THANKSGIVING LOVE FOR YOUR HAIR!

When cooking up yummy goodness for your family this Thanksgiving, take some time to cook up something for your hair. With three simple ingredients that you have in your kitchen you can create a mask that hydrates, heals and protects your hair.

Start with  2 eggs for protein, 1 tablespoon coconut oil for hydration and a tablespoon of honey for shine.  Blend them all together.

 Zap them in the microwave for 45 seconds and apply to your dry hair.

I like to take a warm towel and wrap my hair up for added cooking!

Leave on for 10 minutes and wash out!  Make sure to shampoo a couple of times to get all the egg out, lol.

You will be left with beautiful, soft, silky shiny hair. Do once a week for extra deep conditioning treatment. Your hair will love you.  It's a great way to say "Thank you" to YOU this Thanksgiving!


Let me know what you think.  Do you have any home remedies that you like to use? Let me know in the comments.
xoxoDD

DEDRA'S TRICK FOR COVERING UNDER EYE CIRCLES

The trick to covering under eye circles lies in the placement of the product. And how do you figure out where that is? The easiest way is by tipping your chin down and looking into the mirror. Try it now. Find a mirror. Tilt your chin downward. Now look in the mirror.  Do you notice the darkness is greater. Now put your chin up. See it's harder to see them.  So if you really want to place your product correctly tilt your chin down, apply the product where the discoloration is greatest and blend up from there. Voila!  Pretty, fresh appearance!

*Did you know that  adding under eye concealer adds 10 hours of sleep to your appearance? Yep! That's why I wouldn't leave home without it.
Try my Creme Foundation Stick for under eye concealing, evening out skin tone and for all over coverage.  It's like 3 products in one!
www.dedrabeauty.com

BEAUTY FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Ok, so heres the thing.  I have a makeup line, dedra.  I tell women everyday how fabulous my line is, because it is.  I love the way it illuminates the skin and highlights ones features.  I love how it evens the skin tone without looking cakey or heavy.  But ultimately, deep in my soul and heart, I DON'T feel that you  NEED makeup.  I think ultimately beauty comes from the inside out.  We are all products of how we are feeling on the inside.  Think about someone that you know that you find beautiful.  What qualities do they have?  I can promise you that what you find beautiful about them is what is resonating inside.  So herein lies the crux.  Taking time every single day to love yourself is paramount.  This is an easier said then done.  Truly taking time to honor and love yourself takes dedication and commitment because for many of us it doesn't come naturally.  For mothers, putting the oxygen mask on before our kids is such a foreign concept but it's one that need to happen for both of you to survive.
Meditating daily on your "awesomeness" helps you to believe that you ARE "awesome."  Because my friends you truly are.  We all are.  Every single one of us is awesome in our own way.  The challenge is believing and owning it!!
So I am making a pact with you.  From this day forward, to show my beauty, I am going to practice believing in my awesomeness.  I hope you can make that pact back to me and together we can grow into the most beautiful people we can be!!

If you'd like to listen to a recent radio program I did with Sharon McWilliams where I tell my story to recognize and realize my inner beauty the link is listed below.
xoxoDD

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/voaradio/2013/10/01/dedra-whitt-from-desperate-to-dedra-beauty

BEAUTY GIRLS AT NYFW S14

So I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, I must say. I have been looking over all the shots of the beauty girls at NYFW S 14,  and the makeup is in par with my aesthetics. It's in my "wheelhouse" so to speak. Clean, natural, beautiful skin. Allowing the natural gorgeousness to shine through!  So happy that many of the designers are celebrating the natural beauty of these women.
You too can celebrate your natural beauty as well.  Using many techniques that I talk about here.

Using exfoliants daily like the Clarisonic brush and mild scrubs like Juliques Purely Age-Defying Refining Treatment keep not only the skin clean but refine pores, reduce fine lines and keep the dead skin from building up allowing the products you use to really get in and work!


Also, drinking tons of water is essential for beautiful skin.  Detoxing daily with water not only hydrates your skin but keeps your insides running smoothly as well.

As far as makeup goes, as I always say, less is more. Pick a feature that you like and highlight it. Focusing on the positive not only keeps your energy in the right direction it helps you look your best.
If eyes are your thing, play them up with a nice complimentary liner or color. If you have beautiful lips adding a color that features them will draw attention to the right place.  To highlight beautiful skin I like to do the reverse. Use minimal amounts of makeup.  There is nothing more beautiful than natural skin tone so if you have beautiful skin use a light tinted moisturizer, like mine, to just even out the tone. My tinted moisturizer also allows the dewiness of natural skin to glow adding a youthful glow to your appearance.

