Romy Raves

I have been a very busy girl lately, testing and trying out a slew of fabulous new beauty products, tough job right? But someone has got to vet the best and most inspired new products coming down the beauty pike and I am always the first one to jump to the front of the line. So with that being said, below I’d like to share with you, nine products that I am currently loving right now and just can’t get enough of! Some of these products are inpsired by the winter holiday season, some combat dryness, and one even has an ingredient that mimics snake venom, but they are all hand tested by me. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts! 

Lather Sweet Lips Limited Edition Lip Balms This is a fabulous trio of lip loving limited edition lip balms in totally addictive seasonal holiday flavors like peppermint creme, candied orange (my fav), and lemon bar. These botanical balms are naturally flavored with essential oils, contain SPF 15 and pure beeswax which forms a nice barrier against the winter elements. I love how emollient, hydrating and yummy these balms are and because this trio is under $20, I think it would make a nice holiday gift for your girlfriends.

Immunocologie Treatment Creme VenoMAX

This is a totally indulgent, luxurious face treatment cream that contains VenoMAX, a proprietary complex that mimics snake venom activity. Specifically, VenoMAX mimics part of a polypeptide found in the venom of the Temple Viper by instantly smoothing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and protecting against inflammation. This potent cream also has an immediate brightening effect, it evens skin tone and helps erase the appearance of past sun damage. I love how hydrating and yummy this cream feels when I put it on my face and I immediately notice how it tightens and firms my skin, very cool! 

Fekkai Ageless All-Day Hair PlumpThis is an ultra-luxurious, daytime leave-in treatment that plumps, replenishes and retexturizes your cuticle to reveal thick, silky smooth hair. It provides intense, continuous moisture throughout the day by filling and plumping up damaged and roughed up cuticles, which results in stronger, younger and healthier looking hair.  This FABULOUS product has totally changed my hair! I can’t get over how bouncy and rejuvenated my hair looks after using this treatment, I LOVE it!

Braun Satin Hair Active Ion Brush

This is an amazing state of the art hair brush designed with active ionic technology that helps eliminate static, smoothes your hair and boosts shine with the touch of a button.  Once you turn this brush on, the active ion light shines and the ion jet releases a rich stream of ions which instantly changes the texture and look of your hair. I kid you not, this brush is an absolute miracle! It totally eliminates static and frizz, and I especially love using it the morning after a great blowout or after a night out on the town because it refreshes my hair and gets rid of the smoke or any other buildup in my hair.

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Ahhhh. . . Spring has arrived and with it comes warmer temperatures, flowers blooming, fruit ripening and everything fresh and alive. I love this transitional time of year because it totally puts me in the mood for change.  Case in point: time to switch things up and try some new fresh, crisp, citrus and fruity fragrances that fit the season. Below are a few of my latest discoveries that just might freshen your mood and spirits just in time for Spring.

Jo Malone Sweet Lemon Cologne & Fresh Mint Leaf Cologne I am totally loving the Limited Edition Tea Fragrance Blend Collection by Jo Malone. This totally inspired new collection is based upon the time honored British tradition of afternoon tea, a ritual I admittedly am rather fond of (what’s not to love about scones and clotted cream?) The collection consists of five distinctive scents utilizing notes and flavors that you would expect to find accompanying afternoon tea like Earl Grey, mint, cream and lemon. The concept utilizes tea as a metaphor for layering fragrances like adding a little Sweet Cream to your Earl Grey to make it richer or adding a little Sweet Lemon to your Fresh Mint Leaf Cologne to brighten it up, fun isn’t it?

I had the chance to try out Sweet Lemon & Fresh Mint Leaf and I am really enjoying this refreshing fragrance combo for Spring. I would describe the duo as fresh, clean and mood elevating. Sweet Lemon is a vibrant, zesty cologne that mirrors the custom of adding a slice of freshly-cut lemon or a sprinkle of sugar to a cup of tea to brighten it up. Sweet Lemon has hints of pineapple, peach and fresh green cypress. Fresh Mint Leaf  is a blend of mint, basil and mate which gives it a green, leafy quality, it also has notes of violet, water jasmine, and musk which adds a wonderful complexity to the cologne.

