Dre Does June Favorites

I'm not quite sure where June went, but it's already time to share my favorites for the month. I don't have that many in the beauty area because I honestly have been wearing the same thing all month long and they are products you have already seen a million times. So here are a few that I've not shared as much, if at all.

Benefit's Rollerlash Mascara: I was lucky enough to try this before everyone else when I was working for Benefit and to be honest I wasn't impressed. My lashes are long but super hard to curl and I didn't feel like I got enough of a curl to ditch my lash curler like Benefit claims. It wasn't until I let the bottle dry out a little and I revisited it, that I fell in love with this mascara. I really do agree that the magic is in the wand. The little hooks really do help pull your lashes up and now that I've let the formula dry a little, I find that the curl does last. On more natural makeup days I will wear this one alone. On days where I do a full face of makeup, I will use this before I use Benefit's They're Real mascara (my holy grail) to really get some great length and curl before They're Real voluminizes my lashes. 

Kenra Platinum Dry Texture Spray & Texturing Mist: I was recommended these two products by the wonderful friend who cut my hair when I donated it last month (Thank you LC)! I have such an obsession with texturizing products because my hair can get very limp and flat looking. My hairstyle is very messy and undone looking and these products make my hair look perfect every time. I use the texturizing mist on my freshly washed and damp hair both when I'm going to blow dry it or if it's air-drying (which I will admit is most of the time since I'm lazy). If I'm working with day two hair or if I've waved it a little, I will use the texture spray to take super neat and flat hair to messy and undone looking. The thing I love most about the dry spray is that it absorbs oil so it can be used like a dry shampoo too. I love how I can take my hair down from being in a bun all day, spray this in and my hair looks alive without having to curl it. It never looks dirty, just effortlessly messy. I absolutely LOVE the smell of both of these products too. I once got asked what perfume I was wearing when it was honestly the Dry Texture Spray! haha

Origins Clear Improvements Mask: I have loved this mask for a long time. It's active ingredient is activated charcoal which is amazing for dissolving all of the impurities in your pores. Simply apply a thin layer of this mask, let it dry and wash it off. I recommend using a warm washcloth when removing to make it a little easier to get off. I love how much this cleans out my pores. I try to do it once a week. 

GapFit Breathe Racerback Tank: I could only find a picture of the hot pink tank but I absolutely love the gray version I have of this tank. I wear it all the time, both for working out and everyday outfits because it fits so well. I personally love a tight fitting tank so I enjoy the cut of them. The neckline isn't too low which I love because as a woman with a larger chest, I don't have to worry about giving someone a free show while I'm at the gym.

Target Women's Carolyn Slip on: I love these shoes. I bought them on a whim one day and have gotten so much use out of them since then (I'm even wearing them as a type this...)! I love that they are off-white, because I get the look of a lighter sneaker without committing to keeping a pair of sneakers stark white. They are super comfortable and with all the holes, I feel like they are breatheable too and don't get stinky like most sneakers do if you wear them without socks. I'm not sure if you can get them in stores anymore, but they are still online if you want to pick a pair up for yourself!

Let me know if you try any of these items! What were some of your favorites this month?

Happy almost July!

-Dre

Dre Does Summer Pops of Lip Color

In honor of the first day of Summer coming up on Sunday, I wanted to something devoted to my favorite lipsticks for summer. If there's a makeup product that I can never have enough of, it's definitely lipstick. I absolutely love the colors of lipstick that the warmer months bring.

I have a very olive skin tone, so my favorite colors to rock with a tan are definitely cool-toned pinks and fuchsia shades. A close second are the corals. With both groups though, I love to do very luminous and glowy skin, minimal bronzed eyes and then the pop of color with the lips. I'm going to show you both high end and drugstore options for both categories.

The Fuchsias: These are my absolute favorite types of shades to wear in the summer. They compliment my skin tone the best and I especially love these four below!

 

Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain "Smitten"($9.49): This is a twist up crayon type product that leaves a beautiful stain with a glossy finish (Mine is in the old packaging so it is called a Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain but these have since been renamed to Colorburst Balm Stains).

NYX Butter Lipstick "Hunk" ($5.99): Cream finish lipstick with medium pigmentation.

MAC Sheen Supreme ($18): Sheer to medium pigmentation, high shine finish and very moisturizing on the lips. I have gone through two of these tubes already. I love this formula for a glossy lipstick.

