Lifestyle Mirror

If we had to use only one word to describe The Glossarie, it would be pretty. Everything from the clean, peachy pink watercolor-infused layout to each of editor Lara Ramos' picks are carefully curated to ensure your visit to the blog is a happy one. Lara's philosophy when it comes blogging is one of kindness and having a positive attitude. She chooses to focus on quality rather than quantity and only feature beauty products that she loves and knows will really work. All this culminates to a trusted voice and plenty of pretty to discover with every delectable post. We asked her a couple of questions–including what’s on her holiday gift guide—so click through the slides above and shop for presents below.—Xiao Lim (@xiaoo)

1. First things first, your blog is breathtakingly beautiful. What was your initial inspiration to start The Glossarie?
Thank you! I was in graduate school and considering a career in beauty. I got some great advice from a career advisor who encouraged me to "just start writing about it." Three and a half years later, I can't imagine my life without The Glossarie! I have made amazing friends and gone on some wonderful adventures, all thanks to the blog.

2. When did your beauty obsession begin?
I remember watching my mom's Victoria Jackson beauty tutorials on VHS for fun when I was 7 or 8. From there, it was a slippery slope into the land of Lip Smackers and Cover Girl.

3. Describe your daily routine. We would love to know your skincare/makeup stalwarts!
For skincare, I'm currently using 100% Mario Badescu and my face has never looked better. I use the Glycolic Foaming Cleanser followed by Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 17 in the morning and I use Orange Cleansing Soap, Seaweed Cleansing Lotion, and A.H.A. & Ceramide Moisturizer at night. The chemical exfoliation and toner have really made a difference in my complexion.

My everyday beauty routine is super simple. I think because I'm testing so many things all of the time, I like to keep my look kind of basic - but I've learned how to highlight my best features over the years, so I mainly focus on my cheekbones and brows.

4. What's your biggest makeup pet peeve?
Mascara that flakes and smudges! Why have we not made more advances in mascara? Very frustrating.

5. Who is your ultimate style/beauty icon and why?
I've always been a Julia Roberts girl. She just seems so comfortable in her own skin and she has this casual elegance that I really admire.

6. Where do you see The Glossarie in a year's time?
I would love to have a continually growing audience and a lengthening list of brand partnerships, but I would be grateful for the blog to simply still exist a year from now! It's one of my favorite things, so I hope I get to keep doing it.