Beauty is as beauty does. Ultimately living your life from a loving place is key and will always allow you to shine from the inside out no matter what your beauty routine may be!

Here are some of my favorite looks from NYFW so far.  All of these looks can be created with dedra anti-aging tinted moisturizer with spf 30, spot with creme foundation stick,  3-in-1 eyes, lip and cheek palette and lash building mascara. They can be found on my website, dedrabeauty.com.

BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO YOU!!

Back to school is often a very emotional time for kids and also for their parents.  On one hand we are so excited to get our lives back again after the long summer days of "what are we going to do today?" On the other hand, there is always that bit of anxiety about whether our kids will have a good experience at school. Especially if your child is moving to a new school.  We hit the ground running as soon as they're on the bus or out the car door.  Cramming in as much "me time" as we possibly can before they return tired, hungry and very needy.  Our "me time" is a blip on the radar of a 24 hour day.  So how can we possibly get everything done in our day and still stay connected to ourselves and stay peaceful?

-Starting the day with a 5 minute meditation is a big key for me to staying grounded. Just creating that intention for the day and connecting to what ever makes you tick is so important in helping you feel better about yourself. 

-Getting ready in the morning can be a mini spa experience. I use coconut oil in my hair and on my body in the shower. Leaving it on for an extra 5 minutes there hydrates my skin and hair and minimizes the amount of products I need to use after. Also, I LOVE masks for the face.  Jurlique makes some wonderful purifying, hydrating and rejuvinating masks that only need to be left on for a few minutes. So as I'm brushing my teeth I apply a mask.  Talk about multi-tasking.

-Lastly, when it comes to beauty you know how I feel.  Less is more.  There is nothing more beautiful than natural beauty. When you can look in the mirror and like what you see-for exactly how you appear, you my friend have arrived!!  That's why I created my makeup line, dedra.  My line is a 5 minute makeup application.  It allows you to look like YOU.  And for us moms on the go, feeling good and looking good in no time sets the stage for a good day for everyone!!

You can see all the products that create my 5 minute makeup application at dedrabeauty.com

MY 3-IN-1, EYES, LIPS AND CHEEK PALETTE!

I am so excited to announce the unveiling of my new 3-in-1 palette.  All three colors work anywhere on the face creating endless combinations of colors and looks. My belief is that beauty is in every woman and sometimes we just need support in believing that.  Bringing that beauty out is my goal with every product in my line.  My intention is never to mask a womans appearance just aid in highlighting it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there is no reason why that can't be you! Be. You.

Eyes, Lips and Cheek Palette
dedrabeauty.com
parabenfree

LAUNCHING OF MY NEW LINE, dedra

I am so excited to announce the launch of my new makeup line, dedra.  I have been working on creating it for over a year and it feels amazing to have it come to fruition.
dedra is designed for women who are on the go, don't know how to apply makeup, or just need the convenience of multi use, simple products.
dedra requires no brushes to apply, just good ol' fingers and it's so easy you could do it in the car(not that I would EVER advise doing makeup in the car!)
The products complete a whole look so there is no need to use anything else. All in a 5 minute application!!
dedra products empower women to look their very best by taking the mystery out of makeup allowing you to....Be. You.
I would love for you to take a look. Just go to www.dedrabeauty.com.
xoxodd

Andrea is wearing Smoke Smudge Pencil, 3-in-1 Kit and Innocence Lip Gloss

TIS THE SEASON!!

Tis the season, to get married.  Right now thousands of newly engaged couples are scrambling to put last minute touches on their upcoming weddings.  With thoughts of the unknown and fears of the what go wrongs, brides are spending sleepless nights checking and double checking their to-do lists.  One thing I have learned from years of working with brides to be is that no matter how many times we check and double check once the day is upon us what is to be will be.  The point is to take each moment in. To enjoy the process of creating this magical day and visualize it to feel the best it will feel. That will ensure that no matter what happens (or doesn't) happen on that day, everyone involved, including the guests, will have the most magical experience possible.  When meeting with possible vendors, see how you vibe with them.  Maybe their prices are different that you envisioned, or their cake doesn't taste quite as you hoped, but if you feel the most comfortable with that person or company, they are the ones! Ultimately on that day, they will create the very best for you, absolutely for sure.
Taking the time to find the simple beauty in all the preparations will guarantee a most simply beautiful wedding day!

Dedra has had the privilege of being a part of so many brides wonderful day.  You can find more of her work on her website simplebeautebydedra.com or on weddingwire.com