Fresh Brown Sugar Eau de Parfum is an effervescent citrus scent inspired by the original, all-natural Brown Sugar Body Polish. It has sparkling citrus top notes of Sicilian lemon, tangerine, and açaí; heart notes of sugared magnolia, honeysuckle, and peach nectar; and base notes of caramel, warm amber, and cypress. It has all the qualities I enjoy about the other Fresh Sugar fragrances, but the Brown Sugar Parfumis a bit richer and more complex than its other Sugar sisters. I totally love the refreshing citrus top notes and picture wearing this on a balmy summer’s night with a flowy sundress.

 Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio I am thrilled to have been reunited with Annick Goutal Paris, the maker of an all time favorite fresh herbal citrus fragrance of mine Eau d’Hadrien. My latest discovery by this classic French Parfumer is called Ninfeo Mio, a unique blend of all the notes I tend to love in a fragrance: citrus, green, and woody. Ninfeo Mio is a wonderful combination of Italian lemon, citron and bitter orange along with fig leaf and lemon tree wood. I really like the fresh, herbal, citrus and somewhat spicy top notes anchored by the woody, sultry aromatic dry down. This is a very modern  fragrance that I think would be a perfect way to start the day!

Unless you live under a rock, most of you are familiar with the wildly successful transformational book by Elizabeth Gilbert Eat Pray Love. This is an inspirational memoir about one women’s journey to change her life by traveling to three countries that represent different aspects and obstacles in her life. If you haven’t read it, I highly rec that you do!

First, of course, she visited Italy, a country all about the pursuit of pleasure, especially transcendental Italian food. Next, was India which focused on her inward spiritual journey; and last was Bali, a beautiful country that helped her focus on her discovery of finding true love. I LOVED this book because it really moved me and made me think about being true to yourself and your passions, no matter what life puts in your way. It was one of those memorable, wake-up call kind of books and I will never forget it!

About a week ago, the movie version of Eat Prat Love came out, starring the beautiful Julia Roberts, and Fresh was kind enough to invite me as a guest to an advanced screening of this much anticipated movie. I was super excited to see this movie, since I loved the book so much and I must admit I was a bit disappointed While Julia was great as usual and they did an excellent job capturing the imagery and distinct flavor of each country (I especially loved Richard Jenkins portrayal of Richard from Texas-perfection!), it just suffered by comparison to the book. For me, the book was so inspirational, transformational and profound, but the movie just did not deliver that impact. It didn’t move me in an emotional way, but it did entertain me.

In tandem with the release of this movie, one of my favorite brands Fresh launched an inspired limited edition collection of fragrances called Eat Pray Love to echo the imagery and sensory experiences of each of these countries. These yummy smelling creations have definitely ‘wowed’ me!

EAT Eau de Parfum is a sweet effervescent scent inspired by Gilbert’s travels through Italy. It is reminiscent of those addictive Italian desserts and sensual wines. The top notes are bright Italian lemon, basil and bergamont; these are enhanced by fruity and floral middle notes of plum, red currant, and rose;  which are balanced by the yummy and creamy base notes of caramel, meringue, and vanilla. The sensory journey of EAT reminds you of the rich and creamy textures of an Italian cannoli or a tiramisu dessert topped off with sparkling glass of Prosecco and Limoncello. This is by far my favorite  fragrance in the collection because it is both citrusy fresh and luscious at the same time, and I think Fresh did an excellent job of capturing Italy and eating in bottle. 

PRAY Eau de Parfum is a woodsy fragrance with undertones of exotic spices inspired by Elizabeth’s travels through India. This fragrance was inspired by India’s serene sunsets, fresh soil, and traces of incense and spices. This is a calming scent that was designed to put you at peace with a comforting blend of jasmine, pink pepper, patchouli, amber, juniper berry, cardamom, and incense. This is definitely an earthy scent that reminds me of being in a yoga studio and smelling the incense while meditating.

LOVE Eau de Parfum is a sunny floral with tropical fruity undertones inspired by Gilbert’s travels through Bali.This fragrance was designed to capture the bright, colorful, anything-is-possible feelings of falling in love. Scents of passion, sun-caressed skin, and salty kisses, are combined with the lush aromas of Bali’s exotic landscape. The bright tropical top notes are bergamot, red currant, and mango blossom; the floral middle notes are lisylang, tiare, and jasmine; and the warm earthy base notes are sandalwood, vetyver, and velvet amber. I would describe LOVE as a flirtatious sweet floral, perfect for a summertime date night.

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!

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.