Happy Holidays Beauty Mavens and Fashionistas! I am totally in the festive mood, how about you? So in the spirit of the season, today kicks off the first in a series of Rave Worthy Holiday Gift Guides for 2010. Over the next couple weeks, I will be sharing a selection of fun, inspired, and unique holiday gift ideas that I have recently discovered and found to be ‘Rave’ worthy. I hope you find them helpful and hope you discover some new and different!

Today’s gift guide is focused on all things GREEN, eco, better for you and better for the environment. These are inspired suggestions for that Green Goddess in your life, you know the type: only eats organic, checks every label for toxins, recycles, composts, has solar power at her house etc. So, if these attributes sound familiar, these gifts might be just what you have been looking for!

Redhanded Eco Bags are fashionable, high quality, green, vegan, sweatshop free handbags and computer bags. I love these inspired whimsical bags because they are cruelty free, fun, and eye catching. Plus, the company is run by a warm and passionate husband and wife team who really care about the environment, but do not want to compromise fashion or style. They were kind enough to send me some of their bags to enjoy this summer and I have been loving the Zinnia Petite clutch purse. I especially love it in black, adore the fun floral liner and have noticed that this purse is so well made that it still looks brand new! And they just came out with the most FAB CowPad computer bag that I am totally coveting, so fun and definitely a show stopper! And Romy Raves followers get 20% off all RHB from now until 12/31 with the code blogbuyer.Envirosax are beautifully designed, chic, inexpensive and compact re-useable shopping bags. They are durable, hold up to 44lbs, fully washable, the colors won’t fade, and water-resistant. These are super fashionable, artistic and fun, and don’t look like your typical reusable bag. I just adore the bags in their Graphic Series especially the Bloom Collection. 

Scotch Naturals Nail Polish is a safe, chemical free, eco-chic alternative to conventional solvent-based nail polish. It is made of a revolutionary water-based formula that nourishes and conditions nails, delivering long lasting, salon-quality color. I just discovered this polish brand last week and was so blown away by it, that I just had to include it in my eco holiday gift guide. The colors are hip and fun, it doesn’t smell, you don’t need a basecoat or topcoat and it dries almost instantly with a glossy finish (I did my nails before bed  last night and this morning they were shiny and smudge free-unheard of!) I think the Green Goddess in your life is going to love the Scotch Cocktail Trio which includes your choice of 3 colors, their special gentle remover and a buffer. I am wearing Ceasefire (a khaki green with yellow undertones) right now and LOVE IT! Romy Raves readers get 15% off any individual bottles of nail polish or free upgraded shipping on the Cocktail Trio with the code RAVES15.Organic to Green Is a lovely locally based company, run by a Green Goddess named Rianna. All of her body and skincare products are handmade out of the finest certified organic and natural ingredients, and when available, packaged in recycled glass bottles. She also donates a percentage of her annual profit to Greenpeace International-that’s a whole lotta Green Love! Checkout the delightful assortment of organic gift sets HERE.

Nissan LEAF As an added bonus and in the name of all things GREEN, I thought I would include a video I recently did at the LA Auto Show on behalf of Nissan, sharing my impressions of the 2011 Nissan LEAF. It’s the Ultimate Green Car because it’s 100% electric and the majority of the interior is made out of recycled water bottles-so cool! Check it out:

Disclosure: I was given samples of all the above products, but did not make any promises to include them in my gift guides–but I when I love something I always want to RAVE about it and share it with you. I was also paid by Nissan to host this video, but the opinions are totally my own, and I was not paid to promote it.

I have always been drawn to Eminence Organic Skin Care products because they are made of all natural, good for you ingredients and especially because these products really tantalize my senses. Eminence’s products are colorful and grab my attention visually, but it is their amazing smells (which are all natural) that win me over every time.

These products contain the highest possible levels of all-natural fresh organically grown herbs, fruits and vegetables which are hand-picked and hand-mixed with pure waters drawn from a thermal hot spring lake containing minerals and trace elements found nowhere else on earth. Eminence products are handmade in Hungary, not mass produced, without any heating or hydrogenating processes. So they are beautifully made in addition to making a difference in your skin.  And I have a few new favorite products in the line, which I would love to share with you.

I am absolutely in LOVE with the Tropical Vanilla Sun Cream SPF 32! Why you ask? It smells deelish (kinda like berry vanilla), has a very appealing high level of SPF and most importantly it offers an amazing level of contiuous hydration and moisture for my winter parched skin. It has shea butter which is calming and emollient; zinc oxide which is an anti-inflammatory and blocks UV rays; and vanilla which is soothing and improves circulation. My skin is really adoring this product and I find myself turning to it over my other moisturizers with SPF because it gives my skin a supple and luminous glow.

