Kiss Me I'm Brazilian

POSTED ON: Friday, August 29, 2014 @ 10:48 PM | 0 comments

Been making good use of my new oven by cooking dinner using it or baking at least twice a week. I absolutely love cooking and baking but I still need a lot more practice with it! Last Friday was my mum's birthday so I decided to bake her a cake for the first time ever. Earl grey tea cake it was, but the presentation looked terrible. I had no idea how to frost a cake properly so it looked pretty ugly. Well at least it tasted quite okay. I'm looking for healthier options to bake too, like apple chips and whatnot instead of high sugar desserts all the time. I'm less guilty like that right?

This week's mani features Kiss Me I'm Brazilian from OPI's Brazil collection. Lovely bright creme pink polish that only required two coats to be fully opaque. Looks like my dotting technique has some slight improvement, it looks better than when I first tried dotting when I came back from Stockholm. The flowers are simply nail stickers, so no credit to me for those.  


I've had a few friends complimenting my nails this week so I'm pretty glad! I quite like this look too! Bright, pink (duh) and bubbly! Need to have such cheery nails like these every week so I wouldn't suffer from Monday blues (or Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday blues). For now, I'm just gonna enjoy my weekends. 

On a sidenote, please support us at https://carousell.co/ourclosetraiders/. We're selling cheap polaroid films and gently pre-loved clothes. We also have a polaroid printing service! Want your photos on Instax films as a polaroid? We'll do it for you! Using the Instax Share printer, we turn your digital photos into polaroids! Great as a gift, for crafts, or simply for keepsake. Each piece costs only SGD$1.00 and an addition SGD$1.00 for normal postage. I believe we're offering the cheapest in the market with no minimum prints. It's really simple...
1. Send us your photos via email / whatsapp and state the quantity. 
2. Make payment via bank transfer. 
3. Get ready to receive your polaroids in the mail! 
Email ourclosetraiders@gmail.com / text 81230045 to order now!





Enjoy your weekends everyone! 


Love,
Lorraine   


Next Stop... The Bikini Zone

POSTED ON: Saturday, August 23, 2014 @ 1:04 PM | 0 comments

Hello everyone! I'm back this weekend with more nail stuffs for you (: 
School has just started and my readings are already piling up next to me (imagine this little heap of papers on my table waiting for me to go through them as I am writing you this post). It's my last year in school before I graduate with my business management degree and venture out into the corporate world. Until now, that sounds super scary and I have no idea what to expect. Feeling very much unprepared for it and I sometimes wished that I didn't have to face all these in life. Or that there would be someone there to tell me exactly what to do next. But then again, it's these scary things that make you a better person. These are what makes you stronger, wiser and more appreciative of the things we have. 


Alright back to them nails. This one here are nail wraps. I took this while waiting for my bus at the bus stop! People were staring at me and wondering what I was snapping away with my camera phone. Heheh. 

I realized that there are still many people out there who have never heard of, seen, or much less used, these nail wraps. These are ready made nail 'stickers' which comes in all different colours and patterns and are really easy to use. Especially so when I am too lazy to paint my own nails, lack of time/patience to do designs on them, wait for them to dry and so on. You just have to select the size that fits each of your nail, remove the nail wrap, place it on your nail (sticky side down of course), smooth the surface until wrinkle free with your fingers, and file off the excess with a nail file. It's that simple! No drying time needed, no smudging, and perfectly shiny glossy nails without the need for top coat! 


Here's how these nail wraps look like in their packaging. They usually come in sets of 12 or 14 so there has to be a size that fits your nail. You can always trim them a little so that the shape matches that of your nail and that's really simple too. Perfectly neat and pretty nails every time in just a matter of minutes.

 Source: http://www.bornprettystore.com

Next up, my first swatch from OPI's newest Brazil collection. I'm pretty much into mini bottles nowadays since I've come to realise that none of my polishes ever gets used up (other than the base coat and top coat), and they all end up dried up and in the bin ):


Here is Next Stop... The Bikini Zone. Three thin coats over my usual OPI nail strengthener as base coat, and without topcoat. OPI describes this polish as an amethyst toned pewter. In my opinion, this is a super sheer (3 thin coats and my nail line was still slightly visible underneath), light purple, metallic duochrome polish. The green hints of shimmer were only visible at certain angles so most of it was just purple shimmer. I personally found that this colour wasn't exactly suitable for my yellowish skin colour. Probably someone fairer would do justice to this colour.


