Romy Raves

Greetings loyal followers, I have been busy, busy keeping up with all that is going on in the beauty world, hence the lapse in posts. Below, you will find a sampling of some fun things that are popping up in the beauty world, as well as some of the trend scouting missions and events that have been keeping me busy. Enjoy!

MAC Venomous Villains  The blogosphere is all abuzz about the Fall release of MAC’s latest inspired collection called the Venomous Villains. I am particularly excited about this special collection because not only am I a beauty maven, but I am an avid collector of all things Disney female villians (which I call the Evil Queens.) Can you say Malificent, Cruella, and Ursula?

Here’s the official scoop: MAC Cosmetics is teaming up with Disney to create a limited edition color collection, intended to launch globally in late September in all MAC locations. The products will feature four Disney characters, on which the brand is keeping mum at the moment — although with a collection name of Venomous Villains, it is assumed that we’re not talking Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse here. Lipstick, powder, lip gloss and blush shades will be sold, ranging in price from $12 to $29.50. I will be all over this fabu collection!! Click on this link for a fun teaser of this new collection: Sneak Peak of MAC Venomous Villians

CEW Award Winners Cosmetic Executive Women, Inc. (CEW) is one of the leading trade organizations in the beauty industry, comprised of members who are some of the most influential people in the beauty business (including yours truly ) The CEW Beauty Awards are one of the industry’s highest honors because they recognize some of the most innovative beauty products of the year, as voted by CEW members and industry experts. Winners of this award gain tremendous exposure in the beauty category. The 2010 CEW Beauty Award Winners were just announced, click HERE for the list.

NYX Cosmetics Decade +1 Unveiled Event Last week, I was invited to a super fun swanky poolside party at the[caption id="attachment_2698" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Katherine McPhee & Me at NYX Event"][/caption]Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in celebration of NYX Cosmetics 11th Anniversary. This brand is probably best known for making high quality, professional make-up at affordable prices. In honor of this milestone, the brand hosted this great event to celebrate its established presence in the cosmetics industry. I brought along another fabulous blogger TravelsWithTwo, and we enjoyed hanging poolside, checking out celebs (like Carmen Electra & Katherine McPhee) listening to great tunes, sipping the signature NYX-tini (a yummy grapefruit pink girly concoction), eating yummy morsels (loved the petite burgers and the Guinness Beer milkshakes), and playing with samples of NYX Cosmetics. We left with lots of NYX make-up goodies and I am especially enjoying their yummy berry flavored and slightly tingly Mega Shine Lip Gloss.

I LOVE being a lifestyle and beauty blogger (as you can tell). It gives me both insider access and the opportunity to discover unique products, services and trends so that I can share them with my readers. Honestly, sharing tips, resources, products, places and services delights me to no end So every now and again, I like to share with you what I am up to (inquiring minds want to know, right?) and how I go about finding the things I share with you on this blog. So here’s a peak at some recent and upcoming events that I am thrilled to attend all in hopes of sharing information that can impact your life in a positive way. Enjoy!

Vital Juice Pop-Up Wellness Retreat  In early April, I was invited to this fabulous healthy lifestyle event hosted by Vital Juice (VJ is a free daily e-mail newsletter and website that brings you the latest trends in fitness, nutrition, beauty and wellness—I LOVE my daily VJ fix ). This Pop-Up event was dedicated to trend influencers in order to showcase some of the latest trends and discoveries in health and wellness. They offered a day of fitness classes, product demonstrations, beauty treatments and healthy eats. Some of my favorite discoveries of the day included trying on Reebok’s new EasyTone fitness shoe, tasting the surprisingly yummy, healthy food from The Fresh Diet, learning about the fabulous attractive shapewear from Yummie Tummie and checking out Ginger and Liz’s hip and eco friendly nail polishes. 

Sassy City Chicks Los Angeles Fashion Bash Last night, I attending this super fun lifestyle shopping event at the Petersen Automotive Museum. It’s a really cool venue and it was such fun to hang out with my gal pal Tif and shop among the cool cars and exhibits. There was music pumping, signature cocktails by PAMA Liqueur cocktails (I had the yummy Fashionista), chair massages, a Ride & Drive opportunity hosted by Chevy, and shopping galore (at bargain prices!). I love my Bling Bling Belt and my collection of statement making cocktail rings (who could resist picking out vintage style rings in a classic Corvette!)

Unique LA – April 24 & 25, 2010  This is the largest independent design show in the country because it gives attendees the rare chance to meet and shop directly from over 300 hand-selected designers and artists. This is a great opportunity to buy local (95% of the products showcased are made in the USA), support LA’s economy, discover new companies and artisanal products, participate in hands on workshops and eat yummy inspired food from some of LA’s hottest new food trucks. I’ll be there this weekend scouting trends and looking for new undiscovered products and companies, can’t wait!

