Talk Podcast To Me
Welcome to "Talk Podcast to Me," the show where makeup artist and Glow Commando CEO, Courtney "Talk Curly To Me" Gilroy, infuses beauty tips and life lessons on the fly. Join Courtney on this unscripted journey where she delves into the essence of true beauty, exploring the harmony between inner self-discovery and external radiance.
Talk Podcast To Me
Talk Ashley Raibick To Me
Ever found yourself locked in the spellbinding world of social media, wondering if it's possible to forge true friendships amidst the glitz and glam? Well, prepare to be whisked away on a journey with Courtney and the exceptional hairstylist Ashley Raibick, as we unravel the tapestry of our transformation from colleagues to confidantes. Within this heartfelt exchange, we peel back the curtain on the misconceptions of beauty careers, the underestimated power of a cosmetology degree, and the art of conquering public speaking fears that once seemed impossible. Ashley and I get real about the hair-thin line between inspiration and intimidation, the emotional investment in our posts, and how we navigate the rough seas of online criticism with poise and resilience. Get an insider's look at the trials and tribulations that go into maintaining authenticity online, and join us in celebrating the small victories and personal growth that come from these experiences.
Top off this soulful session with some secrets about hair and skincare that will leave you feeling both enlightened and entertained. From hair extension hacks for that big day to time-tested pre-wedding skincare rituals, we've got hot tips you won't want to miss. Wrap things up with a sprinkle of laughter and a spirit of mentorship as we share how genuine connections, a sprinkle of humor, and being unabashedly yourself pave the way for not just a thriving career, but a life rich with fulfillment and true friendship.
Hey guys and welcome back to another episode of Talk Podcasts. To me. I'm your host, courtney, and today I have my beautiful and talented friend, ashley Rabek, and if you don't know her, she's a hairstylist and is so talented. And today we're honestly just going to talk about anything life, beauty, all the things. So for starters, we'll talk about how we became friends. So I've we've known each other for like a couple of years and like friends for one month.
Ashley:Yeah, we've been friends for like a month.
Courtney:So we've known each other for a couple years, just like in the industry, just through people, whatever. And she hosted, she did everything for a beauty industry party which, if you're local to the area, next year you need to go. It is like the party of the year. Yeah, it was so much fun. A lot of stress for you, but so much fun, it's okay, it's worth every second. So she needed a spray and she texted me and she was like by any chance are you free? And then one spray to him.
Ashley:I actually texted you a year ago.
Courtney:Oh yeah, you did, I forgot, I heard something and I couldn't make it work.
Ashley:I was like on a time crunch, so I had to do it local, and or you were somewhere and I was telling Ashley yes, yes, and you weren't able to get to that. But you're later. Here we are.
Courtney:But also, too, I want to say like thank you, for she never got a spray for me in the whole year after that and she still referred people to me and that just already showed me like who she is as a person and honestly, like I said, one spray tan turned into another one and then here we are, podcast later.
Ashley:I try to like distribute my clients online.
Courtney:This one's local to here, this one comes to your house, this one's in this town, this one's down town, but you're so like you're so like good with that, that you're very fair to everybody and you're like very out there in the industry, that I feel, like you, your recommendations are very important and you try to just spread love and like that just goes to show who you are, and which is also what we're going to talk about, of just who you are as a person that, like you, don't look at anyone as competition and you just stop like she doesn't look at anyone as competition and just like how can I help you and this is why we're friends today.
Courtney:So what got you into the industry? This is great. That's really cute. I have a lot more to say, but we're gonna get into it, okay.
Ashley:I started when I was uh, oh my gosh, I don't know why I don't have this scripted by now, when everyone asks but it's been about 10 years I started in 2013. I graduated high school, went to college for one semester, hated college and the biggest thing for me was public speaking, which actually is so funny how we're here how and I literally am publicly speaking for people.
Courtney:Yeah, all the time, like your TikToks, your Instagram. It's so crazy.
Ashley:But I can talk about anything when. I really know my shit, like if I don't know it and that's. It was a long class and I literally did not show up. I stopped showing up for the class. My mom was like you're gonna fail out of college. I was like I don't care, I'm not doing this like, and that you know college is literally your entire college career, your public speaking and I was like not willing to do that.
Ashley:So I left and I was just I didn't really love my situation there. I wasn't really happy. So then I left school and I was like I'm gonna transfer to Rutgers. I want to be more of like a raw, raw school. I wanted more like I'm very social. I needed to be out and about with like thousands of people, just like getting myself out there. And in the meantime, when I wasn't able to transfer, a friend was like I'm going to Cosmetology school and I was like mom, how fun does that sound? She said go. Meanwhile my parents were having a conversation my entire life that I knew nothing about, saying I was going to be in this industry.
Ashley:Which With makeup but like because I, I just was.
Courtney:And you're really gonna make up too.
Ashley:I hate doing it. I was like yeah, I hate it. It's so funny. And then after that I just I started to. I went to Cosmetology school. I was like, all right, I'm gonna graduate, I'm gonna work at a salon, I'm gonna go back to the college, get a business degree and open my own salon, not knowing, like you really didn't need a degree to do what I wanted to do.
Courtney:You just it's all about who you know. Yeah, it's all about who you know and just get yourself out there.
Ashley:Right.
Courtney:Nothing wrong with going to college and getting a business degree. I'm not talking shit, but I mean, we both can testify that you don't need that to be successful. So if there's people watching that are torn between going to beauty school and doing that, then yeah, you're here to tell you you don't need college.
Ashley:Yeah.
Courtney:But also to don't you find that I feel like I get very sensitive when people tell me that my career is a hobby? Did you ever get that?
Ashley:No, it's really funny. No one says that to me.
Courtney:So once I'll never forget this.
Ashley:I don't know why, like I hear this, I have this conversation all the time. Oh my god, I don't think anyone has ever undermined like my career. I don't know. I don't know if it's just because, like I don't allow that to penetrate like I don't even like if someone says it it's in one year, out the other and I don't even like. I really like never so.
Courtney:I had this I'll never forget. So I was getting life insurance and the nurse came to my house and she had to like do blood work, to like whatever test for all these things Proof of healthy, proof of healthy and whatever. And she was talking to me. She's like what do you do that you're off of work right now? And I was like, oh, like, I own my own mobile beauty service. Or talking to her about it. And she's like, oh, my daughter wants to go to beauty school. And I was like that's awesome, like if you want to give her my number, by all means, like you know, I'm just like you. Like how can I help?
Courtney:you, yeah, you're very, yeah, I was just like she's like she's in high school right now. I was like that's what I did. I was doing it while I was in high school, went right into it like blah blah, and I was telling her my story. She's like, well, I told her that I want her to like get a career, not a hobby, and I just like looked at her and I was just like I was like, so taken back.
Ashley:It's crazy, though, because that just shows the older generation because, those hobbies that they think these kids are making well, millions and millions of dollars like it's amazing.
Ashley:I mean it truly is amazing and like I have a very like weird outlook on that, where I like half of it, I think it's so incredible and like it really is amazing, and the other half it's like these kids are fucked because they don't know what it's like to work hard for something. It's very easy to set up a camera and start recording yourself and, you know, hopefully they'll be willing to take off. But how about those kids that no one's talking about, that have been trying and trying and trying?
Ashley:and they don't have it and like they're fully relying and putting everything they have into an online content career and like what?
Courtney:what I feel like it also goes to like when I look at your tiktoks, like I'm like, oh, like I'm inspired that I mean that's also too. Like it's funny because we were just talking the last time I sprayed you about just social media and just like like power perception and guys, honestly, when I first met her, I was so nervous to meet her and be friends with her because I didn't and this also goes into like me in high school like getting bullied and just like not feeling like I fit in with like the cool people that like I didn't. I was like how am I friends with her? And like literally off of like one spray, like we just are very much similar in a lot of aspects that like we don't look at each other's competition, we don't look at anyone's competition, like we just genuinely like how can we help you? And like whatever. And it's just so funny that like I used to be so nervous to meet you but like now here we are, that's like actually crazy.
Courtney:I know and then you said the same thing about me, or like I mute you sometimes, or no, oh no. I said I like mute people. That was it. I mute people that intimidate me yeah, that was it. That was and you're like, you intimidate me sometimes, or something like that. I was like me. Why it's so crazy?
Ashley:it's just like it. I feel like intimidation is not even the word. It's like you sometimes, looking at certain people's social medias and things that they're doing it they're so amazing and they're so talented and it like allows this pressure on yourself to like Make yourself feel like you're not doing enough, and I just recently talked about it goes into like it's usually around our slow season.
Ashley:Yeah, that when we look at other people is everyone is online at that time and it's like so great and like chances are 80% of them fall off, and it's like it's not that. It's not that I wish that they fall Off, it's just like everything gets so saturated and you feel like you're. I don't like feeling like I'm in a competition, oh, and that's what that makes me feel like hundred percent. I actually Shell myself. Yeah, cuz people are so present there, I'm like you know what? This is their time to shine. Yeah, I am not.
Ashley:I don't want to post something that's gonna look similar to you. I don't want you to think I'm trying to do anything like you are. Like I want to inspire people. You never know if that's their goal to some people when they're posting like I know a lot of people who are like oh, you just copy, like not me, but like this person copied copy, but ever it's like you know what? If I'm inspiring you, that's one thing. Yeah, if you're taking my shit, that's another, and I can't Get on board with that. So I just take myself off. Yeah, and that's why, like I don't really I'm not posting beauty related content right now. I'm posting my own shit, like which I like doing.
Courtney:But even whether you were doing, beauty related or not. That's why I feel like I was always so like gravity, like I never so like my thing is I was telling her at the last time like I sprayed her like all mute people. If I feel not again, like you said, not intimidating, just if I feel like I'm gonna get in a comparison mode and that's with anything. It's not even just the beauty, yeah, it's not even in the beauty industry. Like I'm not gonna unfollow somebody, I'm just I'm not in a mental state right now to watch your stuff. So like I don't want, like let's just say, like somebody's traveling a lot and I don't have money to go travel a lot, I'm gonna mute them because I don't want to see them traveling, because I'm gonna want to travel, and then I'm gonna compare like how is this person traveling? Like that's the best way I could explain it.
Courtney:But like you are always so authentic and like truly yourself and you can see that like I mean we're in February right now while filming this. This is gonna come out like this month, but even in January, when we hung out the last time, you posted something that was so, I think was so important Of people in January. You just want to like think they're getting their life together because it's a new year, and then dry January, whatever and like you posted something that was so like relevant to the time of like it's okay if you fall off. It's okay like that you know that you're not picking up whatever. Like stay true to like you and don't worry about all these people. I think it's so important, like those messages that you share and I feel like it's inspiring to me and, like you definitely inspire a lot of people.
Ashley:Thank you. I really like I it's not that all those goals aren't mine on my own like I have fitness goals I want to hit. I have weight goals I wanted to hit. I have career goals I want to hit. Content goals I want to hit.
Ashley:I pick a different month. I don't pick January. Yeah, january for me is everyone wants to get on board with that, no problem. Like more power to you, that's when they feel right. It doesn't feel right to me in January. Mine's usually somewhere around May, april, may, when it starts to get nice out.
Ashley:Yeah, and like I think that's okay, like allowing yourself to just have your own timeline of things. It's really easy to fall into the pride. I, I just did it, I just did it. There's a couple girls I follow who have been like amazing on social media and like doing their content, whatever, and I'm just, like I am so proud of them. Like you shine girl, like do your thing, because, honestly, our content looks similar. Yeah, and I'm not putting that out there right now and and Working again, like I want you to have and I, there's room for everyone. It's just I don't know it's a weird thought, and like it's just, I don't want to feel like I'm constantly in this hamster wheel of social media, keeping up with the next best thing. It's like as long as you know how to work a phone and you know how to work tiktok and Instagram, doesn't? You don't have to do it in January to pop off like I. I did my own shit last year in like February and I didn't you start.
