Dre Does a Beauty Haul

Hello there beautiful people! I hope you had a fantastic thanksgiving if you celebrated and spent a lot of time with family and friends. I have so much to be thankful for including all of the support I get from all of you! 

Within the last few months I have been shopping mostly for Christmas presents but couldn't pass up the discounts I get as a ULTA employee to pick up some products I have been eyeing. I also managed to accumulate a lot of ULTA rewards points in the process and desired to cash them in for some items for my makeup kit that I knew I'd eventually want and use. I wanted to share them so that if you have questions, want reviews or tutorials, I can help! 

First up were my favorite eyeshadows from the drugstore aisles, the Loreal infallible Eyeshadows in Iced Latte, Bronzed Taupe, and Smoked Plum. I already have Amber Rush and have mentioned how much I love it, so I figured I would pick up some new shades while I had the extra discount.

As a Benefit Arch Expert and long time Benefit lover, I am always excited to see what Benefit comes out with for the holidays. I snagged my Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes right when it first came out because not only is it an amazing deal but it is so adorable. You get 6 of Benefits Box O' Powders (including Dandelion, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista, Rockateur and even Bella Bamba which is now discontinued), a mini brush and a small pan of Watt's Up highlighter. It all comes in a beautiful tin and lifts up and can be reused later! 

I knew that the original Lorac Pro Palette was a classic that I needed for my kit so I picked it up when I redeemed points. I love that it has one row of matte shadows from white to black, and a row of shimmer and satin shades from light to dark.

I found it the absolute best coincidence that I had tons of points to redeem the day that ULTA launched the Anastasia Contour Kit in stores. I have a very warm and golden undertone so this is perfect for my skin tone and I had been dying to try it. I've been using it a lot so expect a review soon!

The only Naked palettes I have had for the past few years have been the original and the Naked basics palette (original as well) and I decided to pick up the Naked 3 with my points because the colors are unlike anything I have already. This is the perfect bridal palette so I'm excited to add it to my kit. 

Yes another contour kit...haha I couldn't help it though because the tones are much cooler than the Anastasia one and that dark shade at the bottom allows for contouring a larger range of skin tones so I had to pick this one up too. The It Cosmetics My Sculpted Face Palette is so buttery and smooth and makes blending a breeze so in the ULTA shopping bag it went!

Lastly, we have the only skincare item I bought, but a great one at that. If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know I love the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion scrub so I decided to try out the Dr. Brandt pores no more Vacuum Cleaner for blackheads and congested pores! I've done it once and so far I like it so look for a review on this too! 

Reminder, this was not bought all at once and while I did use my own money for all of it, I did buy most of it either during the ULTA employee sale or redeemed with an amount of points that I'm too embarrassed to share with you...haha. If you're not already an ULTAmate Rewards member what are you waiting for? It's a ridiculously amazing program! 

Remember, all questions and ideas could be turned into future blog posts! So comment, share and ask away my beauties! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does : My Acne Story - Part Three

Part Three is here to give you some amazing products for covering acne while it's healing! In case you missed parts one and two click the links to catch up before reading on. In part one I gave you a little background and introduction to my acne and in the second part I shared what changes I made in both my lifestyle and skincare routine in order to heal it! Today however, I'm going to share some more products, except this time for concealing. These items worked amazing for me and I definitely recommend trying them out. 

First up we have my favorite foundation of all time, the TARTE AMAZONIAN CLAY 12 HR FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATION. This is all I wear most days because it is so light but also build-able. I love that Tarte Cosmetics is paraben and mineral oil free, among many other ingredients as well. I feel like this allows my skin to breathe and doesn't feel heavy at all. It's the closest I've ever gotten to serious full coverage foundation while still looking natural. I get complimented on my smooth and perfect looking skin almost every day at work and I 100% attribute it to this foundation. People don't know my skin is extremely discolored and uneven underneath. I've written many posts on it before but it is truly a holy grail item in my makeup bag. The Amazonian Clay is amazing at balancing my oily skin and keeping me shine-free. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with dryness or flakey skin however. It is truly best for oily skin because the clay will dry you out even more and cling to patches if there and then it really will look unnatural. 

If you can't shell out the $38 for the Tarte foundation, I recommend checking out COVERGIRL'S OUTLAST STAY FABULOUS 3-in-1 FOUNDATION. This was my favorite before I discovered the Tarte one and it's an amazing foundation and very similar. It also gives a matte finish which I think is key in covering acne. Any bit of shine will call attention to the texture of your skin, so if it is bumpy make sure to use a matte finish foundation. This doesn't mean you have to have a completely matte face. Add dimension in the right places with a highlighter later, but start with a nice matte base to conceal the acne better. This foundation is also long wearing and gives great coverage. I'm not normally into gimmicky products that say they are multiple products in one (in this case primer, foundation and concealer) but I really think it does these things so good job Covergirl!

My favorite concealer is the BENEFIT BOI-ING INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH CONCEALER for concealing blemishes but the SONIA KASHUK HIDDEN AGENDA PALETTE is a close second. Both give great coverage and are a thicker, creamy consistency which I prefer for spot concealing. I like that the Sonia Kashuk comes which a few different shades so you can perfectly match your skin tone and also a setting powder. My favorite way to apply these is to use my ring finger (clean so we don't spread any bacteria!) to really melt the product into my skin and make it look more natural. 

The second key step in concealing your blemishes is prolonging the wear so that they stay covered all day! For this you need a good setting powder. I personally love the RIMMEL STAY MATTE POWDER for not only mattifying my t-zone but also for setting my concealer. I just use a very small fluffy brush to dust this over my concealer and it helps it last all day! 

