'M' which follows the number stands for 'months', with typical duration dates being 12 M, 18 M and 24 M.
One person gasped: "Today years old and I was a hairdresser for 10 years."
Another admitted: "I thought that was information for a different country, so I never paid attention."
This appeared to be the consensus among the majority of Denise's followers, with a third person confessing they were only just learning the true meaning at 60-years-old.
A fourth person commented: "But the question is .. who remembers when you opened it."
Have you only just found out something seemingly very obvious? Email us at julia.banim@reachplc.com
