Dre Does a Plum Smokey Eye

I recently posted a picture on Instagram of some items I purchased from Ulta due to redeeming a ridiculous amount of reward points. One of those items was the new Artist Palette from Anastasia Beverly Hills. I immediately started getting questions about whether I thought the palette was worth it, so I decided I would test it out ASAP by doing a makeup look for you guys. 

So far I have to admit I'm in love. I was definitely one of those people who swatched it in store and didn't think it was worth it. Honestly if it wasn't for those points I probably wouldn't have even gotten it. Once I got it home however and started playing I could tell I was going to love it. Even though it's filled with some crazy colors, I think it's a great addition to a makeup collection because it's not just another neutral palette. I mean we can only have so many shimmery taupes right? Haha (Jk I still think I need them all!)

So I've created this look below for you using the shades Buttery, Dusty Rose, Orange You Fancy, Aubergine, and Baby I'm a Star. I know it doesn't translate on camera as being very purple but in real life it's a little more obvious. I personally like wearing color as natural as possible so I like that it's not very intensely purple. 

Let's be nice to my brows. Every so often I leave them alone for a month so I can reshape them and you are witnessing this process firsthand below. 

So back to the tutorial. After applying my eyeshadow primer (my fave is Benefit's Stay Don't Stray) from lid to brow bone, I applied Buttery to the entire lid and brow bone area. Next using a fluffy crease brush, I blended Dusty Rose into the crease as a transition color. Then to warm it up a little bit, I blended some Orange You Fancy with it going slightly above the crease. Next I packed the Aubergine shade all over my blend and blended the edges out into those two transitions shades. Lastly, I added a little bit of Baby I'm A Star into the outer corner to darken it and give a little extra dimension. For the lower lash line, I simply added some black eyeliner to the water line and then smoked it out with that Aubergine shade concentrating more of the shadow on the outside and fading it towards the inner eye area. That's it! I'm super happy with how the look turned out and plan on sharing more of what I create with this unique and colorful palette!

Other products used on my face:

Primer: Benefit Porefessional

Foundation: Nars Luminous Weightless

Concealer: Maybelline FitMe

Setting Powder: Dermablend Translucent Setting Powder

Bronzer/Contour: Anastasia Contour Kit

Blush: Milani Luminoso

Highlighter: MAC Soft & Gentle

Brows: Benefit Browzings

Mascara: Benefit They're Real

Lips: MAC Spice Liner & Khroma Beauty Joy Stick in Sea Coral

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Door to Door Organics

Since I was a senior in high school I have gone through periods of vegetarianism (Pescetarian if we want to get technical). It started as a requirement for health issues, but I have loved it over the years because having a restriction on my diet forces me to think about what I'm consuming. Growing up with a Brazilian farm boy father and maternal Italian grandparents who's farm I visited every weekend, I was taught all about the importance of not only eating produce, but growing it and eating locally. When I was two years old my grandparents lost me on their farm and found me with cuts all over my face from biting raspberries straight from the bush. I am so thankful that I was raised to appreciate fresh fruits and vegetables and not just look at them as 'two more bites' on your dinner plate.

My dad currently has a huge produce garden in his backyard that I can't wait to dive into this summer. Since we do live in Michigan and spend a lot of months covered in snow, I got used to visiting the local organic market with him every Sunday when I lived at home. He even visits the same cashier who always makes sure to tell him her latest jokes. He taught me to always take advantage of a good fresh market. Luckily, I have a similar market near where I live today. The only downfall is that it is about 15-20 minutes away from where I live and it's not near anything that I visit on a regular basis.

Over the past year I have noticed organic produce company ads popping up in various places; social media, TV commercials, etc. I personally get very inspired by going to the market and picking out the best looking fruits and veggies in season so I love to grocery shop and plan my meals that way. Since the market was not that convenient to me however, I was always wanting to try a produce delivery system but never got around to it. Luckily, my older sister who is queen of the coupons and getting amazing deals on everything, told me about Door to Door Organics. She recently started working full time for the first time since having my nieces so her free time has dramatically decreased. She raises her kids very similarly to how we were raised including gardening and eating tons of fruits and veggies so I knew that if she was recommending something to me it must be worth trying.

