Leah Tackles

DO PORE STRIPS REALLY WORK?

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

Did you have a good weekend? Did you celebrate Halloween? Carve a pumpkin? Let me know!

 

 

 

I remember being fascinating when pore strips first released but always being disappointed because they didn’t seem to work for me (if you’re thinking it is because I had perfect skin, think again). However, after the pore strip wizards had more time to perfect the strips (or so it seemed), I started using them on a semi-regular basis because peeling them off is just oh-so-satisfying.

How Do Pore Strips Work?

The strip paper almost fabric like strip is made of a non-soluble woven substrate  On the side that you put against your wet nose there is a polymer that is supposed to attach to the oil plugs in your pores. The water actives the oil-grabbing polymers and while drying the polymers work to attach to the outer most layer of the skin.

Do Pore Strips Really Remove Blackheads?

I am sorry to have to burst your blackhead, but unfortunately, that glorious, disgusting gunk you’re peeling off is not what you think it is. The name for the little dots on your nose you’re trying to get rid of is keritotic plugs. Keritotic plugs are dead skin cells, dirt, hair, and oil. Blackheads are a type of keratotic plug that is oxidized sebum blocked in your pores, but they live deep down on your skin. Have you ever done a pore strip and seen a ton of gunk on the strip, but also seen a lot of blackheads remaining on your nose? Yeah, me too.  Pore strips can remove the upper portions of dirt and oil, but they’re not going deep enough to de-clog blackheads a.k.a oxidized sebum.

But Will It Hurt To Continue Using Them?

If you do these occasionally because they make your skin feel smoother or you love the satisfying feeling that is fine. Should you do them often? Probably not because your skin actually NEEDS oil to maintain a healthy lipid barrier (that is why I love face oils like this one) and block out external influences that can lead to breakouts, wrinkles, and other skin issues.

What Should I Use Instead?

Getting microdermabrasion done at a medical spa, or at home using a PMD (my personal FAVORITE!) can help to keep your pores clear and can also help minimize your pores. I also like using an exfoliator (I mentioned the Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion exfoliator here) to help keep my pores clear of gunk and to stop new blackheads from forming. You can also get a professional extraction done, but please don’t do that yourself!

Final Thoughts

So, will you quit using these? I, possibly surprisingly, will not stop buying them, but I will limit the use and be sure to continue to use my favorite facial oils to keep my skin at a healthy oil balance.

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Are you surprised by this? Did I ruin your skin ritual? If you found it helpful, please use one of the social media sharing buttons on the bottom of this post! xx

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HOW TO USE HAIR OILS EFFECTIVELY | TIPS FOR HEALTHY AND SHINY HAIR

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a great week : )

For years if you mentioned hair oil to me I would think, “Not me! Not my hair!” because I get oily on my scalp and didn’t want my fine, straight hair weighed down with oil. I finally caved and gave oils a try to see what all the hype was about, and today I want to break down the basics in case you are also wary of hair oils.

Why You Should Use Hair Oils

Oils are a sealant which is a dream for split ends or fragile hair that is near breaking, oils are a heat protectant, and oils give you hair fantastic shine. Oils contain fatty acids, and those are great for helping prevent breakage. Oil also helps when you are trying to comb through your hair as a natural detangler.

About My Hair

I have a lot of hair, but my hair is very fine and very straight. I definitely suffer from dry ends, split ends, and breakage at the ends. My hair is color treated with a scalp that tends to be oily. I generally wash my hair every other day, but sometimes go two days without washing.

What Type Of Oil Should I Buy?

Argan oils help make your hair shiny and healthy, coconut oil is a fantastic conditioner, jojoba oil is a great lubricant for hair, and baobab oil nourish the hair follicle to strengthen and support elasticity.

How To Use Hair Oils

Begin with one pump or drop of an oil (about a 1/2 a teaspoon if you’re using coconut oil straight from the jar) and work it into the ends working your hair up. I do not use the oil past the top of my ears because the natural oils from your scalp condition that area with oil naturally.

My Favorites

 

Have you tried hair oils? What are your favorites? I would love to hear from YOU! xx

 

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HOW TO PACK JEWELRY WITHOUT TANGLING

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend : )

 

 

When I travel for an overnight trip, depending on the occasion, I typically don’t pack a lot of jewelry, but for longer trips, I like to have options depending on my mood and wardrobe, so I love having jewelry rolls to safely pack in in my suitcase.

