Take a stroll down the alleyway...

Hey guys! I just thought I'd do a little intro post before we got into the fun stuff. I'm Ally (and yes, The Alleyway is a play on my name) and I absolutely love makeup and beauty. That's not to say that I don't lounge around in yoga pants and a t-shirt half the time, because I do - but just because I'm having a comfy day, it doesn't mean I don't like to look pulled together. In fact, I think there's a special satisfaction that comes from finishing off an outfit that took you two seconds with a fantastic makeup look.

Now, I know I can't measure up to most of the makeup gurus out there right now. I practically live in the Howto & Style section of Youtube, so I know that there's some amazing talent out there right now. But what I can offer are tips, reviews, and tutorials that are useful for anyone, but specifically geared towards college students. Why? Obviously it's because I am a college student, and it's not always practical for me to cough up $50 for another shade of blush when I could be using that money for toothpaste or tissues ... or food. And we should all just admit it right now - college life is nothing like real life. If I didn't have class at 9 AM every day next semester, I would see nothing wrong with staying up until 2 or 3 AM and not waking up until 11 the next morning. Heck, sometimes I'm up until 2 AM anyway - and that's where my blog comes into play. How do you do your makeup when you're running on three hours of sleep and have class in ten minutes, what quick fixes do you use when you're seeing your parents on Sunday morning after a late Saturday night, and where are you going to find outfits that are both cute and warm for that trek across campus in the winter to get to the next party? I'm no expert, but I know what works for me - and there's a chance that it'll work for you.

That's not to say that The Alleyway is only for college students - instead, I'd say that it's simply a blog written from the perspective of a college student, one who thinks that you shouldn't have to chose between makeup that works and makeup that's cheap, and that it is possible to look flawless in under five minutes. And besides, college is all about finding yourself - and everyone can appreciate that.

So I hope you enjoy my blog, and get some use out of the things I'll be posting; I have plenty of reviews and swatches coming up, and I would love to start filming some tutorials if I ever find a decent camera setup that works for me. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a picture of my makeup look from today:



XOXO, Ally