Lastly I have to talk about my URBAN DECAY DESLICK SETTING SPRAY because I seriously don't know what I would do without it. This product is key in making my makeup and concealing last all day, especially when I'm covering blemishes! I prefer the oil control formula because I am oily but they have two other options as well for dry and normal skin. You cannot feel this spray on your face and it seriously is the secret to how I get my makeup to last a good 12 hours. 

Let me know if you have any favorite makeup products for dealing with acne. I really hope you enjoyed this series and if you like this type of post be sure to let me know! Remember not to get frustrated and to be patient when dealing with skin! Start the good habits and you can clear your acne as well! 

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre

Dre Does : My Acne Story - Part Two

Here we are at the second part of My Acne Story and probably the one you are looking forward to most! If you missed the introduction to my acne that I shared yesterday, click here to read that first to find out a little bit more about my acne.

If you're looking for me to tell you about a quick fix cream that will cure everything I sadly am here to tell you I don't have that. What I can share with you though are some of the lifestyle changes I made that I think dramatically helped my skin and also some products that I've changed in my skin care routine that have led to my clearer and much more radiant skin. Nothing was a quick overnight change and I'm not saying all of these will work the same for you, but I believe they are worth trying if you're struggling with some similar acne issues. We are all unique and this means we will have to sometimes try a lot of different things to find what works for us individually. Patience is key though and so is the ability to form good habits. 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

I noticed that my acne was always occurring in my chin and jawline area which is a sign of digestive issues or hormonal acne so I knew I needed to not only try new products but make some changes in my lifestyle too to help my skin. In regards to the hormonal acne, there isn't much you can change. Women in their 20's and 30's undergo many hormone fluctuations due to the fact that it's the time in our lives when we have children. This can cause breakouts which much like those lovely ones we get during our periods, we can't do much about except keep our skin happy and clean. I lost a significant amount of weight during this time period which I think is what set off my initial acne because significant weight change can cause your hormone levels to fluctuate. But let's get back to the things I did change that helped!

1. The first thing I started doing more of was drinking more water. I've always been good at drinking water but I knew I wanted to make a conscience effort to drink even more (to compensate for all those cups of coffee I consume...) because I know it's good for the skin. This may seem silly for some of you but as a competitive person, downloading an app that kept track of my water consumption everyday made it a game which reminded me to do it. I like the app  'iDrated' but there's many that work well in the App Store.

2. I have been a milk addict since I was a baby so this next change was really hard but I'm proud to say that I switched from cow's milk to almond milk. While its tough to say that acne is caused by certain foods, we can say that eating foods that are less inflammatory (i.e. Dairy, spicy foods, sugar) can help our skin from freaking out. I still eat some dairy here and there but my main consumption was definitely through milk so I'm glad I was able to give it up. I really enjoy the almond milk fortified with fiber and protein as a replacement! 

3. Stress management was huge. If you've ever experienced breakouts due to an increase in stress you'll understand this one. When we're stressed our skin has no problem showing us, so managing it is huge when it comes to healing acne. Whether it's doing more yoga and meditation or cutting out toxic relationships in our lives, it's important to evaluate your life and figure out a way to cut down on stress levels. Not only will your skin improve but your sanity will thank you haha. I was extremely stressed during my period of terrible breakouts and while I am just as busy now as I was then, I've found ways to let go of things that don't matter and decrease my stress levels. If you need more suggestions or ideas for this leave a comment below and I would be happy to share with you what I've done. 

SKIN CARE ROUTINE CHANGES

Now for the fun part. Products! Before I can share what I've been loving I need to slap a big ole warning label on this section. No matter what you try you absolutely must get in the habit of a good skin care routine. I have not gone to bed without taking my makeup off in a very very long time and even if I don't wear any makeup that day, I STILL use my same routine at night. Going to bed without cleansing your skin is like writing a personal invitation to acne to show up ASAP wherever it would like. No thank you. So you must become consistent with a routine if you want to clear up your skin. Let's not forget about the morning either! I have a simplified routine for the morning that's not quite as in depth, but still deep cleanses my skin and preps it for the day!

Another huge part of this is to give products a fair shot. It takes the average person's skin 4 to 6 weeks to turnover so we can't expect miracles overnight. Give products a few weeks to see if they are helping. If you notice sensitivities of course discontinue using them right away, but don't get discouraged if you don't see results right away. Like I mentioned before, patience and forming good habits are key! (Think of this as a skin diet)

So above we have six products that are holy grail for me that I have continued using even after my skin is healed for the majority. Starting on the very left and going clockwise we have the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, Ole Henriksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser, Ecotools Pure Complexion Deep Cleansing Charcoal Facial Sponge, Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant, Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil, and lastly the Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask. Now let's go over them one by one.

I start with the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion because I believe it is the item that has done the most for me. I had heard rave reviews about this product for cystic acne so I jumped at the chance to try it. It's rare to see skincare targeted for cystic acne because I was always told there's nothing you can do for it since it is deep in the dermis. The deep penetrating and fast absorbing formula is full of B vitamins and amino acids which target the deep cystic acne, but there are also many anti-inflammatory herbal extracts that help soothe the irritated areas. It's a really thin liquid which is pretty strange to get used to but I simply apply this product to my whole chin and jaw area where I either have acne or am likely to get it and it keeps breakouts at a minimum. I wouldn't go a night without this product and could not recommend it more. The only thing I would be careful of is applying it to any open blemishes becaue it can sting a little. If there's anything you try from this post for hormonal cystic acne near your chin or jaw, make it this one!