Courtney:You took off from doing some of glue tide.
Ashley:I had 13,000 followers on tiktok last year on end of January, mid end of January, and it was actually 13.1.
Ashley:And I said to John, my boyfriend I was like I'm gonna really commit to this because I have a lot to share like I just feel like I have a lot of Knowledge, I have a lot of things that, like, I personally have researched and I know that there's a handful of people Like myself at those at other times in my life where I don't really know how to research it or I don't know where to start or whatever, and I was like I will never be a gatekeeper, like, yeah, I want to share all that.
Ashley:I started sharing my weight loss journey using some glue, tide, ozampic, whatever, and that's when it took off. And I have 48,000 followers right now. It's awesome and literally 90% of them are are like mom's losing weight and like going through that and it's like you know, you don't always pick your audience, but any audience is a good audience and I Honestly was thinking of Hannah Montana, the other day, my god and finally, and when Miley came out with Hannah Montana as the show, she was branded as, like a pop star, a teenage pop star.
Ashley:She wanted to not be that anymore and she went and did wrecking ball and like, yeah, I'm off the deep end and like who knows what the hell she actually did. But it's like so similar because you're not always stuck to the audience that you get.
Courtney:Yeah, which is you would think that you would want to.
Courtney:You know, like a lot of people I feel like in the beauty industry think that you have to stick with beauty related content and like I personally think, like I Like the people that aren't Beauty related content because it actually doesn't put for me at least it doesn't put like a pressure on me that like, for instance, let's just say like I'm going to talk about like hair, right, and you're looking at it, you're way more into hair than I am anymore and which is funny, because I started doing hair.
Courtney:Now I just do like whatever, like spray tanning or whatever, but I feel like it puts less pressure on me to like have another clientele that doesn't know, because I'm educating them, versus like you like I would think in my head that like, oh my god, ashley's gonna watch this and like she's gonna like judge me because I'm not using the same Hairspray that she uses.
Courtney:I don't know, I'm thinking something random, but like that's just like what someone thinks, instead of just like at the end of the day and I actually shared this on another podcast that is gonna come out like at the end of the day, no matter what you share, if you're trying to get out there as an influencer or anything, you're gonna inspire someone. You're gonna have someone who doesn't care and you're gonna have someone who's probably gonna talk about you. But at the end of the day, don't do it for any of that. Do it for yourself and even that one person that you know You're gonna inspire and that is something that I know that you totally stay true to and I mean I do, I love doing it.
Ashley:Yeah, that's why I do it. Yeah, I mean, you definitely helped me to get back on there.
Courtney:I'm like whatever. Like sometimes, like you get I don't know if you do this like I get so caught into like I'll record a video and I'm like, no, delete it, record another and delete it. I'm like now I don't even fucking care, yeah.
Ashley:I have 300 drafts.
Courtney:Yeah, I take time.
Ashley:I. There's so much content I just have chosen not to share. I filmed a video the other day. Everything I got from Trader Joe's Edited it. It took me a probably an hour because it was like a pretty big haul didn't post it, and you know why? Because it's like do I look like rude that like I'm over here ordering all this food and buying all this food Just to try it, when it's me and John like, and you have someone out there who's gonna watch that Maybe not be able to try all those things, or whatever and I'm like, okay, well, I can donate this. And then I'm like I'm not even doing this, like I'm not going down that roll that road, because if I'm not willing to go down with that so easy to get into that.
Ashley:You really have to like be so mindful of everything that you post and it. I am not gonna lie to you. Content creation and tiktok is a full-time job.
Ashley:That does not pay well until it does so. I have, I'm still on the climb and it's like I don't even get. That's why you just have to love what you do and you have to Love it like I. Nothing pisses me off more and seeing these people come on tiktok and they're like I woke up today and I want to be an influencer. Can someone make sure my video gets like millions of views or whatever? And they do. Tiktok pushes those that's pop off.
Ashley:They get so many views whatever, and you know what like. Hopefully that's your intro. But what people don't realize is when you're first coming on to tiktok, tiktok automatically guarantees you like 300 to 600 views off the cost.
Courtney:So when you're one of you study algorithms or you just a little, just in, like watching other videos and stuff like that.
Ashley:like I really think, like Me and John always say we'll like be like why are you on your phone? To the other, but it's like we're always working. Yeah, like there I'm not on my phone, just endlessly scrolling, like I am getting ideas for content and I am Trying to grow and, you know, put myself in that mindset because, like the mindset goes away really fucking fast, because it's like it could be really toxic.
Courtney:Yeah, do you have anybody that like has been like haters on your page at all?
Ashley:Yeah, really, of course I had. I have so many. At this point, I really know the names that are gonna pop up and, like I love them and I how do you, or mentally, get yourself Like to not worry about that?
Ashley:so crazy? Because, like I, If you asked me at nine years old this question, I would have literally crawled into a shell like a fucking turtle. For some reason at this point in my life, people don't get to me unless you're opposed to me. If you're a family member or a friend, you'll hurt me. I swear. Not one person on the internet. Like I don't even really read comments, I have to be honest, even the ones where it's like you're so beautiful, you're so pretty. Like I don't.
Courtney:Even it doesn't mean anything to either. Doesn't mean you feel like awkward too when you wanna answer those because you're just like thanks, I appreciate it, Like I don't know it's so awkward with that, I think it's sweet and I definitely think that it penetrates like in the beginning, but at the end of the day, like I don't let anything affect me.
Ashley:Like even the really nice messages, I read them, I see them, I'm like that's so touching. And then the really shitty messages, I'm like, all right, it's really sad you feel that way. But and I always like I really try to never try to sway those people to like me because I really I don't care but like all right, why are you thinking that of me? Like let me give you the real reason. I said that and then you take it how you want. And a lot of those people have come back and been like you know, I respect they just don't think you're a person.
Ashley:People don't think you're a person online and then when you actually engage with them which a lot of people would say, don't do that when I engage back, they're like oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't do that because you know I'm real.
Courtney:And it's also like too, like you don't know what those people are going through, so like maybe they just use like social media, like I've had someone one time I like worked out and I posted a video of me working out and someone DM. It was like you're just looking for any excuse to be in a sports bra and I'm like what, I'm just working out and like again, like, just like you said. If you told me, even in high school or eighth grade or whatever, and I read that, I would literally crawl into a shell, cry and be like, oh my God, like this person said that.
Courtney:Yeah, this person said that about me. Now I'm just like I don't know you. I wish you nothing but the best.
Ashley:But like honestly our faith.
Courtney:Yeah, I was just literally just about to say that I'm like the more I'm stepping into my faith and stuff, I'm just like I pray for you, that's it. Like it's so easy to get into. Like it's so easy to get into. Like a oh my God, why this person say that, instead of just like you really don't know what they're going through, and like I just try to be nice to everybody and if you're meant to be in my life or meant to be in my life, if you're not, you're not. But like I will always pray for you. And yeah, no 100%.
Ashley:Yeah, it doesn't, I don't know. It doesn't like I feel, like I am like shielded, like I nothing penetrates, like there is not one situation that I could think of of somebody who didn't have a role already in my life that would affect me. Yeah, not one, which is great, and I think that that's unfortunately the type of person you have to be, to be in the social media.
Courtney:I think it's the type of person you have to be to be in the beauty industry also. Like, I feel like and this goes back to people saying that our career is a hobby or whatever Like I don't think anybody understands the mental exhaustion it puts on us. Like we have to make women feel beautiful and it is very difficult sometimes. I love my job, I'm not complaining about it, but it is very difficult sometimes. Like we're there, like she's more so into the bridal industry than I am. I feel like I'm just starting to get into there, but we're there on your most important day of your life. It is such a pressure that, like, I don't think people understand. Like and especially like we're both very like godly women. Like I take in that energy I know you definitely do too. Like I take in that energy, I'll walk into room, I know if you're anxious, I know whatever. Like I know what I need to do to like, get you to calm down. But like it is so exhausting but also so rewarding at the same time. You know so.
Ashley:I get, I get like I don't know. I think that the longer, the longer you're in it, the more experience you have.
Courtney:Yeah, that you know how to handle. You could handle any type of person, but I mean you handled the craziest situation which with one of my spray tank lines, with the dress oh you have to share that, she totally won't even care. No, she wouldn't care yeah.
Ashley:I like, texted her and asked for permission to share this entire story.
Courtney:This is the craziest story.
Ashley:It was really wild. So my bride was in. She wore a, a, a Pernovia scoundrel, and I like wouldn't share this for the longest time, but like, if this pulls up, sorry Pernovias, but anyway, she went to the store in the city, got the dress and went in for her fitting right before the wedding, which was like I think a week and a half prior or a week prior, put on the dress in the fitting and it was pouring. So her and her mom went and got the car it's in the city, obviously. They probably parked a few blocks away, picked up the car and then the woman at the store was like I'm going to bring the gown out to you and put it in the car. She's like, okay, perfect. So they paid, everything was done, whatever she goes to the wedding. I'm looking at the dress like on the hanger and it just didn't look like clean, like if you've ever seen a wedding dress like on that hanger, it's like crisp and like pristine and it just didn't have that. Yeah, something was off.
Courtney:So, even if it's that off white or like, because I nobody actually gets a white dress. They get like, like, whatever there was like and you're like, but I didn't say anything.
Ashley:I was like, whatever, we were kind of running just a little bit behind. So, whatever she gets in her dress and I had previously commented on how she looked like she lost some weight I'm like you look amazing, you lost weight. And she's like, yeah, and she's like I lost like 10 pounds or 15 pounds. I'm like, oh, that's great. This dress was not 10 to 15 pounds bigger. This dress was like four sizes bigger. It was hanging on her and I was like this. I looked at her mom and I'm like this isn't her dress and she's like I know, oh my God, so I don't.
Courtney:And also to the front. She got the front was supposed to be. There was mesh on the front but she took that out. What's?
Ashley:it called. Is that mesh? It's called something Illusion. Oh, okay, yeah, but she had that taken out it was supposed to like.
Courtney:Oh no, no. No, it was high on the show dress, but she got it taken down so she didn't have that part.
Ashley:No, she had it had a seam on it.
Courtney:She got the seam cut off.
Ashley:Oh, okay, yeah, yeah.
Ashley:So, when she put it on she noticed that and then she didn't think anything on that. She thought maybe they forgot. And then she starts looking at it and I was like Are you sure this is your dress? And she goes oh my god. She realized the flowers, she had changed the embellishments. Oh wow, and they weren't changed, oh my god. And she tried the dress on. It was the right dress at the fitting. So she's like, oh my god. So I go all right, hold on.
Ashley:I literally got in the why in the closet or in the bathroom, grabbed the wedding planner called the, called Pernobias in the city, finally got in touch with someone. They were having a freaking chunk show that day, of course, so it was like chaotic there. So they start searching for the dress. I'm like you have no choice right now. You are either going to find this dress and come here and give it to her or you need to send a seamstress, because we me and the majority were sewing her into this dress just because we had to get her in for her first look. It was. It was horrible. So long story short, she they say that they can't find the dress. They're sending a seamstress. I'm helping so we get her outside for her first look. The girl calls me. She's like we found the dress. I'm turning around. She's coming from New York. Turns around, gets the dress, comes back with the right one. She just changed in time for her to walk down the aisle. Oh my gosh.
Ashley:All her photos were in the wrong dress. That's pretty, but we tried our best, like we really like, and you handled that she sent me a big bye, melissa.
Courtney:Oh my gosh, she's so sweet too, so.
Ashley:I sprayed her. I still talk to her all the time.
Courtney:Yeah, I sprayed her, she did her hair and then our friend Nikki did her makeup. And when I tell you the two people that should be there on that wedding day to handle the situation, you handle the situation. It wasn't a phenomenon.
Ashley:Thank you, look, I did, you miss it. Guys, she she's actually on camera.
Courtney:I came into her house and I said what happened. She spilled her coffee on her sweatshirt, which I actually brought her this sweatshirt today.
Ashley:I brought her my sweatshirt today.
Courtney:I'm marinating, and then she just spilled her coffee on her sweats. Right now.
Ashley:I'm dying. I'm dying. This is like my life, but yeah.
Courtney:You also too. Just going back to that you never know what's going to happen on the wedding day, so you've got to be prepared for anything. And our client said she handled this so good and with such grace and figured it out, and that could be such a?
Ashley:Oh, it was Nikki. Yeah, I know, I knew it was it was.
Courtney:Renaola. I mean, I feel like they both do makeup, so similar.
Ashley:Why did I? Literally I'm picturing. That's really funny, because I did not even realize. Oh, my god, she looked so good, though I mean, this was in the wrong dress, what? Yeah? And it's still. We really we tightened her off. It was crazy, yeah, and that story was horrible.
Courtney:I don't wish that, but this could also happen with literally anybody, and it doesn't even matter where you get your dress or anything, but it could happen with anybody. I feel like the busier you get, it's just a situation. So, brides, double check your dress before your wedding day.
Ashley:I tell everyone now. I'm like, if you weren't going to take that dress out of that, take it out of the bag. Yeah, I mean, this may be a one in a million thing, but like it happens and they're a well-known dress brand, like it just it got mixed up, it just they had. And you know what the weird thing was in the and that story? The weirdest thing was that the dresses were the same dress. Yeah, her dress that she had for her wedding day and the sample dress were the same exact one. That's crazy. Why was the sample dress out at the same time? Yeah, like it's really weird. It must be like something that they did when tagging it. But I that's still like kind of like full of fun.
Courtney:While we're on the topic of weddings, though do you have I feel like a lot of people always ask questions about like day prior to weddings, and do you have anything that you want to like share with like weddings, things that you should be doing to prep, not even just your hair, just like in general, like everything I mean?
Ashley:I'm sure you have like a list of things that you would tell people. Definitely don't come with your hair dirty.
Courtney:Yeah that I was going to say oh, my God.
Ashley:Everyone thinks that that's like normal and unfortunately not. I know you guys want to come with your hair dirty, but please don't. I always say clean, preferably wash the day before, dry and smooth. I do have an upcharge if they come with their hair wet. Oh yeah, because you have to, you know.
Courtney:Oh, my God, that's like a half hour, yeah, and also two extensions. If you guys, no matter where you get them from do not come with your extensions brand new, right out of the bag. They have a seal on them, yeah, and like I can't even tell you how sorry it is, yeah, how sorry does that happen to you?
Ashley:It happens all the time. How sorry, hard, how hard does that even sound? So sorry.
Courtney:Sorry, it's so sorry.
Ashley:It's hard, yeah, but I mean I've done it. I just dirty them myself Like it doesn't smell good, it's not, it's not fine, there's a seal and when you wash it you'll see the brown coming off of it.
Courtney:There's a seal on the extensions to make them really straight. So, like I always say, like a clarifying shampoo and a regular shampoo, but even still, like I would like do two shampoos also to do not have your hair. I mean, I'm actually like I do hair for weddings, like I don't.
Ashley:Well, it's really funny, like I'm actually internally laughing right now because. I still don't even tell my brides to wash them. No, really Like if they come, I yeah, I don't know why you probably forget. I do. Yeah, like I, I recently created like a thing that I set out the day before the week of the wedding or whatever, but yeah, so you got to get right out of your mind, yeah. I'll still do that Like I still. She's just that good.
Courtney:No, I make my life harder. That's what I do. I like to make myself, make myself struggle, turn my struggles out. Someone like what are your favorite products right now? Oh my God, I have a video coming out. Am I just reading your mind, right?
Ashley:now, this is crazy. I it's filmed and I've edited it.
Courtney:I just have to. I did just watch your video of your makeup products that you just bought, and while I was getting myself ready, today and I liked it a lot, like your skin looks so good.
Ashley:Thank you, I hope it looks good on camera. It does. Um, I'm launching online education.
Courtney:Oh, I'm really excited, so that video is going to be, so that video is going to be in here.
Ashley:My, I would say my absolute favorite can't live without is obviously got to be. That's like a given. Yeah, I cannot like if I had to do a wedding without actually it was that wedding I door dashed Got to be. Oh my God, I was short on a can. One of my cans broke and then, when I was getting out of my car, the nozzle yeah, I like had to. Yeah, I only had one and it wasn't that fall. So I door dashed, got to be live.
Courtney:Wow.
Ashley:Here's my.
Courtney:Mm, hmm.
Ashley:Um, and then I'd say for skincare, like really important to start with facials. Um, like at least, at least three months before the wedding, but I would recommend six months. Yeah, I'd recommend your whole life, but if it's not in the cartoon, that's something you'd splurge on.
Courtney:I have one of my good friends, she I told her cause like I'm doing. I was doing her hair makeup for her wedding and I was like do facials, literally. And I made her cause. She has very curly hair so I made her do deep conditioners once a week as well, because her hair is very curly, that like it can be frizzy easily. And I was like if I have to cut your hair the day of the wedding, you need to do layers. You need to do this Like if you want me to cut your hair, like all the stuff, but facials is a must. And she still continues to get the facial. She's like I'm obsessed.
Ashley:Yeah, you can't. It's like once you start.
Courtney:It's a self care that would fail. You can't stop Like. I-.
Ashley:You want to look good when you're old.
Courtney:Yeah, 100%, and you know what like a lot of.
Ashley:If you're like listening to this and you're like, oh, I'm 50 something and I still look great like more power to you. But the environment has changed and our foods have changed and our products have changed and our water has changed and everything is different. So the things that we're allowing you to grow old gracefully are not working in our favor. So it's important for us to spend a little, and I don't think you need, like I do, the extensive skincare, and I don't think that's so necessary.
Courtney:I think the facials are more important. You definitely sunscreen 100%. You need sunscreen even in the winter time, like and your SQF should have titanium dioxide or zinc in it.
Ashley:Those are the only two components of a sunscreen that actually fight off those really negative UV rays.
Courtney:I didn't even know about that honestly.
Ashley:Yeah, I learned that from someone in the city that I used to go to for lasers. She was like you need these two products, so the only I'm like, perfect, so now-.
Courtney:So on the top of your hands too. I feel like a lot of people don't realize that Like the top of your hands, because driving, I mean, I'm in my car all the time, so I'm doing that, and then under your sunscreen, whatever, what do I use? I think I use COSIS, cosis and think drunk ale of it.
Ashley:Alta MD is my favorite. What is it? Alta MD, alta MD, clear. I'm gonna go buy it. It's a moisturizing sunscreen. It's really, really good.
Courtney:I like there's one that's tinted, is it? Oh my God, is it sale? Say, say.
Ashley:Oh SEI SAI.
Courtney:Yeah, I think so. I call it SAI sale. No, it's a song. I think it's SAI. Yeah, I think it is.
Ashley:SAI. It's spelled SAI, so it could look like sale.
Courtney:Yeah, but they have a. If you read it like this, it comes with dyslexic. It's fine. Yeah, no, it has a like a tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it. I really like that too.
Ashley:Yeah, I like those, but always like, I always put a zinc underneath. The only thing is, if you're filming something or you're photographing, you don't want zinc. Yeah, flashes back. So it's really only like if you're going to the beach, if you're going out, if you're going to Disney, you're walking around.
Courtney:Well, speaking of Florida, the Disney World, the Color Wow right, I think you posted about Color Wow. That is a very, very good.
Ashley:Oh, the best. I'm thinking like bridal products.
Courtney:Yeah, no, but I'm also just in general yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, you just reminded me about that because Dreamcoat and it's also very good. Like I bleached, I went from literally level three hair to blonde in a year and if you're not a hairdresser and you don't, really it's just terrible to do. But that has saved my hair so much and it really just helps like a good heat, protect it and also, too, like with humidity. So Chris Appleton shout out to you man, you're killing it so sick.
Courtney:Oh, I love him, like literally love him. I know so hot.
Ashley:So bummer, it really is Like I hate when that happens. So hot.
Courtney:Not that he'd be with me anyway, I know, but just still like, just to know that you could walk past him and like possibly have that like damn, I can't talk about it anymore.
Ashley:He does something like. He's just beautiful.
Courtney:And like his accent. Oh my God for kind of at it Like stupid. Who are people that you look up to in the industry?
Ashley:I think everyone yeah, I really do Like I. Lauren obviously was like my mentor and like she. We have very similar minds and, like we, she's like someone that I really like. I need advice on anything Like I call her and found ideas.
Courtney:She's just so, like she's so great with that, like she's. So you guys are really like honestly, like the same people at like both of you guys. Like when I first met you guys, like actually without social media, I was like nervous, but like you guys were so just like how can I help you? Like what do?
Ashley:you mean, yeah, we like just clicked and also I, she was like back to how I got in this industry. Lauren was like the one. It's really funny, like how we met, but she like she was like all this girl's young. I'm like what is she? You know I was 20.
Courtney:Yeah.
Ashley:I was 21 or 22, maybe 22, 22. And she, when I met her, she was like I don't think she expected what I was and I just it's not even like I didn't learn any hair from her. I learned the ins and outs of like this industry, and just even just examples of like being a good person and doing right by people and like you know, it's just, it's. I feel like you always find that one mentor that like really, and I don't know if everyone gets that- I don't know if everyone finds that For me is Nikki.
Courtney:Yeah, so I get it.
Ashley:She was my like everything I ever have said ahead of time that I wanted to do in my career. She was five years ahead of me. She was doing. So it was like I was almost watching myself and I'm like, yeah, and I felt like watching her timeline it gave me comfort and peace, like because I'm someone that's like I feel like I have to do everything right here right now, and it's like I've really gone good at that lately, where I compartmentalize.
Ashley:And it's also like things happen when you're ready. Like John pushes me a lot, like he's like a really, really big like motivator in my life and I think that when he will say to me, like just do it, babe, just do it, get on there, do it, and I'm like I will, but I need to be ready, and it has. It has been true with everything I've done, because I have wanted to start this education years ago and it just never felt right. I didn't feel like I had the grasp on my like who I'm gonna be targeting, until like recently, yeah, and I still think there's like a lot of room to grow. You're never, I don't think.
Courtney:I don't even think that you should ever. I feel like when you get content, you settle and I feel like, in any aspect relationships, friendships, anything like we even talked about, just like friendships and stuff, like the friendships that push you and motivate you, like that's what I also like about like you and Lauren and Nikki, and like all my friends that I surround myself with in the industry it is never like, really, are you sure? Are you sure they think you're gonna do that? Like it's always like you totally could do that. I cannot wait. Let me know how I can help.
Courtney:Like you know, like, for instance, your holiday party that you had last year you literally just did it out of to just get everybody in a room and celebrate us for a change and then like from last year to this year, like how crazy, it was so much fun last year and it was so much fun to go this year, like it was so crazy.
Courtney:But like you just have to just always do it like it's always too like, yeah, it's nice to like have people that believe in you and push you, but like if you don't feel it ready for yourself, you're not gonna give it your all and be authentically, yeah, and I think a big part of that, too, is like I can genuinely tell you like I don't.
Ashley:Like I obviously look up to people, but I don't, I don't put, I don't think about it.
Courtney:I don't think about it.
Ashley:I don't think about what you're doing, how you're getting there. Whatever you'll pop up on my page, I'm like, oh, that's a really good idea and it all got my wheels turning and that's all I need, like it's constant motivation. But I really think that and I don't I couldn't even tell you how to become this way, like I I don't know when it happened, for me honestly, life experiences, I feel and yeah, just literally like there is not one person that I wish that I was.
Ashley:There is not one person that I see doing something that I wish I was just like them. Like, like I said, it's motivating and it's inspiring, but I'm not if I feel like you're like like there's no one's a threat you know, and like I think I'm gonna tie that back to the social media thing and like muting people, whatever.
Ashley:It's not because we can't handle someone else's success, it's not because we're not proud of them, it's just because, mentally, in this moment, right now, what I want to be doing is what you're doing. I've done it before, I've posted before and in this exact moment I'm feeling a little down, I'm a little hard on myself. I don't feel like I'm in the right state of mind to put that positive content out there. So I gotta get off the social media, I got it. I gotta mute you, I gotta whatever. Like I can't handle it right now, and it's not that I can't handle you, it's that I can't handle putting the pressure on myself of trying to do what I know that I'm good at.
Ashley:Yeah, in this exact moment and it's like you don't want to like, let yourself down and it again just goes back to.
Courtney:This is why I think you are where you are and this is why you're gonna just continue to grow, because you know to authentically show up as yourself and I see it, other people are gonna see it and like it's just. That is so important no, 100% 100% and like you're gonna continue.
Courtney:We're human. There's gonna be days if you're listening to this and you know like you're trying to become an influencer or anything. There's gonna be days where you're in comparison to other people. There's gonna be days where you have all these crazy ideas and you just don't know how to do it. For instance, podcast literally when I came here and I literally had my phone out.
Courtney:I filming this on my phone, ash, is like you do this on your phone. Like yeah, what? Like I'm still in the process of figuring things out. At the end of the day, when you take that first leap to just figure it out, you're already taking a leap to become successful and at the end of the day, like that is all, like just keep pushing, just keep doing it, and like that's what you do, and like I'm so grateful that God brought us together, that you finally got a spray for me. That, like we are able to go off of each other, like we usually, like would go get food after and like just bounce ideas off and like it's never. Like really, are you sure? Like it's always awesome.
Ashley:I can't wait yeah, and I think, I think that I like before I came here to, I heard that's really good with memory.
Courtney:Yeah, like not well, um, yeah, before I came here to, I was just like I should probably prepared questions, but like I, just I don't want to. I just want this to be so authentic and you can't, you can't, fly.
Ashley:I know I can't. We did another one and people wanted to more yeah, yeah, we'll do another one have questions and stuff. I'm trying to think that really this was so important it was good.
Courtney:We also speak up for me to cut this out. But the Bible that you got, oh my gosh, it's so good.
Ashley:I should link that, honestly, your yeah, my church series has been all about targeting our generation and it's like been so empowering and inspiring and I the service yesterday was all about like not taking revenge and seeking revenge on people like for their wrongdoing to you, and I was like I was just reading about that too.
Courtney:In the Bible I read like a little bit of it but it was so honestly I'm like I'm just getting into reading the Bible. I'm not even gonna lie, I'm not gonna butcher like what verse.
Courtney:I think it was right, anything yeah but I did just read something about it and it was just like not to like you shouldn't ever want revenge on a person because I'm like that also just ties into like relationship, friendships, like there's so many people have come in and out of my life the more I've gotten out there in the industry and no matter whether you come in my life or come out, I will never wish bad upon anyone and I always say this. Even like X is whatever, like I want to be as civil with everybody that comes in my life and out. I don't like to burn bridges. I want everybody to feel like they could come to me if they really need something, and I just feel like that has helped me be who I am today because I just don't. I don't feel any like hate in my heart.
Ashley:I really don't like I don't and that's no reason to. There isn't and like it's there should be, there, literally. Should be no reason for that. Everyone's on their own path and has their own journey and, like we said before, he never knows what's going on there's a story and you never know why they're doing to what they're doing to you. Yeah, really mad, it's gonna come to you like that's gonna come to you, like later on, and then just it was so good.
Ashley:I don't know. I like looked at your blush and I thought of it like I can remember when I thought of it and then I can remember when it was it, it was about me and you. I, yeah, it was, I don't remember I like literally can't remember church.
Courtney:She's trying to figure out something I talked about, but I am not gonna say the story now because this is actually wait. Is this coming out? No, this is gonna come out after this one, but you know the story.
Courtney:The episode I have coming out after this is probably one of the most embarrassing stories ever when I told Ashley this, we went out and she's like like I just kept telling the story and then, like her jaw was just like no, and then I wasn't even through the story yet. I was like but there's more. And then, when she thought it was worse, they go. But there's more.
Ashley:It's so bad, it's really bad it's really bad and I'm so nervous.
Courtney:This is where I go into, like this is where you like, you have to just blindly just do it this is where I go into thinking about other people and sharing this, but again I say hair on me like I have so much I did Like through my hair on the spine.
Ashley:Mine's all over this couch. I could go like this and probably get hair. I know that's what's hard about having a platform, because you definitely I was gonna be bad. Yeah, I could ruin some lives, oh, yeah and not even intentionally.
Courtney:I don't know. It's like more, yeah, my ex, like I could just oh yeah.
Ashley:It's like trying to take the high road and not Merry yeah, I mean, I have so many, sir.
Courtney:I actually my I'm totally gonna put this on, I don't care. My I reached out to before I started doing this podcast and we're cool, like we're friends as friend, as friendly as you could possibly be with an ex without crossing boundaries or anything. I reached out to him and I was like, hey, I'm starting a podcast and he's like, oh my god, that's awesome. Like you've been saying that you want to do it again. I was like, cuz I did it one a while ago and I was like I have a lot that I learned about myself through things that mean you have gone through. Can I share it? And he goes it's your story to tell. I know what I've done on my end, I know what we've like been through together and he's like all I asked to leave my name out and I was like, really nice.
Ashley:I would say that he literally would actually be like that didn't happen.
Courtney:Oh my god, yeah, now he full-blown. He's like I've taken accountability for things that I've done and again like I'm not talking shit about him. Everybody has had things in their relationship that they've gone through and whatever. But there are so many things that I've learned about myself through him. And then, like going into Something else, and I said I'm like, can I share? And you're just like, yeah, and I remember the one episode, the episode of self-love. I did share a little clip of things that like I was talking about with him and I cropped in, I sent it to him and I was like, hey, can I do you want me to take this?
Ashley:out like anything.
Courtney:I just don't again, I don't want anything like that. And he was just like again your story to tell and whatever. And I just feel like you know, just gotta share, gotta share shit. But yeah, so, also tying into that my embarrassing story, I had to reach out to my friend none of your business, oops. And I had to oh, my god, am I gonna drop this? But I reached out to him and I was like hey, can I share my embarrassing story? And he was like oh yeah, that's your story it's. He's like, if you want, it's pretty embarrassing and he's poor guys probably like sleeping like this.
Ashley:Waiting for another email, I mean it's not even like you're, yeah, it's not even more him is, it's just.
Courtney:So embarrassing.
Ashley:Well, now you have to air this one before you are the next one.
Courtney:Oh yeah, I already have this one. This one's gonna come out. What?
Ashley:don't, it's already gonna be out.
Courtney:I'm gonna tell you guys that it's coming out. What's out? Like this one when it comes out. Oh my like right now.
Ashley:Yeah, this is gonna come out like 24, something like that weekend and then the embarrassing it's two weeks after, oh goodness, to March yeah that one's that one's gonna be a lot to unfold, but I'm actually like really excited for that to come out because it's like funny, it's not that embarrassed like it's embarrassing, but it's like funny, like I don't get embarrassed.
Courtney:Oh, I don't but that embarrassing. This is what embarrasses me. I can't even say without what are. What embarrasses me is the fact that I it was what you were saying- I don't know.
Ashley:Yeah, you could tell me. Well, it's embarrassing, embarrassed you. We should do an ASMR video.
Courtney:We're back. So we've just I mean we just hopped around a lot and sorry, no, it's fine. This is I need to see bring.
Ashley:I know I don't even do. Adhd.
Courtney:I think I do.
Ashley:I don't know, I never actually apparently I have short term ever in the last, but that's okay.
Courtney:Anyway, um, so we're just gonna leave this open for the next one that we do together. Ask us a bunch of questions. Also, she, if you're in the industry, you want to learn about hair. If you're makeup artist, want to learn about hair. She's gonna come out with education and all that and I'm super excited and she told me a lot of the stuff, so it's really good. And also, just knowing her, she's gonna put her heart and soul into it.
Ashley:But we're teasing it for the first time here.
Courtney:I know. I'm so excited which is also to you. We're talking with this like to.
Ashley:We've been.
Courtney:I just want to say to you We've been friends since December, so it's been like a couple months. It's February, oh shit, so like we should probably celebrate our friend anniversary.
Ashley:Well, valentine's Day will probably mark that's two months. It's the party.
Courtney:Gallant times, but yeah, um, I also want to say thank you for coming on.
Ashley:Oh my god, you're so welcome and yeah, I love to talk, I know same. I don't. I don't even know what this is gonna sound like. So if I was all over the place, sorry, I mean, that's the point of the we're gonna do it again. Yeah, and we're gonna really like Hone it on some areas.
Courtney:Yeah, and eventually I'm gonna invest in a camera and not my phone eventually I may start a podcast on my own now you should, I really want to do on with John, but don't you're tearing it here much. That's great.
Ashley:He's the best, but he'll like just yeah and yeah.
Courtney:But you guys, I also will say to you guys are like a very Amazing couple and I feel like a lot of people will relate to that and I, yeah, I think that, oh yeah, we got it, we got it.
Ashley:I was just gonna say, like you have to be really authentic, you know what take away from this podcast episode. Yeah you have to be authentically yourself, no matter what, and it the second you do that, you will grow, because if you try to be somebody else, you can't maintain that, and every single thing that I put out there is like yeah. Genuine, like that's actually what I'm doing.
Courtney:Yeah, because you're not worried about other people and and you do the same.
Ashley:Yeah, like, and it's arc small. If you're trying to start, get on your stories and try to just talk. Avoid saying um and but and like I say like all the time I actually do too.
Courtney:That was pretty good.
Ashley:Yeah, I do too, but if I was first starting I would really be conscious of it, because you can always tell your Nervous or insecure doing it when you talk like that. Now it's like I'm genuinely losing my thoughts. But, like when I first started, I look back at my videos. I'm like damn, like I was on here talking and I looked like that, or I had like you know, I was like sharing this information, not caring what I looked like or putting like the most ridiculous filters on which I've done, and I, I still will throw up. Yeah, but I'm just saying like now, you, once you're confident, you don't care, yeah, and you'll you know.
Courtney:Yeah, it's steps into just like knowing who you are. Yeah, and again, I'll think of you being yourself, badass bitch all of you, and every way, and everyone has something to bring to the table, and you all have something to inspire other people.
Ashley:Mm-hmm, so take that yeah, cut them out like mute them.
Courtney:Whatever you got to do, I've got all my haters.
Ashley:Oh, I think that's why I don't feel like this is true.
Courtney:Even though you like I do, I know I do.
Ashley:I don't even pay attention, and that's what my church service was about. I love that was like you have a spear on your back, like there are people and you know what I knew, who all my people were who Don't wish me well, but like they're, they don't even exist in my mind anymore.
Courtney:I literally can run into the people that I know talk shit about me and I could look them dead in the face and Wish them nothing but the best, because I don't care.
Ashley:Yeah, and sometimes I feel like I'm delusional.
Courtney:I'm okay, I really, I rather be delusional and protect my peace than hundreds of percent, than anything Well it's not bad. It's not bad, it's good 100% to being delusional cheers. Yeah, again, thank you for coming on. Keep inspiring everybody and if you guys have questions about hair, all that needs some advice, dm her, check out her classes, that come up and ask us questions for the next one, because I'm gonna get her on and we're gonna do this again.