Revlon Lip Butter "Lollipop" ($8.49): One of the more pigmented lip butters from the line; moisturizing too.

The Cool-Toned Pinks: While I'm not much of a pink girl, these two cooler shades are amazing for the summer!

 

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm "Unapologetic" ($9.49): I love the formula of these matte balms; long-wearing and not too drying; great pigment. 

Revlon Lip Butter "Sweet Tart" (discontinued shade): Unfortunately this shade of lip butter is discontinued but I still wanted to show it to you because you might already have it and it's a good reference for color. I wanted to show the products I'm really wearing! 

The Corals: I do love a good coral in the summer, so here are a few I like to rock.

Revlon Lip Butter "Tutti Frutti" (discontinued shade): Another discontinued shade but I wanted you to see how pigmented and great these lip butter shades are. I love them for people wanting to try bright lipsticks for the first time.
Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick "Light it up" ($18): Cream lipstick with full pigmentation that also moisturizes.
MAC "Mangrove" (limited edition): Again unfortunately this one is hard to come by because it was a part of the limited edition Proenza Schouler Collection from last summer, but I wear this shade ALL the time when I have a tan. MAC has other shades that are similar to it. Matte finish, long-wearing, and great pigmentation.

I hope you enjoyed my favorite pops of lip color for the summer time! What are some of your favorites? I hope these gave you some inspiration to try some new shades and be a little bolder with your lip color this summer!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre

Dre Does Empties #2

I didn't realize it had been months since I have posted one of these until I looked back. I am definitely due! If you have never seen one of my Empties posts before, it is where I share products that I have used up and give you the verdict on whether or not I would purchase them again. So let's get started!

I decided to split up the products into two categories to make it easier. First I'll talk about skincare and then makeup products.

Ulta Pumpkin Latte Body Scrub: I aboslutely love Ulta's body scrubs. This one was a special edition holiday scent they came out with. It was my favorite of the collection so I bought 3 of them I think which is why I'm still using them up in June. Let's just say I'm dying to get into some other scents I have but I'm trying to be good and use these up. If you need a good gritty exfoliating scrub, you need to try these! I use them to exfoliate before shaving since I can't use shaving cream and they work great! Definitely check them out the next time Ulta has one of their frequent Buy # get # free sales!

Verdict: I will purchase the body scrubs again, just not in this scent because I'm pretty sure I've almost OD'ed on it...

Urban Decay Setting Sprays in All Nighter and De-Slick: De-slick was the first setting spray I ever fell in love with and to this day it is my favorite that I have tried. I love how well it controls my shine and makes everything stay put. I use it on every bridal client, especially in the summer so no makeup melts off the face. A few months ago there was an All Nighter two-pack for a ridiculously good deal at Ulta, so I decided to pick that up instead of De-Slick and while I still like it, it's not my favorite. It does help my makeup last, but for oily skin and the summer heat, I still prefer De-Slick. 

Verdict: I am still finishing up the other half of my two-pack of All Nighter, but I am going to try the Makeup Forever Mist & Fix next. Updates to follow.

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil: Do I really need to talk anymore about this on here? Haha if you have been following me for a while you know that this is my holy grail moisurizer. If not, I can't say enough great things about it! I use it morning and night instead of a moisturizer (or after a moisturizer in the off chance that I am dry) and it helps my skin tremendously. I wake up every morning with soft and supple skin and the vitamin C really helps even out my skin tone and fade old scars. I feel like it has also brought a radiance back to my skin that I love.

Verdict: I will repurchase it until they stop making it. And then I will hide in my room and cry until Tarte decides to bring it back into production. So yeah... You should try it...

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation Facial Moisturizer: I really love Ole Henriksen's products and this is no exception. If you're looking for a light moisturizer that will exfoliate and help fade hyperpigmentation and acne scars, try this one. A little goes a long way, it absorbs quickly and feels so nice and light on the skin.

Verdict: Definitely worth trying if you like light, exfoliating moisturizers. I will probablly purchase a full size for the summer for days that I need extra moisture to pair with my Maracuja Oil.

Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion: I was recommended this product when I was suffering from cystic acne on my chin because it is designed to target deep cystic blemishes and this is already my second bottle to go through. I really noticed a difference and hardly ever the deep cystic blemishes anymore! I highly recommend it if you get them! 

Verdict: Already have purchased and am using my third bottle!

Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment: This is the sample size that I got free with purchase from Ulta, but I currently am using the full size and I love it. I use it as my eye cream morning and night and feel like it is really helping diminish the darkness around my eyes. I mentioned it in my May Favorites if you want to know more!

Verdict: Unless I discover a new eye treatment that I want to try, I will probably repurchase this one when I am out.

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant: This is the deluxe sample size that I got from an Ipsy Glambag probably over a year ago, but I made that thing last as long as I possibly could until I got the full size. I love the scent because it smells like lemons. It does a wonderful job of exfoliating the skin but I would be careful if you have super sensitive skin, because sometimes it can hurt slightly. I also like that you don't need a lot of product for one use because it is an expensive one.

Verdict: I probably won't repurchase the large size because it is so expensive and I don't mechanically exfoliate my face as much as I do chemically.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC30: I absolutely love this concealer and it is my favorite full coverage undereye concealer. It literally does not budge until you use a makeup remover or cleanser to get it off. It's no stranger to my Freelance Kit and something I always go back to.

Verdict: I already have a few backups because I can't go without it. It will always be something I repurchase.

Benefit's They're Real Mascara: I feel like I should be embarrassed that I have 4 in my empties but it's seriously the only mascara I wear because nothing compares to it. I makes my lashes longer while still making them look thick and voluminous. The brush is so easy to use to comb through your lashes so you have no clumps. The part that makes my favorite mascara though is the wear. I have crazy long bottom lashes and 99% of mascaras leave dots on my undereye area because they just can't stay put. Not with They're Real though. I don't have to worry about smudging or dots! It is so worth the $23 price tag. 

Verdict: I have obviously repurchased this many, many times and don't plan on stopping!

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment: I talked about my love for these Lip Treatments in a recent post (click here to see it) and I used up one of the original Rose Treatments. This one is great if you don't want a lot of pigment. I love that these have SPF so I use them a lot in the summer. 

Verdict: While I love the rose color, I like to try a new shade every time I purchase them!

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark: This product is another holy grail for me. I love how easy it is to use. If you are scared to fill in your brows or need a gel that will hold them in place, do yourself a favor and head to a Benefit counter to at least try it. I have gotten so many people addicted to it, due to it's ease of application and natural look! It only comes in two shades (I wear the darker of the two). It has little microfibers in the tinted gel that cling to your brow hairs, giving a fuller but still natural, appearance. 

Verdict: This is another product I will always have on hand because I never leave the house without at least this and mascara!

Well those are my empties for now! I feel like this post turned into an accidental favorites post because I really love so many of these products, but I think it's still helpful to see the products I love. I hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful week!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Pizza on the Grill

It's impossible to not think of grilling when you think about the summer. So many of my memories as a child in the summertime were at cookouts with friends, family, and neighbors. Saying that my dad loves to grill is an understatement and I like to think I've picked up some skills from him over the years. So today I bring you a post that's a little bit different than usual, but an absolute favorite of mine. 

As a vegetarian it can be really hard to find alternatives to grilling meat. Enter one of God's greatest gifts...PIZZA! My parents used to grill us pizzas all the time and now that I'm all grown up, I've adapted a family favorite to my own use. The thing I love most about this idea is that you can invite a bunch of friends over, get tons of different toppings, and everyone can create their own. I like to buy the thin personal crusts at the grocery store so that everyone can customize their own pizza, but larger ones work well too! Hello summer Pizza Bar! These pizzas are also great for sneaking veggies into kids' dinners or my personal favorite...cleaning out the fridge! I like to keep the crusts on hand so that if I have no idea what to make one night, I can throw a quick pizza together.

I mean just look at it!

All you need is the following:
-Pizza crust of your choice (thin, thick, gluten-free, wheat, homemade, store bought...who cares?!)
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Marinara sauce, pesto, alfredo...get creative!
-Tongs for flipping easily
-Cheese (I love feta and mozzarella on mine!)
-Toppings (the world is your oyster with this one...) I made a simple one with just tomatoes below

1. I start by spreading olive oil on both sides of the pizza crust and placing it on the grill for a few minutes until golden brown.

 

2. If you want to pretend you're fancy like I do, turn the pizza 90 degrees halfway through to get pretty grill marks. Once it's nice and golden, flip it over!

 

3. Now is the fun part. Here I added sauce, mozzarella, slices of fresh tomatoes, and then more cheese!

 

4. Now shut the grill and let everything melt and heat up until the bottom is golden brown. Once again, if feeling fancy, turn it 90 degrees for pretty grill marks. 

