Romy Raves

Greetings loyal followers, I have been busy, busy keeping up with all that is going on in the beauty world, hence the lapse in posts. Below, you will find a sampling of some fun things that are popping up in the beauty world, as well as some of the trend scouting missions and events that have been keeping me busy. Enjoy!

MAC Venomous Villains  The blogosphere is all abuzz about the Fall release of MAC’s latest inspired collection called the Venomous Villains. I am particularly excited about this special collection because not only am I a beauty maven, but I am an avid collector of all things Disney female villians (which I call the Evil Queens.) Can you say Malificent, Cruella, and Ursula?

Here’s the official scoop: MAC Cosmetics is teaming up with Disney to create a limited edition color collection, intended to launch globally in late September in all MAC locations. The products will feature four Disney characters, on which the brand is keeping mum at the moment — although with a collection name of Venomous Villains, it is assumed that we’re not talking Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse here. Lipstick, powder, lip gloss and blush shades will be sold, ranging in price from $12 to $29.50. I will be all over this fabu collection!! Click on this link for a fun teaser of this new collection: Sneak Peak of MAC Venomous Villians

CEW Award Winners Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc. (CEW) is one of the leading trade organizations in the beauty industry, comprised of members who are some of the most influential people in the beauty business (including yours truly ) The CEW Beauty Awards are one of the industry’s highest honors because they recognize some of the most innovative beauty products of the year, as voted by CEW members and industry experts. Winners of this award gain tremendous exposure in the beauty category. The 2010 CEW Beauty Award Winners were just announced, click HERE for the list.

NYX Cosmetics Decade +1 Unveiled Event Last week, I was invited to a super fun swanky poolside party at the[caption id="attachment_2698" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Katherine McPhee & Me at NYX Event"][/caption]Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in celebration of NYX Cosmetics 11th Anniversary. This brand is probably best known for making high quality, professional make-up at affordable prices. In honor of this milestone, the brand hosted this great event to celebrate its established presence in the cosmetics industry. I brought along another fabulous blogger TravelsWithTwo, and we enjoyed hanging poolside, checking out celebs (like Carmen Electra & Katherine McPhee) listening to great tunes, sipping the signature NYX-tini (a yummy grapefruit pink girly concoction), eating yummy morsels (loved the petite burgers and the Guinness Beer milkshakes), and playing with samples of NYX Cosmetics. We left with lots of NYX make-up goodies and I am especially enjoying their yummy berry flavored and slightly tingly Mega Shine Lip Gloss.

As a beauty blogger, I get lots of opportunities to try out unique treatments in hopes that something will strike me as new, different and inspired. Recently, I was invited to the Ona Spa in Los Angeles for a totally novel treatment that I had never experienced before: a Full Body Massage conducted predominately with the feet. I have had many, many massages but never one done with the feet, this was a whole new arena of me–I was intrigued!

This signature service is called the Ona Pada (Pada is the Sanskrit term for foot) and it is a full body massage treatment using the feet as the massaging tools. This unique approach to massage therapy is supposed to increase joint mobilization and release tensions in the large muscle groups. What is unique about using the feet to conduct a massage is that they can exert much more pressure than the hands can, however the surface area of the foot is much bigger than the hands, so this more intense and stronger pressure is more spread out. In other words, it’s a much more powerful massage, but you feel it less cause the intense pressure is spread out.

So let me tell about my divine Ona Pada with Daniel, the creator of this extraordinary massage, who has the gentle presence of a healer and the feet of a God. We meet in the relaxation room to discuss the treatment, how it is different, what to expect and he gives me an opportunity to share any specific problem areas I have (Yes, my neck and shoulders please!)

We enter the Pada treatment room, and I notice that above the massage table mounted to the ceiling are bars and harnesses to support the masseuse when the feet are doing the massaging. OK this is going to be REALLY different and I love it! The massage actually starts with me seated upright in a little supportive chair and a couple of drops of Jasmine oil that I rub into the palms of my hands to increase the feelings of euphoria (way to start!)Starting upright,  gives Daniel an opportunity to loosen and stretch my muscles before the foot work begins. I have never been stretched like this before a massage, and I really liked it because it instantly showed me how skilled he was and it also allowed him to get into my problem areas right from the start. Already I could tell this was going to be good!

Then I climb onto the table and nirvana begins. Daniel rubs the most aromatic ginger and lemongrass scented massage oil (reminiscent of the Far East where the inspiration for this treatment came) on my back, climbs on the table and the foot magic begins. At first his feet are cold, but they warm quickly and he gradually works his feet around my back and body getting into my problem areas rather quickly. It feels really cool (as in different), relaxing and therapeutic at the same time. I couldn’t believe it was his feet that were working this magic. It was so relaxing and satisfying that I almost dosed off several times. I really like the kind of broad pressure the feet can exert and feel it did a really effective job releasing my tension.

