Romy Raves

I love the power of fragrances to shape my mood and memories, certain scents can instantly take me back to a certain place and time, how about you? Sometimes I smell a fragrance and the emotions just well up inside me, and that is the power and the magic of a scent.

TOVA is a prime example of one of those fragrances that has a meaningful and powerful place in my emotional history. This is the fragrance I wore throughout college, it was my fresh, clean, out-of-the-shower addictive white musk/sandalwood scent that everyone swooned over. This was a magnet for both men and women and I loved having something that moved people to respond, I was a beauty influencer even back then

Well, TOVA still holds a very special place in my heart and I have continued to wear it throughout the years, however it has definitely evolved over time. QVC now exclusively sells TOVA and the original scent has changed a bit and is now called TOVA Signature Platinum. This modernized version of TOVA still smells very unique and distinctive, but it has more intense concentrations of the original fragrance notes.

Signature Platinum has top notes of bergamot and crisp citrus from Italy, pure French Provençal lavender oil and jasmine absolute form the middle notes, and Indian sandalwood and seductive musk oils form the base. TOVA Platinum also features a higher level of musk notes which are responsible for the long-lasting richness that originally set Tova Signature apart from other fragrances.  This is pretty close to the original fragrance I wore years ago in college and I continue to love its unique sensual freshness.

Well, TOVA has recently reinvented itself in the form of a refreshing summer scent called Tova Summer. This is a lighter version of the original scent with the additional notes of amethyst calla lily, California grapefruit, and pink cyclamen. I would describe this summery version as more green, herbal and citrus than the original. I love this seasonal twist because it still has the foundation of the notes I love about the original, but with with a new lightness and freshness that makes it totally different.

As an added bonus for this long time TOVA fan, I also had the opportunity to get a sneak peak of TOVA’s newest Eau de Parfum called Turquoise (which is not available in the US yet.) However, I am sure QVC will release this wonderful fragrance soon because it is fabulous! Turquoise (which has an appealing light blue hue BTW) has top notes of pear blossom, Italian bergamot, wild strawberry, and grapefruit; middle notes of wild jasmine, iris and orchid; and base notes of vanilla, sandalwood, musk and birch. I would describe it as a more tropical feminine version of the original scent even though there are no specific tropical notes in it. I LOVE the floral musky woody dry down and am totally addicted to TOVA’s newest inspiration.

What is your fav summer fragrance? Do Tell!

Greetings Beauties! This past month has been a whirlwind of activity for Romy Raves, and I am grateful to be settling down for a few minutes to play catch up and fill you in on the latest trends and the fabulous products I discovered at Cosmoprof North America 2010 (just before before I leave for BlogHer 2010 in early August-whew!)

Cosmoprof is the largest professional B2B beauty show in North America and this year over 700 companies showcased their brands and products to 25,000 attendees from all areas of the beauty industry. Let me tell you, this show is HUGE, overwhelming, amazing and insightful and I barely had a chance to thoroughly cover it all in three days, but of course I managed  

I had a ball diligently perusing each and every aisle, scouring the show for the latest and greatest beauty offerings. And while I attend many lifestyle and beauty shows throughout the year, this is by far my favorite because it is so professional, classy, well executed, and enjoyable to walk through (they do not sell anything on the show floor and I think this makes a world of difference.) And as an added bonus, yours truly had the pleasure of moderating a very insightful panel on Increasing Revenue with Social Networking, with some of today’s leading champions of social media: Dan Lagani of Readers Digest Media, Nancy Trent of Trent & Company, Inc.and Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics.

I wanted to share some of the noteworthy trends that I uncovered at this years show, and later this week I will publish a post on some of my most exciting finds and new brands I discovered (or rediscovered) at CPNA 2010. Make sure to come back later this week to learn about my discoveries.

TRENDS FROM COSMOPROF 2010

All Things Smooth & Straight: Once again there was a plethora of companies offering their version of Brazilian Straightening Treatments, some with chemicals and some without, but it was obvious to me that women are still in mad pursuit of frizz free hair and companies are continuing to jump on this band wagon. Some companies are adding ingredients like Acai to these treatments to enhance the benefits clients get from these services. Fun and decorative flat irons were everywhere and I also saw lots of frizz eliminating shampoos, conditioners, and serums continuing to support this sleek, smooth and shiny hair movement. Obliphica Oil (from the Sea Buckthorn Berry) seems to be this years version of the coveted Argan Oil.   

Bling It On: I love me some bling and this year I was in sparkle heaven with the vast of amount of blingy options at the show. Of course my beloved Bling Strands were there to start this diva’s show off right! They blinged me out in my fav chocolate strands and sprinkled in their new Rainbow Bling Strands (love them) and people stopped me left and right to ask about it. A cool new find at the show this year were rhinestone strips that you flat iron onto the hair, super fun! And I was very excited to see a multitude of glittery options in the nail polish category – new this year is glass flecked shimmers - these sparkly hues reflect so much light they bring bling to a whole new level, I can’t wait to tyr them!

Out With The Bad, In With The Good: Organic, greener, sustainable, better for you cosmetic and beauty product options continue to prevail. Many of the brands present at the show are offering one or more products without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, formaldehyde, toluene, or DBP. And I was also excited to note the trend towards sustainability, and it was really nice to see companies who are giving back a portion of their profits to challenged communities and the environment (Rahua is a brand that I am particularly excited about.)  

Hybrid Nail Polish: This is a category that I was really excited to see burgeoning at CPNA 2010! IMO, what is going on in this category is revolutionary and CND Shellac is paving the way! Here is my take on how I see the nail category evolving: acrylics have paved the way for gel nails (which are still booming BTW) and now the staying power of gels have paved the way for hybrids. What is a hybrid nail polish? This is a category busting product which is applied like regular polish, cured under a light in between coats, it lasts for 2+ weeks and looks fresh and shiny all the time! It’s a major ‘wow’ and many companies are starting to offer their version of this type of product. However, some brands are calling it gel polish etc. which is leading to some confusion. Just to clarify, gel nails can change the look, structure and length of your nails, while hybrids have amazing, durable staying power, but don’t change the nails structure.

Those are some of the trends I discovered this year, have you noticed any beauty trends that you would like to share? Please post them here.

Hello Beauty Mavens, I hope you are having a fabulous summer! Mine is flying by and I just returned from the amazing Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas which was filled with the latest and greatest in the beauty industry, and my mind is spinning with all the beauty delights I discovered. Stay tuned for my recap of this fabulous show coming later this week.

In the meantime, I wanted to let you know about a fabulous giveaway event that is happening tomorrow. On July 22, 2010 Estée Lauder will kick off its largest sampling program to date, called America’s Night to Repair. Just stop by any Estée Lauder counter on July 22 between 5-9pm and choose from a 10-day deluxe supply of either the NEW Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Complex or the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex. Estée Lauder Beauty Advisers will be distributing a total of 360,000 deluxe samples, one sample per customer while supplies last.

This is a fabulous FREEBIE that you don’t want to miss out on! Enjoy and let me know what you think of these products.

I am super excited to be heading to Cosmoprof North America in Las Vegas tomorrow, which is the largest professional B2B beauty show in North America. In my opinion, CPNA is the best, most polished and professional beauty event that I attend, and I love it! This year, I am heading to LV with my hubby (and social media guru) to scout beauty trends, network with brands and industry professionals and most importantly discover new and unknown brands and products. 

I am especially excited about the Discover Beauty section of the conference because it showcases a group of hand-selected brands from around the world that most consumers are not familiar with. This exclusive section of the conference is laid out like mini stores that allow you to really interact with these emerging brands, explore their products and learn more about what differentiates that brand. Some of the brands that I am excited to check out include:

Barista Bath and Body: A natural and organic line of luxury products that extends the exeprience of coffee beyond your morning cup. Even though I am not a coffee drinker, I am excited about a line that offers the stimulating smell and wake-up the skin benefits of caffeine.

Essè Cosmetics from Italy: Essè Cosmetics is a line that incorporates the benefits of grapes and wine. This oenophile is always intrigued by products that utilize grapes and wine.

IT Cosmetics:  This line infuses medical grade anti-aging technology into innovative, high performance color cosmetics. I was recently introduced to this intriguing line and am just beginning to explore the products. I am already very impressed with their Bye Bye Under Eye concealer .

The Jojoba Company:  A natural skin care line built on the remarkable qualities of pure, Australian jojoba that is grown in Australia without pesticides or fertilizers. Jojoba has an old school appeal and I am interested to see how it has evolved.

The Skin Deli:  A gourmet skincare line packed with nutrient-rich natural ingredients that are made out of 100% recognizable food ingredients. This line sounds like a yummy hybrid of two of my passions food and beauty, can’t wait to check it out!

Every once in a while, I try a product that instantly ‘WOWS’ me because it is so innovative and the results are so impressive that I can’t stop gushing about it. CND Shellac is one of the most amazing products that I have tried in a long time.

Two weeks ago, I was invited to a delightful beauty insider event at the recently relocated Paint Shop from Beverly Hills to experience this new Shellac nail service. Paint Shop was debuting their airy new digs on West 3rd Street and the fact that it is one of a handful of salons in LA currently offering Shellac. After sipping some tasty margaritas and eating some super tasty Mexican food from Plancha, the very skilled and meticulous Iesha gave me a fabulous Shellac manicure with the ease and flawless precision of a pro. The service took about an hour and I was amazed that it had almost no smell, I loved how it dried instantly and was even more impressed that I got my massage after the manicure to prove how totally dry my nails were.

What is Shellac you ask? Shellac is an amazing category busting hybrid nail color product that applies like polish, wears flawlessly for 14 days of high gloss shine, and is removed in minutes. Shellac paints on just like regular polish – base coat, color, top coat –however it needs to be cured between each coat under a special a UV light which is the secret to its durable finish. The formula is thin and flexible like polish, so it not only looks natural, it provides strong natural nail protection with a resilient mirror finish that resists dullness and chipping, even during the most rigorous activities.

Shellac is a professional salon service that launched in May 201o with 12 shades ranging from French pinks and whites to reds and rich darks. The product is hypo-allergenic, 3-Free (no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP) and requires zero drying time (the UV curing does that for you!) This innovative formula took nearly five years to develop because it resulted in this game changing professional product that resists chips, smudges, dullness, does not damage the nails, and is easily removed in 10 minutes.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well a picture is worth a thousand words (forgive my amatuerish photo below, I am still learning the art of photographing for the web):

Shellac Day 1