Beauty Entourage

VAZ Modern Beauty Event

Ashley Stone — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:20:10 +0000

I was asked a few months ago to be apart of the VAZ event at the Hartford Society Room in March. We had a table in the past at a previous event offering samples of our services but, this time was going to be different! We were asked to be a sponsor as well as the main stage event! We have alot of experience doing fashion shows but, this is such a unique event that I wanted to do something not just different but, memorable. I suggested “conversational pieces”. Basically we would have models in beautiful gowns provided by Vice Versa Boutique stand and showcase our work. Avant Garde hair is the best display to make the “conversation” .. Inspired by the dresses and the models Claire and I went to work on designing hair pieces to along with each look. Avant Garde hair and make up allows us to put our creativity out there with no limits. This was the first time Claire came into my world of Avant Garde and we had a blast creating.

Behind the scenes in the late night of our madness!

Hair Net!

Claire’s First Hair piece is coming along!

Even Kyle joined the madness!

Each hair piece can take anywhere from 2 hrs- 12 hrs to make. Just depends on what it is we are working on.

The night before the show, although exhausted, I was reenergized when I seen the space for the show!! I have lots of brides over the years get married but, we don’t always get to see the venue. I have heard of the Society Room and never had the chance to see it. It was GORGEOUS!! Loved this space. It was so inspiring.

Show Day!! All of the team met at the salon to beautify ourselves before we hit the road with the whole salon packed in our cars. Once we were ready we all went to lunch to just enjoy the last hour before the day got to crazy.

TGIFRIDAYS!! Yum!

ok, Belly’s are full and off we go!!

Joe Crawford was awesome to come out and shoot us for the day! Here are the behind the scenes at the event while we get our model’s ready.

Time to go on stage and do hair live in front of the audience!

We did it!! They loved it!

All the models and staff on stage for a group shot.

It was such a fun and successful night!!! I love when I can get the opportunity to share other fassets of what we do. I am proud to say we are a team of true artists. We love what we do in ever sense and to be asked to be apart of VAZ was an honor. Thank you to Alana, founder of VAZ, my team, Vice versa Boutique who supplied the dresses, the models, and Joe Crawford Photography.

Final Shots of the Models:

Expert Advice

Ashley Stone — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:33:33 +0000

As the saying goes“a picture is worth a thousand words.” Or should we say thousands of dollars? As one of the bridal industries booming businesses, and frontrunner for a couple’s areas to splurge,wedding photography costs range anywhere from $2,000-$10,000, and can sometimes cost much more. This comes as no surprise; after all the months of planning and organizing, photos are what you have left to relive the big day. However, there are many factors that go into making each memory picture-perfect.

“No matter how talented your photographer may be, what you see in the mirror may not necessarily be what you get on film,” explains Ashley Stone, founder of Beauty Entourage, a mobile beauty dream team comprised of veteran hairstylists and makeup artists. With a growing trend of mobile beauty teams and beauty house calls— for both brides and women in need of a professional makeover for any event—Beauty Entourage is at the forefront when it comes to providing a contingency plan. With a large team of professionals, you are guaranteed to get the same desired look, even if one team member must be replaced, under unforeseen circumstances. Under Ashley’s leadership, the Beauty Entourage Team offers clients the latest techniques and trends in formal styling and makeup artistry with a focus on complimentary hair and makeup for an overall uniform style.

Besides a talented and experienced team, what’s Ashley’s secret to perfecting brides for the camera? “Working with brides for over 10 years,I have developed a special protocol when it comes to bridal hairstyles and makeup application. Though each of our professionals specializes in certain styles, we are fully confident each can create a desired look tailored to look best on film.”

Art comes in many forms. Collaborating with other artists, quite simply said, often leads to perfection. “Whether you are a bride or makeup artist,connecting with the photographer hired to document the event is a great idea,” says Ashley. “Every photographer has a different style. For instance, one might specialize in black and white photography or take an artistic approach. Understanding the photographer’s style will help in determining shading and colors for makeup.”

hink of the camera as a friendly adversary — your best friend or your worst enemy. Know what you are up against. “The camera tends to capture oily skin. Moisturizing with an oil-free moisturizer is a must,” explains Ashley. “The key is to let your moisturizer sink in for a few minutes, prior to makeup application.Make sure to ask your makeup artist what moisturizer they plan to use on your skin the day-of. Do not experiment with a brand new moisturizer you have never tested on your skin. You don’t know how your skin will react and your wedding day is not the day to find out.” Be sure to blend your foundation all around, including your neck and hairline to avoid multi-colored skin in photos. Steer clear of shimmery bronzers and blush, as they do not translate well on camera. If you are having your bridal photos taken indoors,the camera flash tends to accentuate dark areas and blemishes. Be mindful of those areas when shading with foundation and concealer.

When it comes to your hair for the big day, capturing your hair in all its glory is ideal; however, capturing frizz—not so much. “It is important to communicate your concerns with your makeup artist and hairstylist. Together you can discuss options and create the best fit style for your hair. Our brides concerned with frizz are treated with a customized cocktail of products that de-frizz as the hair is styled. ”

“It is important to prep your hair for the special day,” adds Ashley.“Usually minimal prep time is required. In some cases, we ask that our bride simply wash her hair the night before or we recommend using leave-in conditioner. This is based on the bride’s hair texture.” After dancing the night away, you don’t want to be left to cut the cake with anew unwanted do. “It is important for both brides and professionals to choose the best fit style for hair texture. With professional help, it will be easier to settle on a ‘do that may not be what you first wanted, but its best variation that will last you throughout the whole night.” When blow drying your hair straight, dry your hair downward at a 90 degree angle to avoid frizz.

Touchup Kit

“Every bride should have a kit for a few quick touchups throughout your event,” suggests Ashley. “Though your makeup is applied to last the whole night, you should have an emergency touchup kit handy.” Be sure to include the essentials—lip color, blotting towels, travel flexible hairspray, bobby pins and a mini mirror. Be sure to apply flexible hair spray once during your reception. Don’t overdo it. “Too much shine, depending on the style, may ruin the curls. Apply a light coat of flexible hair spray to add a little shine and eliminate frizz.” Have one of your bridesmaids or wedding planner hang onto the kit and remember to refresh after dinner.“I suggest color on your lips, bringing life to those still photos. Avoid nude colors and avoid just applying lip gloss. In order to make your lip color last, fill in your lips with lip liner prior to lipstick application.”

Boudoir Fashion Show 2012

Ashley Stone — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:28:50 +0000

Last year was our first year putting on a Boudoir Fashion Show and because it was a great success along with a ton of fun we HAD to do it again! I did my first Boudoir Shoot with Diane, owner of Parson’s Photography. I had a ton of questions and luckily as a client of mine we had alot of time while her color processed for her to give me the low down on what they entail. I actually first heard of boudoirs from clients that were requesting hair and make up. I thought it was a great idea for even me to do for my husband on our anniversary! I have to say, they are a ton of fun and a great confidence booster! Every girl should feel gorgeous and flaunt her stuff and this is definitely a great way to do it!. My questions and my experience as a client doing a shoot inspired me to create this show to share with our clients.

Introducing the Show and my own Boudoir experience.

Basically the show gives inspiration for different looks you can use in your own Boudoir. Along with sexy hair and make up. The ladies in the show are all clients and friends. A BIG thank you to them for being apart of the night and to Diane and Jessica from Parsons. Every Show we give away a FREE Boudoir Session provided by Parsons Photography as well as FREE Hair and Make Up!! Check out the game the girls had to compete in to win:

Getting prepped for the game

Blind Styling

Choosing the Winner!

Now the games are over, let’s inspire some people! Hope You Enjoy!

For privacy purposes not all pictures made it to the blog so next year we hope to see you there. Add Beauty Entourage on Face book or Twitter for updates on our shows and other events!

Thank you again to Parsons Photography, Our wonderful models, my staff for loving what they do and having a great time that night and to Gina, owner of Mary Magdeline’s in New York, for providing all the shoes the ladies wore in the show!

2012 Wedding Hair Accessories By: Ashley Stone

Ashley Stone — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 04:40:00 +0000

Gone are the days to only wear a veil. Brides still do opt for the traditional look a veil offers but after the ceremony, a more modern accent is usually preferred. Many times a veil might not be in your vision at all. No worries. 2012 Wedding season is promising a wide range of options for every bride. I have to say, I love to accessorize an updo. Finding the right one though to compliment the overall style and not take away from it is the hardest part. Before picking any accessory, I would reccomend deciding on your style first. When choosing anything additional that is most important because some veils or accessories don’t always work well depending on what you do.

Flowers are a timeless accent that I think will always be instyle. Each season I see flowers. You can find them made out of just about any material. One of my favorites are flowers made out of feathers!

Headbands are extremely popular as well. You can find them with so many different types of embellishments as well as flowers. The nice thing about a headband is that it can be versatile. You can wear it in different places to give you a whole new look! Hair Styles such as the “Audrey Hepburn” and the side swept updos with texture look great with a headband.

Everyone knows about the feather craze that caught on very quickly. For your Bridal look a feather can be the perfect accessory to accent your look in so many ways. Not just the traditional white feathers but colored feathers for the bridal party. They even have metalic feathers or blinged out ones!

What girl doesn’t love to sparkle? Especially on her big day! You can combine all of these trends into one sparkly piece. For a more affordable accent you can purchase a brooch that you would normally pin to a shirt and bobby pin that in instead.

Whether you choose to accent your look or keep it more simple. The day is all about your vision. Always keep in mind your dress and other accessories like your earrings and necklace. You don’t want to over do it. Again, keep in mind the style you want to do and then choose the perfect accent to go with it. With all these options, you can’t go wrong!!

2012 Wedding Hair Trends By: Ashley Stone

Ashley Stone — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:23:00 +0000

2012 Wedding Trends
Every year I watch the looks on the runways and I fall in love all over again with wedding fashion and hair. The upcoming trends do not dissapoint and I am looking forward to sharing them with my future brides as well as my BE staff. Keeping up with these trends are not just for the clients but for my artists as well. Our passion runs deep and to see whats up and coming and know we have the capability to recreate those same looks on our clients is inspiring and refreshing. I’ts also confirmation that we have been on the right track. Our photo shoots during off season have created some of these same looks in a different setting. So here it is.. From the runway to the aisle!

Chignons have always been a classic look but there are so many ways to make the chignon classic, glamorous, and even modern. Here are some of my favorites.

Braids were extremely popular in 2011. This time around, incorporate the braid more into the updo. It’s a nice detail in photos and adds very nice loose texture to the hair.

You can carry over either look to the side. Pulling your hair off to the side will help create some softness to the style and your facial features. Most off to the side style compliment just about any face shape. If you have a strapless dress, if you decide to go up with your hair then off to the side will compliment the dress perfectly!

The loose and textured looks are a huge favorite and I anticipate they will continue to be. If your not used to having the volume and you prefer something more sleek I highly recommend what I call the “Audrey Hepburn” The nice thing about the Audrey is that you can accesorize this look beautifully. The Audrey is a high bun with a very clean finish.

“Modern Audrey”

2012 Weddings is all about classic and glamorous looks. Vintage is always a sought after style and nonetheless beautiful as always. Vintage looks can be created with down styles or upstyles and can easily be vintage and modern at the same time.

Waves are a nice way to go instead of the spiral curl because even when they drop after dancing for hours they are still there! The style might be softer than when the night began but still beautiful.

Taking your waves and adding in a twist or a braid is also a nice touch.

2012 wedding season offers a nice range. The styles are all classic and compliment every bride. Alot of these styles can also translate into your own customized look by adding accessories or using different aspects from each style to create one that is perfect just for you!

Good hair makes a woman feel pretty and great hair makes a woman feel pretty and confident! I always say that no matter the trend, every person should create their day of look by what suits them. You have to be comfortable and love your pictures for a lifetime. Timeless beauty is the goal and everyones idea of that is different. So this may be the trend of the season but, feel free to let them inpire you just as they inspire us as artists.

Elle Girl 5 Holiday Hair Tips

Ashley Stone — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:33:00 +0000

I was contacted by Elle Girl Magazine to give my 5 Hair tips for the Holidays. I was thrilled to contribute to such a great magazine for young women. I linked up with one of my favorite photographers, Joe, from Joe Crawford Photography to get just the right look to go along with my tips. Models, Samantha Mally and Joasia Tomcyk, were also excited for the opportunity and a chance to get glammed up with their holiday looks I created for them. There were so many great photos from the photo shoot I wanted to share the ones that didn’t make the article.

