Romy Raves

Happy Valentine’s Day GORGEOUS! Just in time for the holiday of love, red, hearts, romance and sexy, I give you my favorite curated product picks of this amorous season. Whether you are attached or not, I think this assortment of goodies is swoon worthy, so share the list with your lover or treat yourself to a little indulgence. Hugs & Kisses, Romy

MOR Cosmetics The Vow Gift Set ($17)

As many of you know, I am a huge fan of the products from MOR Cosmetics because they are beautifully made and come in the most gorgeous packaging. I am loving this Limited Edition Vow Gift Set, inspired by the new Sony Pictures’ V-day film The Vow (in theaters February 10th.)  This precious set comes with a Lychee Flower Soapette and Hand Cream presented in classy heart shaped tin. Lychee Flower is a sparkling sweet scent with ripe berries, soft powdery florals and the slightest hint of green forest woods. I love this fresh feminine scent and the affordable price of this great set.

Stella & Dot Ever After Necklace ($49)

I was recently invited to preview the new Stella & Dot Spring Collection and was pleasantly surprised by the fantastic, hip, modern statement making pieces of beautifully made, affordable jewelry. There were many pieces that caught my eye, but I thought this lovely delicate Ever After Heart Necklace was a perfect fit for this gift guide. This dainty heart comes in silver or gold and is pierced by the chain. This necklace is a Maya Brenner Collaboration Style (Maya Brenner is a twelve year jewelry industry veteran with a strong celeb following) and it showcases her simple, classic, bold and modern style. I love the look of this sweet necklace layered with other complimentary necklaces. Very chic and understated.

Rodial Glam Balm Lip ($25)

Rodial makes fabulous, active anti-aging products that really work, and their new Glam Blam Lip is no exception. This new luxurious moisture-rich balm plumps lips, fills in fine lines and smooths imperfections with filling spheres, nourishes with rose wax and protects against environmental damage with pomegranate extract. This potent balm volumizes your lips and also does a great job of soothing dry, chapped lips. I love the rose flavor (totally makes me think Vday!) and the way my lips instantly feel hydrated and nourished. Love it!

Stephanie Johnson Ibiza Alex Sparkle Clutch in Berry ($45)

Confession: I am addicted to Stephanie Johnson travel and makeup bags! Truth be told, I am stock piling quite a collection of these statement making versatile bags because the designs are so fab and collectible worthy. How could you not love this Berry Sparkle Clutch? Perfect for your Valentine’s Day evening on the town, right? It’s super cute, sparkly and fun, just love it! And it’s the perfect size to fit all your makeup essentials. Get one now before they are sold out!

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment ($25)

Every beauty junkie has a Fresh Original Sugar Lip Treatment in her product arsenal, and now this cult fav product has upped it’s game by adding fab anti-aging ingredients to make it even better. The Sugar Advanced is fortified with a high concentration of ultra-nourishing, age-delaying ingredients, including Hyaluronic Spheres, that penetrate the skin to fill in wrinkles and plump the lips, and sea fennel extract, to help smooth fine lines and define the lip area. This exciting new line extension repairs, nourishes, plumps, and smooths your lips and I love how supple and moist it makes my lips feel and adore the Fresh signature sugary lemon scent.

Havaianas Love Sandal ($28)

I live in my Havaianas, seriously they are the most comfortable flip flop ever! I cannot resist these super adorable Valentine’s Day worthy limited edition Love Sandal that come in a cute special edition red velvet shoe bag. This sandal is the slim style with a metallic silver strap and a colorful hearts graphic print. LOVE LOVE them! They will sell out fast!

Antica Farmacista Champagne Fragrance & Candle Gift Set ($88)

Anyone care for a little bubbly this Valentine’s Day? Me please! Especially when it’s in the exquisite luxurious home fragrance products from Antica Farmacista. The Champagne Fragrance and Candle Gift set consists of a home ambiance fragrance diffuser (with sticks) and a long-burning candle elegantly packaged in a gift box. The champagne fragrance is vibrant and fresh with a sparkly citrus floral top note, a sensuous and sweet fruity middle note and a subtle vanilla base note. I am so impressed with the complexity of the Antica scents and I think these products look gorgeous on display and smell amazing.

Too Faced Natural Kiss Neutral Lip Color Collection ($24)

Too Faced does it again with another fabulous must-have lip palette collection! The Natural Kiss Collection features four gorgeous warm-toned lip glosses in cream, gloss, and shimmer finishes that compliment all skintones. The colors include a Gold Shimmer gloss and Shell, Totally Nude, and Maple. This is my new go-to palette for that perfect nude lip and I think it will look good on almost everyone.

