The recess week is here! One week break from school hurray!! 

[But of course all of us still have to be back in school for project meetings on a few days...]

1. Fall Nail Art Challenge

Week 1 of #busygirlnails Fall Nail Art Challenge. This week's theme is Antique Gold. 

I used OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark as my base colour and Goldeneye next to achieve this taped mani. I loved the base colour on its own and it took me two days before I could bear to paint Goldeneye over it. I love dark shades. 

Three tips for taped manis:

i. Always make sure the base colour is completely dry before you start taping for your next color. 

ii. Peel of the tape immediately after applying the second color for each nail, do not wait till you're done painting all your nails neither do you wait till the second color is dry. 

iii. Translucent tapes work better for me as compared to clear sticky tapes. I don't know why either but it just does. 

This is two coats of Lincoln Park After Dark without topcoat. 

And this is one coat of Goldeneye over my much loved base colour. 

A heads up of the themes for the next few weeks of this challenge...

Week 2: Pink

Week 3: Oxblood

Week 4: Orange

Week 5: Dark Brown

You must be wondering how the colour pink has anything to do with fall. I guess it doesn't but it's for the Breast Cancer Awareness event #PolishUsPink in October.

2. KOSE Infinity

A few weeks ago, my friend and I attended a workshop in school held by KOSE. They introduced a new range of products specially tailored to young adults like us. The Infinity Pure Advance range, for women in their twenties to early thirties. 

Me being a long time supporter of KOSE was rather excited and tempted by the 25% discount at Robinsons so I had to purchase a bottle for myself. I got the Pure Advance Essence Lotion 1 which is a hydrating lotion that contains essence which moisturizes the skin with open pores caused by dryness and sebum, thus making these open pores less visible and leaves my skin feeling smooth, firm and supple. The usual retail price is $69.00 for a 160ml bottle but as an SMU student, I was rewarded with a 25% discount. You do the math yourself, it's a great deal I tell you. (: 

Just a disclaimer, nobody paid me anything to do this short review. I'd just like to share some of my favourite products or new purchases that I'm very satisfied with, so hopefully others will get to benefit from them too! 

3. Pancakes Anyone?

Headed down to Courts at Toa Payoh Lorong 1 yesterday evening with the intention to purchase a hand mixer. (pardon the low quality of this picture, will upload a proper one when unbox my own hand mixer...)

Oh the service there is terrible. I had to go round searching for a sales promoter for help when the section was very empty with barely any customers. This Indian man I managed to get hold of only confirmed that a brand I wanted was out of stock but before I could make any more enquires regarding the products available, his mobile phone rang and he just left to answer his call without apologizing or getting another sales promoter to attend to me. My experience at the store left me feeling very annoyed and determined never to return to that particular outlet ever again. The sales promoters at other outlets like the Megastore at Tampines were so much more polite, friendly and helpful. 

Anyway, one of the main reasons why I was in such a hurry to purchase a hand mixer was to make pancakes this week. Since the coming week is my one week break from school, I decided to try making some pancakes again! My first attempt a few months ago didn't turn out very well but I recently saw this post on 27 Pancakes Worth Waking Up For and was inspired to give myself a second chance and recreate these yummylicious pancakes.