The next two products I use together to cleanse my skin after I've already removed my makeup. The ECOTOOLS PURE COMPLEXION DEEP CLEANSING CHARCOAL FACIAL SPONGE is a miracle worker when combined with the OLE HENRIKSEN ALOE VERA DEEP CLEANSER. Both products give me a good deep clean feeling and get rid of any excess oil buildup in my skin. The cleanser has soothing aloe vera, chamomile, and vitamins to sooth my skin yet effectively treat and help restore balance. Both combination and oily acne prone skin types can use this. The facial sponge is a good way to gently exfoliate my skin a little while pulling impurities with the added charcoal to give me a very deep and soothing cleanse. If you've read previous posts of mine, you would know that I'm not big on mechanical exfoliation for my skin because it's sensitive and I have a lot of hyperpigmentation, but I find that this is a gentle way to get some of the benefits without causing more harm. 

The AVEDA BOTANICAL KINETICS EXFOLIANT  is another holy grail for me because there aren't a lot of products like it on the market. It's a simple and gentle chemical exfoliant that you apply in the evening instead of a toner with a cotton pad to your face. The exfoliant breaks down dead skin cells overnight to reveal smoother skin. For me, this is huge because I prefer chemical exfoliating. I like that this is something I can apply gently every night and it's boosting my cell turnover and keeping my pores free of dead skin cells that can trap debris and bacteria in my pores to contribute to more blemishes. I think this is another huge factor in what has helped clear up my skin. Consistently getting rid of the dead skin cells is keeping my pores clean and reducing the likelihood that oil and impurities will get trapped and create that perfect environment for the acne bacteria to want to live. I use this exfoliant only at night. 

Next up is my favorite moisturizer. I joke at work that I would shower in this stuff if it wasn't so expensive and that would be none other than my best friend PURE MARACUJA OIL FROM TARTE COSMETICS. If you've never heard me mention this then you must have been accidentally reading someone else's blog haha. I use this both day and night as a moisturizer for my face. Now I know what you're thinking. ADD OIL TO OILY SKIN?! You must be crazy! But in order for our skin to function properly we need some oil. If we strip our skin of too much, we will end up doing the opposite of what we want and forcing our skin to produce even more oil because it will freak out that there's nothing there. We need some oil to protect our skin. I find that using this oil as a moisturizer gives me enough moisture without being greasy that my skin doesn't produce extra oil. Plus I haven't even mentioned the amazing benefits it has because it is loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants because guess what...Maracuja oil is pure passion fruit oil so this lovely friend is Brazilian like myself (As if I needed more reasons to love it haha). Vitamin C is amazing for evening out your skin tone and fading hyperpigmentation so I love the effect it is having on my acne scars! They are slowly going away! My skin is also becoming more radiant overall. It also helps with fine lines and wrinkles, so this is an amazing product for women who are starting to think about anti-aging products but still dealing with adult acne! I know the price can be scary at $46 but the bottle is huge and if you use only a few drops a day I promise it will last you at least a year which is pretty cheap overall.

Lastly, we have my favorite charcoal clearing mask, the ORIGINS CLEAR IMPROVEMENTS ACTIVE CHARCOAL MASK. I love this stuff. I use it once a week for a few reasons. The active charcoal works like a magnet drawing deep impurities out of your pores. The white clay absorbs environmental toxins in your skin, and the lecithin dissolves the impurities. Overall you get an extremely deep clean and refreshed happy skin. Plus it's always fun to put a mask on that's a crazy color like gray. 

So there we have it. The changes I made in both my lifestyle and my skin routine that have brought me clearer and happier skin. If you have tips that have helped please be sure to share! Just remember to have patience and I promise you can get rid of your acne too! 

Come back tomorrow for my post on what I used to camouflage my acne while it was still there! 

Acne or no acne, have a beautiful day!

Dre

Dre Does : My Acne Story - Part One

Hello there my beautiful friends! I'm finally back. Busy doesn't even begin to describe what October was like for me so I will keep it short with the simple fact that sometimes life gets busy and you do the whole "tomorrow I will get back at it..." and then tomorrow because next week and suddenly it's been almost a month! Ah! My apologies but I'm back! I'm here with a very sensitive topic that is sometimes hard to share but I hope it helps someone reading this :)

Acne is a tough topic to talk about for some people but the reality of it is that most women at some point in our lives, struggle with it. My acne story isn't the typical scenario but I know it's one that many women deal with, so I would like to share my experience with acne and how I have successfully gotten rid of it for the majority. This is going to be Part one where I share what my acne is like and what was going on in my life. Parts two and three will come over the next two posts, one focusing on what I did to clear it up and then the other focusing on some products I loved to help camouflage some of the worst breakouts.

When I would think of acne, I used to think of the typical pubescent teens going through what they think is the hardest and most crucial part of their lives (shocker! It's not...). Growing up I would get one zit every now and then, and like most teen girls, think it was super embarrassing and everyone was staring at it. But looking back at it, I skated through the teen years without any real or serious acne. I thought I had made it through and I would have beautiful unblemished skin forever. Boy was I wrong. It wasn't until I hit my mid twenties (around 23 to be exact) that I got some of the worst acne I personally had ever seen. Luckily, I am pretty skilled at makeup and people would be shocked to see what was really hiding underneath but for the past year I have dealt with some of the worst breakouts that I never saw coming. 

If you're reading this and dealing with something similar, you aren't the only one! It is so common for women to deal with adult acne and I am going to share with you some changes I made that have dramatically helped my skin. 

Now there are some things you need to know. First off, our skin is the largest organ of the body. The thing that I find most interesting about it is that it can be one of the first indicators of something going on internally that we need to bring attention to. Having an allergic reaction to something? Your skin will show you with hives. Not drinking enough water? Your skin will be very dehydrated. While this is very cool to think about, it also makes skin issues hard to deal with sometimes. Skin problems, especially acne, can be very trial and error because our bodies are all different and need different things so what works for some people may not work for others. Be open to trying new things and making changes and you will find what works best for you! 