Dome Euphoric Body Perfume ($34.95)

The DOME Euphoric Body Line is imported from Italy, made of high quality natural ingredients and designed  to tap into your senses and evoke feelings of happiness and pleasure. I like the sexy smell that makes me smile when I use this cream and how it instantly penetrates into your skin. Wanna get your sexy on this Valentine’s Day? Take this body perfume for a spin and see what happens

Tea Thes Des Amants for Valentine’s Day ($44)

The Parisian tea brand Le Palais des Thés is offering a new limited edition tea set this Valentine’s Day, Thé des Amants (Lovers’ Tea), a sensual and spicy elixir made with fruits, flowers, and spices flavored with apple, almond, cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of ginger. The Tea comes cleverly packaged as a his and hers duo: For Her, in a pink and red box, a China green tea version of Thé des Amants which highlights the brightness of the citrus and fruity notes of this blend. For Him, in a dark blue and turquoise box, is the black tea version of Thé des Amants, which showcases depth and spice of this blend. This is a yummy elegant tea and ideal for foodies who appreciate complexity and depth of flavor in their tea.

Meow! by Katy Perry

Meow! is the sister parfum to Katy’s first fragrance, Purr. Purr was created while Katy was on the California Dreams world tour and this scent is Katy’s interpretation of the fun, sensual spirit of the tour (so fun, in fact, Perry felt the name of the fragrance needed an exclamation point at the end of it.) Meow! is a soft sensual scent combining the notes of honeysuckle and pear with the backdrop of creamy vanilla, musk and amber. This is the purrr-fect sexy scent to wear for Valentine’s Day and I just adore the pink kitty bottle, definitely collectible worthy!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, and on the heels of a fabulous overnight staycation this past weekend with my hubby, I’ve got love on my mind. You know how it is, like a magnet or energetic force, you are instantly drawn to someone or something without explanation, it just ‘happens’. Well I know it is a bit of a stretch, but for a life long beauty junkie like me, this energetic pull happens to me with beauty products, and every once in a while I try a product that just instantly knocks my socks off! Kinda like being hit with cupid’s arrow, but towards a product, not a person. Strange, I know, but it’s honestly how I feel. Well, lately I have come across some fabulous new products that I was instantly smitten with and now I am dying to share them with you. Hope you love them as much as I do!

Four Truffles Argan Moisturizing Balm ($26)

OMG this magnificent balm is truly “The Balm”! I literally got this product a few days ago and I am obsessed with it and can’t stop using it! This is a luxurious multi-purpose ultra hydrating balm packed with argan oil and all it’s nutrients and antioxidants that soften, hydrate, and repair your skin. It also contains a lovely Bulgarian Lavender Oil, an ancient herb that has been used for ages to relax the body and heal skin. And there’s more goodness: this product is organic, made in the USA with indigenous ingredients, its eco-centric, made by women4women and comes in a hand carved wooden jar. It smells divine, feels yummy on my dry skin, instantly moisturizes and heals like a champ. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

Kate Somerville DermalQuench Liquid Lift ($95) will be available March 2012 www.skinhealthexperts.com

This is a ground breaking new product that brings Kate Somerville’s most sought after celeb skin transforming treatment  into your home! Liquid Lift has a unique foam dispensed delivery system that instantly infuses your skin with three powerful ingredients KS calls advanced HydraFill™ Complex which work together to increase volume, significantly smooth skin, boost radiance and dramatically reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Liquid Lift infuses your skin with a much-needed boost of oxygen to increase volume and deliver a plumping effect that dramatically diminishes the look of expression lines and furrows. I actually have had the FAB professional DermalQuench treatment at the KS Clinic in LA, and I am equally as ‘wowed’ by the similar, and much more affordable results of this at home oxygen treatment. I adore how it instantly plumps, hydrates and makes my skin look more radiant, and after just a couple of weeks of use, my skin feels more supple, moist and it looks smoother.

3LAB Perfect BB SPF 40/PA+++ ($95)

I just adore BB creams because they deliver instant results and are super easy to use, and 3LAB’s version is luxurious and FAB! This BB Cream is infused with 3LAB’s signature bio-engineered growth hormone and apple stem cell technology, which noticeably firms and lifts the skin, regenerates new skin cells, brightens, moisturizes, and protects your skin with a potent SPF.  It also contains a wonderful combination of anti-oxidants, vitamins and botanicals that help improve your skin tone and alleviate irritation. My skin just drinks this cream up, I love that it comes in three shades (I’m medium), and it instantly hides imperfections and makes my skin look smooth and flawless.

