Trend of the Week: Neons!

Hello, beauties.

Welcome to the first ever Trend of the week!! I'm so excited to start this feature. Since this is the first post, I decided to start off with what I think is the biggest Spring and Summer trend this year. NEONS!

I'm someone who's always enjoyed a pop of color in an outfit, so this trend is definitely one that I'm loving. I've seen neons both in clothing and in makeup, but for the purposes of this post I'm going to focus mainly on clothes. (We'll get to colored lips at a later date. Hehe.) I love neons in any aspect of clothing, but if I had to pick one neon item it would come down to bags or shoes. 

I think a neon accessory can really give life to a look and bring together what would be an otherwise drab outfit. I've been wanting oh so badly to get a neon orange or hot pink bag in the near future. I think pieces, like the clutch below by Rebecca Minkoff, that are a bright orange are really stunning and definitely something that would catch your eye on the street.

Honestly, for a trend that I love so much I don't have enough neon. I did, however find some old t-shirts in bright colors. My scissors and I went on a little cutting spree and I cut up some of my old shirts to create fun new tops. I'll be doing a t-shirt cutting post very soon and once it's done I'll link it HERE.

How do you style neon? Are you a fan of this trend? Let me know!

Blog ya later! xx

Trend of the Week!

Hello, beauties.

In order to fill my blog with some sort of structure, I'm going to start something I like to call "Trend of the Week" (go back and read that in an intense announcer voice). Every Thursday, I'm going to blog about a trend in fashion or beauty that I'm either loving or hating! I'm always looking for new things to throw into my style, so trends are something I'm always interested in. The biggest thing I'm excited about with this is interaction and hearing your opinions on things. I would love to hear your opinions on my posts and see what you think.

In the next few hours I'll post the first ever Trend of the Week. Don't miss it! :)

Blog ya later! xx

Brushes, M'dear

Hello, beauties.

Recently, I was at Sephora just wandering around as usual. There was nothing in particular that I was looking for, but I always end up being drawn to the brushes. I'm not one to brag about my makeup collection or even call it a collection in the first place, so the amount of brushes I had was wimpy to say the least. They were all crappy brushes I had accumulated and found over the years and snatched up. Even in the childhood days, I knew a crappy brush was better than a sponge applicator when it came to makeup. 

But, the other day, my brush venture finally became a success. Now, before I go on, prepare yourself. I am in no way experienced, nor do I own... really any quality products. So, keep that in mind as I continue. I ended up picking up a Sephora brand travel brush set. Honestly, these brushes are nowhere near bad quality or cheap. The set came with five brushes all in a nice little travel pack. There's a "multi-purpose" face brush (powder brush), an eyeshadow brush, a crease brush (or blending brush), a smudge brush, and an angled eyeliner brush. The eyeliner brush is sort of useless to me right now though, since I use liquid and pencil eyeliner, not gel.

The whole set cost $32 (which, when matched with the $20 gift card I had, wasn't a bad deal). When you look at the costs of all the Sephora brand single brushes, 5 decent ones for only $32 doesn't seem bad whatsoever. In the long run, I'm extremely glad I made this purchase. If you're someone who's just beginning with makeup and are looking for a starting place, I highly recommend that you go to Sephora and look at their brush sets. You might end up finding something great!

Blog ya later! x

My Beauty & Style Icons

Hello, beauties.

As a fun little activity for myself, I created a little collage of all the people and faces that incluence my choices when it comes to makeup, clothes, and my over-all favorite looks. Since my blog is still new, I decided to share it with you. Hopefully, it'll give you some insight into my style and the type of person I am. 

In a nutshell, I like the classic look of makeup. Marilyn Monroe eyeliner is something I wear on a day to day basis. I like the rocker chick look combined with a bit of quirky and casual. Patterns and colors are something I love almost as much as simple black pieces. Now that I've explained, here's the visual embodiment of what I just told you.

Featured Faces:

Blake Lively  |  Francesca Eastwood  |  Lea Michele  |  Kim Kardashian  |  Marilyn Monroe  |  Taylor Momsen  |  Dianna Agron  |  Scarlett Johanson  |  Brittany Murphy (RIP, baby)  |  Katy Perry  |  Kendall Jenner

To go into a little more depth, I'm going to hop around the picture and highlight certain things.

1. Francesca Eastwood is gorgeous. I absolutely love the way she wears her makeup.
2. Winged eyeliner is something I'm very, very into right now. (Marilyn, Lea Michele)
3. Dianna Agron is just a perfect human being. She's not only beautiful, but also adorably quirky. Plus, that blue and green dress is to die for.
4. I love the way that Kim Kardashian wears her lips. She normally has this really nice coral color going on that meshes perfectly with her tanned skin. I wish I was tan so that I could pull that off.
5. On the entirely other end of the spectrum, I really like bright lipsticks. Katy Perry often wears bright pink and I really like how it looks on her. This might just be because I feel like I can't pull off red lipstick. Scaredy cat! :P
6. Taylor Momsen falls into the rocker chick category that I simply love. I couldn't dress as daring as she does, but I do have a few edgy pieces in my closet.
7. Scarlett Johanson always manages to have a perfect smokey eye at events. It's never too overwhelming, but it always compliments the rest of her look. Although, I do like her better with red hair.
8. I think I like Blake Lively's style so much because I wish I looked like her. First of all, she's tall (like many of the rest of these women), so she can work a lot of outfits that would look terrible on me. Also, she's amazingly tanned to the point where she looks like she's at the beach at all times.

I hope you enjoyed this little look into my influences. Who are your style icons? Are we similar? Tell me below!

Blog ya later! xx

Far Out Tie Dye

Hello, beauties.

About a week ago, a few friends and I got together and did something I've wanted to do for a while now. We tie dyed t-shirts! Not only is this a fun and easy summer activity, but it gave me something to check off of my Summer Bucket List! (#3) If you're interested in how to go about having your own tie dye session or what I did to create my groovy t-shirt, keep reading!

What you'll need:

• A tie dye kit - My friend and I bought two tie dye kits which ended up being just enough for us to do 5 decent designs. If you're an inexperienced tie dye-er like I was, I would recommend buying two or three kits. We bought ours at Five Below (for $5) and Target (for $10). They should be easy to find at any multi-purpose store (probably in the craft section).
• A white t-shirt - You can tie dye almost anything, but we used t-shirts. 100% cotton works best, as if sucks up more of the color to create a more vibrant design.
• Newspaper, garbage bags, or an open outdoor area - Tie dying can get a little messy, especially if you have clumsy, silly friends like mine. Make sure you have a good area to work with lots of room to move around. We did ours in my friend's kitchen. TIP: Make sure your newspapers or garbage bags are actually creating a barrier. We didn't realize that some of our dye had seeped through onto her counter. Luckily, it came off, but be careful because most dyes will stain.
• A fun group of friends - Everything's more fun when you have other people to joke around with! Plus, if there's any instructions you don't fully understand, odds are someone in your group will.
• A decent amount of time - My tie dying session lasted a few hours. Make sure you have enough time on your hands so that you don't feel rushed.

How to do it:

The tie dye kit will come with instructions. Make sure you follow them as closely as you can. Our better kit (the one from Target) came with 4 bottles, gloves, and rubber bands. Make sure to wear the gloves whenever you're in contact with the dye because it will stain your hands. TIP: Wear clothes you don't care too much about just in case things get messy.

Your kit will also come with designs you can make. The easiest ones are the typical centered spiral or a centered bullseye. Depending on what pattern you're hoping to achieve, follow the instructions and just have fun. It doesn't have to be perfect.

When you finish applying your dye, wrap your shirt (with the rubber bands still on it) in saran wrap. Let it sit at least over night before moving on to the next step.

Once you've let your shirt sit over night, unwrap it. Take off the saran wrap and the rubber bands. TIP: Wear gloves when doing this step! Your shirt will not be totally dry. If you don't wear gloves it will stain your hands. Rinse your shirt in cold water until the water runs clean. Be patient. This will take a little longer than you think. But, the more thorough you are, the more happy you'll be in the end. 

Hang your wet shirt on a hanger and put it somewhere to dry. I hung mine outside and left it there for hours. It should be soaked, so obviously it will take a long time to dry.

And, you're done! Congratulations! Enjoy your new creation and show it off to all your friends. Here's my shirt. I did random bullseyes.

I hope this was informative and I've inspired you in some way! Go out and tie dye with some friends this summer. And don't forget to come back and show me your out of sight creations!

What other fun things do you do with friends in the summer time? Let me know in the comments! Have a tubular day, cool cats!

Blog ya later! xx

Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale

Hello, beauties.

If you're like me, you could spend days smelling all the products in Bath & Body Works. There isn't one particular type of scent that I like better than the rest. From fruity to romantic, I never know what's going to catch my eye... er, nose?

A few days ago, I finally made my way to my local Bath & Body Works store to sift through all the items. I had heard that most body sprays were on sale for $3 a bottle and most candles were 50% off. Needless to say, there are tons of amazing deals, especially since most of the products they sale are pretty nice quality. Now, let's get into the fun stuff.

I only bought four products on this trip, but I have quite a bit to say about them. I'm going to start with the body sprays. Select fragrance mists (including the two that I purchased) are marked down 75% to $3. I also purchased two 4 oz. single-wick candles marked 50% off, making them $4.75. They do have select larger 14.5 oz. three-wick candles for $10.

Forever Sunshine Body Spray - I have become obsessed with this scent. Simple as that. It reminds me of my favorite perfume scent, Obsession by Calvin Klein. I think that's why I like it so much. The Bath & Body Works site defines the scent as "an exclusive blend of golden apricot, pink peonies, and a hint of praline that captures the romance of warm days that linger into cool autumn." It's floral smelling, but not overpowering. This spray could honestly work in any season, but for right now I think it's going to be the scent of my summer.

Paris Amour Body Spray - This spray is almost an opposite scent from Forever Sunshine, despite the fact that they're both floral. I would classify Paris Amour as romantic. It would work very well for a nighttime scent, but not necessarily for every day. Defined on the website as "a dreamy blend of French tulips, apple blossoms and sparkling pink champagne, inspired by a romantic stroll through the streets of Paris", I'd say that this scent does a wonderful job at managing to be light while still exuding that romantic musk.

Aloha Vanilla - Aloha Vanilla is your typical vanilla candle with a twist. Seeing as it's part of the name, you'd expect the vanilla scent to be the most predominate in the mix. Luckily, it is, and yet the candle isn't boring in the least. "A tropical island breeze of sweet mango, vanilla absolute and creamy coconut with a touch of lotus flower." All of Bath & Body Works' candles are Slatkin and Co. brand. I wouldn't say they're outstanding, but they're definitely average. You do end up with that waxy residue, but the creativity put into the fragrance makes up for it in my opinion.

Sunrise Lagoon - I was instantly drawn to this candle by the color. I have a thing for aquas, turquoises, and teals. Even the image on the packaging is interesting to look at. Once it caught my eye, I had to smell it. Sunrise Lagoon reminds me of what you'd smell on vacation. I imagine a tropical beach with exotic fruits and plants. The site reads "A luscious blend of juicy melon and citrus with notes of jasmine blossom and pink peony" and I think that each of those ingredients is definitely noticeable in the candle. I think I like this candle a little more than Aloha Vanilla.

Bonus Comments! While in the store, I noticed the True Blue Spa products. Essentially, it's a line of lotions and moisturizers that are made with vitamins and oils in order to tackle specific problems we face. I was interested in whether or not these products really do what they're made to do. I might end up going back to pick up one or two of them, but for now let me know if you've ever used them? Did they work well?

I think that's all for this trip to Bath & Body Works. Be sure to let me know if you've ever tried any of the products or scents I mentioned above? Did you feel the same way I did? What's your favorite Bath & Body Works scent? And don't forget to check out the Bath & Body Works semi-annual sale! I'm pretty sure it only lasts a few more days!

Blog ya later! xx

Summer 2012 Bucket List

Hello, beauties.

I don't know about yours, but my friends and I are extremely indecisive. It's as if the moment we decide to hang out any ideas either of us had for things to do instantly disappear. So, this summer, my friend Lizzy and I decided to create a Summer Bucket List. Many of the things on the list I'd consider blog worthy and I feel like it would be fun to let you all know as I finish and check off things along the way. As of right now, the list has over 50 items on it. It would take up so much space, that I'm just going to give it it's very own tab. I'll make a post about it whenever I finish things on the list and I encourage you to join in the fun.

To see the list, go HERE!

What's on your summer bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

Blog ya later! xx

The Future, Summer, & My New Adventure

Hello, beauties.


My name is Ashley and this is the first post on my brand new blog! Obviously, you've made your way here, so you probably already knew that. Seeing as this is my very first post, I feel as though I should talk a bit about myself. I'm 17 years old and recently graduated from high school. There's a lot of things that have caught my interest throughout the years, but the one that stuck was acting. Musical theater has been a large part of my life since the age of 4 and without it, I think I'd be a completely different person. My dreams have been carved out of the desire to perform and I believe that one day I will be on a Broadway stage. However, in the more near future, my dreams are nearly as large as that one. In the Spring of 2013, I plan on participating in the Walt Disney World College Program. If you've been a senior in high school, you know that tons and tons of people will ask the same question of you for the last few months; "What're you doing for college?!" Having recently graduated, I've answered that question so many times and don't have the desire to go into grave detail here on this blog. Basically, the Disney College Program is a paid internship that takes place in a Disney park. If you want to read more about it, simply Google "Disney College Program" and find their website. I promise, it's insanely informative. 


In the meantime, I'm savoring my last summer as a "child" and making the most of the time I have. I've been crazy busy having this thing called a life. Apparently, it's all the rage to leave your bedroom and laptop sometimes. Who knew?! In fact, last night I went to a midnight showing of the new Disney Pixar film, Brave. I could definitely go on for ages raving to you about how gloriously wonderful the movie was, so I'll just leave it at that. I also tie dyed shirts with some of my friends and mine turned out pretty well, I'd say. I might do a blog post on that, if it's something you'd be interested in. Both of those little adventures were a part of a list that my friend and I have created. It's something like a Summer 2012 bucket list. It has about 50 activities on it as of right now, but it continues to grow. I've also considered doing a post on that and telling out some of the better things on the list. 


But, speaking of adventures, this blog itself is one that I've decided to embark on on my own. I've always been someone who enjoyed makeup and fashion. Who doesn't like cutesy little DIY crafts? So, I decided to make a place to document and share all of my little bits and bobs over the course of this Summer and hopefully even longer. Recently, I've become infatuated with the YouTube channels (and now blogs) of Zoe and Louise. They're somewhat "famous" around the web and I feel inspired to create a blog and do something similar to what they've done. Obviously, they aren't the only beauty gurus blogging and vlogging about, but I see something different in them. They seem so down to earth and so silly. They're unlike the robotic, carbon copy beauty vloggers you see every day creating the majority of hauls, tutorials, and reviews across YouTube and other platforms. Like I said, they've inspired me to begin my own new adventure here on BlogSpot and I can't wait to see what comes out of it. So, come along on my little journey and explore the worlds of beauty, fashion, and fun with me. I'd love to interact with you, so be sure to leave comments and subscribe! I promise I don't bite.


I guess that's all for now. I hope I didn't talk you to death.


Blog ya later! x