The Luxe Life Pink Carpet Event - April 25, 2010  This fabulous lifestyle, beauty and shopping event donates a portion of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Charity, so you can enjoy yourself while also feeling like you are making a difference. This fun event will have a hand selected assortment of amazing vendors, discounted designer shopping, beauty treatments, consultations with celebrity stylists, make-up artists, cocktails and decadent treats, and a gift bag with a VIP ticket. 

Shecky’s Girls Night Out: Los Angeles – May 19 & 20, 2010  I LOVE Shecky’s GNO!! Twice a year I look forward to this super fun, lively, girls night out, where I hang with my besties, explore lifestyle trends and find the greatest and most unique stuff.  This is a fabulous shopping event for what’s cool and undiscovered in fashion and beauty, and Shecky’s showcases emerging designers, great beauty discoveries, delicious hosted cocktails, and free giveaways. And make sure not to miss the overstuffed goodie bag too! Use promo code STAR30 for 30% of Goodie Bag Memberships (admission) now through April 30th.

The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show LA aka IMATS - June 26 & 27, 2010  This is one of the make-up industry’s biggest showcase events, where thousands of make-up artists, vendors and enthusiasts converge to discuss, display and collect the best that the make-up industry has to offer. This year they will be hosting a highly-anticipated panel of make-up artists from the Tim Burton film, Alice in Wonderland. I love attending this lively show to discover the newest trends in make-up and stare at amazement at the insanely creative make-up artistry from some of today’s most exciting talent–It has a ton of amazing eye candy!

I don’t know about you, but these days my shopping excursions and girls night’s out are happening less and less, much to my dismay. The economy has forced me and my gal pals (and many of you too!) to watch our frivolous spending and to become more selective about where we go out and how we spend our money. So I am always on the lookout for fun, girlie nights out that offer a great experience, value and lots of goodies: So let me introduce you to Shecky’s!

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Shecky’s is an online and event destination for women to discover the latest and greatest in fashion, beauty, and entertainment. They put on amazing girls night out shopping events around the country where women get to shop emerging designers, learn about new beauty products, sample delicious cocktails and receive free giveaways (and goodie bags too!). These events offer women a place to escape, indulge, pamper themselves and have quality girl time—without the boys! And you gotta LOVE the Shecky’s Mission: To spoil girls with fashion, beauty, fun and the best girlfriend group experiences. All this is for free if become a Shecky’s member or for a nominal fee if you want a goodie bag–What’s not to love!

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 I have been going to Shecky’s Girls Night Out events for the past several years, and I always have a blast because it’s so girlie and I always find a couple of really cool and different items that I have never seen anywhere else–and that makes this trend maven really happy This year I decided to bring some of my favorite gorgeous gal pals to enjoy the festivities (from left to right: Heather, Lani, Yours Truly and Ingy Baby):

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This year I noticed that the bargains were even more plentiful and the vendors were offering even better deals in light of the economy. Like one of my favorite sexy girl companies Booty Parlor was offering some of their top selling sexy treats (like Kissable Body Shimmer and Melt Chocolate Body Fondue) at a Shecky’s special price of ten bucks. Lots of other vendors had bargain bins with many items under $20 and many vendors were offering better pricing if you purchased multiple items from them.

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The most noticeable trend that caught my eye at this Spring 2009 Shecky’s event was a penchant for all things retro, a trend that this rubenesque woman is very fond of! I am a huge fan of the curvy body loving dresses from Nikki Poulos (I am wearing one of her fab dresses in the picture with my girlfriends above) and I feel absolutely gorgeous and feminine when I wear her beautifully crafted designs. Her Summer 2009 collection did not disappoint, and I fell in love with her 70′s-esque Deep Vee Tunic that I am wearing to right along side the designer herself.

And of course no retro fashion diva is complete without a beautiful vintage necklace from Eda and Betty Heirloom Couture. Nikki Massarelli is the amazing designer behind these beauties and her company story only adds to her appeal: she named her company after her grandmothers, Eda & Betty, because as a child Nikki would go to her grandmother Eda’s house and play with her collection of gorgeous jewels and when her grandmother passed she inherited this amazing collection of vintage jewelry–Nikki added an edgy flair to these vintage pieces and everywhere she went people wanted to buy them right off of her body, and thus Eda and Betty was born. Her handcrafted necklaces are statement pieces and her newest designs are customizable and made with vintage Swarovski Chandelier crystals and unique charms. Here I am with the desinger and to the right is a sample of one of her beautiful necklaces.