TGIP

The P Stands for Payday.

Sometimes I don't think I'll ever get used to being paid monthly. Back when I lived in Canada, bi-monthly was the norm. However, when I helped out at my mom's workplace while I was in high school, I was paid at the end of the working day. Which, quite frankly, rocked hard. Then when I moved here and started temping, we got paid weekly. Which was again, awesome.

Now, I get paid at the end of each month, and to be brutally honest, sometimes I totally suck at budgeting. Even though I'm making a lot more money now than I did when I was temping, at the end of the month it feels like I've got nothing at all. I find it impossible to break my monthly pay down into 4 or 5 "weeks". Instead, the day I get paid I already know what money has to go where and budget accordingly. A amount for my Direct Debits and Travel money. B amount for my rent. C amount for food and incidentals. D amount for MAC. And, this month there's also E to pay off last month's credit card bill, and F to pay the deposit for my trip to Cancun. Next month I get to pay off my flights to Canada - all I can say is THANK GOD for the overtime I'll be getting at the end of May because seriously. It was a good hundred pounds more than the last time I went to Canada. Stupid inflation.

Anyway, I'm digressing. The whole point of this post was not really to rant about my finances (I mean, I'm always saying how I'm broke, but I'm paying off two vacations by September, so that's probably why=P)

The point of this post is to rant about MAC instead.

When I get paid, the first thing that springs to mind is the urge to go on MAC's website and compile a shopping list to take to my local MAC Counter (Meadowhall). The problem is, I'm also trying to save so I've got extra spending money when I go to Canada, so I've got a specific amount of money each month that is free to spend on makeup. So, however much I'm lemming the 109 and the 134 brushes, I can't. Because unfortunately, my entire MAC fund this month needs to be set aside for Rose Romance.

And there's also the fact that I'm on a strict No-buy until my Pro card comes. Why should I pay full price for things when I can use my card to get the discount? Exactly. The Pro card also means no more trips to my MAC counter, since they only take it at freestanding stores. So it's looking like all my MAC purchasing for the forseeable future will be mail-order on the Pro phone line. I'm just hoping the card gets here in time for Rose Romance (I've got the number already but not the card)

Rose Romance is released in the UK next Thursday (the 7th of May) and my shopping list, while I have cut it down, is still somewhat... expansive.

So far I've managed to get it down to:
Et Tu, Bouquet? Eyeshadow
Of Summer Eyeshadow
Blush of Youth Beauty Powder
Summer Rose Beauty Powder
Just a Pinch Gel Blush
Circa Plum Pigment
Mutiny Pigment
Secret Crush See-Thru Lip Colour
Loving Touch See-Thru Lip Colour
Tender Tryst See-Thru Lip Colour
Love and Friendship nail laquer (and I might pick up a second one of these for a contest prize later)

Sigh. Originally I also wanted two lipglasses, two lipsticks and another eyeshadow, so I've cut it down a BIT.

Finally, my first NYX lot sale haul came in the mail yesterday =] (the second should be here from America in a couple weeks) I'll post my haulage if and when my phone/computer will allow me to transfer pictures. I'm starting to get annoyed by this. Grr.

Anyway, what are you guys getting from this collection? I'm still on the fence about the eyshadows but I haven't decided yet. I need to go on the hunt for dupes.

Latest MAC Haul

Ladies, we have Haulage.

I know I still haven't done my previous hauls yet - I completely forgot to take photos of my HK collection. Sigh. So at this point I really don't think there's a huge point in posting my HK haul at all (I mean, if you'd really like to see, tell me and I'll do it, but if there's no demand there's really not much point, right?).

Instead I'm just going to get myself back into the habit of posting hauls as they happen. Like today! Blow is a shot of today's combined haul =]



First the brushes. Top to bottom:

242
213
214 (BBR)
195
209
219



Next - Miscellaneous pots. Left to Right:

Studio Sculpt Concealer NC15
Fresco Rose Paint Pot
Painterly Paint Pot

Finally, the eyeshadows! Clockwise from top left:

Satin Taupe
Texture
Contrast
Nocturnelle
Carbon
Shale
Sketch
Knight
Pincurl
Eyeshadow swatches. Left to right

Pincurl (it's hard to see here but it's there!)
Knight
Sketch
Shale
Satin Taupe
Texture
Contrast
Nocturnelle
Carbon Love!

I've also got a new YT video up today!

XOXO, Vix

A Very Not-Rare Moment of Indecision

So, I've looked at my payslip on work's HR website. I know what I'm getting and I know what my outgoings are going to be for bills, with money set aside for savings, food, bus fare, etc. If my Sugarsweet shopping list is around £110, I've got about a hundred spare to play around with this month. And I can not make up my mind for the life of me.

Do I buy some basics that I'm after? Like a couple items off my permanent-collection wishlist, or the BBR eyeshadows? Do I buy the Studio Sculpt Concealer I'm after?

Or do I put it aside to buy something from Kitty Kouture when it comes out? Or do I go ahead and buy a couple extras from Sugarsweet?

No... I narrowed down my Sugarsweet list to the things I really want and need. Anything else is superfluous, so I won't do that. But what should I do? Should I get some other items, get the mystery powder from HKK, or just shove it into savings until there's something I really want?

GOD, I suck out loud at making up my mind.

On an unrelated note, I wish MAC made Studio Fix Fluid in an NC10 or something. NC15 is just slightly too dark for me. I love the foundation to bits, but I could do with a shade lighter. Sigh.

Also, I want to appeal to you and ask, what do you think is the best concealer for dark circles? My MAC MA gave me Select Cover-Up in NC20 (which, incidentally, is clearly too dark, but whatever, with foundation on top you can't tell) but I don't think it really covers my dark circles so much as it makes them slightly lighter. That's why I want Studio Sculpt Concealer, for dark circles. Or is there something better that you can suggest?

I'm in the biggest indecisive mood right now, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm supposed to be going to Meadowhall with my aunt on Saturday and I don't know what to do with my Extra Budget. Makeup? A video game? (well, no. I need to play Fallout 3 and Silent Hill Homecoming before I buy MORE) Some stuff from Paperchase? Clothes? Shoes?

I wish I had more money. Thank god for overtime. I should have an extra couple hundred in next month's pay and LORD KNOWS I'm going to need it.

/rambling

Sorry guys, I'm very disjointed today.

Xoxo, Vix