Happy New Year!

As we wrap up 2013, I've been reflecting and deciding what I want for 2014. No matter what aspect of life that I'm contemplating it all comes back to two things; love and gratitude. These are things that I want not only for myself but for you.

I hope we take more time to appreciate the small things.

             ...talk less and listen more.

             ...take the time to show our gratitude to everyone, no matter how big or small. 

             ...are more spontaneous.

             ...take more leaps of faith on people, in our careers, but especially, on ourselves. 

             ...spend more time with those who matter and show them how much they do.

             ...worry less and trust that we are right where we need to be.

             ...have the courage to make changes when we need to.

             ...build each other up and support one another, instead of comparing and competing.

But most importantly, I hope we love more. Do everything with love and positivity and good things will come your way. Did you make any resolutions for 2014? Leave a comment below and let me know what you're working on! 

Have a beautiful New Year,

Dre

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope you get to spend time with all of your loved ones and make wonderful memories. If you're traveling, stay safe and let's all try to be extremely thankful for everything and everyone around us. Much love from me to you! 

Have a beautiful holiday,

Dre

Dre Does an Ispy Review

I've been eyeing the various beauty subscription services for a couple of months now and was deciding between Ipsy and Birchbox. I ultimately chose Ipsy because I'd been hearing recently that Birchbox was slacking on sample sizes, repeating products, and giving lots of perfume samples. For $10 I decided to get Ipsy and I was so happy with my first bag! One of the perks of Ipsy is that your products come in a makeup bag every month, made specially for them. I really like the black quilted faux patent leather pouch I received 5 full size products in and so far I'm really happy with everything I got. When you sign up you take a quiz that allows them to get to know you better and what types of products and colors would work best for you. Below is a summary of everything I got in my December bag!

First off is the Pop Beauty Bright Up Your Life Eyeshadow Trio in Smokin Hot. I'm not a huge fan of grays but since I don't own anything like this, it wasn't a bad addition to my collection. The shadows are pretty creamy and have good pigmentation. At first glance they look like the glitter might be chunky, but when applied, the shadows look more shimmery, which I was happy about. While you can't buy Trios from Pop Beauty, these shadows are from a 10 color palette that retails for $24 at pop beauty.co.uk. So this trio is valued at $7.20. 

Next we have The One Stick from Be A Bombshell cosmetics in the shade Sunset. This is a great multipurpose product that you can use on your cheeks, lips, or eyelids. It was really pigmented and blended really well on my cheeks. I also liked it applied to my lips, but have yet to try the eyelids (and to be honest I doubt I will haha). On beabombshellcosmetics.com it retails for $16! Bag total so far = $23.20.

Next up is the Mirabella Beauty Eye Blender brush. The handle is pretty heavy which I kind of like, but the brush head isn't that soft or dense. I'd say it's a so so brush. Don't think I'd buy it on its own. I was shocked to read the $27 price tag if you buy it through Mirabella, so I'd say if you're going to spend that kind of money definitely go somewhere else. Bag total so far = $50.20. 

Now we have the Salon Perfect Perfectly Natural Strip Lashes. I haven't used these yet so I can't really say much besides that they look like nice, natural looking lashes. I'll probably bust them out for New Year's Eve and make sure to update you all when I do! They retail at Walmart.com for $2.98. Bag total so far = $53.18.

Lastly in my bag, I got the J. Cat Beauty Big Lip Pencil in Red Rose. I love this pencil so far! I've worn it twice and it had a great matte finish, good pigmentation, and awesome staying power. I love the color and I think it's perfect for the holidays. Of all the products in the bag, I'd say this one is the one I'm most likely to purchase on my own. The only con that i can come up with is that this isn't a twist up pencil like some of the popular ones right now, but I already have a lip pencil sharpener so it's not really that big of a deal. It retails at jcatbeauty.com for only $3.99 which is awesome! I think it's a great product for the money. This brings the entire Ipsy bag total to $57.17 plus the value of the black bag it came it. 

I'm extremely happy with my December Ipsy bag and I would definitely recommend it so far. Paying only $10 but getting $57.17 worth of products is amazing! I'll make sure to keep reviewing these on a monthly basis! What subscriptions do you have? What ones do you have your eye on? Let me know in the comments!