Door to Door Organics is a service that delivers organic produce and groceries to your house on either a weekly or biweekly basis. They offer different sized deliveries from the Bitty Mixed Box at $24.99 (which is the one I got) all the way to the Large Box at $59.99. Mixed refers to getting both fruits and veggies or you can get one or the other. You can also add pantry items and extras onto your order.

The Friday before your box is scheduled to be delivered, you get an email from Door to Door Organics stating that your box is ready to view. This means they have decided what to put in your box. You can then go view it on their easy-to-use website and either accept that box as it is or they give you the option of swapping up to 5 items in your box. I chose to swap a few but kept the majority of what they gave me. Below is a picture of what I got for my Bitty Mixed Box; 12 bananas, 1 bunch of kale, 2 zucchini, 1 cucumber, 2 grapefruit, 3 gala apples, 1 mango, and 3 small sweet potatoes. (All of it was obviously organic).

 

Below is what it looked like when I first opened the box.

As far as delivery goes, I like how they give you a space to leave some notes about how you wanted it delivered. I personally live in an apartment complex, so I asked that they leave it to the side of my porch which was nice. While over all I was pretty impressed with my box, I did decide to hold my subscription for the next few months for a few important reasons.

First, as a vegetarian I eat a lot of greens. Spinach and kale are huge for me and I wasn't very happy with how they came packaged in the box. They were just thrown into the mix and not wrapped separately so they came pretty bruised and sad looking. Secondly, with my dad owning a pretty good sized garden, I plan on getting a lot of my veggies from him in the coming months. Lastly, I absolutely hate to waste produce. You have to shop frequently as a vegetarian and this means I either have to get a larger box every week, or still go to the grocery store. As busy as I am, I feel like that will lead to waste and spending too much money. For all of these reasons, I've decided to wait on continuing my subscription until the winter months.

Overall, I think Door To Door Organics is a wonderful idea. If you're someone who is really busy, and doesn't have time to go to the grocery store as often as you need to, this would be a great addition to your diet. It makes eating organic much easier. As for me, I will be returning to my local market because I can't beat the freshness and the prices for the summer time.

If you are interested in trying Door to Door Organics, please email me at andreafontanabeauty@gmail.com and I would be happy to pass along a coupon code for $15 off your first box!

Have a beautiful night,

Dre

Dre Does an Ipsy Unboxing

Happy Friday friends! In case you missed my last post about Ipsy, I've decided to change how I post about it. Instead of reviewing every product every month, I'm going to write a quick post showing everything I got each month with it's retail value and links to find out more about the products and where you can purchase them yourself. Then every few months I'll share my favorites from various bags. This way I can truly test out products and don't feel like I'm bombarding you with information! If something is horrible however, I'll make sure to share that too. With that being said, here is what I got in my May Ipsy Glambag.

Should we start off by talking about how adorable the bag is? It has a neon lime green lining too so it is amazing! I love the sketch on the front.

1. Klorane Smoothing and Relaxing Patches: I received two sets of these eye patches that are designed to go right below the eyes and do exactly what the name says; sooth and relax. I love when Ipsy gives you a few sets to try the product more than once! You can get 7 sets for $21 at Kloraneusa.com

2. Chella Eyebrow Color Pencil in Tantalizing Taupe: This super fine pointed eyebrow pencil reminds me a lot of the Anastasia Brow Whiz, minus the spooly on the end. I do like that it is automatic so no sharpener needed! Retails for $18 at chella.com

3. Cotz Face Natural SPF 40: A natural and smooth matte finish sunscreen that is 100% free of oils and chemical sunscreens. A full size retails for $19.99 at cotzskincare.com.

4. Luxie Beauty Tapered Blending Eye Brush 205: A 100% cruelty free brush with synthetic hairs and rose gold retails. This exact brush retails for $12 at luxiebeauty.com.

5. Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Lip Primer Pencil in Ozone PLUS Bonus samples of the Revolution High-Color Lip glosses in Failbait and Bittersweet: I really like that Ipsy included the samples of both of these new products from Urban Decay so that you can see how they work both together and separately. I always love new lip products to try especially from brands I already know and love. The primer pencil retails for $16 full size and the lip glosses are $22 both at urbandecay.com.

So overall I'm really excited about this Glambag. It's full of things I can't wait to start trying. Not including the value of the bag and bonus lip glosses, the value of this month's bag was $45.23, which is amazing considering the $10 it costs for the monthly subscription!