When the massage is finished, I feel relaxed and calm but somehow different. It is more than a massage, more like an experience that transforms you and puts you into a rejuvenated state of mind. I kid you not, this euphoria and lack of tension lasted for days and made me wonder why it has taken me so long to discover the magical healing powers of the feet. I highly recommend checking out this terrific treatment if you are in the Los Angeles area.

Ona Spa 7373 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036  (323) 931-4442 or www.onaspa.com

I recently had the delightful pleasure to experience a facial at the Dermalogica Flagship Concept Store in Santa Monica, California. And I must admit, I was skeptical about this being an impressive facial, because honestly in my mind Dermalogica was a tired brand for skincare neophytes (I’ve always thought of it as a safe skincare intro line for newbies).This savvy beauty maven had limited expectations about the impact of this facial and BOY WAS I WRONG!!

Dermalogica has really reinvented itself over the years, and I stand corrected, this brand definitely competes with the best of ‘em in terms of innovative products and state of the art skin changing facials. So let me tell you about my recent experience with Dermalogica and how they have turned me into a fan.

When I entered the Santa Monica location, I noticed that it was clean, white, modern and futuristic looking. In fact, I think the treatment rooms sort of look like high tech pods, already I am already intrigued because it certainly doesn’t look like your typical zen relaxation spa. Upon closer analysis, I think Dermalogica’s modern look is trying to subconsiously tell vistors they mean business, that something is really going to happen here.

I fill out the requisite paperwork so the Dermalogica skin therapist knows my issues and concerns and can properly ‘face map’ my skin (This is Dermalogia’s proprietary way to analyze the zones of the face and properly diagnose problems and recommend products). We then enter the pod-like room with the rotating mood colored lights (which I totally dig), I choose my preferred music (spa/relaxation) and then my modern facial begins.

It starts with an oil pre-cleanse to ensure all make-up and dirt is removed, then a cleanse with a Clarisonic brush, the official skin analysis under the magnifying light (aka Face Mapping) and then my favorite ‘wow’ part of this facial a power peel called EA35. I love peels because you feel them working and they deliver instant results, and this pineapple and papaya enzyme based exfoliating peel was one of the most impressive and active peels I have ever gotten. It zinged a little but was lessened by the skillful massage of my therapist, I could tell it was packed with high tech ingredients that deliver results.

Next came some light extractions, high frequency to kill germs and the AGE Smart Multi-Vitamin Recovery Mask. Another great modern enhancement was the Galvanic Machine, which was used along with my mask to push the actives of the mask more deeply into my skin and pull out impurities, loved this too! While the mask did its thing, I got a lovely arm massage along with the Peltier high tech massage device which got hot as she rubbed it on my pesky neck and shoulder knots (another uber cool techie touch.) The facial commenced with an automated spritz of toner from yet another techie device and an application various products from the AGE Smart line (my fav being the Renewal Lip Complex).

I left the room in a happy daze, my skin felt supple and rejuvenated. The delightful finishing touch was a warm cup of Dermalogica’s Special Un-Tea. For days, I marveled at how smooth and soft my skin felt from this gentle yet powerful facial (I am certain the EA35 peel was reason for these impressive results) and I highly recommend checking out a Dermalogica Facial in your area.

There is nothing like the newly converted, Dermalogica welcome to my world–or is that Romy ’Welcome to Our World’ (read in a robotic futuristic voice). 

Urban Decay is a fabulous modern and edgy brand that always manages to come out with new and exciting products. For their latest inspiration, Revolver Fragrance Oil  ($26 US) they have dabbled into a new niche and it does not disappoint. In fact, this is one of the yummiest and most unique fragrances that I have smelled in a long time.

Revolver is a new limited edition fragrance oil available exclusively through Urban Decay’s website while supplies last.  This sexy and powerful oil has luscious tropical top notes of lychee and pineapple leaf, an earthy and sultry middle note of fig, and sheer primal base notes of amber and Egyptian musk. This delightful oil is very concentrated and has serious staying power. It comes in an adorable compact perfume bottle with a roll-on applicator and is perfect to throw in your purse for on-the-go applications.

What am I loving about Revolver? It’s fruity, sexy, smoky, and musky–all the notes I adore in a fragrance. And I really like the dry down of this scent, which I would describe as slightly sweet, tropical, and sensual all at the same time. I picture wearing this on a balmy summer date night out on the town. I am really digging this unique scent which is destined to be a cult favorite. This fabulous well priced oil is bound to sell out soon, so don’t miss out! You can find Urban Decay’s Limited Edition Revolver Fragrance Oil HERE.