Live.Love.Carnaval looks pretty exciting and I am considering opening my purse for that one since it's not inside my mini collection. Watch this space for the other three swatches from my mini collection anyway! 

Have a good weekend everybody (: 


Love, 
Lorraine 


#FightForLightAndLive

POSTED ON: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 @ 5:45 PM | 0 comments

On Sunday (17th August 2014), talented ladies showed their support for raising awareness for depression by posting their green manis on Instagram with the hashtag #fightforlightandlive. I saw @valesha's Instagram post and decided to join in as well. (Although I'm a day late oops...)  


So here's my green mani to help raise awareness for depression. Two coats of CG's For Audrey over my usual OPI nail strengthener as a base coat. No top coat here. And I'm glad to have my nails growing out nice and long. School's started so I didn't have much time to play with designs and stuff so a simple solid coloured mani will have to do for the week. The other girls on Instagram have came out with amazing designs so do check them out with the hashtag #fightforlightandlive (: 

Most people have felt sad or depressed at times. Feeling depressed is a normal reaction to losing something that is very dear to you, to life's struggles and obstacles, or an injured self esteem. But when these feelings of sadness intensifies to become feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness etc., and last for long periods from days to weeks to months, this depression may be more than just sadness. It may very well be clinical depression that keeps one from functioning normally. But don't lose heart because this is a treatable medical condition. There is a cure. 


Of course everyone has different ways of dealing with sadness. Some people like to cry their hearts out, some like to eat their favourite comfort foods to make themselves feel less empty, others take it out on exercising or going to the gym. And I know many girls are like me who make full use of retail therapy to cheer ourselves up! Whatever works right? So right after school on Monday I went to town to do some shopping. No Monday blues, no first day of school blues. Here's an item from my haul that might interest you... OPI's Brazil collection! 


4 mini bottles, 3.75ml each. From left to right: 
1. Next Stop... The Bikini Zone
2. Kiss Me I'm Brazillian
3. AmazON... AmazOFF
4. Where Did Suzi's Man-go? 

Watch this space 'cause I'm gonna swatch these little babies soon!! 
May everyone have a good semester ahead, work hard work smart and maybe start looking forward to a nice holiday to reward yourself at the end of the year? (: 


Love,
Lorraine

Arlanda Airport to City Centre

POSTED ON: Saturday, August 16, 2014 @ 12:21 AM | 2 comments

The new school term is starting soon and a few of my friends who are going to Stockholm for exchange have been asking me for directions and stuff when they arrive at Arlanda Airport in Sweden. Personally, I am dreading the start of school back here in Singapore. I would willingly fly back to Sweden and take another semester there right now, but the thought of having to attend school in Singapore just dampens my spirits. Kids here are wayyyy too competitive, it takes away the real purpose of learning. Anyway, enough with complaining, here's a post with a few ways you can get from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm's central station.

#1 Arlanda Express
This is the fastest way to get from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm's city centre. 20 minutes is all it takes! Student tickets and youth tickets (18-25 years) are priced at 130SEK (S$26) for a single trip, while adult tickets are priced at 260SEK (S$52) for a single trip. The train runs every 15 minutes so there isn't much waiting time to factor in either. The platform for Arlanda Express is at the basement and easy to find if you just follow the signs and take the lifts/escalators down.

Source: https://www.arlandaexpress.com

Tickets are sold at the Information Counter at Arlanda Airport, ticket vending machines in the airport and at the platform. But the ticket vending machines only accept credit cards, so look out for the Information Counter if you want to pay using cash. Do remember to purchase your tickets BEFORE you board the train or there will be an extra 100SEK surcharge if you were to purchase the tickets on the train! Why pay the extra 100SEK right?!

I personally prefer taking the Arlanda Express as compared to the other forms of transport from the airport to Stockholm central. As a student, I think the prices are extremely reasonable and you get to travel in comfort. They have comfy seats and spaces in the carriage to leave your bulky baggages. (:
Plus point: The Arlanda Express runs on 100% green electricity!