Does anything stand out for you? I can't wait to try it all! Let me know if you want to see some reviews on any of these specifically and look out for that post on my favorites in a few months!

If you're interested in signing up for the subscription yourself, click this link here!!

Have a beautiful Memorial Day weekend,

Dre

Dre Does Tinted Lips

Every lipstick obsessed woman knows that spring means saying hello to brighter pinks, corals, and reds on your lips for the upcoming warmer weather. However, for many of us this change in season can bring about changes in our lips. As a woman who loves her lip color, especially in a drier matte finish, I have to make sure that my lips have days where I am taking good care of them by moisturizing well and prepping them for those days I want to make a bold statement with my lips.

That is where this post comes in. Just because we have to have days where we take a break from intense matte lip colors, doesn't mean you have to slap on that cheap, clear chapstick. If that's what you love to do, go you! However, these two tinted lip balms are for my ladies that still want to make sure their lips are looking bright.

If you're someone who is new to lipsticks and slightly intimidated by the bolder and brighter colors, I urge you to try these products as a way to get used to wearing brighter colors on your lips without the full commitment.

 

Enter the It Cosmetics Vitality Lip Flush 4-in-1 Reviver Lipstick Stain in 'Je Na Sais Quoi' and the Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in 'Tulip'. These are my go to products for a moisture and tint combo. 

The first by It Cosmetics is a very unique product because it looks a little bit different on everyone. The balm is completely clear and reacts with the pH of your lips to change color. I have swatched it below but it gives a much more obvious pigment on the lips that compliments them so well. On me the color is a bright pink that I love for spring and summer. With Plum & Cherry oil, Shea Butter, Argan & Jojoba, Vitamins A, C, & E, Green & White Tea and Aloe, this tinted balm leaves your lips so moisturized and smooth feeling. It's called the 4-in-1 Reviver Lipstick Stain because it's designed to replace your four typical lip products in one; anti-aging lip balm, lipstick, lip gloss, and lip stain.

 

My other tinted lip balm is one that I have loved for years. The original Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in the shade Rose was a very popular product that I tried years ago and fell in love with. While it didn't offer that much pigment, I really loved how moisturizing the grapeseed and other oils helped my lips feel. The secret to this product is in it's name! Sugar! Sugar is a natural humectant that helps the lips prevent moisture loss. Fast forward to a few years later and now Fresh has a whole line of shades in this Sugar Lip Treatment line. All with SPF 15 which is extremely important in the warmer months. (Click here to visit Tuesday's post on SPF.) I love how the line now features some that are sheer and some like Tulip that have much more pigment. 

 

Overall, I think it is key for every woman to have a good tinted lip balm or two in her purse at all times that she can count on for color and good moisturization. Both of these products are offered in many other shades as well, if these pinks aren't your favorite! 

*It Cosmetics can be purchased in store at Ulta, but also online at Ulta.com, QVC.com, and Itcosmetics.com. The Vitality Lip Flushes retail for $20.

*Fresh can be purchased in store at Sephora stores, but also online at Sephora.com and Fresh.com. The Sugar Lip Treatment Line ranges in price from $22.50 to $25. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

(Both products were purchased with my own money and all opinions are my own)

Dre Does a Skincare PSA!

It's that time of year where I beg you to please make sure you step up your SPF game! Spring is here full force and with summer around the corner it's important for us to protect ourselves from the sun. While I appreciate its warmth immensely, it can be extremely damaging to us. 

WEAR SPF. First and foremost, make sure you are putting on your SPF daily. Whether it is in your foundation or an extra step in your beauty routine, it is so crucial. My absolute favorite is Benefit Cosmetics' Dream Screen because it is clear, has an SPF of 45, and dries to a smooth, matte finish that is perfect for us oily women. 

Make sure it's broad spectrum. It is important to use a broad spectrum SPF so that you are protected from both UVA (the aging) and UVB (the burning) rays. 

Don't get confused. Just because an SPF has a larger number doesn't mean it is better at protecting you. It simply means you can go longer without reapplying it than the smaller SPFs.

Wear a hat. When else do you get the excuse to go shopping and find a fashion statement that can also protect your face?

Known your skin. Make sure you are always checking your skin for any changes or new appearances of moles. Changes in texture, color, size, etc. should always alert you to go see a dermatologist.

