Vampire Academy Movie Review

I remembered a couple of years ago before I started blogging, I love to read up on fanfiction novels during my free time Not only is the storyline entertaining, it helps to improve on my English as well. 

Here are some of the series that I read: Harry Potter (full series), Twilight (full series), Vampire Diaries, Mortal Instrument (full series) and House of Night. Yeah, I am a sucker for vampire (not counting Harry Potter of course). 

I noticed more and more novel series are hitting the big screen in the movie theatre. Vampire Academy is coming up next. There are a total of 6 books in this series. I am going to find time and read all 6 books.

Yes, it's movie time.

Cast: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky 

Director: Mark Waters 

Genre: Drama 

Language: Engish 

Release Date: 27 February 2014 

Running Time:105 minutes

My Rating: 4/5

See the trailer here.

Based on author Richelle Mead's worldwide bestselling series, VAMPIRE ACADEMY tells the legend of Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir, two 17-year-old girls who attend a hidden boarding school for Moroi and Dhampirs. 

In Vampire Academy, there are 3 types of vampires:

1. Moroi (mortal, peaceful Vampires, wield elemental magical)

2. Dhampirs (half-vampire/half-human guardians, protect the Moroi and kill Strigoi)

3.  Strigoi (immortal, evil vampires, undead)

 There are good and bad vampires in their world: Moroi, who co-exist peacefully among the humans and only take blood from donors, while Strigoi, blood-sucking, evil vampires drink to kill. 

Rose, a rebellious Guardian-in-training and her best friend, Lissa - a royal vampire Princes - have been on the run and hiding in the human world. in order to to protect Lissa from those who wish to harm the princess and use her for their own means. 

However, they are captured and returned to St.Vladamirs Academy, the very place where they believe their lives may be in most jeopardy. In the Academy, Moroi who possess the ability  of element magic will learn how to control one of the four elements - water, earth, fire or air. On the other hand, dhampir guardians are trained to protect Moroi and kill Strigoi throughout their education.

Thrust back into the perils of Moroi Society and high school, Lissa struggles to reclaim her status while Rose trains with her mentor and love-interest, Dimitri (Danila Kozlovsky), to guarantee her place as Lissa's guardian. 

Vampire Academy reminded me of Harry Potter where the story evolved around the school life: beautiful school building that is well protected and located far from the human world, classroom and dormitory life, and prom night.

Another major part of the story is the love life of the two young women. Rose returned to her training, she was under Dimitri, the skilled instructor. The pair then slowly developed feeling for each other.

I really admire Rose's character. She would sacrifice everything to protect Lissa from those who intend to exploit her. 

And the guy that love the princess resembles Edward Cullen in Twilight. Tall, good looking and a pair of sparkling eyes.

I really like Vampire Diaries very much. Although some of the terms used can be quite confusing, overall the movie is still entertaining and keep us in suspense. I am going to start reading on the novels after this, can't wait for book 2 movie to come out. 

Private Screening of Channel U's Drama Scrum! 冲锋!‏

Channel U is back with a new youth drama this February called SCRUM! 冲锋!

It's been quite awhile since I last watched an idol drama, therefore I am looking forward to SCRUM! 冲锋!

Synopsis:

From the producers of Jump! comes yet another inspirational idol drama Scrum! which takes viewers into the world of rugby set in a polytechnic. 

Five years ago, Greenwood Polytechnic’s Black Rhino rugby team was the undisputed champions in the rugby arena. The situation changed when senior players graduated and the standard of the current team steadily declined.

Although the rugby players are passionate about their game, no matter how hard they try, they experience failure year after year at competitions. As a result, some players have given up and traded their dreams for greener pastures while others have lost faith and drive in life altogether. Their only hope is for an experienced coach to lead them on a path to victory. 

Huang Zhao Nan is a champion rugby coach in the B Division boys’ team. She hails from the elite class, with an ivy-league education and an in-born arrogance. When a twist of fate lands Zhao Nan in Greenwood Polytechnic as an interim rugby coach, she takes on the job grudgingly to bid time, with no intention of lifting a finger to train the players. In her view, the poly boys are amateur players, with no will or skills to compete. However, after a few eventful encounters, the Black Rhino boys’ sincerity and hunger for success start to change Zhao Nan’s attitude.

