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!

OK last minute shoppers, we are down to the wire here, and I wanted to give you one final tasty gift idea for the season, something yummy, festive and the perfect gift for a hostess or someone who has everything. Allow me to introduce you to Cheryl&Co, a mid-western based baked goods company, dedicated to providing the finest fresh-baked gifts and desserts flawlessly shipped directly to the consumer.

Earlier this holiday season, I was invited to a lovely Open House hosted by Cheryl’s and held at the Beverly Hills Mrs. Beasley’s location (which is now owned by Cheryl’s.) I had the opportunity to taste some of Cheryl’s and Mrs. Beasley’s yummy holiday treats (can you say buttercream frosting?!), sip an amazing and tasty bubbly cider cocktail and learn all about this brand and what they have to offer. I was especially impressed by all of Cheryl’s affordable, high quality gift sets that ship beautifully, really make a statement and can be shipped anywhere in the US. Following is one my favorite sets of the season, that will surely take care of your gift giving needs through the New Year. Enjoy!

Winter Holidays VIP Tower ($79.99)

I love this stacked blue and white boxed assortment of Cheryl’s treats because its holiday neutral, really festive and classy looking. This gift set includes an assortment of holiday cookies like pecan butternut balls, buttercream frosted snowflake cookies, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle, holiday sugar cookies, frosted hot fudge brownies, classic vanilla buttercream brownies, pretzel clusters, and moist cake slices, 67 pieces in total, whew, that’s a whole lotta yuuminess!

And as a little holiday treat for my readers, I am compelled to share the recipe for my new favorite festive drink of the season, the Holiday Cider Sip which was created by Rachel Hollis (party planning guru extraordinaire!) Its the beverage that I sipped all night at Cheryl’s Holiday Open House. It’s a delicious combo of mulled cider with brandy and a splash of bubbly to top it off, sooooo good!

Holiday Cider Sip

2 quarts apple cider

1 tsp. aromatic bitters

2 sticks cinnamon

1 tsp. whole allspice

3 Cardamum seeds

2 orange studded whole cloves

1/2 bottle of brandy

Combine all ingredients in a pot and heat on medium flame for 1 hour. Reduce flame to warm 2-6 hours. Fill a champagne flute 1/3 of the way full with wassail/spiced cider and top it off with chilled Champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange twist and fresh cranberries. Cheers!

Yesterday, I featured the fabulous Gigi Hill Zipped Brigitte Tote Bag as one of my favs in my purse Holiday Gift Guide and guess what? Today, I am giving away one of these stylish, functional & fashionable bags to you! Cool right? This fabulous multi-purpose high quality bag is perfect for women on the go and features the Gigi Hill Signature Pocket Design which has many compartments for all of your essentials. These beautiful, customizable, handcrafted bags have stunning yet durable hardware and cleanable (wipeable) complimentary interior and exterior fabrics. Gigi Hill Bags and accessories are available online at www.gigihillbags.com, or you can find a Gigi Hill Stylist near you and host a party to earn perks, or if you love the bags you can even become a Gigi Hill Stylist and sell these wonderful bags to your friends and family.

Today, I am delighted to be giving away the Zipped Brigitte in the Dusk/Bordeaux fabric combination. The outside is laminated and has a gorgeous black and white fleur de lis pattern and the interior is oilcloth with a multi-color pink stripe patterrn. So cute and such attention to the finishing details, you will LOVE this bag!

Contest Details 

-How to Enter: All that you need to do to enter this FREE giveaway is use the Rafflecopter Widget Below and click “I DID THIS” in the various boxes below for each way you choose to enter
-Options for Entering: There are (2) choices for daily entries, and (5) choices for one-time only entries and three of them are mandatory for entry.
-Prize: One (1) Gigi Hill Zipped Brigitte Tote Bag in Dusk/Bordeaux (Valued at $168) 
-Contest Dates: 12/16/11 to 12/30/11 at 12:01 am EST
-Please make sure to click on the “DO IT” to do each task and once you have completed the task click the “ENTER” button to confirm your entry. Make sure to enter your name and email for each selection, so your entries will be counted. Good Luck!

Continue Reading »

Happy Holidays My Beauties! I have been very busy vetting and discovering some fabulous, fun and inspired gifts for you to give this holiday season. First up, of course, are my favorite beauty product gift sets this season.There are so many fabulous beauty gifting goodies available this season, and that made it very hard to narrow down my choices, but alas, that is a beauty editors job So without further ado, I present you with my top nine favorite beauty booty gift worthy sets of the Holiday Season 2011, Enjoy!

MOR Cosmetics Secret Garden Gift Tin ($40)I adore the gorgeous high quality products and packaging from MOR and year after year their products never disappoint. I am totally addicted to The Secret Garden Gift tin which contains a trio of products with the earthy, fresh, clean and peppery Kale and Watercress fragrance =LOVE IT! This classy gifting set includes a full sized Kale & Watercress Soap and Hand Cream along with a Cassis Noir Lip Macaron.