I am also really enjoying the yummy berries and cream smell and gentle exfoliation of the Blueberry Soy Exfoliating Cleanser. It contatins blueberry juice which tightens pores and is high in antioxidants and phyto-nutrients; pineapple extract which is an enzyme that dissolves proteins; grape extract which fights free-radicals, detoxifies and helps to prevent pigmentation; soy milk which is rich in isoflavones and vitamin B; and a proprietary blend of vitamins and enzymes to combat free radicals. Doesn’t it sound good enough to eat? I just love how this product appeals to my foodie self as well.

IMO, Eminence has some of the best, yummiest and most effective facial masques in the skincare market. And the new Raspberry Pore Refining Masque is no expection. OMG, this masque smells like a combo of raspberry jam and cassis–love that! And then I put this yummy edible concotion on my face and it hydrates, freshens, rejuvenates and tightens all at the same time–I likie! This masque also contains more good for you ingredients like: raspberry juice which tightens pores and fights free radicals; honey which is moisturizing and nourishing; blueberry juice which also tightens pores and is high in antioxidants; blackberry juice which tightens pores and is high in vitamins B, C, K, and Omega-3;  and the same proprietary blend of vitamins and enzymes to combat free radicals.

To partake in this wonderful feast for the senses, you can buy your Eminence Organic Skin Care Products HERE. What are your favorite organic skincare products? Do Tell!

Inquiring minds want to know what this fabulous trend maven is up to and where does she get her latest scoops and insider information? Lucky you, here is a glimpse of events that I have recently attended or am planning to attend, all in an effort to share the latest and greatest with you:

Go Green Los Angeles Expo

I attended this all-things-green and eco friendly this past weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I must admit that I find the trend towards all things green very encouraging, and like that many companies in all categories are creating products that showcase the best of the green movement.  A few of the products that really caught my eye at this expo were:

Vapur

A completely collapsible reuseable water bottle, that is designed to be rolled and tucked away. It is perfect for airline travel cause you can fill it on the other side of security. What an inspired eco friendly idea and I love the pink color!

 Further Hand Lotion

Both the beauty maven and the foodie in me was pretty impressed by this fully sustainable beauty product concept. This yummy smelling lotion is made out of used vegetable grease that is sourced from restaurants like Mario Batali’s Mozza (can you say squash blossom pizza? ). Basically, this used oil is turned in biofuel (which is used to drive cars BTW) and glycerin happens to be the byproduct of the biofuel distillation process. This glycerin then becomes the base of this citrusy green lotion thus taking the recycling process further–too cool!

  People Towels

A quick-drying, reusable personal hand towel that you carry with you and it is made of lightweight, 100% organic, fair trade cotton. This is an inspired green alternative to paper towels in public facilities and I adore the LOVE design (what a perfectly green V-day gift).

Bag Lady Promotions Los Angeles: Kick Off Your Heels and Network Event

This is a members only local networking group geared towards women entrepreneurs. It attracts a diverse assortment of women who all have the common goal of growing their business locally and I always meet amazing women at these events (like my new soul sista SavvySassyMoms and the addictive S’muffins created by Carmen at Gotta Have S’more) This months event was held at Focus Self Defense Fitness in Culver City and we had a lot of fun learning Krav Maga and schmoozing.

The International Salon & Spa Expo (ISSE)

I am SO excited about attending ISSE in Long Beach, California this weekend because it is the biggest professional cash-and-carry beauty exposition and educational event on the West Coast. I cannot wait to scout the latest and greatest beauty trends and products. And please make sure to follow me on twitter @romyraves for my real time trend updates from the expo floor. And stay tuned for exciting blog posts in the near future about my newest discoveries.

Natural Products Expo West March 2010

Natural Products Expo West is the premier trade show for the healthy products industry, it is attend by over fifty thousand industry leaders and it is ranked as one of the top 100 shows in the US. This is a huge intense, overwhelming and amazing show and I love every minute of it.  The foodie and healthy gal in me loves discovering the latest and greatest in the natural food world. Stay tuned for more discoveries after the expo.

I recently discovered a wonderful line of what I am calling ‘dental couture’ products called Dentalogica. This is a line of oral care products with high quality natural ingredients and chic modern packaging. I must admit that it was the hip green packaging that initially grabbed my attention, but now that I have had a chance to try most of the line, these products are rather impressive.

