January 2017 Favorites

1. LUSH: Magical Moringa (facial moisturizer), Angels on Bare Skin (Facial Cleanser), American Cream (Hair Conditioner)

Magical Moringa is seriously the best moisturizer I have ever tried! It makes your skin feel velvety soft and matte all day. It is great to use underneath makeup as a primer. I do not have oily or dry skin by the way but I think it would work great for any skin type.
Angels on Bare Skin has black charcoal, mud and black sugar among other things but I really like how it scrubs my skin gently. It is specifically meant for acne prone skin. I have stress induced break outs and this cleanser has really helped keep my skin clearer.

American Cream conditioner smells amazing! The smell is vanilla based and it stays in your hair at least all day if not for a couple days after that. It still lingers after using hot tools on my hair as well. The conditioner also makes my hair shiny, vibrant and soft.

2. Amazon Music

Amazon Music is included with a Prime membership. I didn't want to pay for Spotify Premium or Pandora One but I also don't like being limited to a number of skips nor do I like listening to ads mid workout. I found out that Amazon Music allows me to create playlists, download the music to my phone or computer for offline listening, skip songs all day long and there are no ads. Sold. You can pay for an upgraded version to have access to even more songs, especially new releases. I just haven't felt like it has been necessary to do so.

3. No Tomorrow

It's on Netflix. It is a romantic comedy TV-show and while it's quirky, strange and unrealistic at times, the concept and theme is really cool. The theme- What would you do and how would you live if the world were ending in 8 months?

4. Minimalism- A Documentary About The Important Things

This documentary is also on Netflix. It is not a typical boring documentary(though I personally lie documentaries) and I think it really could be appreciated by anyone. It talks about what is really important in life, what really makes us happy and the idea of living with less material items. It also discusses that young adults (and even older generations) are in search of a different lifestyle than what years ago was thought to be the key to success.

***Hey guys, I also wanted to note, this post is not sponsored in any way. I was not compensated or given anything for free. This is all just my opinion. 

Backpacking The Grand Tetons

Photos from Grand Tetons Backpacking Trip!

I Want to be Envious of my Own Life

     It's not that I really envy other people's lives. I take a look at other people, what they have been doing and all the fun pictures they've taken. I also take into account where they are living and how they are living. What is it that I am missing? I've recently asked myself, why do I feel like I am missing out. It's not that I want what they have or care to do things the way they are doing them. I want to look at my life and feel that it is something I could envy. It's really as if I feel I am not fully engaging my full potential. I am not taking the chance to develop the best version of my self. The version that feels happy, free, adventurous, fulfilled.

     Not everyone's life is always as perfect and wonderful as someone else may perceive it to be. You really don't know exactly what is going on in their life. And even so, what if their life is amazing and they love every minute of it? You can't be happy living someone else's life. You have to live your life doing what makes you happy.

     Setting goals is important. Even more important, completing them. I've been wondering what is holding me back. I don't complete the goals I find scary. I've let fear decide things for me. Some days I feel lost, others certain of my path. This is not to say I am unhappy. I feel blessed to have what I have. I have been given so many opportunities and I have amazing people surrounding me. I do truly feel happy, just not always so sure of what I am doing with my life.

     Sometimes I battle with myself. Take the safe certain route, or the crazy scary route? I see so many different versions of me. Am I the only one? For some reason I struggle with accepting I could be variations of each version. I could be a writer, a magazine editor, a musician, a fitness guru, a traveler and what ever else I can think of.

     I think what the struggle for me is, I have been convinced that the only way to be successful is to follow what society deems so. College is a must, a good career follows and you have to be practical and rational with your decisions for your career.

     At this point I find myself writing things that maybe are a little too heavy, I just felt the urge to write this all down and blog it. Maybe someone will read this and get it. Other's may not.

    This February I'm going to do something gutsy. Something I haven't done in a few years. I'm going to perform in front of an audience. There we go, it's written and publicly on the internet. I have to do it. The only way I can become the best version of myself, the one that feels fulfilled is if I do the things that I find to make me successful. I have to do my own thing and stop letting fear rule.

     Anyone who has read this whole thing... you're seriously awesome!
I also challenge you to set a goal, something you're really nervous to do. Complete it this February. Do it!

 Ashley

Proof it Snows in Arizona

This is what I woke up to today, snow! This is my view from my balcony. 

Here is proof it snows in Arizona.

Hope everyone is having a good day! :)

Neck Piercings and Really Good Food.

     Earlier today I went to go get a piercing and this wasn't necessarily random, I'd been wanting to get it done for awhile. The idea to go today now that was spurt of the moment. I got a neck or nape surface piercing. I previously had a dermal anchor in the same location but unfortunately it was rejected and fell out. So today I decided to try a surface piercing and i'm hoping that it won't reject. I really like it so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will stay in for awhile, plus...it was pretty expensive.

Here is a fairly hideous picture.
Eventually I will have to update with a healed picture.

     As far as the pain, I would say the pain itself was about an 8 or 9 out of 10 but because it only lasts about 3 seconds, overall it was around a 7. It was pretty sore after and a little uncomfortable. It did subside significantly after about an hour. It was my most painful piercing, comparing to my navel, lip, nose, tragus, my dermal in the same area, etc. If you are considering this piercing, just remember that everyone's pain tolerance is different so don't let me scare you away from it.

     After getting pierced Camron and I decided to run next door to Beaver Street Brewery and get some lunch. We picked up margarita chicken sandwiches with sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries are the best! This restaurant is located on Beaver Street, here in Flagstaff right next to Burly Fish Tattoo where I got my piercing. I would definitely recommend both. Everyone at Burly Fish is friendly, helpful and professional. The food at Beaver street is really good! Get the sweet potato fries if you ever go, they're awesome!

     So that was my afternoon and tonight I went out with a few friends. I wasn't hungry but I met them at Buffalo Wild Wings and drank some water while they ate. I try to avoid wings, they are definitely not clean or healthy at all. We were going to go down town for some drinks and what not but the cold wet weather we are having deterred us. We honestly ended up chilling at someone's house and just talked and played games. Trust me if you were here in our wintery weather you wouldn't have wanted to leave the warm indoors either.

Fall Lip colors

     I've been Christmas shopping the past couple of weeks and I have found some awesome deals. I tend to pick up stuff for myself while Christmas shopping, so I do have a haul post coming up. Actually, the haul post is also dueling as a Christmas gift guide for her. For now I am going to share three new lipsticks I just bought, primarily darker shades for fall. I bought Pink Nouveau a satin lipstick by Mac, Euphoria (360) by Cover Girl and Raisin Rapture (892) by L'oreal. The swatches below are pretty true to color.
     I also bought some things from Victoria's Secret, Charlotte Russe and Lush. Look out for my haul post to see everything I picked up!

Sweater Weather

     Hey guys, this is a tag that is going around on Youtube right now. I thought I'd answer these fall related questions and throw it up on here. If anyone else wants to do this tag on their blog, you should and leave me the link to it in the comments below.





1. Favorite candle scent?
     I don't have a favorite scent, during the fall I usually pick up various pumpkin scented candles. This year I just wasn't feeling it. The candle I have been burning the most this fall is the Bath and Body Works Harvest coffee.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
     I am a coffee person, but unfortunately I have to watch my caffeine intake. I also really like tea so I drink it instead most of the time. I like chai and salted caramel tea.

3. What's the best fall memory you have?
     The best fall memory I have is...i'm not sure actually. Okay, well a few years ago I was lucky to get to go to New Jersey and New York with my aunt and grandmother for thanksgiving. We spent a week and a half visiting cousins. We did a lot of fun things, I got to see a show on Broadway and also The Statue of Liberty. The east coast is really pretty in the fall.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? 
     I normally prefer winged eyeliner, I usually stay away from really bold lip colors. This year I've actually gotten into the dark lips look. 
    
5. Best fragrance for fall?
     Bath and Body works' Aspen caramel woods is a warm sweet scent. It's the perfect fall scent! I have the triple moisture body cream and body spray. I also like the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin scent but only the lotion.

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food?
     Mashed potatoes and stuffing.

7. What is autumn weather like where you live?
     I live in Arizona and most people would think it's really hot and dry and there are a lot of cacti everywhere. More specifically I live in the mountains so that does not apply for the part of Arizona I live in. It starts getting chilly mid September, I would say true fall weather occurs from Mid September to mid October, so for about four to six weeks. The it gets really cold and stays cold until the end of April or beginning of May.  We do have a lot of trees up here so there are a lot of leaves changing color and a lot of sunflowers everywhere, it's really pretty.

8. Most worn sweater?
I haven't specifically been wearing one sweater the most. I have a lot of sweaters, it gets really cold for a long time so you have to have a lot of warm clothes here.

9. Must-have nail polish this fall?
     OPI's Wouldn't Shoe Like to Know, a nice shimmery gold brown. Sinful Colors' Calypso, a really dark green and Rich in heart, a wine color. I also really like Zoya's Gabrielle, a glittery orange color.

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles?
     Jumping in leaf piles I suppose. I'm not really a football fan.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?
     Both, it depends on the day or what look I am trying to accomplish. If i am just lounging around then I'll wear leggings, but to go out for work or school, skinny jeans.

12. Combat boots or Uggs?
     Combat boots for fall. Uggs are for winter.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?
     I personally really like pumpkin lattes in general. I don't necessarily always pick them up at Starbucks. There are a lot of coffee shops in town that make em' better.

14. Favorite fall TV show?
     I watch How I met your Mother and Grey's Anatomy during the fall. Oh and Revenge also airs during the fall.

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit?
     I can't think of a song that makes me think of Fall. I listen to different kinds of music daily, I'm always changing it up depending on my mood.