the glossarie

introducing glossRx – custom solutions for your pretty problems2

POSTED ON Posted on December 28, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

much of my offline time is spent responding to inquiries from lovely readers who have questions about specific product recommendations or solutions to common (and uncommon!) beauty woes. i do it over twitter, through email – and i absolutely love it. it’s totally fun to solve these pretty little mysteries and i’ve started to realize that many beauty aches are universal. thus, with permission of the requestors, i’m going to start sharing my solutions here in a fun little series called glossRx. hope you enjoy!

beauty ache:

i need a bright pink liquid blush that i can mix with my loose powder bronzer and smear on my cheeks. (yes, everyone who sees it laughs at my bizarre technique, however i get tons of compliments on my “blush”) they discontinued my favorite neutrogena liquid blush in dusty rose and i have been lost ever since. i have tried maybelline dream mousse blush in rose petal and numerous powder blushes, but i just haven’t been able to find the same balance!

glossRx:

the very best liquid blush i have found is by sonia kashuk and costs a cool $10. it definitely rivals some of the more spendy options – a tiny drop goes a long way, especially if you’re blending it with your fingers, and the color pay off is incredible. it goes on easily sans streaks, plus the natural healthy glow it leaves you with is per-fection. poppy is definitely the bright pinky peach you’re looking for! sonia kashuk super sheer liquid tint blush is available in three shades for $9.99 at target.

got a beauty ache of your own? submit it to theglossarie@gmail.com for a glossRx!

Posted in blush, cheeks | Tagged sonia kashuk | 2 Comments

fresh sugar advanced therapy lip treatment12

POSTED ON Posted on December 26, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

fresh’s latest lippie is a luxury skincare treat in a tube. this version one ups the original with anti aging qualities that are meant to give the delicate skin around the lip area a little extra love. i think it hydrates lips better than the lip treatment spf 15 and it seems to actually repair the damage done by cold, dry air. i’ve been using it to prep my favorite bold pink lip and adore the way it moisturizes and plumps to give a boost of definition. the anti aging benefits are icing on the cake – i can’t get enough of products that serve a purpose and provide an added benefit while they’re working. this new formula is somewhat less shiny, and lacks spf, but lasts longer than the original. although it also costs a little more, the advanced lip therapy trumps the lip treatment spf 15 this time of year. a winter must!

Posted in lips | 12 Comments

merry christmas, beauties!2

POSTED ON Posted on December 25, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

Posted in lara | 2 Comments

sephora by opi stop stocking me!3

POSTED ON Posted on December 24, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

we are decking the halls and baking up a storm around here. i can’t tell you how good it is to be home! whilst trimming the tree, i was suddenly smitten by my little sister’s deep metallic plum nails. the surprisingly seasonal shade she was sporting is sephora by opi’s stop stocking me! it’s the prettiest metallic purple with gold shimmer, ranging from a moody gunmetal to golden tinged grape depending on the light. so gorgeous and so perfect for rockin’ around the christmas tree.

it’s limited edition at $9.50 – get it here.

Posted in nails | 3 Comments

soap & glory hand food7

POSTED ON Posted on December 23, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

it is dry as a bone up here in massachusetts and my hands are hurting from exposure to the elements (mostly attributed to the seven mile walk my family took this morning – dad tricked me into that one). thankfully, i picked up the “to go” version of soap & glory’s hand food before we traveled north and i could kiss myself for my good foresight. it was a welcome treasure in my beauty bag and has completely put my palms at peace with its shea buttery goodness. as hand creams go, i have few requirements: that they must be ultra moisturizing and hand softening, quick drying, with not a hint of grease (i need to be able to function after i’ve lubed up). this one delivers in all of the aforementioned arenas and even boasts a yummy scent. hands stay silky smooth through hand washings and you cannot beat the $5 price tag (but if you really really love it, there’s a bigger 4.2 oz size available for $10).

Posted in body | 7 Comments

tarina tarantino dollskin cheek palette0

POSTED ON Posted on December 22, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

this palette is my christmas present to myself. happy holidays, me!

makeup artist and jewelry designer tarantino chose these four shades to give cheeks of every skintone a sweet and romantic flush. there’s a pink shimmer, peach shimmer, a cool pink, and a pink/peach shimmer so they all complement each other for foolproof combination and application. the foursome makes it super easy to contour (with one of the lighter shades on cheekbones and one of the darker shades on apples), then blend with a light-handed buff for perfectly pigmented blush that lasts all day.

i feel like part professional makeup artist, part painting guy when i sweep my brush around and layer different shades to sculpt my cheeks into perky versions of their former selves.

the tarina tarantino dollskin cheek palette is available at sephora for $45.

Posted in blush, cheeks | Leave a comment

pretty gifty: jouer cosmetics pochette0

POSTED ON Posted on December 21, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

this super chic wristlet-meets-carrying-case is the jouer cosmetics holiday 2011 pochette. now, pochette might be the most adorable word for “beautiful wallet on an ivory bangle that also holds your makeup and your phone and contains a mirror” ever, but i think it’s selling this gifty a little short.

for starters, it’s the most beautiful (likely faux?) chocolate suede i have ever laid eyes on, dressed up with champagne gold hardware and a detachable bangle for the ultimate dangly addition to your arm party. tug on the jouer logo zipper pull to reveal its full potential and inside you will see a built in mirror and lip gloss holder – which for a limited time contains jouer’s moisturizing lip gloss in glisten, my favorite! there’s plenty of room within to stuff your cards and cash as well as a slip pocket for your smart phone. the outside boasts a little zip pocket for coins or what have you and…need i go on? it’s the best makeup wallet ever, on a bracelet.

the jouer cosmetics holiday 2011 pochette is available online for $75.

Posted in bags, pretty gifty, tools | Tagged jouer | Leave a comment

the glossarie named one of 10 washington fashion and beauty blogs to watch in 201218

POSTED ON Posted on December 20, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

the blog and i are having a little moment in the dc sun today with an exciting nod from local area mag, the washingtonian’s shop around blog. i am perched among nine insanely talented lovelies (a few of whom i am lucky enough to call my good friends, the rest of whom i am looking forward to stalking and meeting soon!) and their own pretty places on the web. i hope you’ll click through and take a look at the write up, whether you’re a district dweller or fan from afar. these ladies have some seriously awesome things going on and i think you’re going to want to keep them on your radar.

Posted in lara, link roundups, my DC days | Tagged washingtonian | 18 Comments

trish mcevoy high volume mascara8

POSTED ON Posted on December 19, 2011 by lara ramos BY lara ramos

did i tell you i stopped wearing mascara on my bottom lashes? breaking news, i know, but it makes me look so much fresher and more awake. super dark bottom lashes (that always smudge, it does not matter what i do) were starting to make my eyes look smaller and a little tired, so i quit. alas, now my top lashes are doubly more important.

want to know what’s on ’em?

this trish mascara is absolutely smudge-proof, yet still rinses off with warm water, and the brush is expertly sized. i mean, a lot of thought must have gone into it because it’s damn near perfect. it’s long and thin so it catches every lash and even flares out the corners just a tad for a flirtatious little winged cat eye. (it’s also brilliant for doing the bottom level, since i know i’m likely lonely in my top shelf only approach.) the high volume formula and brush combination give you a wide fringed-out fan of lashes that stay all day. in fact, the staying power is so impressive that you don’t need to reapply if you’ve got a day-to-night holiday party transition on hand. simply re-curl to freshen up and it’s 8 a.m. all over again!

trish mcevoy high volume mascara is available online and at the counters for $32.