Style Snapshot: Ashley

As one of the founding partners of NEAT Method, Ashley Murphy has seen a lot of closets, a ton of products, and figured out ways to keep things simple and well... neat! I am still amazed at what she was able to do in my home. This chic Chicago mama-to-be shares with us her personal style and her favorite things. 

I am originally from Ohio, but have been a Chicago girl for quite some time now.  I actually left for a brief couple of years to live in San Francisco, but always knew I would be getting back to my Midwestern roots sooner or later.

Ashley & Molly

While in San Francisco I was lucky enough to meet Molly Graves, my now business partner and lifelong friend!  We successfully launched a professional organizing company, NEAT Method and are thrilled to be officially in the Windy City! We figured since San Francisco wasn’t enough, why not take on another city…possibly even two (Minneapolis is in the works…sshhh!!)

And…on top of getting settled back in Chicago and running NEAT, I should also probably mention I am expecting my first baby this October. Ahhhh!!! Luckily, Type A people do best with a full plate!

So given my current belly situation, I am fashionably inspired by anyone who can make                pregnancy look chic.  Unfortunately, the timing of my pregnancy has aligned with celebs such as Snooki. Sooo I’m trying my best to come up with outfits that don’t make me look like I’m giving birth to a full size human. I’ve always kept my style simple and might have a slight obsession with basics. I tend to purge things that I no longer wear, so therefore I hate buying things that are too trendy to last for more than a season. I guess it’s proof that I actually practice what I preach to our NEAT Method clients.

I can always find something to impulse buy at Roslyn and Krista K in Chicago. I never online shop, because why deal with the hassle of returns? I actually only own one pair of maternity clothes: a pair of J Brand 3411 Maternity Skinny Leg Jeans. I am just having the hardest time getting into the whole maternity clothes thing. However, I might be getting to the point that a size bigger isn’t going to work for my ever-expanding belly!

Like my wardrobe, I am also fairly simple in the makeup department. If you were to see what I sported in college, you would be thanking me for getting over the makeup obsession and going with a more “natural” look. I tend to typically throw on a little eye shadow and mascara, finished with some powder and blush and call it a day. For a night on the town, I will spice it up with some eyeliner and fun gloss.

My favorites are: Laura Mercier Buttercream eye shadow, Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara, custom mineral powder by Nicole Jacob (a Chicago makeup artist that you must try if you live here), and a blush by her as well. Oh and my favorite gloss is Channel #84. That’s pretty much it though!

Turns out my skincare routine isn’t quite as simple as my wardrobe.  This might be where some of my OCD tendencies shine through. It basically stems from the fact that when I moved to SF, my skin completely changed and I officially had adult acne (did I mention that I’m a bit of a drama queen??). I immediately went into panic mode thinking I would never make any new friends looking this way, which is when I discovered the most amazing medical Aesthetician in the world, Kim from Skin Salvation. I followed her advice and my skin cleared up immediately.  With a few modifications, here is what she taught me and I literally do it every morning and every night. And yes, my friends and family make fun of me…but hey, at least I have friends now!

p Use a clean washcloth to wash your face every morning and every night. No really…a new one every time.

p Rub an ice cube all over your face after every wash. Yep…I really do this too.  And in fact, I think it feels amazing.

p In the a.m. – apply eye cream and SPF

p In the p.m. – apply eye cream and a moisturizer

My favorites are: SkinCeuticals Purifying Cleanse, Elta MD spf 45, A Natural Difference Phyto-Pumpkin Moisturizer, SkinCeuticals Eye Balm.

As for my fitness regime? Oh gosh…do we have to talk about fitness these days!? Does standing all day on the job for NEAT count as exercise? I never thought I would be the pregnant girl that couldn’t keep up with her regular fitness routine, but as it turns out…I just can’t. Without a baby on board, I typically am a runner and Pilates girl. For now however, let’s just call exercise on a good day: working, followed by some walking and light stretching.