Benefit Watt’s Up ($30)

IMO Benefit is the Queen of fab, fun, kitschy, inspired makeup products that really work (like my beloved Erase Paste.) Well, Watt’s Up is my latest  addiction, it’s a great soft focus highlighter that instantly brightens and lightens your face and gives you the perfect luminous glow. It is a stick cream-to–powder champagne sheer highlighter on one side and a blending sponge on the other,and together this gives your skin a velvety glow. I am having such fun manipulating the light on my face with this product and really like how it adds the perfect instant sheen to my skin, which makes it look fresher and younger. Fab!

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray ($39)

I have to admit, I have not been thrilled with my hair lately, it’s been dry, flat and lifeless, so I decided to cut like 5-6 inches off, much better and healthier. In light of this change, I am trying  new products to add volume and texture, and I am having alot of fun with Oribe’s Texturizing Spray. It’s a wonderful alternative to dry shampoo and it’s giving my hair fullness, movement and a sexy glam look. Basically, this is an invisible dry hair spray that offers incredible volume and a sexy texture. It contains patented polymers that absorb oil at the roots which allows you to milk that fab blowdry for days. It’s easy to use and it gives the perfect amount of va-va-voom to your hair.

Dr Dennis Gross Active Vitamin D Serum Oil ($65)

Leave it to the pioneering Dr. Dennis Gross to notice that his patients were experiencing Vitamin D deficiencies because they were being hyper-diligent about protecting their skin from the sun, so Dr. Gross set out to develop the first skincare serum-oil that would provide sufficient levels of Vitamin D to skin through topical application.  Traditionally, Vitamin D needs sun exposure to activate it, but this innovative new formulation contains an already active form of Vitamin D that does not require sunlight to work. This serum-oil replenishes hydration, boosts elasticity, smooths fine lines and wrinkles, enhances radiance and luminosity, and corrects the appearance of hyperpigmentation. I just love the idea of giving our skin it’s much needed Vitamin D, and I love how this product nourishes my dry skin and how it has added noticeable suppleness in such a short time.

Greetings Beautiful! I wanted to start the year off right and share some gorgeous new products that I am loving and that are making my skin absolutely radiant, so I figured that I would let you in on my little secret. Perhaps you’ve heard of Jan Marini, skincare icon and the pioneer of medically validated skin care preparations? Well, if not I am delighted to introduce you to this fabulous line full of active products that really work and transform your skin. At the beginning of the Fall/Winter season, Jan Marini kindly sent me two amazing anti-aging skincare products to try and I have totally fallen in love with them! Today, I am excited to tell you all about them and give FOUR of them away!

Limited Edition Jan Marini Holiday Exfoliator 

OK, admittedly my timing is a little off season with this product review, but this product is so yummy and transformative, that I will continue to use it throughout the year. The Marini Holiday Exfoliator is a clinical-strength resurfacer that immediately refines your skin’s texture and follicle size and gives your face a gorgeous radiant, polished glow. This innovative product contains antioxidants, unique spherical dissolving beads (non-abrasive), papaya enzymes, and glycolic acid, all designed to gently and safely scrub and resurface your skin.

What do I love about this product? I absolutely adore the almost edible sweet and spicy gingerbread scent. I love how it thoroughly and effectively smooths and softens my skin and how refreshed it looks after I use it. This is one of those scrubs that you can feel working and your skin looks noticeably different immediately afterwards. And did I mention, it smells like a slice of the holidays?! Deelish! However, this is a Limited Edition product and when it’s gone, it’s gone!  But lucky you, I am giving TWO away and you can also buy it HERE.

Jan Marini Age Intervention Retinol PLUS

This isn’t your ordinary retinol product, it’s a ground breaking new concept in retinol technology. Retinol PLUS delivers the most aggressive levels of stabilized retinol combined with advanced topical agents to maximize efficacy while simultaneously decreasing irritation, sensitivity, dryness and redness-all very common side effects with retinol usage. And not only is it formulated with a potent and well tolerated retinol formulation, but it also contains anti-aging and collagen boosting peptides, antioxidants, hydrators and skin soothing ingredients that deliver unparalleled skin rejuvenation benefits.