Little trick to create static. A balloon was perfect! It was alot of fun rubbing this all over Sam’s head to get the static we needed for the shot.

Mermaid waves on Joasia is a perfect hair style for any occasion. Check out this one with a brooch as her accessory!

I wanted to show the versatility in mermaid waves. It can turn into a beautiful upstyle as well. .

Accessorizing is key to any look!

Side swept messy bun

Close up shots of a Modern Audrey Hepburn Look with a poinsettia for a festive accessory.

I had so much fun putting this article together for ELLE GIRL and loved the opportunity. Check out the pictures that DID make the cut along with the Tips and How To’s to get these great holiday looks.

http://ellegirl.elle.com/teen-health-beauty/2011/ashley-stones-top-5-holiday-hair-tips/

Wigs For Kids Charity Fashion/Hair Show Video

Ashley Stone — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:28:00 +0000

A Night of Imagination by jstone080808

Thank you to everyone that came out to our event to raise money for Wigs for Kids!! We raised $3500!!
Special thank you to my staff, our models that volunteered, Jason Stone for the music and video, and Catherine Fiehn for the photos of the night!! <3 The event was a great success.

Photo Shoot for Book Cover

Ashley Stone — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:05:00 +0000

I love when we get the chance to work on photo shoots with the wonderful photographers we meet along the way on our wedding seasons. We were thrilled when we were asked to do a photo shoot with the lovely Marisa Balletti-Lavoie, owner of Sassy Mouth Photography. Her client, Andrea Amador, author of “Loving the skin your in.” needed just the right look for her book cover. Claire Felten, one of our hair stylists/make up artists was a perfect fit for the pair. Here are the photos from the shoot. Great job ladies!!

For more info about the Author visit her website http://www.thejuicywoman.com/

Appearance on FOX Morning CT

Ashley Stone — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:10:00 +0000

Spreading the word with a vengeance, Ashley Stone, makes an appearance on the Fox Morning show about the upcoming Fashion show to raise money for Wigs For Kids. A Night of Imagination is not your typical fashion show that will make way to the stage at Room 960. It is a charity show that will benefit Wigs for Kids and open our audience up to a world of creativity and art. Ashley, aka Blondie from Hair Battle Spectacular, will also be showcasing some fantasy hair through out the show.

Video Link: Watch Now

Show Information

Professional Photo Shoot of with Joe Crawford Photography

For More Details about the Wig For Kids Organization please check out their info HERE

We also accept hair donations at my salon, Salon Alexander, 32 Fenn rd in Newington

SalonAlexander.com

A Night of Imagination..Creativity for a Cause

Ashley Stone — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:11:00 +0000

A Night of Imagination is inspired by the world of an artist. This is not your typical Fashion show. It is also a Hair Show with Fantasy styles designed by Blondie, the runner up contestant on Oxygen’s Hair Battle Spectacular. Ashley is always looking for a way to combine her creativity and her love for giving back. Creativity for a Cause was born! All proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to the Non profit organization Wigs For Kids. They provide hand made prosthetic wigs for children that have suffered from hair loss. All wigs made by this organization are donated to these children at no cost to the family.

We will also be having a raffle event that you do not want to miss so come early! During our Sweets inspired cocktail hour we will be having a chinese raffle to win some amazing prizes of your choosing. All raffle sales will be donated as well to Wigs for Kids. Your Main event ticket will include a stub to be entered into a Cancun Mexico vacation giveaway valued at $4900!!

So, please join us for an amazing night of Imagination and Creativity for a Cause!

Tickets can be purchased in Advance for $40 and at the door for $50 (if we don’t sell out)

I anticipate a great turn out so buy your tickets now!! Thank you for your support in the art of what we do and a cause that will make a difference! <3

Ashley Stone

For more info about Wigs for Kids visit Http://www.wigforkids.org
For more information about the services we offer visit http://www.salonalexander.com and http://www.beautyentourage.com