the glossarie

looks good for your guy: otter creek2

POSTED ON Posted on May 11, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

it’s a sad day in the ramos household, because the husband and i have finally wrestled the last drop out of our new mutual favorite body scrub, grit happens by otter creek. it’s the only thing in our shower that we’ve been fighting over for the last several weeks and it’s left us with clear, smooth skin that kind of smells like a margarita thanks to tropical top notes of coconut and lime. it’s been a godsend for my dry winter skin that needs sloughing and for his sweaty (but very sexy) post-soccer-game grime.

the whole otter creek line is genius from its rugged, outdoorsy packaging to its super manly product descriptions. steve notes his other favorites as hair of the dog birchwood shampoo (warning: do not drop this bottle in the woods) and spit shine body wash (scented with cedar, coffee and leather – yum). i’ve totally claimed the citrus-y snake skin body moisturizer as my own, and we both have our eye on the duck call primer lip balm.

check out the entire otter creek product lineup and definitely bring some into your shower, especially if it’s a co-ed situation. your man will be smelling delightful and you will totally enjoy sharing these hilarious and amazingly effective products with him.

ps – if you’re reading this before noon EST, please cast your final weekly vote for the allure beauty blogger awards! we’ll know on monday if i’m still in it to win it for week four :)

Posted in body, editorial sample | 2 Comments

mother’s day gift guide 20124

POSTED ON Posted on May 10, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

1 – with styleseat, you can gift your momma with a little pampering. she can use her gift card for a service with any stylist listed in this expansive list of beauty and wellness professionals. the ability to search by location and read recommendations beforehand really sweetens the deal!

2 – how cute are these macaron trinket boxes? perfect for toting her medications or smallest valuables (grandma’s pearls?), i just love the idea of my mom reaching for this tiny treasure in her handbag.

3 – a lip scrub is the ultimate little luxury and who better to remind your mom to take care of her pretty pucker than you. fresh sugar lip polish smells like brown sugar…because it is brown sugar housed in some other yummy emolient that leaves lips perfectly pampered and primed for her favorite lip product. might i recommend pairing this with one of fresh’s famous lippies?

4 – somme institute neckline provides essential moisture to the forgotten parts: the neck and decollete. it improves the appearance of neck lines while also taking care of hyper-pigmentation and sun damage. it’s rich, luxurious, and a dream to apply each evening with an upward sweeping motion. such a great way to spoil mom!

5 – stephanie johnson’s entire line would make an appropriate mother’s day gift (in fact, my own mom might *just* be getting a piece of SJ in her mailbox this weekend), but the snap mirror adds a touch of glamor to her handbag or makeup case. it’s definitely something she might not treat herself to, but imagine how fondly she’ll think of you when she’s pulling it out to reapply lipstick or tuck away a loose strand of hair.

a very happy mother’s day to all the mommas out there!

ps – please vote for me and the glossarie in allure’s beauty blogger of the year awards today! thank all so, so much yet again for all of your votes and support! xo

Posted in mixed bag | Tagged fresh cosmetics, somme institute, stephanie johnson | 4 Comments

on my lips2

POSTED ON Posted on May 9, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

full-coverage base: stila’s long wear lip color is subtle and stays put. a formula that begs to be layered under a gloss, the pigment is true to color and glides on with ease. because the applicator is much smaller than your standard lipstick, it’s a perfectly precise pop. the shade ‘lover’ is my current favorite for ruby-red, snow white lips.

gloss on top: i’ve been layering my new favorite lip gloss over absolutely everything. estee lauder’s pure color gloss in citron kiss is a golden yellow shimmer and it pairs perfectly with just about all of my lip products. it adds a lightweight gloss to anything matte and drying, warming up the darker shades that got me through the winter months. it’s a must-add essential to your lip wardrobe.

what’s on your lips?

ps – the voting continues and the competition is heating up! please vote in the allure beauty blogger awards today. i’m so excited about challenges four and five and really want you to see them :)

Posted in lips | Tagged estee lauder, stila cosmetics | 2 Comments

it cosmetics brow power universal eyebrow pencil4

POSTED ON Posted on May 8, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

my brows have been getting a lot of love lately and as much as i’d like to take credit for their homegrown goodness, i really can’t. you see, i’ve made friends with it cosmetics universal brow pencil and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my face. on one end, the spoolie brush calms things down, and on the other, the perfectly shaded brow pencil, amps things up by filling in the sparse bits. for a girl who has tried tinted gels, threading, and waxes galore, this pencil is a home run. i’m loving the way the color enhances my arches without darkening them and i never realized how much a well-defined brow transforms my whole expression.

to experience brow euphoria for yourself, pick up it cosmetics universal brow pencil for $24 at beauty.com.

PS – if you love this blog, please, pretty please vote daily in allure’s beauty blogger of the year awards. there are just 13 of us left and this week’s challenge is all about beauty blunders!