If you'd like to join Ipsy yourself, click this link to get started!  http://www.ipsy.com/r/1ji4

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Exfoliation

I can't stress enough how important exfoliation is. In order for us to have healthy and glowing skin, skin cell turnover must be healthy. When new skin cells are formed at the base and deepest layers of skin they are round and full of nutrients. As they slowly make their way to the outermost layers of your skin, they become flattened and slowly lose water and nutrients. When they reach the surface they are dry dead skin cells that are ready to be sloughed off. 

Your body has a natural process to get rid of these cells called desquamation, but various factors can affect it. As we age this cycle slows down. It takes longer for these cells to reach the surface and by the time they make it to the surface they are usually extremely dry and flat. This is why most mature skin is super dry. Sometimes if you have oily skin, dead skin cells can get trapped in your pores and lead to blackheads. The oil kind of acts like glue and cells stick to it. 

For these reasons, it's extremely important to exfoliate. Getting all of those dead skin cells off the surface and pulling them out of your pores is crucial. You need the oil in your pores to help protect your skin so you don't want to get rid of it, which is why exfoliation is great for this.

Cell turnover is also extremely important for anyone with hyperpigmentation (dark spots) or discoloration resulting from old blemishes. Exfoliating will aid in helping the appearance of these spots fade as cells are being sloughed off. 

While I've talked mostly about your face, let's not forget the body! It's important that you are using a scrub in the shower too. Exfoliating areas where you shave or wax will help with preventing ingrown hairs and ultimately make your skin feel smoother. 

As wonderful as exfoliating is, make sure you don't do it too much! No matter what product you use make sure you are reading the directions. Over exfoliation can cause irritation and harm to your skin. Sometimes we can get the mindset that if something is good for us, the more we do it, the more benefits we will see. However, this is not always the case. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does a Last Minute Gift Guide

Christmas is about a week away and if you're like me, there's a good chance you aren't done with your holiday shopping. I've compiled a quick gift guide if you're stuck on those last gifts for anyone who loves beauty items. I especially love getting my friends and family beauty related items because they either don't know anything about them, or they wouldn't spend the money on it themselves!

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1: Aveda Hand Relief Lotion (4.2 oz for $22.50 on Aveda.com): This stuff works miracles on your hands and smells so good!

2: Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub (18 fl oz for $6.59 on drugstore.com): I'm currently using the mango version in my shower routine and I love it! It's great at sloughing off dead skin cells and I love the smell. It also leaves my skin very moisturized. 

3: The Body Shop Satsuma Collection (5 piece gift set about $40 on amazon.com): Have you ever smelled this scent? If not, stop what you're doing, get in your car and drive to the nearest Body Shop or Ulta. Yes it's that good! 

4: Sally Hansen Gel Polish At Home Manicure Kit (starter kit about $46 on amazon.com): These kits are great for at home gel manicures. There is also a starter kit for polish strips if that is easier for you!

5: OPI Nail Polish in 'Lincoln Park After Dark'($9): My go-to winter nail polish. It is the perfect, very, very dark and chic almost black color. 

6: Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm ($8.99 at your local drugstore): These are relatively new and I love how easy they are for transforming your look. They also twist up instead of having to be sharpened and have a nice minty scent. 

7: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette ($27 at Ulta or Sephora):  If you missed yesterday's post about this palette go check it out! It's a must have for everyone, no matter your skill level. 

8: Essie Nail Polish in Sable Collar ($8): This is a really unique color that I'm loving for winter. It's like a taupey brown with red duo chrome and it is absolutely gorgeous! 

Happy last minute shopping! Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Her Favorite Eyeshadow Palette

Eyeshadow palettes are always huge. It seems like every few weeks there's a new one getting hype from bloggers and YouTubers alike. I had my eye on the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette for a long time, but since it's 6 matte neutral shadows I figured it could be easily be duped with other colors. Boy was I wrong. The problem with most palettes today I think, is that they may have an array of beautiful colors in them, but they don't possess every color you need to create a full eye look. I found myself still having to carry a highlight color, crease color, and matte black. This is where the Naked Basics has changed everything. I think it is a must have because not only is it a stand alone amazing natural eye or even dramatic eye palette, but it's addition to whatever palette you already have allows you to completely multiply the possibilities of looks. You have highlight colors, crease colors, and that matte black can turn up the drama for any look.

