the glossarie

baby it’s cold outside0

POSTED ON Posted on November 13, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

snowsuit

i don’t know what the weather’s like in your neck of the woods, but here in the mid atlantic, we’ve been slammed with a whole bunch of miserable cold and rain. this time of year it is guaranteed that i will a) get a lovely change of season cold, b) my hair will fall flat and commence a 3-month minimum static cling marathon and, c) my entire body will turn all dry and itchy. yuuuck! i know the key to preventing at least one of these catastrophes is to lather up with something rich and soothing right out of the shower when skin is still a little moist. well, to be honest, most days i’m just not that motivated at 6:30 am so my skin suffers. thank goodness philosophy heard the cry of lazy dry-skinned gals like me and created a phenomenal spray lotion for winter skin. not only is it perfectly formulated to balance out moisture levels for this time of year, it is super easy to mist on and let soak in whilst you primp and preen for the day. this may just be the best thing to happen to winter since the snow angel.

Posted in body | Leave a comment

plum pretty2

POSTED ON Posted on November 11, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

shimmerstripes

oh, clinique. just when i think you’ve gone and got boring you wow me yet again. this time it’s with the 2009 holiday collection and the standout blusher, shimmering stripes powder in tuxedo plum. true, it’s very reminiscent of a bobbi brown shimmerbrick but its violet tones make it so unique. packed with four shades, it serves as an all-over highlighter or blush and its stripes can even be swiped individually to be used as eyeshadow. the colors are just gorgeous and i love that you can isolate your brush on the top for a deeper blush or on the bottom for a more subtle glow. if i recall from previous years, these limited edition shimmer compacts tend to sell out quickly so get to clinique.com or a counter quickly to secure your dose of plum pretty.

Posted in blush, cheeks | 2 Comments

brush up on the escentuals1

POSTED ON Posted on November 9, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

fullflawless

i’m a powder foundation girl. i just like the way it enhances my natural tone but never reveals where the makeup ends and my skin begins. i have found that the investment in one amazing brush can make almost any powder super easy to apply and help it last forever. for me, that investment is the full flawless face brush (fffb) by bare escentuals. this brush is generously sized, very soft, and grabs onto makeup minerals depositing them exactly where they belong. i’m such a fan of this brush that i’ve recently replaced my previous fffb with a new model, which says a lot because anytime i finish something off and have an excuse to test something new, i’m all over it. so if you’re a powder girl looking for your brush holy grail, hop on over to your local b.e. boutique, ulta, or sephora.

Posted in tools | 1 Comment

totally tubular2

POSTED ON Posted on November 7, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

tube

there are few things worthy of a weekend post (ok, so maybe that’s a lie) and today’s saturday spotlight is a product update so exciting that it couldn’t wait until monday. beauties of all ages and levels of expertise have been dipping their fingers into rosebud’s tin pot for over a century — because it’s just that good — so it’s about time this cult fave got a little package makeover. while it’s true, the stuff works miracles on cuticles, gone are the days of wondering where to wipe glossy fingers after application because today and everyday moving forward, smith’s rosebud salve now lives in a TUBE! so for those of you who understand how truly remarkable and life changing this news is, say goodbye to greasy digits and hello to gorgeously moisturized lips. and for those of you who’ve avoided rosebud salve, there are no longer any valid excuses for not adopting this $6 wonderbalm. happy glossin’!

Posted in lips | 2 Comments

so artistick1

POSTED ON Posted on November 6, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

primal color

the holidays are almost here and i am giddy with excitement! i am just waiting for my favorite soft rock station (yup, not ashamed) to start playing christmas carols. i tend to shy away from shimmer for the most part, but the holidays and all of their glory let me go a little glam. i like to pair a glittery gloss with a glitzy gold eye and i’m loving this primal color eye shadow stick from shu uemura. it goes on smooth as a cream and dries to a pretty powder finish also solving the issue of sparkly dust left on everything by other shiny shadows with its cool twist up tube. application is simple and mess-free so if a champagne toast or holiday soiree presents itself at the last minute, you’re good to glow!

