Ashley DeLarge

My Summer Makeup Routine!

August 2, 2018August 9, 2018by Ashley DeLarge1 Comment

Good Morning and Happy Thursday, everyone!

Before we get ready to launch into Friday and I break for the weekend (the posting schedule will return to normal next week!) I wanted to try a little something different by introducing a new series of posts I’ll be sharing quarterly for my fellow makeup lovers out there!

Here in New England, the seasons change (drastically) every few months- and with those changes, I also mix up my skincare and hair care regimen to keep up- but my makeup changes pretty often, too! In the Fall/Winter I’m into darker shades and bolder looks, whereas in the Spring/Summer I like to keep it as light and as natural as possible.

Now that we’re in the final stretch of Summer, I thought I’d share the products that I wear on an every day basis. Lightweight, loaded with SPF, and as sweat and humidity-proof as I can get- this is my early A.M. routine for work each morning, for errands on the weekends, and when I’m heading out on the town (although depending on the occasion, I might add a little bit of nude eye shadow or gold eyeliner to look a little more dramatic.)

Here’s what I do after my skin care and a base coat of moisturizer with SPF 50:

Found BB Cream: With natural ingredients and extra moisturizing benefits, I apply this creamy, non-pore-clogging BB cream with sheer-to-moderate coverage with a brush since a sponge/blender tends to absorb more of the product than I’d like. I use the lightest shade in Found’s collection, which is pretty close to my natural skin tone (even with a bit of a tan!) and is super easy to blend to avoid unsightly lines or discolorations.

I’m left with natural looking coverage that keeps my skin hydrated and doesn’t sink into my pores or fine lines. I love this stuff!

[ MORE INFO HERE ]

Too Faced “Born This Way” Setting Powder: After I’ve got my foundation and my concealer where I want it, I dust a bit of this translucent setting powder on the areas where I get the most oily (particularly my T-zone and along my hair line) to keep shine at bay and my makeup/moisturizer/SPF from melting off my face the second I step into that hot and humid Massachusetts weather!

What I love best about this powder, apart from the fact that it gives great coverage- is that it also makes my skin look luminous- like I’m radiating with a healthy, natural glow!

[ MORE INFO HERE ]

Maybelline’s Master Chrome Highlighter: My secret weapon for this Summer- a sweep of this metallic highlighter (I use “Molten Gold”) along my cheekbones, the tip of my nose, my chin, and my temples- and I’ve got *the* nicest sunkissed look around in seconds. There’s a swatch of it below!

I seriously wish this product had been around back in my early twenties when I was one of many casualties to fall victim to unflattering and way-too-orange bronzers. This stuff is amazing and makes me legitimately light up the room when I walk in!

[ MORE INFO HERE ]

MILK Makeup’s KUSH High Volume Mascara: This cannabis oil-infused mascara made my “Favorites” list for the month of July, and for good reason! I can skip eye shadows and eyeliners all together whenever I apply a couple of swipes of this conditioning, thickening mascara- because it makes my eyes pop naturally- and it stays in place!

Even with the rising temperatures and occasional thunderstorms- I like that this mascara doesn’t end up running all over my face or smudging like crazy!

[ MORE INFO HERE ]

Sephora’s Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick (in Chili Pepper): Another “Favorites” item from July! This bright red/orange matte lip color has become my staple shade for Summer 2018-and the long-lasting (but non-drying!) formula can survive my morning coffee, my mid-morning snack, and most of my lunch before I have to re-apply. At $14 a tube, this is pretty much a steal given how fantastic it stays in place!

I have a feeling I’ll be looking into the more deep brown/red shades in this formula once Fall is here.

[ MORE INFO HERE ]

And those are my Summer makeup staples this year! Not overly complicated- but just the right amount of shine and color to keep things interesting!

If you have any Summer makeup you’d like to share, or any products that you’re loving this time of year- feel free to leave a comment or drop me a line! I’m always looking for recommendations!

And now, it’s time for me to get to work. Here’s wishing you all a wonderful rest of your week and a spectacular weekend! I’ll see you again on Monday!

– Ashley –

July 2018: In a Nutshell

July 31, 2018August 7, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday 2.0, everyone!