Now back to my acne story. I personally have very oily skin that is acne prone. New products can cause me to break out very easily. I also have a Medeterrainian/South American skin tone that is very olive-toned. I get dark hyperpigmented spots from blemishes even if I don't touch them. It's just the way my skin is and I've accepted it. (That's a huge step in healing your acne. I promise it'll be easier if you just accept that it's something you have to deal with and don't stress. The less stressed you are, the easier the healing process will be for you to go through!) 

Who knows why I got acne right at 23. It was probably a combination between trying new products in esthiology school, stress, significant weight loss causing fluctuations in my hormones, diet, and more. It all started appearing on my chin and jaw area quickly. This area of acne generally is usually hormonal or dealing with digestion. Within the course of a month I probably had at least 15 blemishes in my chin area. At my skin's worst I probably had as many as 30 or 40 blemishes ranging from deep cystic acne to small comedones.  Not to mention all of these blemishes were now scarring my chin and I had such bad hyperpigmentation throughout this area.

It would change of course and some weeks would be better than others but I felt like the second I would get my hopes up that maybe it was clearing up (meaning I probably had about 10 blemishes only...) I would wake up the next morning with 10 new ones. Can you say frustrated? 

At first I felt the need to cover it up all the time. It was embarrassing that I was studying to be an Esthetician and had some of the worst breakouts I'd ever seen. I worried people wouldn't trust my opinions if they saw my skin wasn't clear. Luckily, I discovered some amazing products that helped me completely hide my acne while I was with clients so no one had any idea (which yes I will be sharing with you in part three). 

However, you can't cover your skin 100% of the time and when I finally decided to not care what anyone thought of my acne I let go of a lot of stress and anxiety that goes along with having imperfect skin. While it's wonderful to be able to cover these blemishes, sometimes we just have to let our skin breathe and not put anything on it besides good healing skincare. We need these no makeup days to help our skin heal. While trying to heal my acne, and even now a lot of the time, I will be in public with all of my blemishes and scars showing because it was a part of me and it's not something you should be embarrassed about. If someone is going to judge you for something that the majority of women deal with then they aren't worth your time anyways. 

Make sure to come tomorrow where I will be sharing what changes I made in my life and skincare routine that ultimately cleared up my skin!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Favorite Weekly Skin Treatments

Today I want to talk about some of my favorite weekly skin treatments/masks. I personally have very acne prone and oily skin so I like to make sure I am doing two main things to keep my skin at it's best; exfoliating and deep cleansing. The exfoliation helps get rid of those dead skin cells sitting on the surface so that nothing gets trapped in my pores and leads to comedones and acne. The deep cleansing helps pull impurities out of my pores for the same reason. Depending on how my skin looks and feels I will choose which of these four to use but I love them all! 

First up we have the exfoliating products. I absolutely love everything about the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant except for it's price ($78 at Ulta). It is definitely high end, but you don't use that much of it so it will last a long time. I originally discovered this product in an Ipsy Glambag and fell in love. It is definitely a once or twice a week at most type product but it gives you such a good exfoliation while still feeling gentle on the skin. I love the fresh lemon scent and my skin feels baby soft after I use it. If I feel like I have a lot of dead skin cells on the surface I use this product. 

Next up we have a much gentler exfoliator by Dermalogica called the Daily Microfoliant ($52 at Ulta). This one is a powder that you shake onto wet fingers and massage into a paste that you then scrub on your skin. I love how gentle this one is on my skin. It smells a little weird but not terrible. I personally have hyperpigmentation so I don't like to exfoliate more then 3 times a week with even a gentle product, so I use this one every other day at most despite it being called a daily exfoliating product.

Now over to the deep cleansing side. I love charcoal and clay masks because I really think they help draw the impurities out of my pores and keep my skin feeling clean! I have been obsessed with the Origins Clear Improvements mask ($25 at Sephora) for awhile now because of the activated charcoal in it. It's one of those masks that dries when it's done and your skin feels so clean after. I use this when my skin feels really congested or right before I know I'm about to get monthly breakouts to keep them at bay. 

The Deep Cleansing Herbal Clay Masque from Aveda ($22 at Aveda salons or online) is another favorite of mine that I've loved since I was in Esthiology School. It is so gentle yet gives you a good clean feeling. The best part about Aveda masks is that since they are so natural and gentle you can use them more frequently than other masks that can have harsher chemicals. This is a good maintenance mask I would say for helping with congestion and comedones on your skin. 

What are your favorite skin treatments and masks? Let me know below because I'm always wanting to try new things!

Have a beautiful Wednesday, 

Dre

Dre Does a Tarte Chic to Cheek Collection Review

Happy Saturday morning friends! If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know that I am a huge tarte cosmetics fan! I love that their products are formulated with Parabens, mineral oil, and a lot of the other chemicals you find in makeup. I have multiple holy grail items from this company, one of them being their Amazonian Clay 12 Hr Blushes. Every year I get so excited for them to debut their holiday collections. It used to be mainly for the Lip Surgence lip crayons but now I'm a sucker for the wonderful blush sets they do for the holidays. Last year they did a set of three mini blushes plus a brush which I was obsessed with so I was dying to see what they would bring to the table this holiday season with their Sweet Dreams Holiday Collection. 

This year they brought out the Chic to Cheek blush set of 4 mini blushes. I'm happy they ditched the brush and did a fourth blush instead because I have enough brushes but clearly not enough shades of these blushes...haha 

L to R: Classic, Prim, Amour, and Daydream.

