Leah Tackles

DOES THE SPF IN MAKEUP WORK? READ THIS BEFORE YOU HEAD OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER!

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

Summer is right around the corner and as you’re shopping for your summer essentials SPF should definitely be on that list. Now, I love a great multitasking beauty product as much as the next gal, but what about sunscreens? You see SPF listed on lotions, makeup setting sprays, lip balms, and of course, sunscreen lotions themselves on the shelves but which do you need? Can you get away with using just a foundation with SPF and calling it good? Let’s take a look…

 

 

 

SPF: THE BASICS

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN FOLLOWING SPF (i.e SPF 15 vs. SPF 50)

Say that your skin normally begins to burn after 10 minutes in full sun without any protection (definitely my situation as a very fair skin toned lady) if you use 30 SPF sunscreen that would provide 30 times the protection of using no sunscreen. In other words, 30 times longer before you start to burn, or 300 minutes.

WHAT ARE UVA and UVB RAYS?

UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis which is the skin’s thickest layer. Exposure of unprotected skin to UVA rays can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling, and even suppression of the immune system! UVB rays will usually burn the superficial layers of your skin and plays a major role in the development of skin cancer.

IS SUNSCREEN IN MAKEUP ENOUGH? WHAT SHOULD YOU SLATHER ON BEFORE HEADING OUT?

Sunscreen is added to so many products these days, and in my opinion that is a great thing because we need all the protection we can get from the harmful rays. Foundation with sunscreen is definitely a great added bit of security, but unfortunately you would need to use as much as SEVEN times the regular amount of liquid foundation you normally would to get the SPF protection stated on the package and about 14 times the normal amount of a powder makeup product, so don’t use this as your only shield from Mr. Sun.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I REAPPLY? 

I know that reapplying is a huge pain, and applying BEFORE you actually hit the beach is also hard to manage, but here is what you should aim for in a perfect #sunscreengoals world; Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to completely mind with your skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is as important as that initial application, and should be done every two hours!

MY ROUTINE

I use a moisturizer with SPF in it such as the Estée Lauder DayWear SPF 25 after cleansing and toning my face each morning. I then apply my foundation, a recent favorite is the Tarte BB Treatment with SPF 30 (read my thoughts on it here). On days when I am planning to be spending significant time outside I like to finish with a setting spray with SPF like the SuperGoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 50 . Because my skin is combo/oily I do need to touch up quite often anyways, let alone in the summer heat, so I go minimal with my makeup when I will be outside and use Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Powder SPF 30 which is MUST-HAVE for me! Both my husband and I used this at Walt Disney World and it’s perfect because it controls oil and adds back some protection as the day goes on. For my body I use an SPF 50 spray or lotion such as the Sun Bum SPF 50 Continuous Spray Sunscreen.

SHOP

 

 

Thank you, as always, for watching this post! Please share this, it helps me out and I think this post is so important with summer coming (hopefully) fast! xx

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MOTHER’S DAY BEAUTY GIFT GUIDE FOR ANY AGE! | + GIVEAWAY AND GIFT CODE FROM SMILE BRILLIANT!

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

May is here and that means Mother’s Day is RIGHT around the corner! Don’t panic- this gift guide has beauty items for the mom in your life! I curated these products because I think they are thoughtful items that show you’ve taken time to select something special instead of grabbing something at the very last minute.

 

 

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System 

 

 

This is an item that I personally use and love. I have very sensitive teeth but was able to use the Smile Brilliant kit with no issues! You can read about whitening sensitive teeth here.  I have teamed up with Smile Brilliant again for this blog post, but as always all opinions are my own. I will never accept money or products in exchange for a positive review. I am excited to offer you the opportunity to enter a giveaway and get a gift code. You can read other reviews of Smile Brilliant kits here.

Coupon Code

Save $50 off this amazing kit with the coupon code LeahTackles50 (expires 7/17/17)

Giveaway and Free Gift Code

Use this link to enter the giveaway and you will get a $25 gift code for entering! Visit my LeahTackles Instagram to see a short video, enter my giveaway, and get my gift code link!

Here is my YouTube video sharing my results with Smile Brilliant

Sunday Riley Power Couple

 

 

I shared my review of this set here and I still absolutely adore it! I actually recently re-purchased the Luna Sleeping Night Oil because I love it so much!

Elizabeth and James  Find Your Nirvana Roller Ball Set

 

 

I love the Elizabeth and James fragrances, but they’re pricy, and this is a great way to get to try them at an affordable price. I like having the rollerballs for my purse and travel.