This week’s posting schedule is a short one (today and Thursday only)– not only because the last day of July happened to land on a Tuesday- but because I’ve got a pretty busy few days ahead of me and have been coordinating different events, meet-ups, errands and deadlines around an already packed work-week!

Can you all believe we’re getting ready to dive into August? That means there’s only one solid month of Summer left before we start to gradually transition into the Fall. Cooler temperatures, shorter days, changing foliage- and the return of pumpkin spiced everything. It’s pretty wild- and I, for one- intend to savor the next few hot and sunny weeks ahead as much as possible!

But before I get ready to change my calendar and start planning as many beach days as I can get away with- I thought I’d take a look back on the month of July- and all the fun (and sometimes insanity) that came with it!

The beginning of this past month was marked by tragedy, unfortunately. Following the suicide of an old friend near the end of June, the first few days of July saw me return to my hometown in Central Massachusetts to pay my respects and spend some much-needed time with mutual friends I hadn’t seen in many years who were also in mourning.

While the circumstances were indeed grim, being able to catch up with so many people I’d missed and care about- and both laugh and cry as we shared memories from a long time ago- was pretty cathartic. I’m making more of an effort to find time to see these friends more often, despite our busy schedules and home lives- because it shouldn’t only be tragedies that bring people back together.

By the time July 4th rolled around, I was also getting back in touch with nature- hiking, swimming beneath waterfalls and in lakes, and catching ferries around Boston Harbor’s islands to get a taste of the ocean and get out of the city for a few hours at a time. By the time Friday the 13th rolled around, I was a pro at packing backpacks filled with SPF, bug spray, and snacks- and had no issues camping out in the middle of the woods for a Jason Vorhees-inspired film festival at Rocky Woods Reservation!

And despite quite a few scattered thunderstorms and sun showers- I caught plenty of outdoor cookouts and backyard BBQs with friends and family (take a peek at some of my SUMMER RECIPES posts for a few of my favorite dishes!) as well as taking in some local children’s theater to support one of my best friends and enjoying some Summer blockbuster action flicks in air conditioned theaters!

This past weekend, with July winding down- I kept things closer to home. Friday night was the Arctic Monkeys show at TD Garden. I love those brilliant boys from Sheffield- and it was a real trip to see them play for thousands at the Garden when I can remember so clearly watching them play for about 100 people in small venues throughout New York and London in our early twenties! Alex may have shaved off his beautiful hair last week, but he was still just as dashing and charming as ever- and hearing some of the bangers I love best reverberate off the walls of the arena was such an incredible feeling.

Live music can make you feel invincible sometimes. I swear.

Following the gig, friends and I took the after party to the Coolidge Corner Theater for their midnight screening of “The Room” (AKA the best worst movie ever made) ala “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Within three minutes- the entire crowd was laughing hysterically- and by ten minutes in, we were throwing plastic spoons at the screen after being given handfuls of them by the staff upon entry. If you’ve never had the opportunity to go to a midnight screening, don’t even hesitate to buy tickets if one is available near you. Grab your friends and go. It’s a riot.

By the early afternoon on Saturday, my friends and I- having gone to bed around 4 a.m.- needed to recharge and sleepily walked to downtown Melrose to get brunch at our favorite weekend spot- Cappa’s Trackside Kitchen. We all split omelettes, toast, hash, home fries- and my personal favorite- banana Nutella French toast- before grabbing coffees to go and heading out into the sunshine to wake ourselves up a little.

Sunday was my day to rest, although I did take a bit of time to get a few errands for the week accomplished- but the majority of the day was spent in pajamas, surfing the web, watching trashy reality TV, and eating nachos. Sometimes you just really, really need a lazy Sunday- and it seemed like a fitting way to bid farewell to an otherwise jam-packed and busy month! Decompressing and getting ready for the next one!

So what do I have planned for August? Well, as I mentioned earlier- definitely as many beach days as possible! I’m also hoping to spend a little more time in some of my favorite seaside towns before that tricky New England weather starts to change again.

I’ve got Boston Comic-Con and Summer Slam coming up within the next couple of weeks, too- which is going to require some creativity and dressing up on my part!

And, of course- I’ll have plenty of recipes, outfits and recaps to share as Summer 2018 begins to draw to a close!

But I’ve got a meeting at work this morning before I get right back into my daily grind- so here’s wishing you all a wonderful end to your own July- and a lovely rest of your Tuesday!

– Ashley –

Favorites: July 2018!

July 27, 2018August 5, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Afternoon and Happy Friday, everyone!

I’m taking a break from running errands, catching up on e-mails, and enjoying a light lunch before I start getting ready for tonight’s Arctic Monkeys show at TD Garden- followed by a midnight screening of ‘The Room’ at Coolidge Corner Theater with some friends!

I thought now would be a good time as ever to share some of my favorite things from this past month- considering it’s nearly over (time is flying by this Summer, isn’t it?!) As usual, I’ll recap the month as a whole next week before August is here- but for today- it’s all about the products and odds & ends I’ve been loving/obsessed with over the past few weeks!

I’ll be starting with the items/products I was able to photograph before moving onto some of the other miscellaneous things, of course.

Let’s get right to it!

Throughout July, I was trying different mascaras derived from more natural ingredients to lengthen, define and condition my lashes- but there’s one that really stood out for me that I’ve been using every day since trying it for the very first time. Milk Makeup’s KUSH High Volume Mascara (infused with cannabis oil- and there’s plenty of weed puns on the packaging) has thickened, softened, and protected my lashes since I started using it.

I think this has taken the title of my new all-time favorite mascara!

For my lips, I’ve been really into bright reds/corals/oranges this month- and I found the perfect long-lasting, non-drying liquid lipstick from Sephora’s Cream Lip Stain line. This shade, called “Chili Pepper” is so bold and fun to wear- day or night. Whenever I’m rocking this, I always have people stopping me to ask about it. Best of all? It was only $14!

And in July I tried to keep that red/orange hue on my nails, too- especially with all the patriotic parties that happened at the beginning of the month! For quick touch-ups for my manicure, I turned to Lollipops Nail Polish in “VOYAGE À PARIS” to keep my digits looking fresh, shiny and cherry red!

July has been filled with scattered thunderstorms, plenty of sun showers- and more than one foggy day. Long story short: it’s been humid. Times a thousand. I knew that no ordinary hairspray would keep my curls from puffing up- but I also didn’t want anything so heavy-duty that my hair would look and feel like dry straw. Enter OGX’s Humidity Blocking Hairspray. Infused with shea butter and marula oil- this lightweight aerosol hairspray keeps my hair controlled- without the crunch.

I’ve been able to make it through so much unpredictable weather these past few weeks with this stuff!

Finally, Summer isn’t Summer without some Bath and Body Works fragrances! Throughout July, I’ve been lathering up with this Beach Water Coconut body wash- which is a really great combination of coconut, bergamot and musk- and transports me to the coast every morning in the shower.

And, while on-the-go, I am *obsessed* with their “At The Beach” body mist. It’s a refreshing, cooling ocean scent- and I never leave home (or the office) without spritizing some on!

I think that’s it for the products- but some other things made the list, too!

– MUSIC/MOVIES/TELEVISION –

“Mission Impossible: Fallout” – I saw this movie last night with Troy, and what an absolute adrenaline rush! The action scenes were amazing, the comedic scenes were perfect- and Henry Cavill was such a great addition to the cast. This was the quintessential, fast-paced Summertime movie and I can’t stop talking about how good it was!

– MISCELLANEOUS –

Paintbox Theater – I posted about this Western Massachusetts’ children’s theater company earlier this month- and their last performance of the Summer season is taking place the first weekend in August (it’s “The Little Mermaid” by the way!) So if you’ve got little ones and would like to make a trip to one of the most beautiful parts of the state- there’s still time to get tickets to see an adorable show!

And I think that’s it for July, everyone! I’ve got to go get prettied up for tonight- but if you’d like to share some of your own favorite things from this month, feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment!

As always, here’s wishing you all a wonderful weekend! See you all next week!

– Ashley –

Backyard BBQ Recipes: Honey-Lime Chicken and Veggies in Foil

July 25, 2018August 1, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

I’m getting ready to finish an early morning stretch and then get to work on some cases while simultaneously preparing for plans tonight with a particularly handsome fella- but before I dive right into that- I wanted to share a 30 minute recipe that is going to make your next grilling endeavor a breeze.

After fighting off wasps that have congregated on my back porch over the course of the past couple of weeks- I declared myself victorious and able to use my grill again without risking a hospital visit from being stung 100+ times. My first order of business were whipping up these “pocket dinners”- meaning the meal is cooked to perfection within a tin foil pocket.

It’s super easy to do- and, like many of the recipes here- can be completely customized with your choice of vegetables and seasonings.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons honey
Zest of 1 lime
Four 6-ounce chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 bunch asparagus
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ears corn, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, olive oil, garlic, ginger, honey and lime zest.
Using 12-inch sheets of foil, build four packets. Place a chicken breast in the center of each. Season it with cumin and paprika. Divide the asparagus among the packets. Brush the chicken and asparagus with the honey-ginger sauce and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the food inside and crimp several times to seal.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the packets until the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the chicken is finished, add the corn to the grill and cook until it’s browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
Garnish the chicken with cilantro and green onion before serving.

What I love the most about this recipe- apart from quite a few different flavors and textures blending perfectly together- is that this is also a pretty healthy dinner, too. The chicken breast isn’t covered in fattening breading and the vegetables are, well- vegetables. You can’t really mess those up.

I’ve since fallen down the “Pocket Dinner” rabbit hole online- finding a ton of recipes similar to this one to try- so here’s hoping the wasps keep away so I can keep using my grill during the next couple of weeks!

Enjoy your Hump Day, everyone! See you all on Friday!

– Ashley –

Pirates and Piglets…

July 23, 2018July 30, 2018by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

Before I begin another week at work and try to stay dry during what is shaping up to be a rainy few days ahead- I wanted to dial it back a bit and share some of my favorite moments from this past weekend! There was a lot of driving, a considerable amount of delicious food- and a little bit of theater!

On Saturday, I had made the mini-trek down to Mystic, Connecticut for the first time in a couple of years. My original plan was to do a little shopping in Olde Mistick Village (a series of shops, boutiques and restaurants set within a 1700s style-inspired Colonial village) and then grab a slice of pizza over at Mystic Pizza over on Main Street. Yes, *the* Mystic Pizza.

What I hadn’t anticipated was the traffic- both road-wise and pedestrian. When I was a kid, my family typically visited/stayed in Mystic during the Fall- and it was never particularly busy. That all changes in the Summer, however- when tourists flock from all over to get a taste of that small, quaint, seaside New England charm. Not only was getting from point A to B a hassle in itself- but parking was pretty much impossible. After doing some shopping in the village and driving by Mystic Pizza (sadly, may I add-) I eventually returned home to get rested up for yesterday.

I did manage to buy my mother and my dog each a cute present while I was in town, though- so not all was lost.

Yesterday morning, with coffee in hand- I swung by Easthampton to catch my friend Troy in his performance for Paintbox Theatre’s “Pirates!” (which I blogged about last week!) The show was, I believe, sold out- and the auditorium appeared packed to capacity with very excited children and amused adults as they watched the pandemonium take place on stage, in the aisles, and even in the audience.

It was beyond adorable- and I’m so, so proud of the incredible cast and crew who were involved in what ended up being Easthampton’s official Pirate Day- per the mayor- who also happened to be in attendance!

After the show, I headed out so Troy could get going on the planned activities for the kids for the remainder of the afternoon- heading back out towards Central Massachusetts and dodging sunshowers (that turned into thunderstorms) that rolled through the area. Famished before I could reach my destination, I saw signs for Stone Cow Brewery in Barre and decided to stop and indulge in some of their BBQ, a beer, and the scenery. I’ve passed by the place so many times in the past but never had the time to stop- but I’m sure glad I did!

Not only was the food amazing (their corn bread is some of the best I’ve ever tasted)- but the surrounding farmland was beautiful and seeing some baby animals while I strolled the area was the cherry on top of a perfect afternoon.

Although I did feel a little bad when I came across the baby piglets. Especially since I had just eaten a pulled pork sandwich. Yikes.

Overall it was a pretty fun weekend- and being back at work is definitely a downer!

This week I’ve got a fun grilling recipe I’m excited to share with everyone, as well as a peek into some of my favorite products, items, odds & ends from July- so keep an eye out!

Until then, though- I hope you all have a fantastic start to your week. Let’s get through it together!

– Ashley –