The set is only $35 at Ulta and includes amour (rosy pink), classic (candy pink), prim (soft apricot pink), and daydream (plum nude). While I agree with the descriptions of amour and daydream, I feel like classic is much more of an apricot shade than prim. Regardless, I feel like all four shades are different enough that this set is worth it. They are all matte except for amour which has a slight bit of shimmer in it, but nothing too crazy or intense. The pigmentation and wearing power of these blushes is just like the original full size blushes and if you like blush variety I highly suggest these. If you've never tried out the Amazonian Blushes at all, this is a great chance to do so! Hurry though, because they're going fast at the store I work at! 

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre

Dre Does September Favorites

My favorite post of the month is here! I don't have that many favorites because I've been very much stuck in a routine lately as far as makeup and skin care goes. I just purchased some new things though so look for some new things come October Favorites time! 

1. tarte Pure Maracuja Oil: This oil is a repeat favorite because it is seriously amazing. I feel like not that many people know much about it but it's a holy grail item for my skincare routine. I use it at night as my moisturizer and I wake up every morning with baby soft skin. It has tons of vitamin C in it so it does wonders at brightening and evening out my skin tone. You can use it all over your body to moisturize but I am so obsessed that I will only use it on my face so it lasts longer. Haha 

2. Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lipsticks: I have been obsessed with these since I bought them a few weeks ago. They really are as wonderful as everyone has been saying. I have 5 shades but I've been wearing Daringly Nude and Divine Wine the most. Click here for my review on these that I shared last week!

3. Ole Henriksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser: I have yet to find my perfect cleanser. While I did like The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil Cleanser for Oily Skin, I just wasn't in love so when I took a trip to Sephora a few weeks ago I spotted this guy and I'm obsessed. It gives me such a good deep clean and I really think it does a great job at soothing and cleansing my skin. I feel like my breakouts are slowing down and becoming fewer and this has to be a part of it. 

4. Si by Georgio Armani: This perfume is amazing. When I first smelled it at work I thought it was a tad too old for me, but I slowly became more and more obsessed with it. I spray it almost every time I go to work and I can't get enough. I love the sophisticated warm aroma it gives and I get complimented on it all the time! 

5. Benefit's Hard Angle Brow Brush: This is my go to brow brush to use my Benefit Browzings wax and powder duo. It is the brush we use at work to do our brow mapping and filling in so that is how I discovered it and fell in love. It is the perfect amount of firm bristles for a brow brush because you can get a very precise line without it taking forever. If I could change one thing about it, I would just want there to be a spooly on the end to comb through my brows with, but other than that I'm obsessed and won't ever use another brow brush! You could use it as a liner brush too if you wanted.

6. Sephora Rouge Cream in Passion Red: This is one of my all time favorite lipsticks. It's probably tied with that Rimmel Kate Moss deep red I shared a few weeks ago, but the formula of this lipstick and color are both to DIE for. I am being serious when I say I would wear this shade every day if I could. Here's a picture of me wearing it below. Seriously you need it...all of you. I promise you won't regret this color if you like dark fall tones! 

What were you loving last month? Let me know in a comment below and if you ever try any of my recommendations be sure to let me know what you think!

Have a wonderful October my beautiful friends,

Dre

Dre Does 20 Random Facts About Me

I was tagged by the beautiful Aundi from 'Makeup By Aundi' to share 20 random facts about me! Make sure you check out her blog when you're done reading this because she does a wonderful job!

So here we go...

1. My oldest niece was born at 5:17 which is my birthday (May 17th).

2. I could eat sushi for every meal of the day! It's my favorite food.

3. I'm deathly afraid of Texas Toast. It gives me goosebumps and makes me want to vomit (my sister is the same way).

4. The first time I rode a horse was last year through the mountains and overlooking the cliffs of Costa Rica.

5. I am a citizen in both the U.S. and Brazil.

6. My first pet was a turtle named Julius. 

7. The only bone I've ever broken is my tailbone... by falling out of a hammock.

8. I've never colored my hair.

9. I'm obsessed with baking. I love making muffins and cupcakes most.

10. I've potty trained more kids than I'll ever have of my own.

11. I have two tattoos. 

12. I have to sleep with a fan or some sort of white noise every night. 

13. When I was very little I told my grandma and grandpa that I would go to Michigan State so I could have pasta with them every night. Even though they both passed away before I went to college, I kept part of that childhood promise in their honor. Go Green!

14. I will always be a dog person. 

15. I have an extremely good sense of direction. If it's up to me we won't ever get lost! 

16. When I was in high school I had a fascination with eyes and used to draw them all the time. Makes sense now that I'm a makeup artist. 

17. I love food. I will try anything once and going on food adventures is one of my favorite things to do.

18. I am terrible at movies. I hardly see any and even if I do I'm really bad at remembering what happens in them.

19. The confidence and light that a woman gives off when I'm done doing their makeup or brows is what motivates me. Nothing makes me happier than making someone else feel better about themselves. 

20. Ever since I was a child I refuse to eat cake and ice cream on the same plate. I hate when the ice cream melts and makes your cake soggy! Yuck!

Truth: This post took me 3 days because it was that hard to come up with 20 random facts about myself! I hope you enjoyed and take time to visit Aundi's blog as well! To see who I tagged visit my Instagram account (@dre_does)!

Have a wonderful week,

Dre

Dre Does a Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lipstick Review

I have been hearing so much about the new Maybelline Color Sensational Matte lipsticks since they came out and have been patiently waiting for the ULTA I work at to get them in. However, after a few weeks and nothing showing up I decided to go on the hunt for them because they keep getting such rave reviews! I found them at my local Meijer and they were around $5.50 each. The line has ten shades but I picked up my favorite five and have swatched and applied them for you below! 