My mom got me a McKenna Leather Travel Jewelry Portfolio from Pottery Barn shortly before my wedding, and I use that for most of my trips because it is slim, very functional, and has remained in fantastic condition for years. I also have a red jewelry roll from Gorjana Griffin that I received in a Pop Sugar Must Have Box years ago use as well, depending on the jewelry I am packing, because it is set up differently with more pockets than the Pottery Barn jewelry roll.

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Do you have a jewelry roll or a similar item for traveling with jewelry? How do you prevent your jewelry from tangling while traveling? I would love for you to comment to let me know : ) Have a great day! xx

 

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IS IT BAD TO SLEEP IN MAKEUP?

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

How are you doing today? Let me know in the comments and tell me one thing you’re excited or happy about right now! It can be anything, I am happy because my middle little love, Connor, had an amazing time on his first ever field trip and I got to tag along : )

Now, today I want to chat with you about something that I am sure we all can agree we know is probably not very good for our skin, but we have all been guilty of doing. Is sleeping in your makeup really bad? Why is sleeping in your makeup bad?

 

 

It Causes More Free Radical Exposure 

Sleeping in your makeup can leave your skin vulnerable to unnecessary free radical exposure. What are free radicals? We have all heard of them, but what ARE they? Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd number of electrons (which means they have no pair) and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals could start a chain reaction. You know how antioxidants are so good for you and “antioxidant” is a hyped up word on foods and skincare? That is because antioxidants can help combat these free radicals. Phew, you didn’t think this would be a science class, huh?

 

What About Sleeping In Eye Makeup Only? 

Sleeping in your eye makeup wouldn’t hurt though, right? Sleeping in mascara, eyeliner, or eye shadow can irritate your eyes and cause itchy, watery, or red eyes.  Sleeping in your eye makeup probably wouldn’t cause issues if you did it once or twice, but if it becomes a habit it could lead to infections called styes because the oil glands and hair follicles could clog.

 

Breakouts?

Sleeping in makeup, especially foundation and primers, can also clog your pores which can lead to bacteria that causes acne.

 

Wrinkles? 

This is the biggy for me now that I’m in what I affectionately call “The 30 Club”. Sleeping in your makeup causes free radicals to remain on your skin, and this can cause collagen breakdown…seriously, I need to put that in caps, COLLAGEN BREAKDOWN, which causes premature fine lines, wrinkles, and aging skin. If that isn’t enough to get your to give your skin a chance to breathe, I don’t know what is.

 

 

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So, do you sleep in makeup? Full disclosure, in college I slept in my makeup a ton, basically anytime I went out (which was a fair amount, sorry mom) and my skin was never better…but now that I’m in my new age demo, I am all about the makeup remover life, and never skip my nighttime skincare routine.

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend!! xx

 

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MONOGRAMMED GIFTS FOR HER | MARLEY LILLY

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that your week is off to a great start so far : )

I am not from the South, but I’ve always had a deep appreciation for monogrammed anything and everything! I recently connected with Marley Lilly and they were so sweet and offered to send me a few goodies to share with you.

  

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Monogrammed Base Ball Hat

Monogrammed Stainless Steel Vacuum Bottle

Monogrammed Tassel Key Fob

Are you into the monogrammed look? I would slap a monogram on nearly anything! I think it is such a cute way to personalize and make every day things extra special.

Thank you, as always, for reading! xx

 

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HOW-TO STYLE MENS HAIR | CLASSIC COMB OVER SIDE PART 2017

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

 

We made it to the middle of the week! Thank you for being here : )

 

 

 

American Crew Fiber

My husband has had several hairstyles since we have been together, but my favorite is his current look which you can see different variations of on men everywhere (including basically the entire cast of The Bachelor franchise). Comb-Over makes me think of a balding man trying to hide it, but in fact the comb-over style is such a handsome look. When he first got his haircut with side part comb-over look we realized we needed a new hair product and his barber suggest Fiber by American Crew. My husband, Stephan, loves the way a little goes a long way, his hair never looks wet or feels sticky, and it stays all day long. I love the way it smells, it isn’t an overpowering fragrance but has that straight from the barber or salon scent that I love.

The Look

 

 

How-To Archive the Side-Part Comb Over Style

Begin with clean hair and use a blow dryer to add volume if you’re doing this look with wet hair. Use a pea size amount of Fiber by American Crew and focus the product at the root and work your way from the back of the head front. To get the perfect side part use a comb starting at the back of your head working front to your forehead. Depending on your hair and preferences, sometimes a less “done” part can look better, so in that case, simply find your natural part with a comb and rock that.

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Thank you so much for reading! I hope that you found this helpful, and if you did please use my buttons to share on social!! xx

 

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HOW-TO DO A CUTE MESSY BUN | FEATURING KITSCH

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

 

 

I shared How-To Do a Cute Messy Bun a few months ago, and that is still a hairstyle that I wear frequently, but I recently started accessorizing the look.

The Look

My Routine

I do the same routine as I shared in this post and then add the final step by pushing the comb into the front of the bun. I also love the way this looks with a top knot or sock bun look.

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Kitsch Beyond the Stars Bun Comb 

 

Have you tried bun combs or hair combs? Do you like hair accessories? Let me know in the comments! xx

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TONE BRAZILIAN GLAM BODY WASH | BEST DRUGSTORE BODY WASH

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

 

I hope that you’re having a wonderful week! Thank you, as always, for reading my blog!

 

TONE BRAZILIAN GLAM BODY WASH

 

 

What It Claims

Infused with Brazil Nut Oil, this moisturizing formula will make your skin feel smooth, and look beautiful.

My Thoughts

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know my all-time-favorite body wash is the Caress Evenly Gorgeous Body Wash Burnt Brown Sugar and Karite Butter but the bright packaging of the Tone Brazilian Glam Body Wash caught my eye at the grocery store (good job, Tone!) so I decided to give it a try. I am IN-LOVE with the scent! It has a tropical scent that is really pleasant, and I even noticed it lingering on my skin after I was out of the shower, which gives it bonus points for me. This lathers easily, and does feel moisturizing on the skin. I will continue to buy this product when I want a shower gel or body wash, but when I want an exfoliating body wash I will stick with my tried and true Caress Evenly Gorgeous.

My Routine

I wet my loofah and add a quarter sized amount (a little of this body wash goes a long way) of the Tone Brazilian Glam Body Wash. I start with my legs and work my way up.

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Have you tried any of the Tone body washes? Do you have a favorite body wash from the drugstore? Do you have a favorite drugstore shower essential that you can share? I would LOVE to hear from you in the comments of this post : )

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THE BEST FACE SUNLESS TANNER | TANCEUTICALS REVIEW

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! I got to spend a night away with my hubs, and it was oh so needed! We missed our Little Loves, but getting away was such a treat!

 

TANCEUTICALS Sunless Tanner For Your Face

 

What It Claims

The long-lasting formula will give you a beautifully tanned face without harmful tanning beds. The revolutionary formula will not give you that dreaded orange color.This facial sunless tanner is infused with cosmeceuticals like rose hip, shea butter and, vitamin E to moisturize and firm your skin. This sunless tanner does not have that dreaded sunless tanner smell. Tanceuticals will help fight aging skin, and moisturize dry skin.

My Thoughts

I have been wearing a lot less makeup the past few weeks because the business of fall schedules has caused me to have some breakouts, plus I’ve had less time in the mornings. I really like using this sunless tanner because when I wear less makeup, I like to have a bit more color on my very fair skin. I like that this is a noncomedogenic product, but when I have a large blemish I avoid this (*Note: I also skip my night oil if I have a large blemish). If I don’t have any large blemishes, but just a few small breakouts, I will still use this and love that it helps even the tone of my skin.

My Routine

I like this once or twice a week to give me a little boost in color, and if I want to oomph up the glow I will apply it multiple days in a row.

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Have you tried Tanceuticals? What is your favorite sunless tanner? Do you use sunless tanner regularly?

 

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THE BEST LASH GLUE STRIP LASH ADHESIVE | DRUGSTORE FAVORITE!

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

We made it to Wednesday! I hope that your week is fantastic so far : )

 

In my post How To Apply False Lashes, I mentioned that I do not wear false lashes every day, but do enjoy wearing them while filming certain videos and for special events. I shared in that post that my favorite lash glue was the Revlon Precision Lash Glue and while I love that glue I have noticed it can be harder to find. I stumbled on the Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive and was so excited to find another lash glue with a brush applicator. The Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive is formaldehyde free, latex free, and contains soothing aloe.

My Routine

I use my Kiss Strip Lash Adhesive the same way I mentioned using my lash glue in this post.

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Do you ever wear false lashes? What is your favorite brand of false lashes? If you don’t wear false lashes, do they intimidate you? Do you have a favorite false lash glue? Do you use individual lashes? Do you use lash growth serum? Do you get lash extensions? I would love to hear about your lashes in the comments ; ) Have a wonderful weekend! xx

 

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