 

That's it! You have made a grilled pizza. If you make your own grilled pizzas be sure to share pictures on your Instagram and twitter with the hashtag #DreDoes so I can see what combinations you make!

 Have a beautiful Friday,

Dre

Dre Does a Tarte Showstopper Palette Review

Today's post is a little bit more than the usual review of a palette. I'm going to give you not only swatches and pictures of the product, but show you the first look that I created with it as well! 

The Showstopper Palette is a part of tarte Cosmetics' summer collection and is a palette for the cheeks and eyes. At first glance it didn't stand out as something I have to have, but when Ulta sent me a 5x rewards points email in May, I decided to give the summer collection a closer look. After looking at this palette for a few moments, I remembered how much I loved the Coral one that tarte came out with a few summers ago. Every so often, they make these round palettes with a bronzer, blush, highlighter and 6 shadows. I used to take that Coral palette eeeeeeverywhere. I loved the idea that I could take one small palette on the go with me that had a huge portion of the products needed to create a look. However, I knew that if I was going to justify spending the money on it, it needed to be different from my other round palette from them. 

I was super happy to find that the blush inside was a matte peach shade, which sealed the deal for me. I love coral-y, peach tones for my cheeks in the summer and with the addition of 6 neutral brown/taupe shadows, I knew this palette would get great use by me. 

At $38 it is a really great deal. Every product is made with the Amazonian Clay formula that they are known for. It is extremely long lasting, pigmented, and blendable. The whole palette is also parabens and phthalate free like the rest of the tarte Cosmetics line. You get their best selling matte and waterproof bronzer Park Avenue Princess, a highlighter in Champagne, blush in Fame, and 6 eyeshadows in Showstopper Copper (bronze copper), Go for the Gold (gold), You're a Natural (nude), Steal the Scene (steel taupe), Rose to the Top (rose gold), and Dim the Lights (black brown). 

To create this look for my eyes, I used You're a Natural all over the lid. Then built up the inner and outer corners with a mixture of Showstopper Bronze and Dim the Lights. I used my finger to apply a little of Go for the Gold to the center of my lid and blended everything well. Lasty I popped some of the Champagne highlighter in my inner corners to brighten the area a little. I love how soft and bronzey this look is. For my face, I used my normal foundation routine and then contoured with the Park Avenue Princess Bronzer. I lastly applied both the Champagne highlighter and the Fame blush which gave me a beautiul summer glow! I hope you enjoyed this post. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Deluxe #1

While brainstorming some new ideas for the blog I began thinking about the infamous aisle of doom that both Sephora and Ulta have right by the check out. You know the section that has mini sizes of all of the products that you tried so hard not to spend all of your hard earned money on, but the second you stand in that line waiting to pay you find 18 mini's you JUST HAVE TO TRY because they are so much cheaper than a full size. Then you somehow end up walking out spending twice as much as you were planning on.

We have all been there. So I've decided to start a new series called Dre Does Deluxe in which I tell you whether you should 'Buy, Try or Say Bye' to that product.

BUY- Just go ahead and get the full size product because it is amazing and you get more for your money
TRY- Test out the smaller 'Deluxe' sample size because it's either a better deal or it's something you have to try for yourself
SAY BYE-Just skip all sizes of the product because overall the product is a miss and not worth even trying in a smaller size.

This series will do two things. First, hopefully it'll help you exercise some sort of restraint when it comes to those adorable little mini sized products to make sure you're only buying products that are actually worth trying. Second, it'll give me some sort of justification for my obsession with trying new things without breaking the bank! 

If you have any suggestions or requests for products you'd like me to try, please let me know! I already have some ideas but am always open to new ones!

So let's get started with the first post in this series starting with the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. 

I am usually super picky with my cleansers and don't like to experiement too much because my skin is so sensitive. Incase you are new to my blog, I have very oily and acne-prone skin. I can breakout sometimes when trying new products. I had heard so many people rave about this cleanser so when I was looking for a travel sized cleanser to take in my carry-on to Puerto Rico in March, I decided to go for this one. 

Fresh claims that this gel cleanser is for all skin types and will gently remove impurities and makeup. It is rich in amino acids and soy protein which aid in moisture retention, and improving elasticity and firmness of the skin. It also has rosewater to tone the skin and cucumber extract to calm. I lliked that it is fragrance and soap free as well. The 1.7 oz size that I purchased lasted me for about 2 weeks, which is a great size to decide if you like it.

Overall, I think this is a mediocre cleanser for my skin. I didn't fall in love like I thought I was going to which is due to a few reasons. For me the issue is that I need a cleanser that is much more deep cleansing than this one. I am used to using one that is designed for oily and acne-prone skin types which I feel gets everything off my face both in the morning and at night as well. If you are someone who loves a very simple and basic cleanser I think you would enjoy this. However, if you're like me and need that deep cleanse, I would skip this one. You can probably tell by this post that I'm not the biggest fan of 'all skin types' products because everyone's skin is unique and we need different products. 

As far as pricing goes, if you buy the smaller 1.7 oz you are paying $8.82 per oz of product. If you buy the full size of 5.1 oz you are paying $7.45 per oz of product. Not that much of a difference, but at least you are saving if you decide to go for the big one. 

So the final result is:

Dry to Normal Skin Types...TRY

Oily and Acne-Prone types...SAY BYE

There you have my first post in the Dre Does Deluxe series! Let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas for future posts.

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does May Favorites

Happy June friends! It is already time for a monthly favorites post! While I haven't been wearing that much makeup this past month, I still have been loving some great beauty products.

Color Pop Super Shock Eyeshadows: Like everyone and their grandma recently, I've been obsessed with Colour Pop. I have only their shadows right now but I have been loving the texture, wear, and look of these unique shadows. I did a haul a little while ago so click here to read about and see swatches of what I got! 

Becca Beach Tint in Guava: This is a product that I would have probably never tried had it not come in a small deluxe sized sample kit of Becca Cosmetics products from an Ulta 21 Days of Beauty deal. Even after swatching it the first time I was unimpressed. It wasn't until I was in a hurry one day and slapped it on my lips that I realized how amazing it is. On my lips it gives a very natural and 'your lips but better' color that dries to a complete matte finish. It seriously feels like nothing on the lips and doesn't dry them out. You can wear these tints on the cheeks too but I honestly haven't tried it yet because I want to save it for my lips...that's how obsessed I am. 

Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment: I tried this for the first time after getting a sample and loved the texture of it. I look for eye creams that are moisturizing but super light because I am so oily especially in the warmer months, and this one does the job. I had a feeling I would like it because the actual Maracuja oil is a holy grail product that I use twice a day, but I didn't think I would love it this much. I really feel like all the Vitamin C has helped brighten my eye area, which comes as no surprise because the oil does such a good job of brightening my complexion all over and fading my hyperpigmentation. Good job Tarte. You did it again!

Dermablend Setting Powder in Original: I love this setting powder so much. While I know I recently raved about the Laura Mercier one, I think that this one wears much longer than that one. I still prefer the finish of Laura Mercier's however. I personally have really long bottom lashes and if my setting powder isn't great, my mascara will dot under my eyes throughout the day. I find that no matter how oily I get, this powder keeps my mascara from transferring which I love! 

Too Faced Natural Matte Palette: If you had told me the day I bought this that I would be putting this in a favorites post I would have laughed at you. I hated this palette so much when I got it and was about to return it but something told me to try it some more. I felt like I had purchased a palette with colors I already owned that I would probably never pick up because they were too powdery, but after some use I realized how wonderful it really is. It's the perfect warm neutral matte palette because the range is amazing, the colors are so blendable, and it's compact size makes it so easy to travel with. If you want something a little more warm than the Naked Basics Palettes by Urban Decay, definitely get this one.

Red Carpet Manicure Starter Kit: I don't have anything bad to say about this kit besides maybe the color range (I wish there were more because I'm so obsessed haha). I purchased it a few days before my trip to Puerto Rico because I got bumped from my Gel Manicure appointment at work and knew I needed to have nice nails that would last. I had heard nothing but great things about this kit and I'm so happy with it. I have done probably at least 10 manicures with it and love how long they last on me. Follow my Instagram account (@dre_does) to stay updated on what manicures I do. It comes with everything you need to get started plus one polish. The one pictured above is of the Special Edition Blue Cinderella Lamp and blue polish because that is the one I got, but I believe the kit normally comes with a red polish and black light. Let me know if you want an in-depth review on the system and I would be happy to do so in a more detailed post!

What have you been loving this past month? Let me know in a comment below!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre