the glossarie

anthropologie albeit lipstick in peony6

POSTED ON Posted on January 17, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i got a few inquiries about the lipstick i’m wearing in my burberry body post. the shade was purchased on a whim at anthropologie and has become a fast favorite. anthro’s own line of albeit lipsticks come in six vintage-inspired shades (two of which are on sale at 50% off!) and i selected peony, a clean, fresh, medium pink that picks up on my fair skin and mousy hair for an almost coral finish. the wear on these is really nice – super creamy and non drying – but it’s the packaging that really seals the deal. in gorgeous boxes and golden cases that evoke the 1920’s, this is one of those products that you reach for again and again just to look at. they go on smooth with a slight shine, perfect for daytime and easy to layer for more impact.

if you’re looking for a lippie with a touch of glamour, definitely pick one of these pretties up before they disappear. you can find albeit in anthropologie stores and online for $18.

Posted in lips | Tagged anthropologie | 6 Comments

boom boom brow bar ‘boostier’ powder6

POSTED ON Posted on January 16, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i love lines that do one thing really well. focused, specialty brands never fail to impress me and a great example of one that has wowed me time after time is boom boom brow bar. they do brows exceptionally well and as an admitted brow addict, they have a big fan in me.

the latest boom boom product to come across my desk is their brow boostier poweder. the itty bitty pot of powder comes with its own brush to make filling in your brows a cinch. the formula is mineral-based, hypoallergenic, free of fragrance, oil, talc, dyes, and fillers. i use it to extend the life of my wax jobs, giving my brows the illusion of a shapely arch when they’re really an ingrown hot mess. the results are natural and the color match (bette for me) is what makes this such a perfect solution.

if your brows need a boost, pick up boom boom’s boostier powder for $20.

Posted in brows, editorial sample, eyes | Tagged boom boom brow bar | 6 Comments

nomaterra dc fragrance + launch party4

POSTED ON Posted on January 15, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

created by former glamour editor and her chemist hubby in brooklyn, nomaterra is the perfect combination of beauty and wanderlust. the line currently consists of three fragrances – east hampton, miami, and washington dc – and each scent has its own distinct personality inspired by ceo aggie’s travels. i love the way that nomaterra has built a brand around the sensation of memories recalled by scent and all three handmade fragrances elegantly capture the essence of their destination.

the washington dc fragrance is assertively citrus-y with a burst of cherry blossom that’s so quintessentially our nation’s capital. it’s fresh and subtle enough to wear everyday, with an interesting combination of masculine and feminine characteristics that are unlike anything else.

created in small batches in brooklyn, nomaterra’s fragrances come in sustainable spray bottles (the glass vial of fragrance can be swapped out and refilled) and they come as a soon-to-be-launched fragrance wipe that is ingenious. each perfume wipe is single use, perfect for travel – just swipe it over your pulse points, behind the ears, and go.

i am so excited to be partnering with nomaterra on their dc fragrance launch party and you’re invited! please join me and the nomaterra team along with local press and buyers as we celebrate nomaterra’s entrance on to the dc scene at tabula rasa where we’ll have food, drinks, and fragrance for all.

if you’re free on february 1st, please rsvp to admin@nomaterra.com and be sure to introduce yourself on the big night – i would love to see you there!

Posted in fragrance, my DC days | Tagged nomaterra | 4 Comments

golden globes beauties15

POSTED ON Posted on January 14, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i love to go beauty gazing on the red carpet from my couch. while the awards for best of the year in tv and film were being doled out, i was hard at work whittling down my choices for best nails, hair, lip, lashes, brow, and best everything.

hands down: best nails went to zooey deschanel. the nail art queen did not disappoint with her tiny tv cameras and vintage film strips. (details here!)
tangerine tango: the lip on jessica alba created quite a stir! the color is hourglass cosmetics’ opaque rouge liquid lipstick in riviera.
shocking choice: i thought the best hair was jessica chastain’s. everyone hated it, but i thought the pulled back look set in waves really accentuated the actress’ gorgeous fiery red shade and her pretty facial features.
arch enemy: isla fisher gave me major brow envy, but i really was pretty in love with her entire beauty look. the side part, the berry lip, well done.
lush lashes: oh! the flutter fringe on rosie huntington whitely – so gorgeous. celeb makeup artist fiona stiles achieved the look using mark lash all you want high volume mascara.
best everything: anne hathaway’s beauty look was a vision. i’m still obsessed with her pixie and her whole face was completely flawless.

who were your favorite beauty looks last night?

Posted in mixed bag | Tagged hourglass, mark. | 15 Comments

show me your lip bomb, sharona2

POSTED ON Posted on January 13, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

name: sharona
she says: love this project! here’s what I carry – so many!! if you haven’t tried the c.o. bigelow, i highly recommend it!!
number of products: 7
the bomb:

c.o. bigelow my favorite lip balm, $7.50
aquaphor healing ointment, 2 for $5.99
jouer lip enhancer, $14
fresh sugar mini
pangea organics pyrenees lavendar with cardamom lip balm, $12
stila lip glaze in lights (from this trio)
tarte lipsurgence natural lip tint in joy, $24

reader #lipbombs are my favorite! don’t get me wrong, blogger bombs are great, but there’s something about seeing how an average jane spends her hard earned money on beauty. sharona is a great example of how to invest in some quality staples – plus i’m totally falling victim to her c.o. bigelow endorsement!