Dentalogica was created by dentists who wanted to create a line of luxury oral care products that stood out among the rest. Dentalogica features an exclusive ingredient in all of its products called Blood of the Dragon, which is a natural extract harvested from the Dragontrees found in the Cloud Forests of Ecuador. This unique ingredient has been utilized for centuries to seal and protect wounds, speed healing, kill bacteria, reduce inflammation and stop bleeding.  It is this proprietary ingredient and beautiful formulas that help these products standout above the rest.

Fierce White ($59)

In my opinion, Fierce White is the hero product of this line. This whitener is comprised of an advanced dual-action whitening system that can whiten your teeth up to six shades in just 3 days–that’s certainly fierce! After 3 days you will notice a significantly brighter, healthier looking smile–and I truly did!

This is an easy two step whitening process where you first apply the primer which contains visible bits of the ”blood of the dragon” extract and after a few seconds you apply the whitening gel and then repeat for three days. I must tell you that even after one application my teeth were noticeably brighter and I had absolutely none of the sensitivity that is common with other whiteners. Overall, I found it an effective and easy to use product that I would highly recommend.

 Hydra’s Wash ($19)

Another product I really like in the line is Hydra’s Wash Complete Mouth Rinse. I love the way the sleek green bottle looks in my bathroom and I like that it offers more than your typical mouthwash. It contains zinc to help maintain fresh breath longer and inhibit the calcification of plaque; xylitol which is a natural ingredient that helps fight germs that lead to bad breath and creates a barrier against plaque formation. I like the refreshing, but not overpowering mint flavor and that my teeth feel cleaner after use.

This inspired line is definitely worth checking out because its chic, unique and effective. Click HERE to purchase. Please post comments and share your favorite oral hygeine products or tips.  

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am obsessed with good active skincare and have been since I was a teenager. Being a forty-something-year-old, I am now constantly on the hunt for the best anti-aging skincare products on the beauty landscape, and given that I consider myself a maven in this category when I find something good that changes my skin, I am over the moon. I get even more excited when I find anti-aging products that are organic and actually work. Let me introduce you to a wonderful new line of products I discovered over the summer at Cosmoprof called Skin 2 Skin

Skin 2 Skin is an advanced, anti-aging, natural, certified-organic, cosmeceutical skin care line made with cutting-edge peptide technology. The products contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, natural antibiotics, moisturizers and natural UV protection and are formulated without parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, paraffin, synthetic color or fragrance, PABA , harsh-chemicals, carcinogens and animal ingredients/animal testing. And to add to their environmentally friendly appeal, this company adheres to strict green practices by using local ingredients, lightweight, recyclable packaging and labels with non-toxic inks. In addition to all the amazing benefits that I mention above, the reason that I am loving this line is because it feels incredible on my skin and it delivers beautiful results. I have been giving this line a thoughtful trial since August and I am truly pleased with the results (even though I am historically skeptical about the effectiveness of organic products). My skin is more even, supple, smoother and healthy looking and it just keeps getting better. Today, I would like to tell you about a couple of my favorite standout products in the line:

Anti-Aging Revitalizing Eye Gel

I am all about the eyes, specifically with keeping mine looking youthful, fresh and awake and this great new eye gel really does the trick. It absorbs quickly, has an appealing cooling sensation (which makes me feel like it is really working), reduces puffiness, dark circles and fine lines and leaves the perfect amount of moisture around my eyes. I also really like that all of the Skin 2 Skin products are designed to impact and reverse the undesirable signs of photoaging (the build-up of sun damage on our skin that makes us look weathered and old, who needs that? Not me!) I really love the way my eyes look after I apply this product (awake and hydrated), it is a subtle but noticeable difference that makes me smile.

Skin 2 Skin’s Anti-Aging Revitalizing Eye Gel contains a proprietary concentration of aloe vera, arnica oil, noni juice, white and green tea, cucumber and horsetail extracts and ginkgo. These natural anti-oxidants (which sound more like food or vitamin supplements) all work together to reduce puffiness, visibly brighten, nourish the cells and protect the skin from harmful sun damage. Love it!

Anti-Sagging Renewal Serum

I absolutely fell in love with this product from the very beginning because it is one of those high tech, super cool feeling products that instantly changes the look and feel of your skin. Immediately after I apply this fast absorbing product, my skin feels silky and looks smooth—and then the next morning my skin is transformed (with the help of the other fab products in this line). My skin feels wonderful to the touch and it looks a bit more youthful and even toned each time I use this skincare regimen.

The Anti-Sagging Renewal Serum is formulated with a high concentration of Matrixyl, an innovative anti-aging ingredient that constantly reminds our cells to replenish water. Matrixyl significantly decreases the appearance of surface wrinkles, strengthens elasticity, promotes tissue repair and gives the skin a firmer more youthful appearance.

I could go on and on about these wonderful products that truly work as a system to turn back the hands of time and undo the stupid sun worshipping mistakes that we all made as kids, but I will quit while I am ahead.You can buy these fabulous products HERE and as an added incentive all Romy Raves Readers will get a 20% discount on their first purchase using the Promotion Code: Firstbuy.

Please stay tuned for a couple of AMAZING giveaways of these transformational products coming soon.

Today, I would like to introduce you to another new favorite elixir of mine, Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Anti-Aging Serum  This miraculous oil-like serum is filled with all sorts of natural, good-for-you organic plant derived ingredients (that’s why it smells so yummy, fresh and herbalicious) and it immediately soothes and calms my skin after exposure to environmental stressors (like sun, pollution or climate changes), and it is especially effective at relieving my skin after over zealous product use or a professional peel. This product is more like a healing treatment serum and I love the way it nurtures my skin back to health. I prefer to use it at night because it is oil-based and I wake up in the morning with refreshed, moist, luminous skin.

The entire Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Anti-Aging Skincare Line was created by Horst Rechelbacher, an environmentalist and the founder of Aveda (so obviously this guy knows his way around beautifully made, natural beauty products). This certified organic health and beauty line is made from food-grade non-toxic ingredients which feed and protect the skin with the most potent form of antioxidants that reduce inflammation, soften fine lines and wrinkles and protect against environmental stressors—and this product is so pure and clean that it is even suitable for the most sensitive skin types. The Anti-Aging Serum is composed of Intellimune® Seed Oil Complex, Acai, Argan and essential oils that infuse the skin with antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids to increase moisture, firmness, radiance, elasticity, and enhance skin tone and texture. That’s a mouthful of healthy, healing ingredients—no wonder it’s my new go-to face healing serum, what a treat from Mother Nature!

This product is a must-have in your beauty first aid kit and you can rest assured that it will always be there to offer calming comfort when your skin needs it most. You can buy this wonderful product HERE. Please post and tell me about your fav magical face serums or products that help you transition from season to season?

Gamila’s Secret  that is. Gamila of Galilee is a Druze healing woman who was taught at an early age by her grandmother that a mixture of wild herbs and hand pressed olive oil had a cleansing and healing effect on the skin. These early lessons were so powerful that she made it her life’s mission to share these ancient healing remedies with the world and give everyone the opportunity to have healthy, radiant skin for as long as they live.

Â

Her SECRET is a divine bar of handmade soap that I was delighted to discover at Cosmoprof this year. This is NOT your ordinary soap, this is a beautiful, lovingly handmade bar of soap with 15 herbs from the hills of Galilee (seven being a proprietary blend of hand picked herbs carefully selected by Gamila herself) and 80% pure virgin oil olive. This soap is created using ancient methods of combining various oils and herbs, then boiling it for up to forty hours, hardening it for up to sixty hours, and then like a fine wine, each bar of soap is slowly aged for three to six months (talking about soap like it is wine is a comparison that totally intrigues me ). Then as the icing on the cake, Gamilia herself inspects every bar of soap before it is packaged and sent out into the world, much like a mother prepping her child to go out on its own. How could you not fall in love with a product that is created with that much nurturing?

Â

And then you try it and can see what all the fuss is about. It smells divine (my fav fragrances are Soothing Geranium and Lavender Heaven) and then lathers into a creamy, luscious, frothy foam that feels cleansing and nurturing at the same time. And I must admit, I am totally hooked on this product—I like aromatherapeutic scent that instantly calms me and the way this healing hydrating foam feels on my skin, as well as the refreshed feeling I have when it is rinsed away ( I even love the ancient looking stone dish that they recommend to keep the soap from getting mushy).  But I think it is the ancient lineage of this remedy that really grabs me the most—You feel the history, love and attention to detail that goes into the creation of this marvelous product, like you are part of something bigger, and that feels GOOD.

Â

And then there are all these wonderfully natural, healing ingredients in this magical soap: pure olive oil and secret herbs that moisturize, boosts skin’s elasticity, and stimulate self healing. It’s also 100% natural, has no preservatives or artificial colors, is even suitable for sensitive skin types and can be used to wash your face, body or even as shaving cream or a facial mask. Because of its tremendous healing properties, it is recommended that you leave Gamilia’s Secret on the skin for a few minutes before rinsing it off and try it for at least one month to help put your skin back in balance. You can buy these wonderful bars here and please let me know if you can feel the love.

Â

This just in: Gamila Secret would like to extend a special offer to Romy’s Raves readers—a discount of $5 off your order by entering this code on the web order form: 17082009

Â

This offer is good thru September 2009.