More info: https://www.arlandaexpress.com


#2 Commuter Train
First of all, if you're staying in Stockholm for quite a while, I would suggest you purchase an SL card.
Here's how the SL card looks like:


When travelling to or from Arlanda Airport, you would need to pay for an extra ticket to get through the gates. Students with the SL card only need to pay an additional 70SEK (S$14). The student SL card is available for 30 days or 90 days for travelling throughout Stockholm (that includes trains, trams and buses!). Here are two Stockholm train maps for you - one without the commuter rail line and with it. (:


Source: http://transitmaps.tumblr.com
(Click for larger image)

The SL card can be purchased from so many places, it's so convenient!
- Pressbyrån (the convenience store that't everywhere)
- SL ticket machines at metro stations and commuter rail stations
- SL ticket office at metro and commuter rail stations
- SL Centres (at T-Centralen, Slussen, Stockholm Central station, Tekniska Högskolan, Gullmarsplan, Fridhemsplan)
- Online

I bought the one for 90 days for about S$100++ per month. Unlimited rides on trains, trams and buses! However, this option would obviously take longer as compared to the Arlanda Express. Probably slightly more than an hour or so.

More info: http://sl.se/en/


#3 Airport Bus
"Flygbussarna" is what they call their airport shuttle bus. It takes about 50 minutes to travel from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm city central terminal. The bus runs every 10 minutes from 6am to 6pm, and at longer intervals before 6am and after 6pm. Do check the timetable if you're planning to travel outside those hours yeah?

Online prices are 89SEK (S$17.80) for youths and senior citizens and 105SEK (S$21) for adults.

Source: http://www.flygbussarna.se/

The bus stops at Terminals 2, 4 and 5, just outside the entrance of the airport. At Terminal 5, you board the bus at bus stop 1 towards Stockholm C and bus stop 2 for the bus towards Liljeholmen. At Terminal 4 and 2, the bus departs from bus stop 6.

More info: http://www.flygbussarna.se/en/arlanda


#4 Taxi
Least recommended option to travel. Taxis in Sweden are extremely expensive. We once took a taxi from the Stockholm city centre to just 2 metro stops away and it cost us around 140SEK (S$28)! It was barely a 10min ride...
Taking a taxi from the airport into the city centre would cost around 520SEK (S$104) and I think that is insane!



Hope the above information was of some help to those arriving in Stockholm. Of course, don't be afraid to seek assistance from the friendly airport staff. All the best and enjoy the new semester everyone!! (:


Love,
Lorraine

TL Design: Crazy

POSTED ON: Sunday, August 3, 2014 @ 9:48 PM | 0 comments

Been back in Singapore for exactly a month now. Missing Europe and all my friends over there TRUCKLOADS. Ten truckloads, twenty truckloads, many many truckloads. Missing the freedom of staying alone when in Europe too. Really dislike having to meet all these ridiculous expectations from friends and family back in Singapore, together with all the social pressures and whatnot. Well, at least I now have a very clear goal to work towards. Either I find a job that gives me the opportunity to travel often for long periods of time, marry a European (preferably French) so I can migrate to Europe, or earn lots and lots of money so that I can travel anytime I like. How does that sound?

Okay back to my nails. Love how they're growing out nice and long. Thanks to the humid Singapore weather. No dry nails that chip easily in the cold winter seasons. Took me long enough to finish swatching all the polishes from the collection that @misscelinas sent me. Oops. And here's the last swatch of TL Design's The Good Life collection. Presenting to you... CRAZY!!


Pictured here is two coats of Crazy over an OPI base coat. No top coat and look how shiny and glossy that is! Application is super easy. No mess even though my nail painting skills have deteriorated tremendously due to the 6 month hiatus while on exchange. Gorgeous deep dark green with little sparkly bits.  


Wanted to add a bit of nail art over but I can't think of any at the moment. Maybe in the next couple of days? My brain is more obsessed with red and white nail art for National Day actually. Since I have completed all the colours from this collection (*little happy celebratory dance*), here are all the swatches again (:

Dreamy...

Laughter...

Glamour...

Energy...

Girly...

Happy...

Sparckle...

The Good Life collection...

Really like this brand I wish I could get them in Singapore. Out of these 8 colours, my favourite has got to be Dreamy. And a close fight between Laughter and Glamour for second place. Which one's your favourite? 


On a sidenote, my friend Audrey and I are selling Instax films! Instax mini films are going for $7.50 per pack of 10 plain films, instax wide films are going for $12.00 per pack of 10 plain films. Normal postage fees not included. Do support us and place your orders by dropping us an email to  ourclosetraiders@gmail.com (with your name, contact number, address and item + qty)!
Tell your friends too! Your support will be greatly appreciated! (: 



Love, 
Lorraine 




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