the glossarie

mirror, mirror1

POSTED ON Posted on September 1, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

thefairest
i am giddy with excitement to tell you that today marks the launch of a new internet beauty wonderland. high end cosmetic sale site, the fairest, offers prestige products at up to 75% off retail. it’s a free members only experience similar to haute look or ideeli but exclusive to the best beauty booty on the market. up and coming sales include stila, coola, jurlique, butter london, mor, cosmedicine, and tarte – most of which have been blogged about in the glossarie! the fairest comes complete with its own collection of posts and musings from five contributing beauty experts, directed by none other than nadine “jolie” haobsh. scoot on over ASAP to sign up and start receiving sale alerts and if you’re a stila or coola lover, move fast! the first sale ends in two days.

Posted in 1 | 1 Comment

we’re loving lucy b.0

POSTED ON Posted on August 31, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

lucyb
pure and simply, lucy b. cosmetics is an adorably cheeky brand from down under’s makeup wonder, lucy baldock. having made up the mugs of gwyneth, johnny depp, claudia schiffer, and elle mcpherson, lucy and her photographer hubby marco created a super fresh range of color all their own. brand highlights are a frangipani perfume, a mysterious chocolate tinted lip balm (a must-own), and a most fabulous lip treatment. lucy b.’s line also includes perfume oil roll-ons, fresh juice lip glosses, and a home and skincare division launching soon! it’s a true organic luxury unlike any other so take a peek and treat yourself to the magic and healing of australian wildflowers.

Posted in fragrance, lips, natural beauty | Leave a comment

improving on perfection0

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

lash blast length
covergirl lashblast’s revolutionary volumizing formula and ultra-reasonable price have won fans of all ages and beauty expertise. some pesky critics still maintain that it doesn’t offer enough lengthening effects and the bulky brush makes it tricky to reach corner lashes. well low and behold, covergirl has updated its original formula and introduces new lashblast length. the improved, streamlined brush has 450 tiny closely-spaced bristles specially designed to grab and coat each lash with nylon fibers. so if you lust long, clump-free lashes at a $7 pricetag hustle on over to amazon or drugstore.com. warning: your peepers may stop traffic.

Posted in eyes, lashes | Leave a comment

a fresh look for fall2

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

corfu

happy (almost) september! this past weekend allowed me a rare opportunity to tear through my favorite glossy mags and start gaining inspiration for autumn trends and wardrobe must-haves. going hand-in-hand with the change to wool skirts and jeweled flats is a subtle change in my beauty color palette. i’ve picked three pretty products to transition you right out of this gross humidity into crisper days and cooler evenings.

to start, while this shadow has sailed me right through summer, it’s time to smarten up those eyelids with a great neutral. nars creme shadow in corfu is just the ticket. it’s taupe with a touch of sparkle and it can be swiped on with a fingertip. for cheeks, miss bobbi brown has kept me blushing with this guy since spring, but i’m looking to smashbox blush rush in paradise to warm up my look. the golden peach is more wearable than a certain cult fave and the compact has a brilliant swivel mirror. finally, your fall flush must include gloss volupte from ysl. it’s a sheer, almost lipstick and i’m fully endorsing the frozen plum shade. top it off with a wrap cardi and one of these, you’re good to glow!

Posted in blush, cheeks, eyes, lids, lips | 2 Comments

lordy, lordy kiehl’s is 40!2

POSTED ON Posted on August 25, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

kiehls
i discovered kiehl’s maybe five years ago on the prowl for a perfectly pampering valentine’s day gift for my man. after filling a big kiehl’s tin to its brim with this, that, and the sexiest scent ever created i was quickly hooked. considering kiehl’s has hit the big 4-0, it’s so refreshing to see that they can strike a balance between old-time favorites and trend-setting new products. in celebration of this milestone year, kiehl’s has packaged five flavored lip balms along with their original lip balm #1. the whole set of six is priced at the cost of four and includes mango, vanilla, coconut, mint, and cranberry. like all good things, it’s a limited edition so snap it up quick and either keep the kissable stash for yourself or gift the spares to your favorite gals. happy birthday, kiehls!