Posted in brows, eyes | Tagged it cosmetics | 4 Comments

allure challenge 3: beauty mistakes0

POSTED ON Posted on May 7, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

week three is upon us and for this challenge, we had to select a mortal beauty sin. for me, there’s no worse habit than not washing your face before bed – especially if you’re a makeup wearer (which if you’re reading this blog, i’m assuming that you are!). click on over to read why this is such an important part of skincare and also pick up three lazy-girl solutions for how to get it done. please vote for me if you like what you see!

Posted in skin | Tagged allure | Leave a comment

this or that: mini nail sets5

POSTED ON Posted on May 4, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

on top: kate spade travel nail polish set includes
watermelon fingers, seafoam swirls, orange solar, and yellow cockatoos

on bottom: sonia kashuk ‘a powerful punch’ mini nail set includes
ooh la la, khaki shorts, making waves, and tutti frutti

ps – thank you for all of your votes this week! you can still vote today up until noon and we will know on monday if i’m in the competition for week three. you are all amazing and i can’t tell you how much i value your love and support :) have a fabulous weekend!

Posted in nails | Tagged kate spade, sonia kashuk | 5 Comments

fresh satin luster face palette2

POSTED ON Posted on May 3, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

the thing about glow is that it’s got to be believable. we can all slap on some highlighter and call it a day, but truth be told the art of luminizing is a bit trickier than that. thankfully fresh has taken all of the guesswork out of it with this pretty palette.

the creamy formula is spot on (i find that liquids tend to vanish into skin and powder is really hard to get right) and lasts all day. there’s not a hint of glitter to speak of and the three shades are so soft and pretty, you’ll be reaching for them year round. i like to use the rosy shade on cheeks and the white one on my brow bones or dotted into the inner corner of my eyes with my pinky. the beige on the far right is great for wearing under foundation if you’re looking for an all-over boost and you can also dip an eyeliner pencil into it to line the upper lash for a stunning wide-awake pretty.

used in any combination, this little trio wakes you up and brightens your visage without making you look like a disco ball. a little goes a long way and i haven’t found a highlighter yet that will look any prettier sitting in your makeup bag.

fresh satin luster face palette is $45 at sephora.

ps – if you love the glossarie, please vote for me in the allure beauty blogger of the year awards! you can vote once per day and you might win a pair of killer diamond studs :)

Posted in palettes | Tagged fresh cosmetics | 2 Comments

make up for ever rouge artist natural7

POSTED ON Posted on May 2, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i’m not sure if you know this, but it’s MAY. it was 82 degrees in virginia yesterday and word on the weather channel is that it’s going to crush 90 on friday. hello, summer! warmer temps bring instant humidity and tropical-like climate to these parts and nothing makes me want to shake up my makeup routine faster than a drastic change in seasons.

thankfully, i’ve already found my summer lipstick. make up for ever rouge artist natural is the equivalent of your favorite sundress – for your lips. it’s the perfect weight and texture, and you can throw it on knowing it will look good without question. these offer the shiny finish of a gloss, the hydration and glide of a tinted lip balm, and the poppy color pigmentation of a full fledged lipstick. mufe has truly nailed the hybrid formula in this one and the result is the perfect lip for summer days and weekends. it’s gorgeous and subtle, sheer coverage with plenty of punch.

if the heavy mattes and creams you rocked through the winter suddenly seem all wrong, get thee to a sephora and scoop up your desired shade of this lovely lippie. mine is #n35 (an iridescent orange pink).

make up for ever rouge artist natural is available in eighteen shades at sephora for $19.

ps – if you love the glossarie and think the rest of the world should know and love it too, please vote for me in the allure beauty blogger of the year awards!

Posted in lips | Tagged make up for ever | 7 Comments

what’s in her bag?6

POSTED ON Posted on May 1, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

when the super sweet justine of ‘short is the new black’ asked me to be a part of her ‘what’s in her bag?’ series, i was more than happy to oblige. the beauty blogosphere is such a wonderful place when you get to meet and share audiences with someone like miss justine. i hope you’ll click on over to her little spot on the web and take a peek at my dailies. wait until you see just how shockingly simple my beauty routine really is!

ps – since you’re here, you must love the glossarie! please visit this week’s allure beauty blogger awards challenge and vote for me – i’d be so grateful :) (you can vote once per day, now through friday, and did i mention you can win diamonds?!)

Posted in link roundups | Tagged chanel, josie maran, make up for ever, nars, revlon, sephora, stephanie johnson, trish mcevoy, yes to carrots | 6 Comments

allure beauty challenge 2: celebrity beauty0

POSTED ON Posted on April 30, 2012 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

i survived week one! the second week of allure beauty blogger awards voting is live and underway. this week’s challenge was to write about one of our favorite recent celebrity red carpet looks. i was so smitten by emma stone’s freshly lightened locks on the orange carpet at the nickelodeon kids choice awards and i fell hard for her pastel liner and baby pink lip. click on over to read how you can get the look for yourself. please vote for me if you like what you see!