What do I love about this product? The results are totally noticeable and amazing! I have noticed a nice softening of my fine lines and wrinkles, a much softer and smoother skin texture, radiance and luminosity and an overall vibrancy to my skin. Since I have been using it, people continually comment on how gorgeous my skin looks, and I credit Retinol Plus for that. And I am truly impressed with the lack of sensitivity and irritation that I have not gotten with this product. Typically, when I use retinol, my skin gets a little red and irritated (but the results are worth it), but that didn’t happen at all with this product. Love that! Oh yeah, and the reasonable price of $65 for a potent anti-aging product is very appealing too (not peeling )

But perhaps the best news of all, is that I am giving away TWO Jan Marini Holiday Exfoliators & TWO Retinol PLUS products to 4 lucky readers!

Contest Details 

-How to Enter: All that you need to do to enter this FREE giveaway is use the Rafflecopter Widget Below, enter your name and email or sign in through Facebook, then click “DO IT” to do each task that you choose to and once you have completed the task click the “ENTER” button to confirm your DONE entry. Make sure to enter your name and email for each selection, so your entries will be counted.
-Options for Entering: There are (3) choices for daily entries, and (4) choices for one-time only entries and three of them are mandatory for entry.
-Prizes:  TWO (2) Jan Marini Limited Edition Holiday Exfoliators (Retail Value of $80 each) and TWO (2) Jan Marini Age Intervention Retinol PLUS Products (Retail Value of $65 each) – 4 Winners in TOTAL
-Contest Dates: 1/20/12 to 2/4/12 at 12:01 am EST

Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am weepy about summer coming to a close because it truly is my favorite time of year. Lazy days, the beach, sipping sangria, lots of maxi dresses, warmth and the gorgeous summer sun. While I adore this season, I am also hyper aware of how potent the sun is during this time of year and how diligent I need to be about protecting my skin with skin loving SPF products. I am really excited about the inspired, active, and innovative products to come down the SPF product pike this summer season. So I thought it would be fitting, to do an end of summer round up post about the sunblock products that I have loved and obsessively used this summer (and plan to continue using this Fall), all in an effort to keep my skin healthy, even toned and radiant (FYI, I just had another fabulous Vi Peel in an effort to even out my skin, so you know that I am dedicated to this protection effort.)

NIA24 Sun Damage Prevention UVA/UVB Sunscreen SPF30/PA+++

This is a skin-fortifying, sheer sunscreen with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection that fends off aging and the sun’s burning rays with 4 different types of sunscreens. This potent anti-aging sunscreen contains Pro-Niacin to help strengthen your skin’s barrier, mango butter to moisturize your skin, and antioxidants and ceramides to promote healthy skin and protect from environmental damage. What do I love about this sunscreen? It absorbs instantly, smells light and slightly floral, offers excellent multi-faceted sun protection, and most importantly I love that this is an active anti-aging product that noticeably changes my skin. After continued use of this product, I have noticed that my skin is more luminous and smooth.

StriVectin-SH Age Protect SPF 30/PA+++-

This is a daily treatment moisturizer that delivers a patented wrinkle fighting ingredient plus broad spectrum protection from the sun’s UVB and UVA rays. This sunscreen also contains Niacin which rebuilds your skin’s protective barrier,  multiple UVA/UVB shields, botanical antioxidants like blueberry and goji berry to protect against free radicals, and vitamins B5 and E to revitalize your skin. What do I love about this sunscreen? The fresh clean smell, the sheer non-whitening formula and that it is a results oriented multi-use product which both prevents sun damage and works to undo prior sun damage.

Kerstin Florian Multi-Vitamin Day Creme SPF 30

This is a multi-benefit day creme that contains broad spectrum sun filters, antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals to soothe and support your skin’s structure. It is a lightweight, hydrating and nourishing moisturizer that protects against premature aging and loss of moisture in your skin. What do I love about this creme? Well first, I totally adore Kerstin Florian products because they are high quality, beautifully made with the best ingredients from nature and science and my skin responds wonderfully to this line. Secondly, this is a yummy daily moisturizer that my skin drinks up because it offers the perfect amount of hydration, sun protection and skincare benefits. Definitely a new fav!

Colorescience Pro Sunforgettable Powder Sun Protection SPF 30

This is a lightweight mineral powder in a self-dispensing brush that delivers lovely sheer coverage and UVA/UVB sun protection. Sunforgettable’s minerals provide a wonderful combination of sun protection and coverage all in one product. What do I love about this product? That it is a two-for-one product (makeup and sunscreen) that delivers a nice subtle amount of coverage and color, and I adore the brilliant portable dispenser that you can take with you and reapply throughout the day.

Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25/PA++ & Dr. Jart+ Premium BB SPF 45/PA+++

These are all-in-one skin perfecting balms that moisturize, provide sun protection, and a treatment serum in one innovative product. Beauty Balms are all the rage in Asia right now (known as BB creams) because they quickly hide skin imperfections, minimize the need for foundation and protect your skin from environmental stessors.  The Water Fuse BB is made with 50 percent water which delivers excellent moisture and gives your skin a  fresh dewy look. The Premium BB contains advanced brightening properties which help hide imperfections as well as antioxidant bio-peptides which help restore firmness and elasticity. What do I love about these BB Creams? One-stop-shop products that do it all-I really like the flaw minimizing coverage and the way the it makes my skin look and feel. I also prefer the lightweight Water Fuse formula for summer and the slightly heavier more active Premium BB for the the Fall and Winter months. I am definitely addicted to these products!

Aveeno Hydrosport Sunblock Spray SPF 85

This is a lightweight, non-greasy UVA/UVB sunblock spray that contains a Natural Lotus Complex that repels water and clings to your skin even when it’s wet. What do I love about this sunblock? The fresh floral lotus scent, lightweight formula, even spray, and that it is the best of the new ‘apply when wet’ sunscreens that came out this summer. It has been my go-to all over body sunscreen this whole summer. 

Eminence Persimmon & Cantaloupe Day Cream SPF 32This is a yummy smelling lightweight moisturizer with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It contains persimmon, cantaloupe and aloe vera juice, zinc oxide, and a proprietary firming ingredient all which deliver antioxidants, vitamins, hydration, healing and firming. What do I love about this cream ? Eminence products smell so good you want to eat them (but don’t!) and they contain mostly all natural ingredients to treat and protect the skin. This day cream feels great on my skin and the divine smell makes me smile whenever I use it.

You just know it’s gonna be FAB and the gorgeous trio of products created by beauty maven, Elizabeth Dehn is no exception!

By Elizabeth Dehn is a delightful collection of skin-perfecting products that harnesses the restorative and anti-aging properties of 100% natural ingredients and is free of preservatives, synthetics, and the other harsh chemicals. Sounds good, right?

First, take at look at this beautiful woman, who has the most gorgeous, even toned radiant skin (I’ve seen it IRL and it really looks this good!)

Well here’s her story: After more than a decade of slathering, schmearing, and sorting out other people’s products, Elizabeth set out to create her own (and beat me to the punch cause it’s a dream of mine to create my own products someday J.) So based on her vast experience with products, Elizabeth knew what she didn’t want (chemicals, cheap fillers, false promises) and what she did (nutritious ingredients, effective formulas, pretty packaging). The result is a trio of three skin loving products that I have been testing out over the last few months and I can honestly say that I am hooked! They are gentle, nurturing and really effective. Plus I adore the very feminine vintage boudoir packaging, super cute! Let me tell you a little more about the products in the line:

FACE SPRAY

The Face Spray is a refreshing alcohol-free facial mist that infuses your skin with antioxidants and preps it for moisture. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for dehydrated skin or to refresh your makeup. The Face Spray contains organic citrus essential oils which smell deliciously refreshing and they instantly energize your skin and help increase circulation giving your skin a healthy glow. This is my favorite product in the line and I have been totally addicted to it this summer, my skin adores it! This spray instantly wakes up my skin and the smell puts me in a good mood.

THE SERUMThe Serum is a super-potent yet lightweight serum that does it all: feeds, hydrates, and gives your skin a gorgeous rosy glow. It contains a luxurious blend of plant oils and essential fatty acids that restores moisture and elasticity while vitamin C and E help reverse sun damage and protect against free radicals. For my skin, this serum is the perfect night time replenisher and it will be perfect when my skin gets drier during the cooler Fall and Winter months. You can also put a small drop of this serum over your makeup for a dewy glow or midday moisture boost.

SHEA CREAMThe Shea Cream is a luscious velvety soft cream that instantly replenishes and restores your skin without clogging pores. It contains wildcraft harvested shea butter which is rich in vitamin A and helps reverse sun damage, diminishes fine lines and wrinkles, and protects against free radicals. It also contains rosehip seed oil to rebuild collagen and elasticity as well as calendula to calm irritation. This fluffy yummy smelling miracle cream is packed with so many healing ingredients that it helps treat acne, eczema, skin allergies, sunburn, and chapped skin. This is the perfect product to heal your skin after spending the summer in the sun or when your skin needs a little extra TLC. I love it on my lips and dry patches too.

Thank you Elizabeth, my beauty blogging sista, for paving the way and creating such a beautiful trio of products to indulge and pamper women’s skin! I’m totally a fan!