(Naked Basics compared to my iPhone 5s)

If you travel a lot, being able to add one small palette that can do so much is beneficial. You could bring just this one, or you could bring another palette with some shimmery, more dramatic colors, and you would have all of your bases covered for any eye look you could want. Below are the eyeshadow colors in the palette and swatches without any primers or other products. 

(L to R: Venus, Foxy, W.O.S., Naked 2, Faint, and Crave)

Starting from the left, Venus is a light shade with only a slight satin sheen. It's so slight I wouldn't even call it a satin finish. It's a great inner corner color. Next are two wonderful highlight shades, Foxy (more yellow toned) and W.O.S. (more pink toned). Naked 2 is a great gray/brown/taupe color that I love for the crease. Next we have Faint which is a perfect matte brown color for adding more dimension to your look. Lastly, Crave is the matte black that is key in transitioning looks into more dramatic, night looks. 

Overall for only $27 I think this palette is an amazing addition to anyone's collection and a must have for those who like mattes or travel a lot. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Bold Lips 3 Ways

The number one request I get from friends is "teach me how to wear lipstick!" So I've got three ways for you to try this popular winter trend! Before attempting any of these looks however, make sure to apply a great conditioning lip balm. Check out my current favorites from yesterday to see which one I love! I always apply this before I start any makeup so that by the time I get to my lips, everything is absorbed and nourished.

First off we have lip gloss. I really like the Revlon ColorBurst Lipglosses to achieve this look because they give great pigmentation. They're a great transition product if you're not used to bold colors on your lips. 

If you don't want to full on commit to lipstick, I highly recommend the Revlon Lip Butters! They come in a huge range of shades and they are great for building intensity. Apply a thin amount for daytime and reapply at night with a few more layers, to achieve a more intense and bold look. They also won't dry your lips out, which is great for winter time! They have a balmy type finish. Two shades I really like are Raspberry Pie and Red Velvet.

Lastly, if you're ready to come over to the dark side, find a great lip liner and lipstick. I'm currently loving NYX lip liners and my Mac Retro Matte Finish lipsticks. Staying power is key when it comes to bold lips because bleeding and fading will be more noticeable, so matte finishes will help with this. However, they also can bring attention to dry or chapped areas, so make sure your lips are moisturizer and exfoliated before applying. Simply line your lips and fill them in with lip liner. Then apply your lipstick. Make sure to take your time with this so your lines are even and don't look messy. 

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As with any new makeup that you try on yourself, bold lips can be intimidating at first. Just because it may seem a little shocking when you look in a mirror the first time, doesn't mean it doesn't look good! Plus, if you love it who cares what anyone else thinks! Be brave and bold and have fun rocking a new look! 

Have a bold and beautiful day (no pun intended), 

Dre 

Dre Does Current Favorites

Here is a look at some of my favorites at the moment:

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1. Snoods: these are the perfect no-fuss way to keep warm while still looking fashionable. Like an infinity scarf but smaller, snoods are circle scarves that stay right around your neck!

2. Cream sweaters: I'm not quite sure what it is but every winter I wear oversized and cozy cream sweaters like it's my job. Maybe I subconsciously wish I was a snow fairy.

3. Nivea lip butters: these are the only things curing and protecting my lips from the Michigan cold. They come in other flavors as well!

4. iPad Mini: I recently bought this on Thanksgiving due to a crazy good deal and while reluctant at first (I almost returned it because I never buy things on a whim), I couldn't be happier with it. While it's main purpose will be to house my makeup portfolio, it has helped in all aspects of my life; school, finances....blogging ;)

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes: best blushes I've ever tried. I repeat, best blushes I've ever tried! I bought this nifty little gift set pictured but I have others too and all of them are great. Wonderful pigmentation and they truly last all day. Tarte is an amazing brand.

6. Tea: Due to the cold and my very long work/school days, I've been getting ready for bed almost every night with Sleepytime tea. It's so calming at night :)

7. Sephora Collection Matte Lipsticks: the formula and the colors are to die for. I'm personally loving the deep brick red shades at the moment. They can turn you from boring to glam in 3 minutes. 