And…my other interesting life choices…I swear by the Whole Foods on North Ave in Chicago.  It is the size of a small city, and I can get anything I could ever want all while enjoying a glass of wine!  Well, except in my current state…do you think a girl can grocery shop, carry a crying child, and hold a glass of wine all at the same time?  Lets hope so cause I’m only a few months away from doing so!

I’m mostly a vegetarian, but also not afraid to take a bite out of a burger from time to time. I don’t drink milk, only almond milk. I’m a little weird about taking vitamins and will only do so with a glass of juice. I also hate taking medicine, and avoid it at all costs.

If you are still reading this…I should consider you a friend! So, thank you!

Feel free to check out NEAT’s blog to learn more OCD habits! 

Get Glowing

People keep talking about something called "Fifty Shades of Grey," and I can only assume they have had a peek at my beyond pale skin.


I wish I had pretty pale skin, like the porcelain faces of Nicole Kidman or Cate Blanchett, but bottom line is this girl looks better with a glow. 


With the lines on my face starting to form from years in the sun, I have to look for other measures. I have been using these wipes from Dr. Dennis Gross for awhile and he recently made them even better by adding Anti-Aging ingredients and Vitamin D. 


Alpha Beta Glow Pads are my favorite way to get some (artificial) sun and look a lot less like I spent the winter in a cave. The best part is they travel very well, so it is the perfect way to swipe some glow on your face that you have been hiding under a hat. 


xo
Erin 

Style Snapshot: Stephanie Cross

I met Stephanie in what seems like a lifetime ago when she was a freshman pledging Alpha Phi and I was a Junior at the University of Arizona. And though college is far behind us, the blogging world keeps us connected. She is a first-time mom, who writes an uplifting blog about the many hats of motherhood, Life as I know It. Stephanie is also a Marketing Manager for luxury hotels and resorts like St. Regis, W Hotels and The Luxury Collection.  I love seeing the adorable pictures of her daughter and seeing how a fun, working mom juggles it all. 

She shares with us some of her favorite things and what she cannot live without. 

When I worked for Michael Kors I was immersed in style. This company taught me all about what was new and next in fashion. I adored living in this world. But, times have changed for me.

Today, I am a mom. I live in the suburbs with my husband and beautiful two-year old daughter; at the intersection where function and fashion meet. And even though I can fit all of my beauty essentials into one box, it doesn’t mean I have lost my edge completely.

I try to purchase timeless pieces. Pieces that aren’t ‘on trend’ but rather pieces that are trendless. Gold, black, silver, deep green – these are hues that do not go out the style window. As a mom, I don’t have time to hit the stores running for the latest and greatest; I need elegant classics that will take me from one stage in life to the other.

Timeless fashion items that I love:

Watch – Spend the money on a silver or gold watch that will dress up any outfit. 

Black dress (or top) – Black staple items will never (ever) let you down.

Gold accessories – Gold reminds me of riches and elegance. Paired with black, gold elevates your outfit to a more sophisticated look. 

Heels – Purchase a pair of heels and promise yourself you will take good care of them.

Under garments – Invest in a good bra. It will make every outfit fit and feel better. Once per quarter I try to visit the “Bra Specialists” at Nordstrom for a fitting.

Additionally, here are a few items I would be lost without.

Facial Cleaner – Purity by Philosophy

Lips – Vegas Volt lipstick by MAC

Perfume – Chance by Chanel (classic)

Powder – Bobbi Brown

 Eye Lashes – Maybelline, of course

Nails – OPI in nearly every shade of pink and red

    Hair – Biolage Shampoo and Conditioner

    Face Moisturizer – Hope in a Jar by Philosophy 

    Sunglasses – Kristina Aviators by Coach

    Accessories – (many) vintage pieces from my Great-Grandma and Nana

   Earrings – Marc by Marc Jacobs gold stud earrings (great gift idea!)

   Handbag – Large leather bag by Coach

xo

Erin 

Chanel Sublimage Essential Comfort Cleanser

When I think of cleanser, my first thought is not essential oils. But I have been reading so much about cleansing oils that I wanted to try some myself. While picking up some red lipstick at the Chanel counter (they make the best), I was introduced to Chanel's Sublimage skin care line. The salesgirl described it as Chanel's "luxury" line. I don't know about you, but just the mention of Chanel screams luxury to me, so I knew that I was in trouble when she started testing the products on me. 

The Essential Comfort Cleanser was the most intriguing product to me. First, because it was a cleansing gel made up of mostly oils. And second because it made my skin so incredibly soft, instead of the usual tightness that I get from the harsher cleansers I use. 

The fun thing about this cleanser is that you apply with no water, steam your face a bit with a hot towel, then gently wipe away the day from your skin. After a quick rinse and pat dry, your skin feels incredible. Soft, clean, and full of moisture without feeling greasy. 

I have added this cleanser to my routine as the best make up remover and the perfect ritual after a long day. I am still using other cleansers, but this one has a time and place when I feel my skin needs a break from the harshness of the acids and soaps that help my acne-prone skin. 

The bottle is of medium size and the price tag will give you sticker shock, but you just use a bit with each use so it will last for quite some time. I do love the feel of it and I would like to try some of the other products in this line soon. 

Have you tried any oil based cleansers? 

xo

Erin 

Bright Eyed

Using mascara on bottom lashes can get so messy. Almost all of the brands that I have tried, even the waterproof ones, end up smudging or clumps. 


Clinique has developed a bottom lash specific mascara that I love. It has an extra small brush for easy application and the ability to apply without getting it under your eyes. The formula is super water proof and lasts all day. Simply remove with eye make up remover at night. 


Using mascara on your bottom lashes really opens up the eye more, so you can look bright eyed even on those days where you feel like crawling in bed. 


Love this new product and for ten dollars, it is a great addition to my every day routine. 


xo
Erin 

Nighttime Regime

I have officially become a bit fussy when it comes to bedtime. My entire night time skin care regime is done in exact order, followed by brushing and flossing, lotion is slathered on with enough time to set in, hands are massaged with some serious hand cream, glass of cold water is placed bedside, alarm is set, Law & Order is playing on the Tivo, head is laid to rest on a Tempurpedic pillow and silk eye mask is pulled down to put me in complete darkness. 

This all sounds a bit over the top, but I know you have your own routine as well. The step I think is actually the most important of them all is the eye mask. It has honestly changed my skin and my sleep. As Julie pointed out in her profile, most people discover them out of necessity to sleep in a lighted room. But the beauty is that those nasty lines that used to appear around my eyes in the morning (you know the ones that take an hour or two to disappear, and longer as the years pass by) are no longer there. I also feel like it keeps my eye cream in place so it can get through its nightly duty. 

I love all the Mary Green styles and my husband still laughs at me every night for looking silly, even after a year of use. I go to bed smiling knowing that I get a great nights rest with no light to bother me and I wake up with a little less wrinkle. 

So what is your nighttime trick that you cannot live without? 

xo

Erin 

Beauty Secrets from Some Leading Ladies

Curious to what some of the world's most beautiful women (inside and out) had to say about beauty, I went searching for their secrets. What I wanted to find was their fitness regimes, diet,  and skin care routines. What I actually found was so much better than that. The ladies who we can truly call beautiful don't have any special creams or super food secrets. What they do have to share can help us all and should be included in our daily routines.

Elizabeth Taylor: "In the end, it really only matters what you think of your self." "You have to accept yourself for what you are. If what you are includes some gray hairs and a few wrinkles, so what! Remember, self-acceptance is essential to many things."

Catherine Deneuve: "I rest, I sleep, I do exercise very little. I don't run, that's for sure. I go out into the country regularly because I like it. When I'm not working, I try to do things I like with people I like. It's important to be in a nice environment in your own life. "

Meryl Streep: "My daughters had helped me to stop worrying about my appearance over the years. I wasted so many years thinking I wasn't pretty enough and why didn't I have Jessica Lange's body or somebody else's legs? What a waste of time."

Sophia Loren: "Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."

Audrey Hepburn: "For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Never throw out anybody. Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!"

Although I will still search for the perfect creams and mascara, I think as I get older these quotes resonate with me more. Thanks for the advice, ladies! 

xo

Erin