First let's talk about the formula. They are such creamy matte lipsticks! They are one of the most moisturizing feeling mattes I have ever tried, yet they give a completely matte look which I love. They also feel so smooth and soft on the lips. The pigmentation is awesome as you can see below and they wear really well. I love how moisturizing they feel especially after some time. When you put your lips together you can feel some smooth product on your lips instead of the dry roughness you normally get with typical matte lipstick formulas. They also don't dry your lips out as much as typical matte formulas. 

Now for some swatches! 

Daringly Nude (655)

Lust For Blush (665)

Mesmerizing Magenta (680)

Siren In Scarlet (690)

Divine Wine (695)

I highly suggest you go check these out if you like matte lip products, and even if you don't I think you'd be surprised how nice the formula is for the price!

Have a beautiful week friends,

Dre

Dre Does Fall Makeup Essentials

Here I am with part two of my Fall Essentials! Time for the good stuff, MAKEUP!

In the fall, I typically go for a few basic looks: 

-an intense and dark smokey eye with a nude lip

-winged liner, defined shadow, and dark, vampy lips, 

-and a strong brow, lots of lashes, and a bright lip, not necessarily dark and vampy.

Here are the types of products I use to achieve these looks!

1. Nude Lipstick: My first look I mentioned requires a nice nude lip. Therefore, a few different nudes are vital in my fall makeup collection. I have so many favorites and the nude best for you really depends on your skin's undertones and how nude you want to go. 

2. Warm Plum Eye Looks: I love warmer eyeshadow looks for fall and the combo of plums and purples with warm browns is really one of my favorites. I highly recommend the Amrezy Palette by Anastasia Beverly Hills to create looks like this but there are many other shadows that will get the job done!

3. Matte Eyeshadows: My other favorite eyelook for fall is a simple matte shadow with am intense winged liner. It pairs perfectly with dark and vampy lipstick. Having a palette with matte browns like either the Naked Basics or Naked Basics 2 palette, gives you the ability to define the lid while keeping it very neutral. If you want a tutorial on how I do this click here for a look I created with my Naked Basics palette.

4. Matte Gel Eyeliner: Like I just mentioned, I love winged liner in the fall to pair with dark lips. I love how classic yet edgy it can be depending on what shade of lipstick you choose. 

5. Matte Natural Blush: While I always do love a good amount of blush, I love a more natural and matte look for the winter. My favorite blushes of all time have to be Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blushes but I especially love all the shades they have and the longevity of wear. They come in shimmery shades as well, but I live in their matte shades for Fall. 

6. Defined Brows: Maybe it's because I'm an Arch Expert for Benefit Cosmetics but I love a good defined and strong brow in the colder months. I love them especially paired with winged liner and a dark lip, but let's be real. If you know me, you know that I always rock a strong brow year round.

7. They're Real Mascara: In order to pull off darker eye looks and thick winged liner, you need a great mascara to balance the look out. I live for Benefit's They're Real so it probably comes as no shock that I'm posting about it. The brush and formula both stand out among all of the other mascaras I've ever tried and if you haven't tried it out yet, WHAT are you waiting for?!

8. Dark and Vampy Lipstick: Didn't see this one coming did you? Haha I saved my favorite for last because I simply can't get enough dark lipstick in the fall. I am constantly purchasing it and finding new shades I love, both drugstore and higher end. If you missed my post about one of my favorite shades and formulas click here. I know that if you aren't used to dark shades they can be hard to get used to so start small with lip stains, glosses, or tinted balms, and slowly work your way up to the good stuff! Haha 

What makeup products/looks do you gravitate towards in the Fall? 

Have a beautiful Wednesday,

Dre

Dre Does Fall Fashion Essentials

I love fall. The food, the weather, and football are awesome, but I have to say that the makeup and the fashion are my favorite parts about it. So I've decided to share my favorites in both categories in two separate posts. First up is fashion! 

1. Cream Sweaters: I don't really know what it is about cream but I can't get enough slouchy and comfy sweaters in this shade for fall. I currently own at least five and I love them all. I think they help offset all the black and darker colors I love this time of year, while still staying neutral. It's hard to pull off creams and nudes like this as our skin says bye to the summer glow and lightens up, but I think my dark features help me out. I love layering these as the days get chillier and I certainly wear them into the winter months. 

2. Leather Jacket: It doesn't take reading my blog to realize that a leather jacket is a vital fall staple. I feel like fall fashion leans to the edgier side and a good leather jacket can add some instant edge to any girlier look. They're good for throwing over dresses, skinny jeans, etc, and helping us transition those summer outfits into fall weather appropriate looks! I got mine at Forever 21 a few years ago and it's still going strong, so don't think you have to spend hundreds on a genuine leather piece to pull off this look.

3. Simple Basic T's: I love basic T's for fall because they are great for layering. Weather it's under sweaters, jackets, scarves...whatever, t shirts help us in the layering department. If you live anywhere near the Midwest you know how it can be 40 degrees in the morning when you're getting dressed and then suddenly feel like 80 by the time afternoon hits. Bipolar weather is only survived by utilizing layers my friends so always stock up on good basic t shirts. 

4. Military Inspired Jakcet: My army green jacket is from last fall at The Gap and I'm obsessed with it. While mine doesn't have a hood like this one, it does cinch in the waist which I love. Sometimes with layers, things can get a little bulky and your shape can get lost beneath, so jackets with cinched waists are always your friend! I love how army green is relatively neutral, so I mix it with blacks, nudes, and grays for fall and love the outcome! I always love using a scarf with a pop of color with this jacket because it's a bit unexpected. 