Benefit Cosmetics Sunday My Prince Will Come Easy Weekender Kit

 

 

This packaging is so adorable, and all of the products inside are great makeup basics that can work for any age which makes this a fantastic gift.

If you liked this post, please share it to help out people who may still have some Mother’s Day shopping to do! If you’re a mama, Happy Early Mother’s Day! Don’t forget to subscribe! xx

 


Teeth Whitening

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NATURAL SUMMER MAKEUP WITH SPF FOR COMBO/OILY SKIN!

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! If you read this blog regularly, then you know that I’ve been trying out some makeup items to try to come up with some new favorites for easy, natural, summer makeup that can easily be worn for that “No-Makeup Makeup” look that I like to rock when the weather is warm.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen

 

 

The Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer is a  12-hour prime that also helps hydrate, correct and protect skin while giving light-to-medium coverage. The oil-free formula offers chemical-free sunscreen protection and can be worn as a primer or as a natural, light BB cream. This product contrains Tarte’s  triple-B complex which is a proprietary blend of natural diamonds, plants and lipoamino acids. This product claims to help even the skin tone, minimize the appearance of fine lines, and pores. This product also claims to make the skin more luminous.

Why I Love It

This works beautifully on my combo/oily skin and while it worked well without any primer, I prefer to use a little of my favorite primer (this one) on my nose and then apply this all over my face. I like using this for a very light feeling and looking makeup, and can build this up to a medium coverage.

My Routine

I apply a bit of primer and then apply this with my fingers pushing up gently to blend it into the skin (*Tip: Never tug you skin down when applying skincare or makeup!) I have also used this with a foundation brush (this one) and Beauty Blender. I set my face lightly with a loose setting powder (my favorite is this one) but it can also be worn with a powder foundation for a bit more coverage. Having the broad spectrum SPF is such a great way to ensure that when I’ll be spending a lot of time outside that my face is protected from those rays!

 

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Do you have a favorite BB cream? Let me know in the comments! Thank you, as always, for reading! xx

 

Watch my Sephora VIB Sale Haul to see the Tarte BB Cream from this post and other new goodies!

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Lancome Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick | The Perfect Summer Lip?

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! We celebrated our Biggest Little Love, Hailey, by throwing her a pool party with a mermaid as the special guest! You can see pictures on my Instagram accounts here and here.

Sephora is currently having their VIB Spring Sale and I received my order (a haul video is coming soon!) and have already found a stand-out favorite that I think will become my perfect summer lip for summer 2017.

 

Lancome Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick in 272 Energy In Peach

 

 

First, let’s talk color; this stunning peachy nude is highly pigmented and is subtle enough for most people to feel comfortable rocking, and gives a beautiful, youthful color to the lips. The Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick line has seven shades in the range so far, and I am hoping that they continue to add more. If you’re familiar with the Lancome Juicy Shaker Pigment Infused BI-Phased Lip Oil then this applicator foam numb is the same and the packaging looks the same, but on the new matte shaker the cap is matte black instead of metallic silver. The liquid lipstick has a very thin, light feel that feels like you have nothing on your lips, the claims say “second skin” which I would have to agree with! It is pretty impressive to get that color payoff for something that doesn’t feel like lipstick at all. I do find that I have to reapply this more often than other liquid lipsticks, but still get decent wear off of it. The applicator takes a bit of getting used to, but I didn’t have any problems applying it to my lips. You can use multiple shades to create a gradient effect with these, but I haven’t gotten that fancy with them yet. I have worn this without a lip liner and have not had major issues with the color bleeding, but a lip liner would probably be best as with most liquid lipsticks. *Tip: Be sure to shake up the product like the name suggests before applying.

I think this product along with a little concealer and bronzer will be my go-to “no-makeup” summer look! Have you tried this? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! Please don’t forget to subscribe : ) xx

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LET’S GET PERSONAL: HOW-TO PREVENT “BOOB SWEAT” THIS SUMMER!

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week so far! Today the title really lays out there what I am going to be tackling today, so let’s get started!

The weather has been slowly warming up here, and I know that summer will (hopefully!) be here before I know it. I like to be outside as much as possible in the summer, and I also workout, so sweating between or under my breasts is something I deal with, even with my smaller frame and average sized chest. I think all women can relate to some kind of “boob sweat”, “under boob sweat”, or some kind of perspiration around the bra area.

 

 

What I Use:

I use Summer’s Eve Cleansing Wash in the shower a couple of times a week and when I saw Summer’s Eve Feminine Deordorant Spray I knew I wanted to give it a try. This product is meant for using around the external vaginal area, but it works wonderfully for the chest region as well. This product is talc free, mild clinically tested safe scents, and made to not disrupt natural pH. I love the feeling of spraying these because it is an instant dry feeling that is very refreshing. This spray absorbs moisture and also helps to neutralize odors.

My Routine:

You likely use dry shampoo to freshen up your hair, and I use this in a similar manner to freshen up after being outside, doing a light to moderate activity if showering isn’t an option immediately, and also before I go out if I know I will be out in the heat/possibly sweating for an extended period of time.

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Does this topic make you blush? Be honest, can you relate? Let me know in the comments ; ) Please don’t forget to subscribe! xx

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HAVE YOU BEEN CLEANSING YOUR FACE THE WRONG WAY ALL THIS TIME? | TUTORIAL: THE DOUBLE CLEANSE

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

A few weeks ago, I hit the big 3-0, and in anticipation of that milestone birthday I started researching a lot of skincare. I did two large skincare hauls (videos included at the bottom of this post) and since then have been testing out a lot of products. One of my favorite discoveries that I think everyone should know about is The Double Cleanse: The double cleanse is a Korean beauty technique that starts out with an oil based cleanser followed  by a foaming cleanser because you need two different formulas to completely and effectively cleanse your face.

What Does Oil Based Cleansing Do?

Gently draws out oil-based debris like makeup, S.P.F, and other pollutants.

Why Can’t I Just Use One Cleanser?

Water-based cleansers aren’t capable of removing oil-based debris because oil and water do not mix.
You are not doing any favors to your skin by not properly removing your makeup and oil-based debris on your skin, and this can cause breakouts. And when you only harsh cleansers they will strip your face of natural oils, and your skin will try to over compensate being dry (yes, even if you’re oily or combo skin and don’t seem dry!) by producing more oil.

My Routine

I use the Skin Fix Oil Based Cleanser and rub it onto my skin in gentle, circular motions before adding water. After I add the water I gentling rub it into my skin again to emulsify the product. Then I rinse the product off. The “oil” part of this made my combo/oily skin self nervous at first, but oil based cleansers are actually gentle and do wonderful things for oily or acne prone skin.

What Does Water Based Cleansing Do?

Gently draws out water-based debris such as sweat and dirt.

My Routine

After the oil cleanser is thoroughly rinsed off,  I use my Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam, with gentle upward circular motions and then rinse it off. I like to pat dry with a Kleenex Hand Towel or a clean washcloth (*Tip: Change out your washcloths daily to ensure that you keep your skin clear!)

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Have you tried any of the Korean beauty products? I would love to hear about them in the comments!

 

 

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BENEFIT GALIFORNIA BOXED BLUSH | YAY OR NAY?

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week so far! With summer right around the corner (at least this Michigan gal hopes it is right around the corner!) I thought it would be fun to try the *new* boxed blush from Benefit Cosmetics and share my thoughts with you.

 

Benefit Galifornia 

 

 

First Impression:

How gorgeous is this brush? It is definitely a super cute name and adorable packaging as I’ve come to expect from Benefit. The cardboard box is sturdy, has a nice sized mirror, and does come with a brush but I do not use the brush it comes with unless I’m in a pinch without my other blush brushes. This blush smells amazing, and reminds me of fresh peaches and summer picnic!  The  gorgeous blush with the gold glimmering sun is absolutely Instagram worthy. The glittery sun is stunning, but unfortunately is just an overspray on top so once you’ve swatched it that does go away, however the gold hints are in the actual blush.

 

 

Why I Love It:

This is a super pigmented shade that would work well on even very deep skin tones, is absolutely perfect for spring and summer, and even my very fair skin can wear it but do use a light hand if you’re very fair. I think this gives a healthy glow and just the right bit of shimmer.

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Will you be picking up this beauty? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to enter my beauty giveaway on my YouTube channel, too ; )

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HOW TO PRIME AND TREAT OILY SKIN BEFORE MAKEUP | FEATURING BENEFIT COSMETICS

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have combo/oily skin, and my t-zone, my nose especially, tends to get very oily. One product that I’ve spoken about before is Milk of Magnesia which I do still like for special, all-day occasions, but as detailed in this post, the magnesium carbonate effectively break down wax esters which helps to degrease your skin but it has a high PH level. Because I do not use Milk of Magnesia daily, I am always on the hunt for ways to safely combat the oil.

 

Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Line

Benefit Cosmetics the POREfessional Matte Rescue

This product intrigued me right away when it came out, but it took me a little bit of time to determine if I thought it made a significant different in helping me stay matte. This claims to keep your skin matte and to help minimize your pores. This should be used after cleansing and moisturizing. I have been using this product daily for several months now, and as an experiment skipped a day and definitely noticed that my skin was not only shiny faster, but my makeup didn’t stay as fresh looking for as long.

