28 September 2010

Quick, health related post

Okay, we all know that we NEED to drink about eight glasses of water a day. We know that we NEED to eat healthy. We know that we NEED do some sort of physical activity three to four days a week. But what do you do if you're constantly on the go and don't really have time to cook all of our meals or have time to work out all the time? You use common sense. Instead of getting pop, order water or iced tea. Instead of getting fried chicken, get grilled. Instead of smothering your salad with dressing, get it on the side. Walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Play an organized sport once a week with your friends. Not only will these small changes help with your over all health, but drinking lots of water and getting your blood pumping will help improve your skin, hair, and nails.

27 September 2010

Nostalgia

When I was a kid, we lived on the East Coast and I remember Crabtree & Evelyn being a fairly big deal. The mall that we went to had a pretty good sized store that was jam-packed with every item that C&E made, as well as assorted goodies from Vera Bradley. Needless to say, my Mom and I became pretty frequent shoppers. For the seven years that we lived there, we used a lot of different C&E products, especially the Gardeners line, and mourned the lack of stores when we moved back to Texas. Sure, we could have ordered off of the website, but it wouldn't have been the same. There was something about going into the store and touching and smelling the products that made the experience so much better than navigating the well organized website. Maybe it was because I could take it home with me instantly instead of having to wait five to seven business days to get my hot little hands on it.
Over the weekend, my Mom and I finally stumbled into a locally owned florist and found out that they carry select C&E products. Elation ensued, as well as buying some talc-free body powder and room spray in the best fragrance ever: Nantucket Briar.
The talc-free body powder is a great alternative to perfume, as there is zero drying time, it won't stain or damage your clothes, and it's long lasting without being overly noticable and in your face. According to C&E.com , Nantucket Briar has notes of wild briar rose, bergamont, ambergris, spice, and vanilla. With all of those different elements fighting for attention, Nantucket Briar is a surprisingly light and clean scent that's reminescent of a really good bar of soap (without that gross soapy aftersmell) and the slip of the powder is like running your finger along a bolt of silk.


I love the delicate blue vines and flower design, especially against that creamy white background. Looks great on a vanity or dresser!

Crabtree and Evelyn,talc-free body powder,perfume,Nantucket Briar,briar rose,ambergris
Very finely milled powder that seems to melt into the skin.

The names and packaging of the C&E products might sound like something a "New England WASP" would revel in, but there's nothing rigid about this at all; the fragrances are all light and clean while being subtly sexy and appropriate for everyone of every age.

Xoxo,
Ashleigh

p.s. Where's my Vera loving ladies?

Plum Perfect

As I mentioned in my "favorite things" post, I'm in love with plum shades of lipstick. We all know that I frequently wear the bold lip, and plum is nice alternative to red, especially as the temperature dips lower and lower here in San Antonio (thank you tropical storms and cold fronts!).
Last night I went to Walmart and picked up Plum Perfect from Maybelline's plum line, went out to the truck and applied a quick swipe, and fell in love with the creamy, deep berry shade. I test wore it around campus today and received several compliments from ladies AND gents, so I think Plum Perfect has earned itself a permanent spot in my beauty arsenal. It may not take the place of red, but it's pretty darn close.

"
Swatch on my hand


Tube, a pretty shade of grape-y purple.

Since it's Maybelline Colorsensational, the color applies true-to-product and crisply with minimal feathering and lasts without significant fading.

Xoxo,
Ashleigh

25 September 2010

From A to Zurich

Last post I mentioned that I reccommended From A to Zurich (OPI) as a perfect shade for Fall. I bought a bottle of it, swatched it, and absolutely fell in love with it. From A to Zurich is a gorgeous berry red that reminds me of cranberry jelly and makes me want to pull out my trench coat.


OPI,Swiss Collection,From A to Zurich

OPI,Swiss Collection,From A to Zurich


Since I have solar nails* right now, I had to apply three coats of polish to completely cover the white tips.

xoxo,
Ashleigh

*post to come

23 September 2010

First Day of Fall!

Happy first day of fall, ladies! To celebrate the start of my favorite season, I thought I'd do a quick post about some of my favorite things!
Maybelline has some lovely plum lipsticks out right now that have a perfect shade for every skin tone, with rich, full color and a long lasting formula. I know a lot of ladies look at plum as strictly a "night" shade, but there are a lot of shades of plum that are surprisingly wearable that will transition well from day to night.
Sephora has some GORGEOUS sparkly black liner that applies smoothly, lasts a long time, and adds a little bit of drama to your day-to-day make up without looking too made up. Keep in mind, though- if you're emphasising your eyes, keep your lips light, and vice versa.
And of course, dark and glittery nails are making a come back, like they do every year. Vampy shades of red, plum, navy, and even darker shades of grey will be great manicure choices.  OPI's Swiss collection will be great to draw influence from; I've got my eyes on Glitzerland, From A to Zurich, and even Cuckoo for This Color.
Make sure your pampering your hair, because as the air gets drier, your hair will get drier and no one wants lackluster hair that looks like straw. I've mentioned Ojon as a great hair mask before, but Garnier's 3-Minute Undo works almost as well, for a fraction of the cost.  Just slather it on, allow it to sit for three minutes (or longer!) and rinse to reveal beautiful, moisturized and healthy hair.

Happy Fall!
Ashleigh

15 September 2010

DIY Dye

Confession: I have a deep, passionate love for at home hair color.
Major brands have added some amazing formulas to their arsenal of products that promise 100% coverage in beautiful shades that oh, by the way, nourish your lovely locks with relative ease and without the hefty price. of a salon.
Clairol and L'Oreal are two of my favorite brands because they offer a wide range of shades from almost pure white blondes and inky blacks to sexy reds and rich brunettes.
But as much as I love L'Oreal, I find myself turning to Miss Clairol more and more for their Perfect 10 system. With your box of Perfect 10, you get two different options for application: the classic, slightly pointed applicator for all-over color and an applicator that looks (and acts) like a comb, so it's perfect for root touch-ups. Now, while at home color is simple and relatively goof proof, there are some tips and tricks that will make things even easier for you.

*Unless you have extensive experiance with at home hair color, it's best to stay between two to three shades of your current hair color. If you can't choose between two shades, go with the lighter option.

*Wash your hair the day BEFORE you intend to color it. If that's not feasible, wash hair in the morning and apply color in the evening. The natural oils your scalp produces will help protect your scalp from the chemicals found in hair color.

*Immediately before, use a fine-toothed comb to get rid of any knots or snarls. You want smooth, tangle dree hair for better application. If you have knots, it can cause streaking or spotting.

*Divide your hair into sections using clips and apply color one section at a time, starting from the nape of your neck and working your way up to the crown.

*After the color has developed, rinse thoroughly and apply the deep conditioner.

I actually use the Perfect 10 color to do my highlights because it's so quick and easy to do.

*Apply color directly to your roots and allow to sit for about five minutes.
*Use wide-toothed comb to constantly pull color through your hair. The comb will help to evenly deposit the dye through your strands while giving it a more natural look, similar to boliage highlights.

If you leave your color on for more than the recommended time, don't panic. Modern hair dye has an agent in it that stops the color from processing after a certain amount of hair, so it's almost impossible to over-process your color.

Happy hair!

Ashleigh