Thanks Channel U for the invitation, I got the opportunity to attend the private screening of Scrum which was held at Sheraton Towers Singapore Hotel.

I brought GF along with me.

The host of the night was Jeff from Y.E.S. 93.3FM. Some of you might be familiar with him, he hosted 午餐霸王 every weekdays from 12pm to 2pm.

And here come the casts of Scrum.

From left to right:  Felicia Chin, Chris Lee, Jeffery Xu, Allen Chen, Jae Liew, Carrie Wong and the rugby boys.

One by one, the cast did a short introduction about their roles in the new drama.

Scrum is Felicia's first drama comeback after she quits her studies. You can expect a totally different Felicia in this drama. She turned herself into a monster coach and drilled hard on her players.

Apart from Felicia, this is also Chris first local drama debut. Chris played the comical role of an over-aged Polytechnic student who is actually an undercover agent from Interpol on a mission to infiltrate an illegal online gambling syndicate. He explained that this role is so unlike his previous acting in Taiwan where he played the role of devoted loving man.

Previously I have watched Allen's acting in The Journey, I think that his acting is good and natural. I look forward to his drama in Scrum too.

After which, Jeffrey has sang us the theme song of Scrum. I like the song very much, it is very catchy.

Jeffrey has good stage presence. He has his charisma that captured the audience's attention. He even pulled all the casts back on stage to join him.

Time for first episode.

I got hooked after watching the first episode. It was pretty entertaining and I couldn't stop laughing. It brought back old good memories of polytechnic life.

Scrum has good storyline as well. It inspired us to step forward and pursue our dreams. In the drama, the rugby team actually lost 48 games and they still continue to take part in all the match. I admired their perseverance. Never be afraid of failure. Everytime we fail, we are actually one step closer to success.

We have an opportunity to take photo with the casts. So happy, Chris and Allen were standing behind me (:

I am going to catch this drama on Channel U when it airs. Be sure to catch it too, I am sure you will like it.

Scrum 冲锋 will debut on Channel U this 26th February, Wednesday to Fright at 8pm. 

BeautyBiotics Launch - Intelligent Skin Caring Cosmetics

Living in today's modern society, do you know what type of beauty routine does a modern woman need?

Living in a fast-paced country like Singapore, time is very precious to all of us. We need a beauty routine that allow us to use as little time as possible to get ourselves ready to welcome the day.

Inspired by the modern lifestyle led by today's busy women, BeautyBiotics was created to simplify the beauty routine. This new generation of intelligent dermatological cosmetics contain efficient formulas that multitask as well as modern savvy women do. Beauty Biotics delivers innovative clinically proven ingredient technologies that take on a number of healthy skincare benefits while remaining kind to your skin. 

It is time to get smart on your beauty routine.

I was being introduced to BeautyBiotics at their product launch which was held at ION Sky.

BeautyBiotics is a new range of skin-caring and dermatologically tested cosmetics that has finally hit the beauty product shelves in Singapore. 

BeautyBiotics is positioned as an intelligent beauty aid to offer advanced anti-aging beauty care that aims to target common skin concerns such as hydration, whitening, and minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.

BeautyBiotics is endorsed by Mediacorp Actress Paige Chua and is an Innovation x Science based skin care that doubles as a skin care and make up range with all-in-one benefits.

I always love coming to ION Sky because it offers a 360-degree view of Singapore and stunning cityscape.

GF and I were one of the early birds to reach.

With GF and William. 

We got ourselves settled down for the presentation.

To kick off its brand launch, BeautyBiotics is introducing its five powerhouse products:

Makeup range

 – BB/CC Cream

 – BB + Nano Luminescence Mineral Pearl Powder

 – UV White Nano Mineral Powder

All three have the common properties of being ultra lightweight makeup with powerful, hydration and sun protection factors. 

Skin care range

– Exfoliating Jelly

– Collagen Cleanse 

They are designed to encourage skin cell regeneration and restoration of skin radiance instantly after each cleanse.

All the audience were listening attentively. We were amazed by the new generation of intelligent skin caring cosmetics. Every product by BeautyBiotics is dermatologist tested and suitable for sensitive skin types.

Collagen Cleanse

 The Collagen Cleanse Regeneration Daily Facial Cleanser boosts a unique water activated crystal formulation that releases Nano-Collagen into your skin. 

The cleanser comes first in a powdered form, which is then turned into a foaming cleanser when mixed with water. The foam particles created by the Collagen Cleanse are so fine that they can thoroughly remove impurities from the pores, yet the release of Nano-Collagen keeps the skin well hydrated. 

The end result - every time you cleanse, you help your skin to regenerate its collagen and elastin, leaving it deeply cleansed without stripping its natural oils. 

Retail price: SGD$43.00

Exfoliating Jelly

The Exfoliating Jelly is an advanced enzymatic facial peel that gently exfoliates thanks to its fruit-derived AHA + BHA enzymes, restoring clarity and newfound luminosity to skin. Each massaging motion lifts away dead skin cells to reveal the radiant youthful skin beneath, preparing skin to absorb nutrients fully. 

This dermatologically formulated peel is gentle on skin, so your skin enjoys the benefits of a facial peel minus the irritation or downtime. 

Retail price: SGD$43.00

BB/CC Cream.

A hardworking multi-tasker, the BB/CC Cream boasts a 12 Benefits-In-One advanced formula that not only has skin whitening properties, but also good coverage and long lasting hydration for up to 12 hours. In addition, the BB/CC Cream serves as a sunscreen with a broad spectrum SPF 40/PA+++. With the BB/CC Cream, wearing makeup and skincare is no longer a multi-step process because all one needs is a single application of the BB/CC Cream. 

It is available in 3 shades - Natural, Light and Shimmer.

Retail price: SGD$39.00

BB+ Nano Luminescence Mineral Pearl Powder

The BB+ Nano Luminescence Mineral Pearl Powder is a perfecting powder formulated with Nano technology to deliver nourishing nutrients into the skin’s deeper layers. 

The airy formulation consists of nanonized light-diffusing pearl crystals that soften the way light falls on skin to minimize fine lines, provide long lasting coverage of pores as well as other skin imperfections. The result, youthful coverage is achieved while still maintaining skin’s luminosity. In addition, the BB+ Nano Luminescence Mineral Pearl Powder is also a powder with all the skin care benefits of a cream. It hugs skin to infuse a rich skincare concoction of Nano Collagen, Pearl Powder, Ceramide and Hyaluronic Acid, which help to repair, regenerate and hydrate skin. 

It is available in 2 shades - Matte and Shimmer.

Retail price: $45.00

UV White Nano Mineral Powder

Another one of BeautyBiotics’ multitasking hard workers, the UV White mineral powder is an intelligently created powder that provides sun protection of up to SPF 50/PA+++, and an effective whitening treatment with its whitening Nano mineral powder ingredients. The best part of the UV White powder is that it is a very lightweight, easy to apply powder that comes in a nifty compact container and sponge applicator. It is definitely a more convenient alternative to the usual thick and sticky sunscreens we have currently. 

In addition, the UV White Nano Mineral powder has Nano-collagen, Hyaluronic Acid and Alpha Arbutin skin nutrients that infuse into skin continuously, helping skin regenerate, reduce pigmentation and lighten dark spots. So just like the modern woman today, the UV White Nano Mineral Powder plays multiple roles of skin tone correcting makeup, sun protector, skin whitener, and repairing skin care. 

Retail price: $49.00

Celebrity makeup artist Clarence Lee was here to share with us about her review after using BeautyBiotics. 

Clarence is a big advocate of fresh and natural looking make up. The makeup in BeautyBiotics makes him feel so lightweight and is easy to apply. They contain skin caring benefits like hydration and sun protection in its advanced formula. 

Clarence also did a makeup demonstration using BeautyBiotics' products, sharing us how to create a fuss-free look in 5 minutes.

All of BeautyBiotics’ products have been formulated through an extensive scientific research and development process in Japan. It adopts a no-nonsense, intelligent and focused solution for our skin’s needs, which is translated through its minimalist and clinical packaging.

After the presentation, we helped ourselves with the refreshment.

We also received a gift from BeautyBiotics.

Are you feeling excited to find out what is it inside?

Follow William as he unwrapped the gift.

Tadaa, we got the full range of Dream Cream series. I will be reviewing the products very soon, please come and visit my site again.

BeautyBiotics is available at Watson stores.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/SkinbioticsSG

Benzac Facial Care - 5 Day Challenge

With the ongoing festive season upon us, we all want to look at our very best.

I am not someone who is blessed with crystal clear skin, I need to work very hard on my skincare regime and diet in order to achieve it. Recently, my skin has many zits outbreak, resulting in big red blemishes and acne scars. Having bad skin days always made me feel depressing and I have to rely heavily on makeup products to cover up my flaws.

Thankfully, Benzac is here to the rescue. 

As promised earlier in my earlier post that I will be doing a product review on Benzac oily to combination product range, I have embarked on a 5 day challenge where I will test on the effectiveness of the cleanser and gel.

Benzac is a skincare range recently launched by Galderma - targeting at treating adult /youth acne problems. It helps to clean, treat and care for mild to moderate acne sufferers.

From left to right: Benzac Daily Facial Liquid Cleanser (Oily to combination skin), Benzac Facial Scrub and Benzac AC Water Base Gel (2.5%).

Here is a photo of how bad my skin condition is before using Benzac. 

Benzac Daily Facial Liquid Cleanser (Oily to combination skin)

It remove impurities and help unblock pores without additional aggression and produce a non-oily protective and moisturizing film on the skin.

The liquid cleanser is blue in colour. Rub it on your skin with water and foam will start to form.

For someone who does not like foamy facial wash, Benzac Daily Facial Liquid Cleanser is the product for you as it is not foamy at all. The cleanser does not cause any irritation to my skin or leave any tight feeling.

As this liquid cleanser that I am using is targeted for people with oily to combination skin. It does aid in oil control. Usually my t-zone and cheeks area tend to get oily a couple of hours after the wash. After using it, I find that the oil regulation has improved, it is not as oily as before. 

It leave my skin feeling fresh and clean. 

Benzac Facial Scrub

The Benzac Facial Scrub is suitable for all skin types. The scrub allows for deep exfoliation, which will clean the skin and reduce skin oiliness without damaging the skin. It is recommended to be used twice a week.

Rub it in a circular motion and you will see all the dead skin coming out. Be very gentle when using the scrrub as it contains microbeads which can be very harsh when rubbing on our skin.

Using Benzac facial scrub has been my weekly routine since I gotten the product in January. After using it, I noticed that my skin has become brighter and smoother after I have get rid of the dead skin. Although the microbeads are a little harsh when rubbed on our skin, it does not cause any irritation. Instead, my skin felt clean and soft.

Benzac AC Water Base Gel (2.5%)

Benzac AC Gel is an aid in the treatment of acne and is available in 3 strengths for topical application. 

Gel Strengths:

● Benzac AC Gel 2.5%, Mild Strength 

● Benzac AC Gel 5%, Moderate Strength 

● Benzac AC Gel 10%, High Strength

Applied the pimple gel slightly on the affected spots.

Result after 5 days, pimples subsided.

I am totally amazed by the result. By right, the gel should be used twice a day. However, I used it only once a day. My skin has cleared up a lot. From a big red pimple, it has subsided to a really small zit. It does not look as scary as before. I am really impressed by the AC gel, this is the most effective pimple gel I have ever used. 2.5% is just perfect for me, I will definitely repurchased it when I finish with this tube.

My skin feels matte and refreshing clean. I am going to take good care of my skin now.

What I like even more about Benzac is that it is price affordable. The products are between the range of $10.90 to $18.50.

Benzac Daily Facial Liquid Cleanser, Oily to Combination Skin, 120ml, SGD 12.90

Benzac Facial Scrub, 60ml, SGD 10.90

Benzac AC Gel 2.5%, Mild Strength, 60g, SGD 16.50

Benzac products are available in Guardian and Unity stores nationwide.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/BenzacSG