Romy Raves

I can’t believe it’s September already, can you? This summer has just flown by and before you know it, Fall will be here once again. If you are anything like me (and obsessed with keeping your skin looking young and pigmentation/sunspot free), I really try to avoid the sun, but still want that fresh radiant looking summer glow. And now with Fall just around the corner, I have been trying various bronzers and shimmery products to help me look sun kissed and golden in order to help me  hang onto the last morsels of summer.  Below you will find some of my latest discoveries. Here’s to you Golden Goddess!

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil This is one of my new favorite yummy summertime bronzing products, I fell in love with it the first time I used it! It is a sheer matte bronzing powder that contains real cocoa powder (which neutralizes redness) and is lightly scented with chocolate. It gives me the perfect amount of sheer bronze color, it’s not at all orange, and I just adore the hint of chocolate. The idea of combining a bronzer with cocoa and chocolate is unique, inspired and fun. I’m a fan!

Booty Parlor Flirty Little Secret Firming Bronzer with Pheromones I just adore Booty Parlor’s sexy and feminine inspired products and Flirty Little Secret is no exception (don’t ya just love the name!) Flirty Little Secret Bronzer is a lightly shimmery, florally scented firming bronzer that contains pheromones which are designed to make you more attractive to the opposite sex. I think this is a pretty unique product because it makes you look sexy on the outside and feel sexy on the inside.

Givenchy Fleur de Frangipanier Unique Compact Powder in Island Tan Givenchy is one of my favorite prestige brands because their products are super high quality and their packaging is beautiful and luxurious. This beautiful flower inspired bronzing powder blends three different shades from the top to the bottom of the pan which results in a beautiful shimmery light bronze peachy glow, and I feel like it makes me look luminescent. I also adore the gorgeous packaging on this compact which I would describe as a floral Asian motif.

NYX Bronze Smokey Look Kit NYX is a fabulous brand that makes high quality professional make-up products at budget friendly prices. I just adore this new Bronze Smokey Eye Look kit because it has everything you need to create the perfect warm smoky eyes and lips all in one kit. This uber cute double tiered compact kit comes with 9 brown/bronze eyeshadows, 2 shimmery lip colors, a mirror, 2 applicators, and easy to follow instructions for the perfect smoky eye – all for under ten bucks!

Hard Candy So Baked Bronzer in Hula Hula I have raved before about the newly reinvented affordable Hard Candy products, and their baked bronzers are equally appealing. These bronzers are baked to create a beautiful, dewy yet matte finish that gives your skin a hint of bronzed color for a sun-kissed look. I am really enjoying the Hula Hula shade that gives my skin a radiant summer glow.

Tags: Bronzers

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.

Tags: Eat Pray Love, Fragrance, Fresh

I have been traveling a lot this summer and my skin has been acting a little persnickety because of all the different climates that I have been in. My face has been more shiny and oily than usual from all the summer heat and humidity on the East Coast, and it just feels dirtier and has been breaking out more than usual. For all these reasons, I have been gravitating towards more refreshing, deep cleaning, and minty type face cleansers in order to combat the annoying summer stickiness that I have been feeling on my skin. Following are the cleansers that I have been especially enjoying this summer:

Tammy Fender Purifying Cleansing Gel Spearmint & Afalfa  This is a clarifying, oxygenating and energizing cleanser that contains Moroccan Rosemary and Tangerine essential oils that gently and effectively remove impurities, oxygenate the skin and support cell nourishment. The cleanser also contains licorice which helps brighten the skin; alfalfa which is high in chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium which help to promote healing; and peppermint to detoxify, energize, and increase lymph circulation.

I fell in love with this beautifully made cleanser the first time I tried it because you can really feel the high quality, acitve and good for your ingredients. I really like its honey-like texture (but not sticky), how it coats the skin in minty coolness, gently cleanses and removes the gunk of the day and it leaves my skin refreshed, cool and supple.  A new fav!

Osea Ocean Cleansing Mudd This is a marine-based daily cleanser that removes impurities while clearing up blemishes and controlling excess oil production. It contains red algae, laminaria and green algae, all highly concentrated in vitamins and minerals which help exfoliate, purify clogged pores and leaves the skin smooth and invigorated. It also contains tea tree oil which helps promote a healthy pH balance and improves the skins appearance. This is a more intense, minty feeling mud cleanser that really gets rid of dirt and oil and wakes up the skin. I have been using this fabulous new cleanser after my long SoCal summer hikes where my skin gets coated with dirt and dust, and it really does the job. I probably wouldn’t use this cleanser if you have sensitive skin or in the dry winter months, but for me it’s the perfect summertime deep cleanse.

Origins Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser This is a strong yet gentle foaming cleanser that contains skin clearing Saw Palmetto, cooling mint, and salicylic acid which helps clear pores, eliminates excess oil and reduces shine. Kudos to Origins for making this wonderful new cleanser that leaves skin tingly and refreshed! I also really like the Origins Zero Oil-Free Moisture Lotion in this line because it contains the same key ingredients as the cleanser and it also creates a refreshing smooth matte finish. It’s a refreshing summer product duo!

Dermelect Detoxifying Oxygen Facial Commission Cleanser This innovative cleanser is three products in one: a non-stripping foaming cleanser, an oxygenating facial masque and a deep cleaning toner. This cleanser re-energizes, revitalizes,  brightens, and hydrates your skin all at once. I dig how you activate this cleanser with water and then it turns turns into a wonderfully bubbly foam that releases oxygen molecules and purifiers that instantly detoxify and invigorate your skin.  I love how fresh, hydrated and rejuvenated my skin looks and feels after using this product. It’s a keeper for sure!

Garnier Moisture Rescue Fresh Cleansing Foam This is a refreshing cleanser that cleans, detoxifies, eliminates impurities, and hydrates the skin. I am not typically a mass product girl, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this cleanser and how fresh and clean it made my skin feel. If you want great budget friendly cleanser that smells fresh, effectively eliminates impurities and leaves your skin feeling hydrated afterward, this is a must try! I am also loving the combination of this cleanser with another unexpectedly appealing product in the line Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream. This is a wonderfully lightweight oil-free gel that locks in moisture, blocks out dryness and delivers long-lasting hydration. I like its sea fresh smell, how it instantly absorbs yet it keeps my skin hydrated all day, and that it’s the perfect weight and texture for my sticky congested summer skin.

Tags: Cleansers, summer

The Big Apple & Me

 Hello, Hello fans and followers! So sorry I have been remiss about posting, but I have been caught up in the BlogHer frenzy and am finally feeling alert and present again (sorta). So what’s all this hype and talk about BlogHer you ask? What is BlogHer all about anyways? Well, lucky you, I am going to give you the down low on this annual event.  

BlogHer is gathering of over 2000 female bloggers (with a few token males) and brands that covet them. They call it a conference, but in my opinion it is more of a networking, socializing schmoozing event rather than a sit down and learn something conference. In fact, most of the bloggers that I talked to don’t attend any of the sessions at BlogHer because they are not content rich enough, plus there are so many more enticing offers rather than sitting in a chair listening to a panel. I actually attended one session at BlogHer and IMO it was very weak on content, disorganized and the worst part was the panel members never really answered the questions asked–It was a total waste of time! 

Now for the good stuff! Well what is totally amazing and enticing about BlogHer is that it is a fantastic way to meet and bond with your social media friends IRL and meet the icons in the blogging world. The networking was amazing and I made so many fab connections with inspiring, successful, genuine bloggers – that alone was worth it. Then add to that feeling like a celeb because I was invited to so many fabu parties and SWAG gifting suites, that it would make your head spin. The amount ot SWAG and the perseverance of brands to connect with bloggers was both encouraging and overwhelming at the same time. I never imagined what it would be like and although it was draining and exhausting, I loved it and will never forget my first time.  

So here are some of the highlights:  

Me & the Jimmy Dean Sun

The Expo Halls

Two large conference halls were filled with booths representing a variety of lifestyle and female friendly brands all there hoping to make connections with a wide variety of bloggers and get them to buzz about their brand. This reminded me of the more typical lifestyle, beauty and business conferences that I have attended in the past, however it seemed kicked up a notch. Tons of giveaways, interactive experiences and the ability to schmooze with some key executives or PR reps for that brand.  The highlights from the Expo floor were: demoing Wii’s Just Dance 2 game, getting a pair of Assests (Spanx new mass brand) Super Control Unbelievable Underwear, Visiting the JVC booth and shooting this fun video, smelling Play-Doh perfume, meeting the Pop-n-Fresh Dough Guy and the Jimmy Dean Sun and seeing Padma Lakshmi from Top Chef.  

S'mores Suite

Hershey’s S’mores Suite  

Hershey’s by far had the best BlogHer suite decked out to make you feel like you were camping in the woods, roasting marshmallows on mini grills and making yummy smores. So cute and fun! Oh and I got to meet super cutie Adam from season 4 of the next Food Network Star who has a great new show focused on all things sweet called Kid in a Candy Store.   

Parties & Events Following is a list of every party or event I had the pleasure of attending during my 3 days at BlogHer and as you can see it was quite alot! And there were even about 4-6 more events that I was invited to but never had a chance to make it to. This is enough parties to last a girl for a year let alone three days, but being the diligent lifestyle maven that I am, I went, I dazzled, I networked and I had a blast (sleep is what I lacked!) 

“Seeds of Inspiration” Reception This was a lovely classy intimate reception at Aquavit Restaurant hosted by this green better for you beauty product brand. It was founded by a husband and wife duo who are ex-J&J employees and their mission is to bring better for you products to the masses. I left with a bag filled with all of their products to try and felt I was off to a good start.    

Bloggers’ Night Out! @ Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia We were invited to Martha’s Stewart’s headquarters to meet the key staff members in each department (Martha was there for about 10 minutes but I missed her due to the long line to get in), drink some yummy cocktails and eat tasty morsels, try our hand at some crafts, enter raffles for some fab prizes and leave with a goodie bag of Martha products. I loved the Pipe Cleaner lady who made the most fab flower rings out of pipe cleaners and the mini pink whoopie pies were divine. 

Nu Skin/CraziBeautiful “I Heart New York” Social This was an invite only suite where we got to get up close and personal with some coveted beauty brands (my favorite passion). I was excited  to learn all about the Age Loc and Galvanic system by Nu Skin and they are sending a system for me to try so stay tuned for that review. And then Luminess Air allowed us to try their new compact airbrush make-up kit and generously sent us each home with one. I schmoozed with the fun and fab hosts of the party who I adored, took in the wonderful city view from their patio and appreciated the easier cadence of this more quaint event- and they gave me a fab goodie bag filled with lots of beauty booty and a 1 day NYC sight seeing pass    

Me, Gavin & Tania of Pure Natural Diva

Schick Kiss & Tell

This was the perfect end of the night party with yummy girly cocktails and a live performance by the adorable Gavin De Graw and the hot Karina Smirnoff from Dancing With The Stars was there too. Such fun!  

Getting Gorgeous Event This was another of my fav BlogHer events because it was all about beauty and fashion. Remington was there showing us their new pearlized heat tools, Lia Sophia showed their latest jewelry collection and let us pick a fab piece, Sketchers Shape-Ups provided try-on’s, PowerMat educated us on the latest in Wireless device charging and gave us their whole system (my hubby was fond of this SWAG), and my fav part of the event was getting to try on the amazing Miraclebody Jeans by Miraclesuit (they make those great sveltifying bathing suits) and with the help of celebrity stylist Robert Verdi, I found my perfect fit and style and got to take them home. This event was totally up my alley!  

Sweets in the City- Suite Event Yet another SWAG suite hosted by The Big Toy Book and Sharpie where we had a glass of wine and delicious cupcakes and left with some more fun goodies.  

Andrea of Savvy Sassy Moms & Me @ Swanky After Hours

Swanky After Hours BlogHer 2010 

One of my fav blogging gal pals Andrea of Savvy Sassy Moms hosted this classy swankified event at the Penthouse of the London Hotel.  The event was sponsored by Ciao Bella Gelato and Zulily and it was by far the best party I attended at BlogHer. It was an amazing space, not too crowded had amazing girly drinks sponsored by Sky Vodka and the deelish Ciao Bella Gelato (I was a fan of Blackberry Cabernet mixed with Chocolate). And once most ot the party cleared out, a handful of us blogging babes climbed in the tub to toast the fabulous night (fully clothed of course )  

e.l.f & XBox Glamour & Gaming Event We were invited to the new e.l.f headquarters to see their latest make-up collections, get makeovers, test XBox’s new Kinect system, have a cocktail and some tasty appts and bond with other like minded women. We left with a bag of e.l.f goodies and even a pair of sunglasses. 

Sugar Jones & Me @ UnWindHer

Tavern Direct UnWind Her Party Hosted by Romy Raves 

I wanted to host an intimate gathering of fab bloggers to unwind at the end of BlogHer, have a good meal, drink some divine wine and connect to a worthy cause. It was a perfect evening of honest sharing, learning about TavernDirect’s mission to help missing & exploited children, and of course I gave out some awesome goodies from some of my fav companies like Envirosax, Red Handed Bags, Kenneth J Lane Jewerly, Hard Candy, It Cosmetics, MOR Cosmetics, Rahua Beauty and Barista Bath and Body. 

CheeseburgHer Another after hours stop hosted by McDonald’s with all the cheeseburgers you could eat and a hat decorating contest.   

I Left My Buns in New York City Sponsored by Flatout Bread I actually never made this fab AM walk through Central Park, but was delighted that when I returned home the company sent me a box full of their flatbread products and healthy recipes too–I am loving their peanut butter, jam and fresh strawberry and banana wrap-yummilicious! And they were kind enough to send a gift card so I could stock up on more healthy food post BlogHer.  

Taste of Loews Brunch My last morning in NYC for BlogHer was spent at this elegant foodie brunch hosted by Loews. They shared with us their programs catering to upscale family travel and treated us to an amazing brunch of gourmet sushi, eggs and a cheese bar. I enjoyed every morsel! And they win the prize for the most meaningful giveaway because they gave us each a DonorsChoose.org $20 giftcard to make a donation to the charity of our choice, love that! 

A Discussion on Healthy Eating hosted by SOYJOY I also made a quick stop at this event and caught the tale end of the presentation where leading health experts shared their tips for healthy living at the top of the Le Parker Meridian Hotel (amazing views). I loved hearing celeb train Harley Pasternack tell us that his celeb clients are totally human and do not workout more than 1 hour everyday, nice to know. We left with books from each of the experts and armed with some tips to get us back on track. 

Hope you enjoyed my blow-by-blow recap of BlogHer, kinda crazy I know! Gotta go now cause I am off to an advanced screening and event for Eat Pray Love  - such is the life of a lifestyle maven

Tags: BlogHer 2010

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!

Tags: Parfum, QVC, TOVA Signature Platinum