Posted in lips | Tagged aquaphor, c.o. bigelow, fresh cosmetics, jouer, pangea organics, stila cosmetics, tarte | 2 Comments

this or that: luminous eye shadows6

POSTED ON Posted on January 12, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

gilded eyeshadow will likely never go out of style and i’ve been lusting after the tufted look of laura mercier’s illuminating eye color for quite some time. these sephora look alikes popped up on the scene recently, and i’m having a hard time telling the difference. stunning in the compact, these pearls, golds, and bronzes dance somewhere between a baked, cream, and powder formula with excellent color pay off and a smooth, polished finish.

this: laura mercier illuminating eye color, $24

that: sephora collection outrageous prisma chrome metallic eyeshadow, $16

Posted in eyes, lids | Tagged laura mercier, sephora collection | 6 Comments

lush sugar scrubs for lips10

POSTED ON Posted on January 11, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

my lips have been exhibiting dry and flaky behaviors of epic proportions since my trip to nyc last weekend. something about that city chill (and wind!) combined with dry hotel room air really did a number on me. not only were my lips so red that people were asking me what lip color i was wearing (umm…nothing-that’s-just-how-chapped-they-are-thanks.), but the visible dryness and flakes were more than i could handle. once i got back to dc and calmed down the redness with a larger quantity of vaseline than is probably recommended, i got down to the business of smoothing things out.

before washing my face last night, i broke out my new favorite lip scrub from lush. i like lush’s lip scrubs because along with being all natural, the salt and sugar granules are small, making them gentle enough to tackle the rawest skin and still get the job done. i took a healthy serving and smeared it all over my lips, making sure to get all around the edges and in the corners. rubbing my fingers in a circular motion, i could already feel situations improving. then i rubbed my lips together for a few seconds before rinsing off with warm water.

the difference was immediately noticeable, plus the yummy flavor and simple list of all natural ingredients means you can literally lick your lips. (and trust me, you’ll want to – these are delicious!) mine were left baby soft and smelling sweetly of coconut, a huge improvement over the ‘before’ picture.

these little pots are the real deal! grab one of your own in three flavors for $9.95 at lush.

Posted in editorial sample, lips | Tagged lush | 10 Comments

living proof straight4

POSTED ON Posted on January 10, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

every living proof product that touches my hair, turns it into gold.

this lightweight spray creates a sleek style that lasts for days, thanks to the absence of oils or silicones and a formula that works to repel dirt. a good 10-second all over the head spray is the perfect prescription for speedily dried, smoothed out hair that’s primed for the flat iron. on top of the way ‘straight’ aids my styling, it also protects my hair from the heat which my stylist tells me is the number one thing i should be looking for in a product.

i will say that for whatever reason, this product quickens blow drying but somehow slows the straightening process. it takes a bit longer to straighten and smooth out my hair to my liking once it’s dry, but the results are better than any other product i’ve tried. the finish has nice hold and shape, not overly shiny but not at all dry. when i’m done, it’s kind of like that’s just what my hair naturally does – my hair looks good, and not as though i tried to make it look good. that’s the beauty of why i love this stuff so much.

if your hair is medium-fine with waves or curls that you’re constantly battling with heat tools, this is a great solution. living proof products can be purchased in small sizes at sephora if you have a fear of commitment (the minis are also great for travel!). you can try living proof’s straight spray for $17 – $29 at sephora.

Posted in hair | Tagged living proof | 4 Comments

mark. blogger collective13

POSTED ON Posted on January 9, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i am really super excited about monday’s announcement of me as the newest member of mark’s blogger collective! in case you missed it, i have joined a great group of three fellow bloggers who will serve as brand ambassadors for the mark line in 2013. partnering with a brand on this level has been a personal goal of mine since starting the glossarie and i could not be more thrilled that i will be working with mark this year.

if you’re not familiar with mark, the brand is chock full of fresh, on-trend, and priced-right beauty products, skincare, and styling aids as well as fashion and accessories. mark is right on the money when it comes to interpreting trends and they also offer a unique level of personalization with magnetic snap to it palettes and these cool hook ups. i can’t wait to share my new mark product discoveries with you throughout the year!

along with special access to the complete line of mark products, i’ll be covering events, interviewing tastemakers and bringing you a very cool and unique perspective to what goes on behind the scenes of this crazy fun company. you can check out my first post for mark.com here and look forward to seeing more from me and mark very soon!

Posted in lara | Tagged mark. | 13 Comments

show me your lip bomb, maggie7

POSTED ON Posted on January 6, 2013 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

name: maggie
internet home: right here on the glossarie!
she says: embarrassing to realize how many lip sticks/glosses/balms i’m carrying around – i’m traveling…is that an excuse for the number of products I have?? ;)
number of products: 7
the bomb:

softlips marshmallow ghost, $3
mox botanicals lip butter in pomegranate & fig, $16
vs makeup color drama lipstick in exquisite, $14
rouge d’armani in rouge 400, $30 (remember this post?)
butter london lippy in queen vic, $18
chapstick classic lip balm in cherry, $1.59
maybelline color sensational high shine lip gloss in one shine day, $5.54

i love, love, love having maggie’s contributions here in the glossarie and i could not be more proud of her lip bomb’s breadth of brand (from chapstick to armani!) and depth of color. also, i think i need that mox botanicals lip balm…

keep sending your #lipbombs to theglossarie@gmail.com!