Dre Does Tips on Summer Makeup

When it comes to makeup in the summer, I try to wear it as little as possible. However, there are some times when you need to look put together and going makeup-free is unavoidable. I'm here with my quick tips and alterations to my makeup routine that I use for the summer to make it either last longer or look more put together with less products.

1. Less is more. When I think of summer skin, I think of tanned, glowing beautiful skin. I'm generally happier with my skin in the summer so my philosophy behind summer makeup is different than what I would do in the winter. I want my natural tan and glow to shine through, so I like to use a lighter foundation with less coverage as a base and then I go in and spot conceal the areas that need more attention. This gives the skin a more natural look and ultimately helps your makeup hold up all day because you're using less products and those that are lighter. My theory is the less products you add, the less there are to melt off in the heat and humidity right? haha I will be doing this foundation routine later in the week so look out for it!

2. Change your focus. Summer is a wonderful time to experiment bold new makeup trends. My favorite is to try new lip colors because most of us can generally pull off more shades when we have a little extra color in our skin. If you want to go lighter on the skin and keep it more natural this is a great time to bring the focus to another area of your face. A dramatic cat-eye wing with a waterproof gel liner is a great way to bring drama to your makeup while using a product that is guaranteed to stay put and not budge in the summer.

3. Primers. Find yourself a great face primer and eye primer that work for your skin type. I personally love the Cover-FX Mattifying Primer with Anti-Acne Treatment (click here if you missed Monday's review on this awesome product). If you're oily or have acne prone skin, you need to check it out. For my eyes I love the classic Urban Decay Primer Potion in the original formula. Primers do a whole bunch of beneficial things but most importantly in regards to what we're discussing, they are going to give your makeup something to hold onto. You want to really lock in your makeup so it doesn't go anywhere and this is the first key product I recommend to get your makeup to stay and not crease.

4. Invest in a good setting spray. I recently purchased Urban Decay's Deslick Makeup Setting Spray to use on my brides for the summer because I had yet to try it. So far...I'm in love. Spray a setting spray after you are done with your makeup and it will help set everything, make it look seamless, and make it last longer. I especially like this one from Urban Decay because it helps with oil-control and has temperature-control technology that lowers the temperature of your makeup so it lasts longer. Pretty fancy huh? One quick additional tip is to spray your setting spray after your primer and before your foundation to give your foundation something extra to grab onto and to create basically a barrier that will keep you oil-free longer.

5. Set your liquid products. Make sure you have a good setting powder to set both your concealer and liquid foundation. You want to make sure that it is finely milled so it doesn't set it any fine lines and you if you're going to be around flash photography, stay away from HD powders. They are generally made of mostly silica which can give you a terrible white powder flashback in your pictures! Setting your liquid products will help absorb excess shine and oil and also lock in your makeup to make it last longer (bet you didn't see that one coming...haha). 

So there are some of my tips on doing your makeup in the summer! If you have any tips on summer makeup feel free to leave them below!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does a Quick Tip to Save Your Feet

You know when you get suckered into buying a pair of heels because they are such a good deal but they are just slightly too small and rub? Well I might have recently done this because I spotted some clearance black beauties at DSW. They were classic black suede stilettos that I knew I would get a lot of wear out of so I happily brought them to the register. However, they were slightly too small and rubbed near my toes. I figured I would just wear them around my apartment and break them in for awhile to stretch them out. Then after having a conversation with one of my coworkers, she mentioned a trick that I have to share because it works so well! (The perks of working in the beauty industry with other women...We are all full of tricks!) She told me to put on two pairs of really bulky and dense socks and then put my shoes on and blow dry the tight areas for 30 minutes. I tried it and it absolutely works! It stretched the heels so perfectly and they even conformed to the shape of my toe area better so they don't hurt and rub! I even cheated and didn't do the full 30 minutes and it still worked great. I'm guessing depending on the material of the show you might have to do it a little longer. 

I hope this helps! What weird fashion tricks do you know? Leave me a comment below and I might feature you in an upcoming post!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does How To Conceal Between Brow Waxes

There could be multiple reasons why your brows aren't perfectly tweezed and shaped. You could be growing out a bad wax job or simply haven't found the time to visit your favorite esthetician yet (wink wink). Regardless of the reason, sometimes we just need tricks to help us look more put together when we simply do not have enough time. Today's trick works best on those extra stray hairs that we are always waxing away. Do yourself a favor and go buy a concealer stick/pencil. My current favorite is by Covergirl Tru Blend and it's readily available and cheap. You are just going to apply this concealer right in the areas where you need waxing. You want to be light handed because if you apply too much it can start to get obvious that you are trying to hide something. The pencil shape makes it easy to apply along the curve of your brow. Now the key to this is to use concealer because it is completely shimmer-free. You may be thinking why can't I just use a highlighting pencil that's specifically designed to be placed under the brow. The problem is that these will sometimes contain shimmer or shine which is great for highlighting when you are smooth and just waxed. However, shimmer and shine emphasize texture so if you're covering baby hairs you're going to attract attention to them. So a semi-matte concealer is going to be your best bet! This trick isn't going to make you look like you just got your brows done, but it will help get you by an extra few days until you can get them taken care of! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Quick Tips on How to Make the Most of Your Wardrobe

As much as we try to wear everything in our closets, I think we can all admit sometimes we only gravitate towards some items. I have a few tips to help get the most out of everything you own.

1. Every time you wear an item from your closet flip the hanger around so it faces the opposite way. Every two weeks or even month, flip everything back to the same direction. This way you can easily keep track of what you've worn recently and the items that are being neglected. Then try really hard to put those items to good use and break them out! You might find things fit you different or look better than you remember! 

2. Reorganize your closet! This might seem like no brainer, but if you can't see everything your wardrobe has to offer you're more likely to stick to the same items. I have so many items that if I don't see them, I honestly sometimes forget all of the options I have. 

3. Take an evening to go through your closet and pre-plan outfits. You can even take pictures of combinations you like and keep them for when you're feeling uninspired or don't know what to wear. If you take the time to try everything on and see what works together you'll know when you're crunched for time what works and what doesn't. 

4. Think outside of the box! Just because you bought a certain item to wear a specific way, doesn't mean you have to. The best part about fashion is that there are no rules. There are so many great places to find inspiration now online so don't be afraid to look and try some new things! 

I hope these tips help! What are some ways you get the most out of what you already own? Let me know in a comment below. 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Quick Tips: Staying Organized

No matter what we do in life, in order to be successful we need to be organized to some degree. I am a classic planner person. I am very picky at finding the best one and I use it every day to keep track of anything from remembering to take my vitamins to making sure my bills are paid on time. Today I bring you five quick tips on how I stay organized. Remember though that how you stay organized is completely dependent on your personality and what works best for you. If you like to-do lists and keeping track of everything, I think you'll like some of the things I do.

1. Put something on your to-do list that you've already done. Now if you don't like lists you probably won't understand this, but as a person who's mood significantly increases every time I cross something off that list, this is a huge way to get your day started. Being able to cross something off as you're making your list and beginning your day, sets the tone and gives you a push to accomplish more. If this sounds silly, just try it!

2. Clean out your purse once a week. I try to do this more often but this is a big one too. As women our purses tend to hold a chaotic mixture of sorts but it's important to keep them organized. If you know where everything is at all times, your day to day life is more likely to run smoothly. I've been putting my Ipsy Glambags to good use by designating each one for something different in my purse (makeup items, receipts, coupons, etc...) which allows for quicker daily activities like grocery store runs and finding my favorite chapstick. 

3. Start each day with a plan. I start each day by making a list in my planner, but you do what's good for you. Maybe it's on your phone or a post-it note, but regardless the point is to just do it. My dad is a motivational speaker and author so for years I've been hearing 'write your goals on paper'. By planning our days with what we'd like to accomplish, we can apply this principle daily by writing down our goals for the day. How are we supposed to get anything done when we haven't decided what we need to do? Also don't get hung up on if you don't accomplish everything on your list. Sometimes I just have to cross them out and add them to tomorrow's list, which is perfectly fine as long as you don't do it on purpose. 

4. Use colored pens or highlighters to emphasize what's most important. I am a longtime lover of the Sharpie pens because they write well and come in multiple colors. I like writing the extremely important things like bill due dates, in a bright color so that they stand out and aren't forgotten. Then I like to use one color for school work, one for my work schedule, and another for more general life things. 

5. Keep a notepad and pen on your nightstand. I don't know about you but I always seem to remember things or create great ideas once I'm already snuggled up and warm in bed. I always think, "Oh I'll remember it in the morning..." But never do! So keeping a notepad close by will help you remember what you need to without getting untucked! I always slap the post-it on my phone so that when I turn my alarm off, I have to see it. This one seriously is a lifesaver and you must try it if you do some of your best thinking when you should be falling asleep...haha

We can't completely stop the stresses that are in our lives, however we can control how we react to them and how we deal with them. Organizing your life will not only gain you time in your day, but it'll also keep you from getting worked up over the little things that may happen because that's just life. Let  me know if you have any great organizational tips to share! 

Have a beautiful day,

Dre

Dre Does Quick Tips for Looking Pulled Together in a Flash

Happy Monday friends! I'm back with more quick tips, except this week they're centered around how to look like you've spent more time getting ready than you really have. Whether your alarm doesn't go off, you hit snooze a few too many times, or plans change and have to be somewhere quickly, these are my tips on how to look pulled together in a pinch. 

1. Practice a makeup routine that's extremely quick and get good at it. This way you can repeat it quickly when you're in a hurry. For me it's foundation, concealer, and blush. I have my go-to products that always work for my skin and a neutral blush that matches everything. 

2. Find a bright lipstick that looks really good on you and get used to wearing it. I have my go-to red lipstick that I always keep in my purse. The key idea in these tips is to bring the focus to areas that you can amp up in a rush. Lips are huge for this because they bring the focus to your lip color which in the world of makeup are much quicker to apply than doing a dramatic smokey eye. So remember, bright lips = instant glam. 

3. Buy a pair of statement stud earrings. Earrings are such an easy and quick way to change your look. My go-to pair are neutral huge flowers so I can wear them with any outfit but they still pack a punch. Pair these with the bright lips and you will surely have brought the focus away from any areas you didn't have time to glam up. 

4. Go in your closet and find an outfit that makes you feel great. It's no secret to us women how amazing a good outfit can make you feel. So always have one on standby in your closet that you know will always fit right and make you look your best. This way no matter how rushed you are, you will have that guaranteed boost of confidence from knowing you already like your outfit. This ones huge and I always make sure to have a few ready incase I haven't done laundry but I recommend at least one! Whether it's a shirt in your favorite color or a dress that hugs your curves just right, you will look more pulled together in something you love.

5. Practice a hairstyle that's quick and easy like a sock bun. Having a go-to hairstyle is key when you're in a rush incase you don't have time to shower and re-do your hair. I personally love a good top knot or sock bun, but whatever works for your hair length and style, practice it! Your hair is key in making you look pulled together (unless you're one of those blessed people who can rock messy hair without looking like a homeless person...in which I say props to you!)

As you can tell, the general theme is to brainstorm and practice ideas beforehand and also use bright colors or statement pieces to bring the focus away from areas you don't have time to do in a rush. Do you have any tips for getting ready in a pinch? Leave a comment below and let me know what helps you!

Have a beautiful day,

Dre