Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Baby Haul (not paid for by me, doesn't count)


You know what's more fun than spending money? Spending other people's money! Noodle Arms is interstate for Christmas with her dad and his family, and she said she hadn't gotten me a Christmas present yet as she was going shopping with her Grandma some time this week. I told her I was going to Priceline this morning and if she liked, whatever I bought could be her present for me. Since she hates shopping unless it's to buy things for herself (when she was young I learned that to get her to come along willingly I had to buy her something, but if I was smart I'd do it right at the end, because as soon as she'd gotten whatever her thing was she was over it and wanted to go home), she was happy to go along with that.

Everything shuts down in Adelaide over Christmas. EVERYTHING. Even the pubs near us were not open on Christmas Day, which is ridonk, because in the real world (ie: not Adelaide) loads of people go out for lunch on Christmas Day rather than mess about cooking it themselves. Amazingly, even though it is a public holiday, many of the shops are actually open today, so I thought I'd trek in to Priceline and have a look at their sale. I expected the mall to be bedlam, so I figured I'd just get in as early as possible, fight my way through the teenage girls pawing everything in sight in Priceline (and opening things - who raised you, you feral trolls???). Weirdly, there was hardly anyone around. The first Priceline I passed in a side street just off the mall wasn't open (of course), so I braced myself for the sardine can experience of Boxing Day (well, the day after Boxing Day) shopping and ventured into the other Priceline smack in the centre of the city. And it was DEAD. There were more staff walking around than customers.

Priceline had a '3 for $30' Maybelline sale going on, which probably sounds bizarre to you North Americans, but believe me, that's a bargain here. Those foundations are usually somewhere between $20-$25AUD each, and that mascara is around $18 or so. I ummed and ahhed for a while - I rarely bother with Maybelline (or any of the common drugstore lines available here) because it's so insultingly overpriced, but there were actually a few things I wanted to try - the Super Stay foundation and concealer, the Age Rewind highlighter and concealer thingie, the Define-a-Brow pencils, etc. In the end I decided to be practical - I don't need concealer and I don't need brow products - I have tons of both. What I do want is a more pocket-friendly foundation than my HG Chanel Mat Lumiere. I'm one of those people who firmly believes that you get what you pay for with foundation, but the drugstore brands have been making great strides in that area of late, so I want to give them another try (mind you, if I do find one I like I'll be seeking out a cheaper source than Australian retail). I actually have another bottle of Fit Me that someone gave me because it was a freebie that was too dark, but it's too dark for me too. I like the finish though, so I bought a lighter one to mix with it. I'm not generally a fan of Maybelline mascaras (too clumpy), but everyone raves about The Falsies, so I thought I'd give it a go.

When I came out of Priceline it was about 9:30 or so, and aside from a line of young Asian people outside the Swarovski store (is that a thing with Asian people?), everything was still looking pretty quiet. Noodles told me that when she and her dad went shopping yesterday in a Melbourne shopping centre, they had to park 15 minutes walk away and it was jam-packed inside. And here's Rundle Mall...

Adelaide, you're doing it wrong.

8 comments:

  1. Good result! Even if I'm near the shops I never venture in for Boxing Day sales. I don't have the patience. Such an unexpected win when the shops your after are completely empty!

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  2. there was also a giant line of asian people outside Swarovski in Perth! And Burberry. And Prada. And Guess. ONLY ASIAN PEOPLE. What on earth?

    I had the FitME foundation, and like you ended up with the wrong shade, but I found it pleasantly sheer. Good summer makeup.

    Oh, that Instant Age Rewind foundation? Don't try and wash the spongey bit.

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  3. Ahh ha so these are ze ones you bought, hopefully you'll get the stuffs I sent soon, hurry up and start working again post office peeps!

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  4. Most Boxing Days in Adelaide I couldn't find a place open for lunch. The city is like after a nuclear holocaust on public holidays :(

    Nice haul :) I'm heading to Priceline sometime soon too. I have my eye on L'Oreal Colour Riche lippies which are on sale for $10 squeee :D

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  5. A lot of Asians are into only upscale brands/designers and at the same time are die-hard tight arses. I hope that answers the question! lol

    Dee, I've been doing a lot of hard thinking while on vacation here and think I might join you on the tight arse train. To be refined and debated for another few weeks. But see what you did? ;)

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  6. Sarah, normally I would never bother either, but I've been cooped up with nothing open for days and I was bored and looking for an excuse to get out of the house.

    Suzanne, I was wondering about the spongy bit. It's kind of gross using something like that on your face, really... I wonder if you can just take the top off it?

    Jade, I'm worried about that - I reckon it's going to turn up tomorrow and it's going to be nearly 30. DAMN YOU AUS POST. When I send you stuff, you get it the next day, but from Sydney to Adelaide seems to take 3-4 days. I know no one's keen on going to Adelaide, but COME ON.

    Su, tell me about it. When I used to work in Currie Street, it was virtually impossible to find a coffee shop open around there in the whole week between Christmas and New Year!

    Liz, what can I say? I'm a trendsetter, baby. ;-)
    P.S. I have an Asian landlady who's a mega tightarse. I always assumed it was just because she was old. Now I'm thinking, a little from column A, a little from column B...

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  7. It looks very chilled and civilised compared to a british high street on boxing day!

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  8. It was very pleasant, Gaelle. Though I was talking to someone today who told me it was packed by lunch time. So obviously Adelaideans like to sleep in more than they like a bargain!

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