Posted in lips, natural beauty | 2 Comments

stay within the lines0

POSTED ON Posted on August 24, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

palette_10
i am really blown away by the entire supernatural collection by philosophy. from the “you make me blush” duos to these super yummy super glossies, there is one product on the list that combines all of my faves. the coloring book palette comes complete with two universally flattering shadows, two glossies, a lit from within healthy creme blush, and a blush duo. the colors are perfect for many complexions and the price is oh-so right at $37.50. to apply your new found fingerpaints, i’m recommending the multi-use brush, the one philosophy claims is all you need. so get shopping! and enter code superbeautiful at checkout for a free supernatural cosmetic bag with $50 purchase.

Posted in blush, bronzer, cheeks, lids, lips, palettes | Leave a comment

oil? slick.0

POSTED ON Posted on August 21, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

jojoba
so i’m back from lovely europe and i had a wonderful time! i won’t bore you with the details of my non-beauty focused adventures but i will share with you that i visited sephoras in both portugal and spain finding only slight differences in brand availability (the addition of helena rubenstein, shu uemura, clarins, and chanel, all in store!). i also troved the farmacia (drugstore) aisles and was delighted with nivea’s makeup line. unavailable in the US as far as i can tell, i swear i would have snapped it all up had i unlimited euros!

i think my most telling discovery of portuguese and spanish women’s secret to stunning skin was … wait for it … oil! i know, i know, it’s not exactly earth shattering news that cleansing oils are out there but i would have never considered touching the stuff until now. i was told (by my future mother-in-law) that jojoba oil is the only acceptable kind to use and that it will change my life. the claims are that it lifts makeup off in an instant leaving your skin supple, moisturized, and residue free. so, if you’re brave and willing, below are some of the top rated cleansing oils on the market:

will you make like a european beauty and jump on the oil boat (er, barge)?

Posted in face | Leave a comment

tchau!2

POSTED ON Posted on August 5, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

that’s “farewell!” in portuguese.

paul and joe beaute pouch

i’m off on a shiny adventure to spain and portugal for the next two weeks. i’ll miss you all terribly but plan to scavenge the shops and markets abroad for some well-kept european beauty secrets to share with you when i return. just what, exactly, are those across-the-pond-women lusting after for skincare and beauty perfection? we shall soon find out!

since travel (especially the international kind) brings about its own beauty challenges, i thought i’d share a few of my favorite take-alongs!

i’ll be on a moisture-sucking plane for hours and just cannot stand how it dries out my skin. a mini bottle of this stuff can be a true life saver
don’t forget about those lippies! pop one of these in your carryon for comfort and i bet you anything your travel companion even dips into it before landing.
these travel candles are amazing! they can zap the musty smell of any foreign hotel room and make me feel right at home
waltzing around gardens and castles in the august heat can do a number on my fair skin. i’ll be keeping this handy spf close by to avoid the dreaded sunglass tan

so tchau for now, beauties. i’ll catch you on the flip side!

Posted in bags, tools | 2 Comments

hostess with the mostest0

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

nestidante
i’m heading off on european holiday! more on that to come tomorrow, but for now i wanted to share my hostess gift of the moment. these soaps by nesti dante are true works of art. they come straight from florence, italy (swoon!) where their natural ingredients are handcrafted, blended with tuscan perfumes and then wrapped in florentine paper. i love that their company motto is not to be the biggest, but to be the best. at less than $10 a pop these soaps will make the perfect little thank yous for the myriad of portuguese family that will be putting the fiance and i up over the next week and a half. they can be stuck in a lingerie drawer in lieu of a sachet or in a basket in the guest bathroom just for looks. nesti dante is widely available everywhere from beautyhabit.com to amazon. bon voyage!

Posted in body, natural beauty | Leave a comment

secrets of gorgeous0

POSTED ON Posted on August 3, 2009 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

secretsofgorgeous
i was scoping out my most favorite boutique with my most favorite girls this weekend when i spotted this shocking pink book amongst all the silky tops and short skirts. secrets of gorgeous: hundreds of ways to live while living it up is the quintessential guide to the age-old dilemma of how to have your cosmopolitan and drink it, too! author, esther blum is a dietitian and nutrition specialist, and her sassy advice isn’t just about avoiding toxins and treating your body like a temple. she offers hangover cures and the top choices for first-date food while offering up the best attitudes to maintain your youthful beauty. the glossarie recommends that anyone striving for health and beauty pick up this most adorable addition to your bookshelf. happy reading!