As a member of the female species, I find it troublesome to keep up with the maintenance that we need to do or shall I say, are expected of us. After a lengthy discussion with some of my girlfriends over boba on Monday, it seems like the list of things that we need to devote our time, money and body to is exhausting. And after all that primping, does anyone else notice it aside from ourselves?

Beginning with the hair, you women all know that it's not a lil snip and we're done. We somehow get coerced into getting it tinted, highlighted, colored, hennaed, conditioning treatment, hair mask etc. -- it's akin to getting your carwash and adding on the wheel shine, the hand wax, the under carriage wash and before you know it, your $6 car wash comes out to $30. Beauty salons are the same. You go in thinking you're getting one thing done and you come out about $150 poorer each time. The sad reality is when you can no longer afford these types of indulgences and you feel like you can't live without them because you're so accustomed to having them done on you.

*shakes head*

I admit, I'm no saint when it comes to girly stuff. I dish out my money on pretty feminine things/services that any glamour girl would, although I'm far from being one myself.

Makeup is one of my biggest vices. That and luxury handbags that I've been trying for the past few years to wean myself of. I've done a successful job of it because I realize that I can never collect all the things that I want and not eat out of a dumpster. Another sad reality. But not so sad on my husband's wallet. He's been rather happy the past few years because I've been able to walk into luxury handbag shops and come out with the same handbag I went in with. Of course it doesn't mean I don't look but nowadays, I just walk in and get a whiff of the new leather and then move on.

I'm not so successful with makeup however. Sure, I've been able to slow down the purchase process but to sever it all together? No no. Haven't been able to finish my 12-step program for habitual beauty products purchasing yet. I think because buying makeup at $20 a piece doesn't quite hit you until later, when you have amassed about 10, $20 items, you tend to get less uptight about spending money this way. If a tube of lipstick costs the same as LV bags, I wouldn't have a problem with giving it up and heading to the local drugstores for all my purchases. But until my husband really puts his foot down and says "no more" (and that won't happen, I assure you), I'll just slow down a bit and avoid all makeup counters if possible.

But then again, there is the damn internet and online shopping.

There are things that you don't count as beauty vices because they aren't exactly tangible objects. However they add up just the same when you get them done regularly such as eyebrow tweezing, facials, massages, manicures and pedicures. These small indulgences you tell yourself are necessary because they truly are and I swear, they really are. I mean, I don't want people seeing my bushy brows, ragged yellowed nails or flaky oily skin! I truly wished I could stop doing these things but they are so crucial in presenting yourself to others, especially when you're trying to look presentable at interviews. Can I trick myself by thinking that they are all part of job hunt costs and write them off on my return next year?

But there's something about reading those spa services that leaves you oohing and aahing even though you don't know what the hell they're going to do to you. And do we really understand what they have on the "menu" as well? We women don't care if we don't know what the Deep Lava Clay Infused with Dead Sea Deep Salt Scrub and Seaweed Mask is. We just want to try it because it states clearly next to the service: "will leave your skin and pores cleaner and more vibrant than ever with a rosy glow while creating a tautness to smooth away those lines and cellulite patches." Us women read that and it's like "SOLD!".

And let's not get into the clothes and shoe fetish either. That will take another 5 paragraphs at least. The funniest thing about buying all these things and services is when your husband says something to the effect of, "don't you already have x-amount of that?" or they'll say "didn't you just go to the salon x-weeks ago?". But then he always wraps up by saying with a deep sigh, "Yeah, go ahead. Buy it IF you really want it/want to do it" which usually means he doesn't want you to buy it or do whatever you were planning to spend on yourself. He won't stop you but indirectly he's saying, "we're going to be fuckin bankrupt if you get another damn lipstick! and besides how many lipsticks does one pair of lips really need??"

I speak on behalf of all women when I say, "A LOT."

I'm out.