5. Infinity Scarves: If you don't own at least one infinity scarf by now I'm not really sure how you managed it but I'm obsessed. I love how effortless and easy they are to throw on and not only keep you warm, but also keep you looking stylish. While dark fall colors like black and burgundy are fun, I like wearing ones with bright colors to accessorize my outfits since I already wear so much black. 

6. Ankle Boots: I was hesitant last year to pick up a pair of ankle boots because I feared they would make my legs look shorter but I've never gotten so much use out of a pair of shoes! Mine have buckles and a zipper, but they seriously look amazing with everything! Skinny jeans, dresses, skirts...you name it!

7. Crossbody bags: I don't know what it is about fall but I hate actually holding onto a purse, so crossbody bags save me. I love neutrals (shocker I know...haha) because once again they go with my favorite fall wardrobe colors. I have been liking the mid sized crossbody bags more as opposed to the really little ones, because I find as I'm getting older, I need more room for things.

8. Black Skinny Jeans: I love good old fashioned dark washed skinny jeans, but there's something about black that I love for fall and winter. They make my legs look the best and match everything I have in my wardrobe. 

What are your favorites for fall? Let me know below and look for my Fall Makeup Essentials coming later this week! 

Have a beautiful week,

Dre

Dre Does a Stila 'In the Know' and 'In the Moment' Review

So on Friday I mentioned that I bought two Stila Eyeshadow palettes for half price thanks to Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty event going on now until the 27th of September. All of these palettes retail for $39 but last Thursday they were only $20 each! The 'In the Light' palette is probably the most well known of this bunch, but since the shades reminded me a lot of the original Naked palette that I already own, I decided to be rational and only get the two palettes...(that's rational right? Haha). The 'In the Garden' palette is also a part of this little Stila palette family but the Ulta I work at was out of them before the beauty steal began.

I knew I wanted the 'In the Know' palette for sure because it has some really warm and really cool tones that are all matte. I love the texture of these shadows and that they blend really easily. While there is a little fallout with them, I don't find these shadows chalky at all which is great! You can see in the swatches below some of the unique shades that it offers. I knew it would be a good one to have in my kit. 

The swatches below are in the exact same order as they are in the palette and the smudge stick in Halfmoon is that swatch on the end!  I love the slate cool toned shade of the smudge stick. I think it really complements the palette and it's a unique color that I didn't already own.

While both palettes do come with an eight page look book for inspiration, I wanted to play with the colors before I looked at it. I created the look below for work last week the day after I bought these palettes and I love how it turned out. It's a warm and deep neutral look that I love for fall! I used Desert on my lid and Wind on my brow bone. Then I slowly worked at darkening my crease, inner corner and outer corner by first going in with a fluffy brush and Clay. Then I used Fire (the shade I'm most excited about in this palette) and Earth. I love how the extra warmth from Fire really changes the overall look. 

Next up we have the 'In the Moment' palette! As a woman with big brown eyes I'm always looking for beautiful purple shades because they make my eyes pop! I love the shades in this palette because when half the shades are neutral, it gives you the ability to make the look more wearable without having to use another palette! I have to be able to create a whole look with a palette in order for me to buy it so I love that I can with this one. 

This palette has a good mix of satin, matte, and shimmery finishes. The satin shades are my favorite because the texture is so buttery. While the shades are soft like the other palette and do create a little fallout, I don't think it's that bad and I like working with them. 

Once again the shades are swatched the same as in the palette and the smudge stick in Tetra is on the end! This smudge stick is so beautiful because it is pretty dark with some purple shimmer. It's not too colorful for everyday wear and adds a nice pop of color when the light hits it right. 

I have yet to create a look with this palette but I will make sure to do one soon and share in a Looks of the Week post for you all! I hope you enjoyed this review! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does a Drugstore Lipstick Must Have

Rimmel London does some amazing products. Everyone knows the cult favorite Stay Matte powder and if you know me, I've probably recommended the Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara to you before, but I've never really mentioned any of their lip products. 

Since we are entering fall and the time for dark vampy lipstick, I figured I would share my favorite dark lipstick from the drugstore. It's my favorite because of not only the shade, but the formula as well. Rimmel teamed up with Kate Moss to create the Kate Moss line awhile ago, but the lipsticks haven't left stores yet and I'm hoping they don't anytime soon! 

They created both a Lasting Finish Matte line (in red tubes) and a Lasting Finish line (in black tubes) as well. My personal favorite is the Lasting Finish formula in the shade 01. It's a deep red shade that has a pretty neutral undertone and I just love it! 

The formula of these lipsticks is awesome because they are the perfect inbetween matte and glossy finish. You get great pigmentation, no drying, yet the look isn't too shiny. I own multiple shades in this formula and I highly recommend trying them out. At only $4.99 how can you not? Haha 

Let me know what your favorite shade and formula from the drugstore is below!

Have a beautiful week,

Dre

Dre Does a PSA!

Ok this isn't actual PSA but I wanted to make sure all of you knew what's going on now until the 27th of September at ULTA beauty! 

Incase you haven't heard, currently we are in the first week of 21 days of Beauty! Every day there are different products spotlighted! Every day there's a beauty steal which means you can get amazing deals on expensive items! Yesterday I picked up two Stila Eyeshadow palettes which retail for $39 for only $20 each (which I will obviously be reviewing and sharing some inspiration looks next week haha)! 