TokyoMilk Femme Fatale Collection in Arsenic ($65)This sexy, sultry, edgy holiday gift set from TokyoMilk is super FAB and statement making! This new gift collection includes an eau de parfum, shea butter handcreme and a lip elixir (and comes in 8 fragrance options) and they all contain unexpected crushed and distilled essences which all come together to create an uncommon sensory experience. The Arsenic is my fav in the bunch with fragrance notes like: Absinthe, vanilla salt, cut greens, and crushed fennel, totally intriguing!

Lather Let It Glow ($36)Lather makes the most gorgeous good for you beauty products, and I am loving this new holiday gift set with four yummy candles that are paraffin-free, 100% soy (burns toxin-free), and carcinogen-free. This festive set has four candles infused with natural essential oils in warming winter aromas: peppermint, cranberry orange, brown sugar, cinnamon orange & clove. I adore the cranberry orange, it smells so good that I wanna eat it!

Birchbox Birchbox ($10 per month) I am loving this burgeoning new beauty product sampling concept and Birchbox does it right: For only $10 per month, Birchbox sends members a monthly curated box of 4-5 luxe beauty samples ranging from skincare to makeup to cult beauty tools and from well-known brands to emerging gems. And after you try and love  a product, you can purchase full-size versions directly from Birchbox, earn points for purchases and referrals and then use them towards other products. Here’s a peek at the fabulous samples I got in my October 2011 Birchbox

Zoya Color Box Spectacular Sparkle ($24)

No holiday beauty gift guide would be complete without some sparkly festive polish, right?! Well, Zoya put together the best trio of nail polish gift sets this season: the Color Box Gift Sets which come in 12 pre-selected three polish color combinations and packaged in a pretty crushed velvet collectors box. My personal fav is the Spectacular Sparkle Set with the fuschia pink Allergra, the sparkling metallic Charla, and the festive mermaid green Ivanka. Can you say par-tay?!

Wild & Chic Best of MAKE UP FOR EVER Kit ($55)

Make Up For Ever opened a flagship store in LA and I am now a huge fan! This limited-edition kit features six of MUFE’s bestselling products and it’s the perfect way to get acquainted with the brand. The kit includes all of the essentials needed to create a flawless face: HD Microperfecting Primer, HD Microfinish Powder, Aqua Cream Champagne Shimmer (LOVE this product! Great pigment and it doesn’t move), Smoky Lash Mascara and Lab Shine in Pearly Pink Beige.

Urban Decay 24/7 Travel Size Set of 5 ($32)

This set contains five great Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencils in a nice assortment of colors. These travel size eye pencils are the perfect way to test drive some of UD’s top eye liners and play up the eyes for the holiday season. This set includes: Woodstock (a bright sparkly fuchsia), Radium (a vibrant, shimmery blue), Junkie (a bright sparkly green), Ransom (bright iridescent purple), and Perversion (matte black).

Too Faced Sweet Dreams Makeup Collection ($52)

This is a beautiful ethereal holiday color collection of Too Faced’s most popular shades in one of the most gorgeous decorative packages that I have seen in a long time. This set features 15 pigment-drenched shadows, a full-size Shadow Insurance Primer, two blushes, a sunny bronzer, and a warm, golden highlighter. This will make an impressive gift for that make-up junkie in your life!

Leonor Greyl Luxury Gift Set ($107)

We can’t forget our mane in this gifting round-up, so I am delighted to include this gorgeous trio of Leonor Greyl products in my favs this year. This set includes a full size Shampooing Moelle de Bambou, Masque Fleurs de Jasmin and Serum de Soie Sublimateur, all packaged in a beautiful luxury gift box. These products are hair-loving, hydrating, rejuvenating and so luxurious, I adore them all! I can’t live without Serum de Soie Sublimateur during the dry winter months, it gives my hair the perfect, smooth shiny healthy finish!

Calling All Fashionistas: You are in for a real treat because the trendsetting British online shopping destination, Very.com is coming to the US very soon! Very.com is owned by the UK’s largest shop at home retailer, Shop Direct Group, and Very.com is focused on making British style accessible to the world. This new US site will offer the best of British fashion, style, trends and UK designer brands aimed to entice fashion-conscious American style mavens. The core principle of this new site is to offer unique British products, at great prices, that tap into partnerships with US and UK celebrities.

The first of such partnerships is with Whitney Port from The Hills and The City. The brand is excited to partner with this US based reality TV star and Whitney is equally excited to partner with Very.com because they are a fashion leader that will help promote her own brand, Whitney Eve, both domestically and abroad.

Very.com will also host a ‘Street Style’ blog, where they will be out on the streets of London getting the inside track on what’s hot and continually updating customers about the latest British fashion trends. I really like the idea of getting the inside scoop about what’s hot in British fashion and am excited because if I want to get my hands on a trendy British fashion item, it is only a click away!

And Very.com will also offer free shipping and free returns (which is estimated to take around five days) for orders over $98, which is much less than a plane ticket to London, right? So what are you waiting for? Tally-ho and start shopping for the very best of British fashion on Very.com

Cheerio!