Dre Does a Fresh Fall Start

There's something about the fall that I absolutely love in terms of productivity. I don't know if it's because the start of a new school year was ingrained in me for so many years, but I always feel like come September, you get a fresh start. 

I have recently made some changes in my life that have helped me feel like I'm more organized and getting more done, so I thought I would share what I have been doing in case you would like to take some ideas and incorporate them into your own daily life. 

1. Establish a morning routine. I have always loved starting my days with productive mornings but the older I've gotten the busier I am and the easier it is to hit that snooze button and skip things that I know I should be doing. A few months ago I decided to change up my mornings and start with a workout. I always feel more productive and energized throughout the day when I get my butt out of bed early and get to my gym. I leave myself enough time to get ready and plan my day when I'm done which sets me up for an accomplished day. I like working out in the morning because even if the rest of my day doesn't go as planned, I don't have to worry about fitting a workout in. I find that doing this every morning makes for a more productive week. So whatever you choose to do in the morning, try to establish a routine so that you get in the habit of starting your day successfully. 

2. Get a planner. This may not seem like a necessity once you enter into post-grad life, but I find that there's even more to keep track of in my life now that I am no longer in school. Having a planner helps me make sure I'm staying up to date in every aspect of my life which can get rid of a lot of unnecessary stress.

3. Adopt a new habit. This is a trick I learned from my dad. He took something he wanted to improve at and challenged himself to be disciplined enough to do it for a little bit every day. This is actually how his blog was born, but I think it's a great way to introduce something you want to get better at, or just get back to doing. I'm sure you have plenty of things you wish you had more time to do, so I challenge you to create a list and then tackle the one most important! You could even change it up every month. For me it's reading. I started reading just 15 minutes a day (sometimes longer if my schedule allows for it and I don't fall asleep first...haha). Whether it's right when I wake up or before I go to bed, I try to get my 15 minutes in every day.

4. Do it at night. I do this all the time. I have a million little things I want to get done at night and then I tell myself I'll do it in the morning because I just want to get to bed. But then morning comes along and you run out of time or completely forget to do it so it gets pushed off until night time again and then the  cycle continues. Just do those little things at night. Whether it's putting away my laundry that I've just folded or unloading the dishwasher, if you simply get these tasks done at night, you can start your day with a shorter To-Do list and a clearer head in the morning. 

When do you feel like you get a fresh start? At the beginning of the year in January or during the fall?

Please share your tips below for creating a fresh start!

Have a beautiful start to your week,

Dre

 

Dre Does Makeup Inspiration

Just in case you don't already follow me on Instagram, I thought I'd post some inspiration photos of looks I have been wearing recently. All are polished and professional looking, yet still quick and easy in the morning!

Lips: Sephora Cream Lip Stain in Always Red 01

Eyeliner: NYC Liquid Liner (The cheapest and best liquid eyeliner! MUST HAVE)

Highlighter: MAC Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle

Lips: MAC Cosmetics Limited Edition Matte Lipstick in Mangrove

In all three photos my foundation was the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation.

Enjoy and follow me on Instagram @drefontana!

Have a beautiful week,

Dre

Dre Does Skincare Tips for the Active Woman

It's no secret that living an active lifestyle means you probably spend a portion of your day sweating. This can lead to breakouts, excessive oilliness, etc., so I've decided to share with you some tips on how I keep my skin clean and reduce my likelihood of breaking out. 

1. WASH YOUR FACE: I always head to the gym with a clean face which also means that I never wear makeup. I personally hate the feeling of makeup on my skin when I'm hot and sweaty in the gym so instead I do my usual morning skincare routine (since I normally workout every morning) and make sure to use a mattifying moisturizer to help combat some of the excessive oiliness. 

2. HEADBANDS ARE YOUR FRIEND: I like to wear a headband always when I'm working out. Not only does it help keep flyaways out of my face but it catches some sweat from dripping on my forehead. If you use hair products they can travel down your face and potentially clog your pores, so I like to prevent some of that with headbands (This also works well if you have bangs that could spread sweat and bacteria while working out). My favorite are the kinds with the rubber grips on the inside so that they don't move anywhere. 

3. BLOT YOUR FACE: While working out, I like to use papertowels to blot the excessive sweat from my face so that it stays clean. My gym luckily has a paper towel dispenser so I use those to get rid of sweat so that I don't have to touch it with my hands. Think of all the bacteria that your hands are touching from the machines to the weights. It's much better for your skin to use something disposable that you won't keep reusing like your hands or your shirt. 

4. KEEP YOUR GYMBAG STOCKED: I like to make sure to keep my gym bag stocked with some necessities to make sure I can always keep my face clean. It's crucial to have cleansing wipes because if you don't have time to immediately hop in the shower or wash your face again, you can at least clean your face quickly and remove sweat and impurities. Also if you're someone who gets excessively oily, I recommend keeping oil blotting sheets on hand to mattify your skin on the go. 

5. DON'T TOUCH YOUR FACE: This may seem a little obvious but some of us need to consciously think about it to stop doing it. Our hands carry so much bacteria around as we go from machine to machine at the gym, so make sure to keep your hands off of your skin. This is a tip for anyone trying to reduce breakouts, but it's expecially crucial when you're sweaty and in the gym.

6. DRINK WATER: Always make sure you rehydrate your body after working out. It's important for your skin's health to drink plenty every day but it's even more important when you workout because you are sweating so much. 

I hope these tips help you maintain cleaner skin while being active. Remember, your skin is your body's largest organ so while it's important to be active and healthy, we can't forget to take care of our skin as well! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does an Update

I'm here! I'm here! I promise. I'm back with an update because it doesn't feel right starting back up again after a month and not giving you some sort of explanation.

Long story short, I've been extremely busy working. Whether it has been doing makeup for weddings or being at the spa, I have been immersing myself in all things beauty. The spa that I work at (Remedi Spa and Wellness) is completely up and running which has been amazing, but it also means my hours have been unpredictable and extended (not that I mind completely devoting myself to something I believe so much in!)

With that being said, as days start to normalize, I'd like to get back in my habit of posting content for all of you beautiful people who love it and support me so amazingly. If you have ideas or requests, email me at andreafontanabeauty@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

If you'd like to come see me at the spa please feel free to visit remedispaandwellness.com for information on where to call and book an appointment and location! I do all sorts of services as a licensed esthetician that include facials, body treatments, brows waxing, full facial and body waxing, makeup, spray tans, and much more!

A little while ago I went back to using just one Instagram for both my life and Dre Does so feel free to click here and follow me to stay updated with every day things!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre

Dre Does Friday Favorites

I'm going to start integrating Friday Favorites posts a few Fridays a month to share what I love with you more frequently instead of monthly favorites posts. Whether it's a makeup product or lifestyle item, I think it would be nice to share them as I fall in love with them, instead of waiting for a list to compile and sharing it at the end of the month.

1. I can't get enough of this Skinny Cauliflower Man and Cheese recipe that a wonderful friend shared with me. I highly recommend trying it. I might have made a double recipe the first time so I could have plenty of leftovers...haha

2. Just like the rest of the beauty world, I love the Sephora Cream Lip Stains. I have about 5 of them, but this week I've been loving the shade Always Red 01. They stay on so well and don't move.

3. Masterchef. If you know me personally, it probably comes as no surprise that I love this show because I love any type of cooking competition. I love Masterchef specifically though because the main judge is Gordon Ramsey and because it is a competition just for home cooks that have no previous culinary training or schooling. It's on Hulu if you've missed it and want to catch up but it's currently about half way through the season.

4. With all of the self tanning I've been doing recently I've been trying different foundations in my collection because I feel like some days I'm more than others so not all match me. For days when I want something light, I've been loving the Pur Minerals 4-in-1 Liquid Veil Spray Foundation. It gives light to medium coverage and a satin finish that doesn't look like I have makeup on. I love how light it feels. I prefer to spray it on the back of my hand and use a damp beauty blender to apply it to my face.

Happy Friday all you beauties! Have a great weekend,

Dre

Dre Does a Warm Smoky Eye

I decided to keep the bronze theme going from my two previous posts (facial self tanning routine and makeup to enhance your tan) with this photo tutorial that will compliment a tan perfectly. I prefer super warm and smoky eye looks over cooler ones for tan skin, especially on my skin tone. I used only three shadows to create this look so it is really easy. All three shades were from the Stila 'In the Know' and 'In the Moment' palettes. You can still order the In the Moment palette on Stila's website if you're interested but to be honest, you could find shades like these anywhere. The rest of my makeup is the routine I shared in my last post on enhancing your tan. I hope you enjoy!

1. The first step for any eye look is to apply a primer or eyeshadow base. For this look I used my Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer from Benefit Cosmetics and applied it from my lash line up to brow.

2. Next use Desert (In the Know) as a transition color on a fluffy brush and blended it into the crease. This adds a little dimension but it's purpose is mostly to make blending darker shadows easier. 

3. Add Fire (In the Know) on a fluffy brush a little at a time, blending as you go. I know this color looks intense on its own, but I promise it won't be after you add your lid shade. I love using these types of oranges to warm up a look. It's always easier to add shadow, so rather than accidentally getting it too intense in an area you don't want, apply a little at a time. 

4. Using a flat shader brush, pack Whim (In the Moment) onto the lid. Go back in with the fluffy brush and blend the edges of the brown with the warm burnt orange color. You may loose a little bit of the intensity of the brown when you do this, so pack a little extra color on the lid if you need you. 

5. On a pencil brush mix the burnt orange and brown and blend them into the lash line. Depending on your skin fine you might have to be careful with how much of the orange you use. It can sometimes make your eyes look sick, so definitely add a little at a time and don't smoke it out too crazy the first time you try it. 

6. Lastly, add your eyeliner (I just used a brown pencil in the upper and lower water lines), and mascara and you're good to go! 

Let me know if you like the format of this photo tutorial and if you'd like me to do them this way from now on! Also if you have any requests as usual, be sure to let me know!

Have a beautiful week,

Dre

Dre Does Makeup to Enhance your Tan

On Wednesday I shared my facial self tanning routine that involved two wonderful products from Tarte Cosmetics (click here if you missed it), and I promised I would share the products I've been using to enhance my tan to look very glowy and natural.

 When I have a fake tan on my face, I find that I need to do a few key things with my makeup to make sure it doesn't come off as fake. I try to keep things as simple as possible because adding a lot of  bronzing and tanning will eventually be impossible to pull off as natural looking.

Above are the key products that I have been using in a simple bronzed makeup routine. It's focused mostly on my skin since the tan is what I'm enhancing, with nothing much on the eyes.

The first thing I do is apply my foundation. I love MAC Face & Body because it is a light coverage that is waterproof and natural looking. I want my tan to shine through so I think it's important to find a foundation that compliments my skin tone rather than covering it up. I use a brush to buff this into my skin really well.

Next, I use my Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Concealer to cover any blemishes or areas that need a little more coverage. I love how light this concealer feels on the skin and how natural it looks. I really agree that it is weightless and complete coverage.

After concealing, I work on bronzing. I found this Sephora Collection MicroSmooth Baked Bronzer Duo in 01 Honey Heat in my collection that I remembered that I used to love and decided to put it to work. I love how one half is really shimmery and the other is more of a matte finish. I think it's important to use different tones and shades of bronzers when trying to use makeup to enhance your tan because they create dimension. The more dimension, the more natural your look will be. I use a large powder brush to mix the two shades in a 'E3' pattern. This simply means that if you trace from your left temple, down to the hollows of your cheeks, to your jawline, it creates the shape of an E. If you do the same on the right side it creates a number 3. Google this method if you need a little more explanation. It's really easy! I find this method is the quickest and easiest way to add a beautiful bronzed glow to the skin in the areas where you would naturally tan. I then take a smaller fluffy brush and use the darker, less shimmery side to contour my cheeks a little bit.

Next, I apply Benefit's Dallas blush because it is a very natural warm brown tone. It looks less like blush and more like a natural flush on the skin and it complements a tan really nicely. After blush, I move on to highlighter. I've been loving the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Rose Gold because it is such a rosy highlight shade. It looks beautiful applied to the high points of the face.

Lastly, I apply my brows and mascara. For these I use my favorites both by Benefit; Gimme Brow (a tinted brow gel that voluminizes and keeps my brows in place) and They're Real (my holy grail mascara). As with all of my makeup looks, I always spray a setting spray to hold the looks in place for the rest of the day. For this one I used Urban Decay's All Nighter.

There you have it! My quick, easy, and natural makeup look to emphasize a beautiful fake (or real) tan! As usual, if you have any questions please let me know!

Have a beautiful weekend,

Dre