An Interview with Ashley Greene, She Dishes How She Stays So Grounded

Ashley Greene's been the spokesperson for Mark for a few years now and like her, I can't get enough of the affordable cosmetics and accessories from the brand.  This Spring, she's working with mPowerment by Mark on their 'No More' campaign to help educate young women about sexual violence.  I had the chance to speak to the actress about her involvement with the campaign, beauty must haves and advice she lives by.

The "No More" campaign has taken off.  How has it impacted your life?  

I was so proud to be part of the NO MORE Campaign in March and come together with many other partners to help end dating abuse, partner violence and sexual assault.

I hope that by raising my voice and speaking out, young women across the country might find the courage to leave abusive situations, or to help their friends do so.

I love your spring mark shoot.  What item on your shopping list has already become a staple?  

We actually shot this on a cold, rainy day in New York City, but the shimmery shades of gold, saffrons, and greens in the Marrakesh collection really made it feel like Spring.

I love the Exotic Beauty Face Mosaics. It’s been my go-to this season for a quick, subtle glow.

What are your beauty must haves?  

My staples are concealer, mascara and lip gloss. I like mark’s Gloss Gorgeous Stay on Lip Gloss because it’s a gloss and stain in one, and doesn’t feel tacky.

Also, taking care of my skin is also really important to me -- I make sure to apply sunscreen every day and drink tons of water.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever gotten and who was it from?  

My mom and dad have always been a huge inspiration to me. I learned about self-worth and confidence from them, and appreciative their support & belief in me no matter what. It’s helped me to stay grounded over the years.

What's your guiltiest pleasure?  

I'm not really a fast food person, but I love McDonald's vanilla ice cream cones.

The Secrets Behind Ashley Greene's Shoot with Mark Cosmetics

Ashley Greene recently shot several ad campaigns at Milk Studios in NYC with Mark cosmetics that won't be released until October, but I got the behind the scenes scoop from her makeup artist, Mai Quynh on the days activities, which included creepy, yet laughable tweets from a fake account created by a fan for one of her dogs and Ashley's customized playlist to set the vibe.

Ashley's really easy to work with and the only specific requests she ever asks for is black liner on her upper lash line, which makes her feel more put together," comments Quynh.

The first day started at 8:30am and wrapped at 5pm, Rihanna's voice filled the room pretty much the whole shoot and my buddy, Ted Gibson was on hair.  Six different looks were shot and in between each Quynh relied on Mark Wipes to take Ashley's face makeup off and since it's so gentle, she used Bioderma Sensibio H20for her eyes.  “When you do so many looks, everything has to change, so I’d rather start fresh so the color registers as true,”  she comments.  However Quynh did admit that she sometimes leaves foundation on the forehead and the brows filled in to save time.  Why not?

Throughout the shoot @marlothefierce, the fake account created by one of her fans for one of her dogs was tweeting how beautiful Ashley looked.  Creepy?  Quynh says Ashley was just laughing about it.

On the second day, only two looks were shot, but it was another full day.  One of the shoots was for a new fragrance launch.  Quynh used a combination of Mark Lipclick in TuTu and Lip Gloss in Girly Girl to create a pink lip with a semi-smokey eye to compliment Ashley's overall flirty look.

Ashley made a playlist that included music to set the mood like Muse, TLC and other random 90's music.

*This is a sponsored post, but all of the reporting, comments and actions are true.

Teen Choice Awards Trend Report: Sleek 'Do's

The 13th annual Teen Choice Awards were held last night in Los Angeles, CA and while most of the young starlettes including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez and of course Kim and Kourtney Kardashian looked radiant on the blue carpet, I couldn't help but admire the sleek, straight, glossy locks of Ashley Greene, Cameron Diaz and Blake Lively. "Modern, sleek hair is so hot at the moment," exclaims celeb stylist (and the genius behind Ashley Greene's strands) Ted Gibson.

Here's a breakdown on how-to get the look:

1. Spritz a blow drying prep spray like Blow Heat is On Dry Protective Styling Mist onto damp hair and part it exactly where you'd like it to lay.

2. Blow dry with a flat brush, and apply a frizz controlling lotion like Ted Gibson Tame It Shine Lotion from mid-shaft to ends.

3. Flat iron in one to two inch sections all around your head and finish with a light-weight hairspray for a bit of control.

Celeb Makeup Natural Vs. Glam

When it comes to makeup I normally wear very little, but if it's a special occasion I may throw on some eye shadow.  Turns out, I'm in luck because 70% of guys actually find the natural, fresh-faced makeup look sexier than the glammed-up femme fatale. Fifty men were polled by DailyMakeover.com to find out what guys really think of your makeup. Each man was presented with two shots of celebrities -- Ashley Greene, Charlize Theron, Megan Fox, Jennifer Lopez, and Zoe Saldana -- wearing very natural makeup and a more dramatic look. The guys were then asked which look they preferred and why. Here's the breakdown:

Ashley Greene Natural: 76%
Glam: 24%

Charlize Theron Natural: 72%
Glam: 28%

Megan Fox Natural: 82%
Glam: 18%

Jennifer Lopez Natural: 62%
Glam: 38%

Zoe Saldana Natural: 54%
Glam: 46%

Do you agree with the men?  I do.

When do you go glam?