What are you loving right now? Leave me a comment and let me know :)

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does 5 Quick Mascara Tips

If you ask any woman if she wants longer and fuller eyelashes I guarantee the answer would most of the time be yes. I don't know what it is about mascara, but I find myself on this continuous search for the holy grail mascara that will change my eyelashes forever (tad dramatic? Maybe...but don't we all agree?).

While I don't have the answer for you because we are all unique when it comes to what products work for us, I can give you a few tips that will help you improve whatever mascara you currently love. 

1. Wipe the wand off with a tissue every time you use it. Yes you read that right... Every. Time. It's collecting dried up chunks of mascara that are hindering the wand from doing whatever it's designed to do. I know this seems like a waste of product but it really helps. Plus, mascaras are only meant to be used for 3 months then tossed due to bacteria. 

2. Do not move the wand in and out multiple times in attempt to 'load as much product as you can'. This causes more air to enter the tube and your mascara will dry out faster.

3. Never curl your lashes after you have applied mascara. This is never a good idea because you can break or damage your lashes in the curler. Always curl prior to mascara application. If you were ever a preteen experimenting with makeup like I was, I'm guessing you know what this feels like...(and if not, trust me).

4. If you get any mascara on your upper lids or under eye area when applying mascara let it dry! I know it's hard to leave it there when we are all tempted to rub it off, but it will most likely smear causing the makeup already applied there to need to be touched up. If you let it dry, you can easily flick it off with a Q-tip.

5. One of the easiest tricks to make your lash line look fuller doesn't involve mascara at all! Simply line your upper water line (that little watery rim under where your eyelashes are attached) with a black eyeliner. Careful though, because if you are not used to it, it can tickle and take some getting used to. 

I wish you much success on your quest for the perfect mascara, but in the mean time, I hope you enjoyed these tricks to getting the most out of those beautiful lashes you were already born with!

Have a beautiful day, 

Dre

Dre Does Dehydration

Drinking enough water is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. While I know I'm not the first to tell you this, it's seriously so important for every function of our bodies. One of the most affected areas is our skin. Most of us are dehydrated and don't even know it. I'm going to teach you an easy trick to check your hydration which can tell you so much about not only your skin, but your whole body. 

All you need is a mirror, your clean hands, and some good lighting. Make 'scissors' with your pointer and middle fingers and slightly AND very gently use your fingers to vertically pinch your skin on you forehead. If the skin looks crepe-y or like it has tons of little wrinkles, you are dehydrated. If it still looks full and supple you are not. So what do you do about it? 

We should all be drinking at least half of our body weight in ounces. So if you weight 130 pounds, you should be drinking 65 ounces a day. However, this doesn't take into account the amount of caffeine that we all have to consume in order successfully function (trust me, I'm with you. I sleep next to my coffee maker). Just make sure that for however many ounces of caffeine you drink, you have double that in water to make up for it. 

Also, make sure you aren't drinking all of it at once. Sip on water throughout the day. This will help not only with making sure your body actually absorbs it, but it will prevent you from making 100 trips to the bathroom a day. 

Drinking enough water will not only help your skin, but tons of other things like digestion, energy level, headaches and more. So drink up!

Have a beautiful and hydrated day,

Dre

Dre Does Blogging

Welcome to Dre Does!

I am a 23 year old esthetiology student who enjoys all things relating to creativity and beauty. Since I'm in school to get my esthetician's license and be a makeup artist, I am constantly learning and researching new ideas, tips, and tricks! I used to have a beauty and lifestyle blog with a friend in college (go green!) and really enjoyed bringing my tips and tricks to friends and readers. However, after that blog ended and college came to a close, I found my friends settling among different states across the country. Ever since high school, my friends have come to me for anything from how to tie their scarves, to which mascara to buy. Even though we are farther apart now, my friends still ask me these questions.This is where Dre Does enters. I want to share all of my knowledge, including my new found interest in skin care, with everyone! Whether we used to be in a class in college, or you have no idea who I am, I want you to enjoy my blog and hopefully take something away that can make your makeup, skin, attitude, or even life, just a little bit better :)

With that being said, please leave me a comment with any questions or suggestions you would like to see on here. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre