Ashley Streicher
Ashley Streicher is the definition of a creative spirit. Her mastery over hair and all things beautiful is an inspiration, and she can kick it like a girls's-girl in the least girly way possible. Ashley is a celebrity hairstylist, part of The Magnet Agency, who's especially known for her incredible braid creations. She's a true perfectionist at her craft, but her talents extend far outside the realm of hair. Ashley greeted us with her personally created, signature Harvest Board at her cute bungalow in the Laurel Canyon hills. This cozy gem of a spot is truly transporting, and feels like a little cabin in the woods. Decorated to perfection, Ashley has tastefully filled her space with all the essentials any glow girl could need. She's a wiz with her Vitamix, which she used to make the most delicious homemade almond butter for her killer Harvest Board. Ashley's a fan of delicious food, just like us, and knows a thing or two about some good flavor combinations (our type of girl!)
Growing up with two older sisters, Ashley's got a well-adjusted, vibrant personality that just emanates warmth. She's a girl who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. She graduated from both high school and beauty school around the same time to jumpstart her career; she always knew she wanted to use hair as her creative outlet, and she hasn't looked back since. The Streicher sisters all embody beauty and creativity, and Ashley is particularly drawn to braiding and flower-crowns. We were even lucky enough to get a few tutorials from this braid-genius! Some of her tricks include using streamlined elastics, Oribe texturizing spray, and using your fingers to spread out the hair in the braid to make them look fuller after they're completed. Ashley also uses a special hand technique that we've never seen done before. She tried to teach us, and makes it look so effortless, but we wouldn't even know where to begin to try to replicate her magic touch. You'll have to go experience it for yourself...
HOW THEY GLOW QUESTIONNAIRE
NAME: Ashley Loren Streicher
NICKNAME: Bug, Ashbear, Streicher, Ash
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP: Grass Valley, California
WHEN YOU ARE EATING HEALTHY, WHAT IS A TYPICAL…
BREAKFAST: Greek yogurt! I love Greek yogurt and eat it with everything!!! So breakfast would include Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts.
LUNCH: When I’m eating healthy I would have a green smoothie or juice for lunch, or green salad…
DINNER: In the winter months (if you could call it that in LA), I love making fresh soups that I can make a huge pot of and eat for the week. Otherwise I’ll BBQ some chicken or fish with roasted vegetables, YUM!
SNACK: I often get “snacky” and forget to eat meals, which is not healthy. I love snacking on pretty much anything with almond butter on it. Right now I’m really into Honeycrisp apples and almond butter. I recently made what I call a ‘harvest board’ the other night when I had some people over. It consisted of a huge raw cutting board filled with different varieties of sliced apples and fresh almond butter, green olives, a chunk of Spanish cow’s milk \ cheese, and rosemary raisin Rainforest Crackers, along with some dried apricots. A very random bunch that fits together ever so nicely. Its now a running joke with my sisters cause I crave it everyday.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO EAT HEALTHY? I actually find it very hard to eat out healthy. Mostly because everything that you order out there is made heavily oiled, buttered, salted, and starched. Erewhon Natural Foods is a great place to get a salad or meal by yourself, a little pricey though. Sugarfish Sushi is one of my favorites for eating clean, just beautiful raw fish and rice, no sauces. But honestly, my favorite healthy spot to eat is probably my sister Kristie’s house. She loves cooking and is always making something extraordinary.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE INDULGENCE? Most definitely my favorite indulgence is Mexican food. I LOVE rice, beans, avocado, and spicy salsa. Chips and salsa. Also, French fries are probably my favorite vice.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS/RESTAURANTS TO INDULGE? For Mexican: Escuela Taqueria, Malo, a place called Taco Tree in Northern California. My sister and I will often take after-dinner drives to Studio Frozen Yogurt for frozen yogurt. Oh, and Babycakes NYC the yummiest vegan and gluten free treats on earth!!
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST MEAL ON EARTH? For my last meal, I would demand a buffet of everything I love. From chicken tostadas to split pea soup, I want it all!
WHAT IS THE BEST DISH YOU COOK/ YOUR FAVORITE RECIPE? I’m known to make a damn good birthday cake. My specialty is just a white cake with lemon cream cheese frosting, decorated to the nines based on your birthday favorites.
WHERE DO YOU GROCERY SHOP IN LA? Trader Joe’s is a staple. That’s where I get the basics. I love, almond milk, cheese, rice crackers, etc. Other basics like fruit and veggies I will go to Whole Foods for, that is if I missed my local farmers market that week. For any sort of special meats, I love to go to Lindy and Grundys, they’re my local butcher and have REALLY good meats.
WHAT IS YOUR FITNESS REGIME? (HOW OFTEN & WHAT DO YOU GO) I go through phases. Some weeks my main source of exercise is SoulCycle. I’ve been doing it for about two years now and LOVE it! It makes exercise so fun. Ben Bruker is my all time favorite teacher and plays the best jams. Some weeks I feel a little more mellow and slip into a hot yoga routine at Modo Yoga on La Brea. Sometimes I’ll do a well rounded cycle, yoga, cycle, yoga. My favorite fitness, when I’m not on a schedule, is to really just do anything outside. I love hiking and usually go for a good hike a couple times a week. I also love to get on my road bike and go for a good long ride. I have to say I haven’t been to an actual gym in years, LA is easy in that way. You can take a class or go on a hike at anytime of the day!
WHAT IS YOUR SKINCARE ROUTINE? (PRODUCTS, FACIALS, ETC.) I don’t have any real skin care secrets. I feel I do have pretty sensitive skin though. I wash with Le Mer gel cleanser morning and night. In the morning I follow with Image Daily Defense sun protection and at night I use 11% Mandelic Serum with a light moisturizer. I have an amazing woman I see for facials every other month, she cleanses my skin up and uses all sorts of amazing topical machines from overseas. She is so good at what she does and cares so deeply about skin. Love her! She also practices Reiki while your masks are setting. Good energy all around!
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE NATURAL MAKEUP/ BEAUTY PRODUCTS? The daily SPF I use is as natural as a working sun protector could possibly be, and is part of my daily skin routine. Its Image Skincares daily defense matte moisturizer. I love a lot of the Tarte natural makeup products, my sister Jenn uses a lot of their makeup and sometimes is sponsored by them so I’ve tried a lot of the lipsticks and blushes, I like them a lot. I also love Hanz de Fuko, a men’s hair product line that’s all green. All of their products are also water-based and are easy to use and cocktail together. It’s a staple for my men’s grooming kit as well as my women’s hair kit!
IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT 3 PRODUCTS WOULD YOU TAKE WITH YOU?
1. Blush for sure, It’s the one thing that I never forget to put on. I feel that it makes me look alive! So probably my YSL Crème De Blush.
2. La Prairie’s eye/lip compact, so useful in my purse
3. Oribe Dry Texture Spray, favorite hair product that I wouldn’t be able to live without! TOP
3 FAVORITE SONGS? Favorites of the moment:
1. “A Dancing Shell” by Wild Nothing
2. “No Ones There” by Anika
3. “Reflektor” by Arcade Fire
MOST LIFE-CHANGING BOOK? Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss
WHAT IS THE BEST GIFT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? My nephew Arrow James
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY. Waking up in Big Sur California with some coffee. Taking a long hike along the Julia Phiffer state trail, seeing wildlife like some foxes, condors, dolphins etc. At this point it gets cloudy and starts to rain, so I’d go back to my cabin in the woods and start a fire and cook a big meal for my favorite friends and family. Eat and drink good wine by the fire.
WHAT IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE BEAUTY TIP/SECRET? Less is more.
WHAT MAKES YOU GLOW? I glow my best when I’m well rested, yet active. When I’m working and creating. When I get to help complete someone’s look with beautiful hair. Being with my family, working with my sisters. Being surrounded by beauty.
Photography by: Emily Knecht