Be sure to visit ULTA.com for more details, like what the daily beauty steal is! You don't want to miss these amazing deals to try fantastic products! 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Dre

Dre Does a Fashion Haul

I had some time to kill the past two nights and somehow ended up in both Forever 21 and H&M on separate nights. While I didn't get much, I did find some good things so I figured I would share because I love both the items and the prices!  WARNING: I live in black clothing so that's 99% of what you're about to see. I just can't help it guuuuuuys! 

First up, H&M! I did get a lose v-neck black sweater with quilted leather paneling on the shoulders but I can't find a link online so sadly I can't show it to you! It's my favorite piece that I got though and I highly recommend browsing your local H&M to find it. It is long and covers everything to wear leggings so I'm excited to add it to my fall wardrobe! 

I saw this pencil skirt and immediately fell in love. At $17.95 and the perfect fit, I couldn't pass up a pencil skirt with the perfect leather detailing. I can't wait to style it! 

This was another basic that I couldn't pass up because a black circle skirt is a fashion must have. Once again at only $17.95 you can't beat H&M's stylish pieces at a fraction of the cost.

The following night I stopped in Forever 21 and like usual I tried a million things on but only ended up liking a few. 

This sweater was only $19.80 and super comfy and soft. I bought it in a large mainly because I couldn't find any smalls or mediums but I really liked how baggy and loose it was on me. It screamed fall and I love the lace trim on the bottom. It gave me an excuse to buy another comfy cream colored sweater so I can't be mad about that!

Next, I bought this simple black dress for 3 main reasons. First it was only $13.80, but it also fit really well. Since I am the definition of an hour glass figure, it's really hard to find dresses that are fitted enough in the waist without being too small everywhere else. I also loved that I could wear a regular bra with it because that's just 100% necessary when you are too well endowed! Also, it is not this short on me because I don't have 2 mile long legs like the model sadly...

So that's what I picked up this week! Let me know if you got any good finds recently for fall! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does a Quick Tip

Happy Monday friends! I'm here with a quick tip that involves your lips as we transition into the fall. 

The summer is all about bright lipstick shades like pink and coral, but just because fall is almost here doesn't mean you have to store them away until next spring! Try applying them differently. I love using my finger to apply my bright summer shades to my lips and really pressing them in so that they look more like a stain. They won't be as bright and will give you a lighter wash of color. I especially love pairing this trick with darker and more intense eye looks because it's more fun than a nude lip! 

Have a beautiful week,

Dre

Dre Does an Ipsy Review

It's that time of the month already and I'm back again with another Ipsy Glambag review for August! Here is a photo of everything I got this month. 

The bag this month was school themed so I liked that they switched up the shape of the Ipsy bag and made it a round pencil case-like shape! 

But now for the good stuff that came inside! 

First up was this Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk. I really loved this dry shampoo. The dispenser was awesome because it sprays out a very dense mist which is great at getting all of your roots. I also love how it doesn't leave my hair feeling really sticky and dirty like most dry shampoos. It also doesn't smell that bad so it works well in my book! I even found that while it was a white product, it wasn't that hard to work into my scalp to get rid of any sort of white cast that you traditionally get with dry shampoos.The full size is valued at $19.50 so this 1.06 oz size is worth $6.46!

The Jersey Shore Sub Mongongo Nutrient Dense Anti-Aging Lip Conditioner was the next item I found in my bag. It's in the flavor Mandarin Green Orange Ginger and it's a great moisurizer. I've been keeping it by my bed to apply at night before I sleep and I've been loving it! This is the full size chapstick and it's worth $5.50 bringing the total to $11.96!

Next, I received a Flying Solo Individual Eyeshadow from J.cat Cosmetics in the shade Half Naked. While I thought it was very cool that the packaging includes a mirror if you flip up the shadow, I wasn't very impressed with the shadow. The shade is awesome but the pigmentation isn't quite there. It took me a few swipes to get what you see above which is not what I like in a shadow. This is a full size shadow but since it retails for only $2.99 I'm not very surprised with the pigmentation and quality. This brings the bag value to $14.95.

 

Next up we have the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Refiner Primer. I really liked the texture of this primer as I applied it. However, I felt like it was very drying as I blended it into my skin. Almost as though it felt a little rougher as I blended it in which I can only imagine it feels worse on dryer skin since I am very oily. It's more expensive than my holy grail primer Benefit's Porefessional so I don't think I would ever repurchase it. I did like how my foundation blended over it though so I think it does a good job of filling in your pores. The full size will set you back a good $45, so this .25 oz deluxe sample is worth $11.25! Now we are at $26.20!

Lastly, we have a deluxe sample size of Urban Decay's new Perversion mascara. I have been curious about it so I was excited to be able to try it out. I was shocked at how much it didn't do for my lashes though! It felt as if the brush was too dense and my eye lashes couldn't properly get through the bristles to pick up any product. I had to do three coats of it to notice any difference on my lashes which honestly just looked like one coat of any other mascara. The worst part was that by the end of the day I couldn't even see any remaining mascara on my lashes. It wore away to the point of looking like I hadn't put any on. Let's just say that I'll be sticking with my favorite Benefit's They're Real Mascara! A full size Perversion mascara is worth $22 so this deluxe sample is worth $5.50 and brings the final value of August's Ipsy Glambag to $31.70!

While this bag was technically the lowest valued bag I've received so far, I wouldn't say I was disappointed with it. The products I liked made the value still way over $10 so as long as I'm getting my money's worth, I'm happy!

As usual, here are the previous months' reviews and values!

August Ipsy Review ($43.73)
May and June Mini Review ($37.67 & 37.36)

March Ipsy Review ($46.71)

February Ipsy Review ($45.02)

January Ipsy Review ($38.17)

December Ipsy Review ($57.17)

Click here to subscribe to Ipsy yourself!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre