Makeup and Chitchat with Ashlee Piper of The Little Foxes

Guess what! November is World Vegan Month. And I'm so stoked to be launching my website in celebration of such an awesome campaign. Equally as dope is that my first blog post is a collab with the always lovely Ashlee Piper. We had a blast hanging out together and playing around with some 2015 fall trends.

​Here’s the thing about Ashlee; the girl is cool as hell and to call her charismatic is an understatement. Her style is so damn chic and put together. Ask her where she got <insert trendy clothing item or accessory here> and she’ll probably tell you she found it at a thrift store.

Ashlee left her career as political strategist to make the world a better place, one eco-friendly tip at a time. If you haven't read her articles in Refinery 29 or various other publications, you may have seen her on Fox or ABC chatting about simple lifestyle changes you can implement that will greatly benefit the environment (and your wardrobe).  

Not only is Ashlee an expert on vegan and eco-friendly beauty and fashion, she’s also chock-full of interesting and thought-provoking stats. For example, did you know that every piece of plastic that’s ever been created STILL EXISTS today? That is a LOT of plastic. And it has to go somewhere right? If anyone has convinced me to up my recycle game, it's Ashlee.

Since Ashlee was going to be in town for the Texas Veggie Fair, I thought it would be a great idea for us to hang out, catch up, and play around with some fall makeup trends. We decided on two looks: the first centering around a sultry, gold metallic eye and the second around some fun, graphic liner. 

​Check out her rad face along with a Q&A below. 

Shout out to the lovely Amber Minnerick for hanging out and taking some awesome photos.
www.AmberMinnerickPhotography.com

What trends are you most excited about this Fall?
Bold berry lips and slouchy cozy sweaters always give me joy. As a child of the 90's, I'm stoked the 90's look is back. Babydoll dresses, Doc Martens, opaque tights, military jackets, Winona Ryder lips - it's a damn sexy and easy look I can totally get behind.

What advice would you give someone who is wanting to move towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle but doesn't know where to start?
Start small and start anywhere. I have a friend who started by just buying a reusable water bottle and that's become her thing. That makes a big difference. When you look at the enormity of issues we're facing - from animal welfare, environmental toll, human exploitation - it can feel like nothing you do will be enough. So, starting small and day-by-day, I've found creates a much more enduring change. Buy a cruelty-free lipstick (they're so gorgeous nowadays), shop at a resale store, hang with the critters at the animal shelter, enjoy a meatless meal, reuse something instead of immediately recycling - all of these things add up and create habits that build into better habits.

What are your top 3 must-have makeup items? 

1. A solid foundation to even out my fair skin. I adore Gressa's Minimalist Serum Foundation, which is especially lovely for keeping skin dewy in blustery Chicago winters.
   
2. Mascara (black). Currently using Two Faced's Better than Sex Mascara and yeah, it *almost* is.
   
3. Bold lipstick. Usually red, but lately I've been wearing Fierce by Red Apple Lipstick and Vampire by Kat Von D.

Where is your favorite place to shop for clothes?
These days, I'm shopping pretty much exclusively at resale, consignment, and thrift stores because I truly believe it's the gentlest on the environment. I do, however, love to support ethically-driven businesses like Modavanti, Bead and Reel, Nicora, Amour de la Terre, Petit Vour, etc. when I'm in-need of something specific that I can't find anywhere else.

Tell us about your brand, The Little Foxes. 
The Little Foxes is a blog, I suppose, but really it's more of a living portfolio. I never wanted to be a blogger, per se. Not that there's anything wrong with it, the term just always felt limited to me. I'm not interested in having a feed loaded with airbrushed and Photoshopped images of a life that's unattainable and predictable. I want to give people useful information, quality product scouting they can trust, real talk, and strategies for being more eco-friendly while enjoying life. I occasionally post recipes and giveaways of my favorite ethical products, but mostly it's a platform by which I promote and secure future magazine and television pieces on vegan lifestyle. My goal is to show, mostly via mainstream channels like national print and television, that living compassionately is easy, fun, warm, approachable, stylish, and sacrifice-free. 

​Connect with Ashlee
Facebook and Twitter: @thelilfoxes
Instagram: @ashleepiper
website: www.thelilfoxes.com

Product Description 

Primer: Too Faced HangoverRx
Foundation: COVER | FX, full coverage cream foundation in N35
Concealer: Urban Decay, Weightless Concealer in Light Neutral
Blush: Gressa, Lumiere Luminous Complexion Fluid in Elise
Powder: Too Faced, Primed and Poreless loose powder
​Highlight: Kat Von D, Metal Crush shadow in Thunderstruck
Brows: Tarte, Amazonian Clay Volumizing Brow & Hair Powder in Blonde
Eye Base: e.l.f., Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer in Sheer
Lid Shadow: Urban Decay in Maui Wowie
Crease Colors: Makeup Geek in shades Peach Smoothie and Frappe
Outter Corner: ColourPop, Super Shock Shadow in Roulette 
Liner: Pacifica, waterproofer liner in Jet
Lips: Red Apple Lipstick in Fierce mixed with Too Faced in Melted Sugar

​Primer: Too Faced HangoverRx
Foundation: COVER | FX, full coverage cream foundation in N35
Concealer: Urban Decay, Weightless Concealer in Light Neutral
Blush: Gressa, Lumiere Luminous Complexion Fluid in Elise
Powder: Too Faced, Primed and Poreless loose powder
​Highlight: Kat Von D, Metal Crush shadow in Thunderstruck
Brows: Tarte, Amazonian Clay Volumizing Brow & Hair Powder in Blonde
Eye Base: e.l.f., Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer in Sheer
Lid Shadow: Pacifica shadow in Glow
Crease Colors: Gabriel Cosmetics, blush in the shade Petal
Liner: Kat Von D, Tattoo Liner in Trooper