 

Benefit Cosmetics the POREfessional 

This has been a long time favorite product of mine and I always repurchase this primer. This product claims to minimize the appearance of pores, smooth fine lines, and help your makeup stay put, and for me this is absolutely true!

 

 

My Routine

After I cleanse and moisturize my skin I give my moisturizer a couple of minutes to skin in and then I apply Benefit the POREfessional Matte Rescue as the last step in my morning skincare routine. After the POREfessional Matte Rescue has a few minutes to sink into my skin I apply the POREfessional, concentrating on areas where I have large pores, which for me is my nose and the sides of my nose.

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What is your favorite primer? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my Snapchat @LeahTackles to see my makeup, skincare, fashion, food, and family life every day ;  ) xx

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SUNDAY RILEY SKINCARE REVIEW

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a lovely weekend! I recently turned 30, and when my milestone birthday was approaching I made the decision to bump up my skincare. I have heard wonderful things about Sunday Riley, especially in the past year or so, and decided to finally take the plunge and try a little bit of this luxury brand for myself.

SUNDAY RILEY

 

 

ABOUT THE BRAND

Sunday Riley offers revolutionary formulas created to powerfully target treatment that work immediately and continue to work overtime.

GOOD GENES ALL-IN-ONE LACTIC ACID TREATMENT

 

 

Good Genes contains strong, purified grade lactic acid to help immediately exfoliate dull skin, plump fine lines, and with continued use battle hyperpigmentation and signs of aging. *Note: This is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) so please be sure to use proper SPF along with this to protect your skin from those rays!

MY THOUGHTS

Good Genes amazed me because my mild acne scars and other fine lines looked instantly plumped!! I have oily/combo skin and while this does take a couple of minutes to sink in, I didn’t find it to make me any more shiny than usual, and loved how much it brightened my skin.

LUNA SLEEPING NIGHT OIL

 

 

Luna is a retinol oil that boosts your skins plumpness, and improves the appearance of pores, wrinkles, and redness. This oil has german essential oils and blue tansy which help to balance the skin and offer soothing benefits while you sleep.

MY THOUGHTS

I apply Luna at nighttime after cleansing my skin. I absolutely love the bulb style and the blue/green color was a bit surprising at first, but actually makes it really easy to see when I have it rubbed in enough to be effective. This looks and feels so luxurious to use, and I really enjoy the scent but it is a bit strong if you’re very sensitive to smells. I do find that this takes quite a bit of time to soak in, so I try to make sure I have at least 15-20 minutes before I plan to actually crawl into bed because otherwise I would get the oil on my pillow. I once again noticed results right away! The morning after my first time using this I thought my skin looked so much better, more awake and just beautiful! I think this will be a product I continue to use for a very long time.

SHOP

You can purchase these products separately in two different sizes, or in a bundled set which is what I did.

 

 

SUNDAY RILEY GOOD GENES

SUNDAY RILEY LUNA SLEEPING NIGHT OIL

SUNDAY RILEY POWER COUPLE

 

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or “Pin” it to your Pinterest. Thank you for reading! xx

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TOO FACED CHOCOLATE BAR PALETTE FAVORITE SHADOW PAIRINGS, TUTORIAL AND GIVEAWAY

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are all having a fantastic week so far. If you are a Beauty Insider rewards program member with Sephora then you may have seen that Too Faced Cosmetics recently had a 500 Point Perk that featured a mini limited edition palette featuring their Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and three colors from the Chocolate Bar Palette, a deluxe size sample of the Better Than Sex Mascara, and a deluxe size sample of Chocolate Melted Liquified Lipstick in Chocolate Honey.  The Chocolate Bar Palette is one of my favorites, so today I thought it would be fun to share three of my favorite shadow pairings from the palette. Be sure to check out my video at the bottom of this post and watch it on YouTube to see my swatches, tutorial, and to enter the giveaway to win your own set of the 500 Point Perk.

 

Too Faced Cosmetics Chocolate Bar Palette:

Champagne Truffle, Salted Caramel, and Semi-Sweet (the colors included in the 500 Point Perk):

Without Flash:

With Flash:

White Chocolate, Marzipan, and Creme Brulee:

Without Flash:

With Flash:

Champagne Truffle, Milk Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, and Amaretto:

Without Flash:

With Flash:

 

If you have this palette, let me know your favorite shades in the comments section of this post! Thank you so much for reading my blog and supporting me : ) Please subscribe! xx

 

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