Posted in eyes, lids | 1 Comment

love & toast1

POSTED ON Posted on November 4, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

lovetoast
i have discovered the most darling denver-based cosmetics company. love & toast by margot elena started as a homemade soap store and, like all good things, reached its pinnacle thanks to oprah and her favorite things. it’s now available in nearly 5,000 boutiques like anthropologie and south moon under where its anchor products are lip balm in yummy flavors of gin lime, cherry lemonade, and vanilla chai, and an insanely rich hand cream in honey coconut, mandarin tea, and sugar grapefruit. you can get your own love & toast fix from the good people at beautyhabit where you should also be sure to check out miss margot’s other enterprise, a little fragrance line called lollia.

Posted in lips, natural beauty | 1 Comment

extreme party in the u.s.a.2

POSTED ON Posted on October 29, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

ExtremePartyMascara

i am squealing with delight to share that bobbi brown has broke ground with the amazing new extreme party mascara! not fit for a wallflower, bobbi brings major fringe in the form of a completely innovative layerable formula that gives the look of fluttery false lashes. this means that those of us that like to layer won’t face the standard clumping and flaking we find everytime we go for more volume and length with other mascaras. that beautiful brush you see up there grabs the tiniest lashes and delivers bobbi’s magic keeping lashes soft and pretty between fresh coats. best of all, the formula fully reactivates so you can go with a single layer for the workday and then take it up a notch after hours, leaving you with one product that covers daytime professional and dancefloor drama.

*extreme party mascara will be available on bobbibrown.com and at bb counters in november!

Posted in eyes, lashes | 2 Comments

one slick stick2

POSTED ON Posted on October 28, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

6a00df35208e3188330120a4ea8ec7970b-500pi

i am just beginning to explore the world of naturally beautiful josie maran cosmetics and so far, i like what i see. she’s obviously got the creative chops to release fun and innovative products like these finger paints but she’s also proving her practical side with the head to toe cure-all known as the argan oil moisturizing stick. so far, for me, it’s solved chapped lips, flyaways, and that obnoxiously dry skin that pops up at my (receding) widow’s peak making it well worth its $22 price point. add on its claims to soothe sunburn, bug bites, and stretch marks? this stuff is better than duct tape! so if your purse is calling for a multitasking balm in a stick (and really now, whose isn’t?), then you’ve just been introduced to the best there is.

Posted in lips, natural beauty | 2 Comments

fatten up0

POSTED ON Posted on October 27, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

GHD-Fat-Hair-Lotion-5-oz_2
i gave up on mastering the at-home blowout long ago and have reverted to a “blowdry with wreckless abandon then rely on the straightener to smooth and style” system. the only bummer is that my trusty flat iron zaps any hope of volume. adding insult to injury is winter weather which brings limp locks and insane static to my head of hair, an affliction i had deemed incurable until now. ghd fat hair lotion to the rescue! a couple of pumps to wet hair results in amped up volume that lasts 48 hours and not a lick of static to speak of, most likely because it’s not drying like other volumizers. the formula smooths my mane, requiring less work with a flat iron and allows the blown-in volume to stay awhile and work its magic, coloring me one bouncy, shiny, happy customer.

Posted in hair | Leave a comment

pearls of wisdom0

POSTED ON Posted on October 26, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

facepowdergems
i love all things heidi klum. her show, her hottie hubby, her gorgeous brood, um … that body (so not fair). everything the woman touches turns to gold and her new limited edition makeup for victoria’s secret is no different. the collection is called exotic jewels and was inspried by a recent trip to india as is totally visible by the gorgeous packaging. two items hot on my list are this gorge eyeshadow palette (oh the looks i could create!) and those pretty face powder gems currently serving as eye candy up above. the gems are so much more lively and spirited than guerlain meteorites, nevermind half the cost. they can be used all over to brighten up the face or concentrated on cheeks for a healthy glow a la freida pinto. these are beyond perfect for the holidays so snap ’em up quick since they’re not around for long!