Visit a doctor. Make sure you are under the care of a dermatologist who can help you keep tract of any moles that could be concerning, especially if you burn really easily or have a history of skin cancer in your family. When in doubt, get it checked out!

Your skin is your body's largest organ and its first line of defense so TAKE CARE OF IT! You only get one life to protect yourself from skin cancer and premature aging, so do a good job! 

Now enjoy your spring/summer while covered in SPF!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Ipsy Favorites

Happy May! My favorite month of the year because not only is it my birthday month but it's when it really starts to warm up and feel like summer is on it's way!! It's no secret that I haven't been doing my monthly Ipsy Glam Bag reviews but I am still receiving them. I decided a good way to catch up would be to share some of the products that I have loved recently that I would recommend to you. If you have never heard about Ipsy and curious to know more, look to the tool bar on the right and under favorites click the word 'Ipsy' to see all of my previous posts on the subscription service! (Hint: you can do this with any word you see to filter posts!)

1. Laura Mercier Invisible Loose Setting Powder: If you made me choose one product as the best thing I've ever received in an Ipsy bag, this would be it. I cannot tell you how much I love this powder. I don't normally use powders so the fact that I love this that much is saying something. I started using the new NARS Weightless foundation and I found that with the luminous finish I needed a setting powder so that it was easier to contour and blend my blush, highlighter, etc. I reached for this powder because it was in my collection and oh my word. This powder truly gives you the most flawless, airbrushed look without changing the finish of my foundation. I absolutely love it and will be purchasing it as as soon as my little guy is done. The full size retails at $37 for 0.4 oz, while the mini they sent me in my glam bag was 0.03 oz (a $2.78 value). I love to do the math when it comes to small samples like this because what it shows me is that if that sample lasted me a month, I can only imagine how long that larger one is going to last me! So worth the money! (Stay tuned to why this intrigues me more!


2. Dr. Brandt 'pores no more' anti-aging mattifying lotion: I can't tell you how excited I was to try out this sample because first off I LOVE Dr. Brandt products and second, as an oily girl, I have a really hard time finding anti-aging products that don't break me out. Generally, aging and more mature skin lacks the sebum (oil) production which disarms the protective nature of the acid barrier of your skin, so anti-aging products will try to boost that amount of oil. However, us oily girls can't handle more oil, but we still want to prevent aging! Luckily this product does just that. Provides anti-aging benefits (hello apple stem cells!) while still keeping our skin from breaking out and having too much oil. I love how quickly this absorbs into the skin and mattifies without feeling like you didn't put any moisturizer on in the first place. A full size retails at $60 for 1.7 oz. and the sample I received was 0.25 oz. (a $8.82 value).

3. Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm: The second I opened the glam bag this came in, I put this on my lips and I've never looked back. I'm aware that sounds dramatic but this stuff is like heaven for your lips. It is the smoothest, most buttery lip balm I have ever tried and I will most certainly be buying this once it's gone. If you want it for the scent, I wouldn't get too excited though because I can't really smell or taste anything. This doesn't bother me however because I wear lip balms for the moisturizing factor not the scent. This one was a full size lip balm which retails for $12 on their site. I love keeping it in my purse because it's so easy to apply as well.

4. Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet Brush: I was really excited to see a Crown Brush come in my glam bag one month because I had heard great things about the company before but never had tried any brushes before. I'm always looking for great pencil/smudge brushes because I love a good smoked out lower lash line, so I was excited to give this duo brush a try. I do have to say I prefer the pencil side to the flat shader side but overall the brush is a great addition to my collection. The pencil brush is nice and precise! At a value of $17.50 online, you know it's a great deal to get in your glam bag!

5. Elizabeth Mott All Over Shadow Brush: While I have received Elizabeth Mott makeup products in my glam bag before I was excited to see a brush one month. I love when you get to try a diverse amount of products from a line to see how it is as a whole. This brush is pink and white so it's really cute as well. It is exactly what you would want from an all over shadow brush. It is soft and does a great job of picking up and packing on shadow to the lid. It is worth $9.99 which again is a great value to receive in a glam bag since it is a full size item.

What do you think of posts like this? I feel like posting every month can get a bit repetitive if I haven't really gotten the chance to review products, so I'd rather show you a quick snapshot of everything I got right when it comes in the mail and then every so often share favorites from multiple months. What are your thoughts?

Have  a beautiful Monday,

Dre