beauty blog – Page 6

HOLIDAY BEAUTY RELEASES! BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS!

October 5, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have been excited about the holiday makeup releases since mid summer which seems crazy, but that is when some of the sneak peeks come out! I absolutely love the holiday season and I, obviously, love makeup so putting the two together makes me giddy. Today I wanted to share three beauty and makeup related advent countdown calendars incase you’d like to treat yourself or a friend to a little beauty cheer this holiday season ; ) Speaking of advent calendars, our Elf On the Shelf will be delivering fun ones to each of the kids this year and I am *so* excited about them! Stay tuned to our Daily Vlogs to see those later this season!

L’Occtiane Advent Calendar:

Price: $55

I was excited to see this as an option for those who would like to try a higher end skincare brand. I do wonder if the sizes will be large enough to get a good feel for if you like some of the products, but others like the hand cream and soaps I would think you could definitely get enough of an idea of whether or not you’d like to purchase the full size items. These would also be awesome for traveling if you have an upcoming trip!

Ciaté London Mini Mani Month Nail Polish Set:

Price: $59

I am SWOONING over this one! If you know me then you know that I do not need any more nail polish, but this set is gorgeous! I am swooning over the packaging as well as the colors! I love that you get a great variety of polish colors.

Benefit Cosmetics Girl O’Clock Rock Mini Set:

Price $45

This isn’t quite an advent calendar this year, but you could do “12 Days of Christmas” or just open it the 12 days before Christmas instead of 24. I think this is a great set if you don’t have a lot of Benefit Cosmetics items or maybe for someone who is just starting out with makeup. And Benefit does such adorable holiday packaging!

Have a wonderful weekend loves! Please comment below what you would like to see for the holiday season! Reviews? Gift Guides? Both? Let me know ; ) xx

URBAN DECAY ULTIMATE BASICS PALETTE PREVIEW! HOT OR NOT?

September 12, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! We had a busy but productive weekend, and I woke up feeling ready to tackle this week! There are so many exciting makeup launches happening soon, and I am so excited to share my thoughts on some of the holiday 2016 collections in the very near future, but today I want to dedicate a post to what could be a GAME CHANGER for a lot of you! Urban Decay Cosmetics is known for their neutral eye shadow palettes, and their Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 have been incredibly popular, and now they are launching Naked Ultimate Basics. Do you need it?

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics:

(*Photo Credit to Bustle.com)

The packaging is really pretty, and I love that it is a rose gold color. This palette features 12 brand new matte shades, a mirror, and a dual ended brush. There is one highlight shade that is slightly shimmery, but the rest is matte. The palette does feature both cool tone and warm tone shades.

When Can I Get It?

This palette launches on UrbanDecay.com on September 18th, online on Sephora.com on September 20th, and September 22nd in-stores at Sephora. I have heard that some stores have already put them out, but *officially* they aren’t out yet ; )

Do I Need It?

I won’t lie, I am *really* tempted to pick this up because I think it looks perfect for traveling and for when I want to create looks from just one palette without having to grab from other shadows or palettes in my collection. I love that these shadows allow you to do a neutral lip all the way to a vampy lip. I also have one of the original Urban Decay Naked Basics palettes before they switched the packaging, and it doesn’t open well so the black got ruined so that could be an excuse for me…right?! However, that said, I think if you have a lot of neutral palettes already, especially matte palettes, then no you probably do not need this. The Naked Ultimate Basics palette will retail for $55, and the Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 retail for $29 each, so if you don’t have those already then it might be a great option! I think this is a great palette for beginners, too. It is beautiful packaging, and the eye shadows look gorgeous, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on one in person to see if it’s a “must” for me. I would call this “hot” but I don’t think it is a must for everyone.

Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2:

(*Note: pictured left to right)

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What are your thoughts? Is this on your list? Let me know in the comments! And please subscribe and make my day!! xx

3 Ways To Get Better Skin In A Week!

August 22, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend! Thank you, as always, for taking time out of your busy day to read my blog! It means a lot to me : ) I can *tend* to be a perfectionist (friends and family may be laughing at this “confession” because to them I’m sure it’s obvious!) and have to watch myself so that I don’t fall into an “all or nothing” mindset, and lately I’ve been doing that with skincare. For example, yes I do have a morning and evening skincare routine, but just because I maybe can’t afford a super fancy eye cream, or can get regular facial treatments, doesn’t mean that I should throw in the towel, so to speak. So, today I want to share three very easy ways to really improve the tone, even-ness, and health of your skin.

1. Drink Water!

I know this is an obvious one, but I drink so much water that I can immediately tell if I haven’t had enough water to drink. I really like using a bottle that is large enough to fit 8 servings of water in it. It also makes my lips much more willing to endure drying liquid lipsticks! Don’t drink anything else until you’ve finished the jug of water! I drink a coffee (or three…) each day, but besides that it is almost exclusively water! I will have the occasional glass of wine, and I’ll have a fountain drink when traveling, but otherwise it is only coffee and water. Plus, water has no calories and I much prefer to eat my calories than drink them ; )

2. Do Face Masks!

I recently did a post called “My Favorite Face Masks & How To Use Them” because this simple change has made my skin tone so much better! My skin truly is much more even now that I’ve been doing face masks a couple of times a week. We Daily Vlog (KwapisFamilyTackles on YouTube) and I’ve always vlogged with a bare face occasionally, but I’ve found myself doing it regularly now that I feel better about my skins appearance.

3. Don’t Touch Your Face!

This is so hard! I didn’t realize how much I did this until I made a real effort not to. Also, if you follow me on Snap Chat you have seen that I tend to touch my face / neck while vlogging or Snapping. But, not touching your face really does help keep your face clean!! Just think of all of the things you touch and all of the oils on your hands…not what you want on your face!

I challenge YOU to do this for one week and report back in the comments section telling me if you noticed any changes in your skin! I hope that you do because I think you’ll love how easy it is to make a big difference : ) Please don’t forget to subscribe! xx

HOW TO MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION WORK BEST FOR YOU!

August 15, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! I was talking to a few friends recently about what foundations we had been loving and which we maybe hadn’t been loving as much. I realized that a lot of people (myself included until I really got into the blog and YouTube scene a few years ago) will try a foundation once or just one way before giving it a yes or no verdict. Buying a foundation, especially one you’re really excited about or you’ve heard others rave about, and not having it work can be frustrating! So, today I thought I would share a few quick tips for what to do if you think a foundation isn’t living up to the hype.

TRY A DIFFERENT APPLICATION METHOD:

This is absolutely my biggest tip! I have some foundations that I apply with a makeup sponge like the Beauty Blender, I have others that I know I prefer the look when applied with a stippling brush like the Sigma F50, and others still that I apply with my fingers or other brushes. I have some foundations that I can apply any way and the look turns out pretty much the same, but a few of them I dislike one way but love the finish I get using another way to apply it.

SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE AND SOMETIMES MORE IS MORE:

For some foundations they will look and feel cakey very quickly, so I apply a very small amount. Other foundations are more buildable, so I will apply a small amount and then go back in any areas that still have redness, blemishes, or inperfections that I want to cover.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER?:

Some foundations I love on myself in the dry winter months I absolutely cannot wear in the summer, so if the foundation is an oil-slick on you, for example, in the summer, there is still a chance it could be dewy perfection on you in the winter!

GET SHADE MATCHED:

I need to follow my own advice here, but I consider myself a fairly easy shade match because I am so fair that I can usually get away with buying the lightest shade in a foundation range, but definitely go to Sephora, Ulta, or a cosmetics counter at a department store to get color matched whenever possible! If you can’t go to be color matched in person, websites like Sephora and Ulta do offer very good return policies. Drugstore makeup is tricky because here in the United States you typically cannot open the makeup, so you have to just take your best guess as far as color goes. I will say that some drugstores do have very friendly return polices as well, but be sure to check them before you purchase just incase!

WATCH FOR OXIDIZING:

Oxidizing happens when oxygen mixes with the air and this can cause you foundation to turn orange, flake off, and dry out! Sometimes, because of oxidizing, you need to be careful about the shade that you pick because it may change.

USE NATURAL LIGHTING:

Always use natural lighting whenever possible when applying your foundation! This can be tricky when being shade matched inside a store like Sephora, but you can walk outside to take a peek ; ) If you don’t have good natural lighting where you apply your makeup, get a nice makeup mirror that mimics sunlight.

I hope that you found these tips helpful! Never be afraid to ask for samples, ask questions, or return products that do not work for you! Makeup is expensive, and as long as you’re kind and follow the return policies you are absolutely fine girl! Let me know your tips for testing out new foundations in the comments! I would love to hear them : )

SUNLESS TANNING TIPS TO GIVE YOU A PERFECT APPLICATION EVERY TIME!

August 10, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have very fair skin, and while I’ve learned to embrace the pale these days I didn’t always feel that way! I started getting spray tans in high school, and I still love a great spray tan but those can be extremely pricy! I also will admit to the fact that I have used tanning beds (very minimally but still it makes me cringe!) in the past but haven’t been in one in about 6 years. Even though I’ve embraced my naturally fair skin, I do love how a bit of a tan makes my skin appear a bit more even, my muscles more defined, and overall just a nice healthy glow. And my favorite way to get a little glow going? Without any hesitation, at-home sunless tanning! I have been using sunless tanning products at home for about half my life now, and I have made plenty of sunless tanning mistakes along the way, but now I have some tips up my sleeve that really help me get a natural looking tan every time.

Exfoliate:

Okay, I know you’ve probably heard before that it is important to exfoliate before you tan you skin, but I of course have to throw that in because it is an important first step! I love my Caress Evenly Gorgeous Burnt Brown Sugar & Kartie Butter Exfoliating Wash! The name may be a mouthful, but this stuff smells incredible and works as well as higher end exfoliating products for me.

Skip Shaving:

If you shave you legs in the shower and then get out and immediately apply self tanner the tanner will go into the hair follicles you’ve just opened up and then you will have little dark spots visible all over your legs which isn’t as lovely as the slimming, flaw covering tan you can get if you wait 20 minutes or alternate your shaving and sunless tanning days. I like to shower at night, so I usually will shave one night and then the next night apply sunless tanner and just rotate nights to keep up on both my shaving and my summer glow.

Start Down and Work Up:

This sounds simple, but begin with your feet and legs and work your way up so that you’re not behind over to get your legs and creasing the sunless tanner that you’ve already applied to the rest of your body.

How To Apply To Your Back Without Help:

I LOVE using the St. Tropez Applicator Mitt for reaching hard to get places, like my back, and it also helps to get a nice even application without any awkward zebra stripes! You can also, if you’re reasonably flexible, put a little bit of your sunless tanner onto the front and back side of you hand and reach behind to tackle that challenging middle section of back. I also have been known to use a sunless tanning mist for my back, but I actually prefer lotion (loving the Banana Boat Summer Color right now!) for the rest of my body.

Use a Makeup Sponge or Makeup Brush:

This is my BIGGEST TIP! For years and years I always dreaded the telltale sign of a fake tan that stopped at your wrists, or the awful look of sunless tanner all over your fingers, but now I have finally found a way around it! After I’ve finished tanning the rest of my body and washed my hands throughly (get between those fingers!) I use a stippling makeup brush like the Sigma F50 or a cheap makeup sponge to apply a tiny half-of-a-pea-sized amount of sunless tanner to the tops and sides of my hands, fingers, and wrist! You want just the ever so slight amount to help blend some color onto those areas without having horribly obvious self tanner faux pas. Seriously, this is LIFE CHANGING!!

Fix a Goof:

If you get streaky try using a mix of lemon juice and baking soda for a small streak, and if you get a big orange disaster somewhere like your palms or between your fingers try a whitening toothpaste or a little bit of an acetone based nail polish remover.

I hope that you found this post helpful! If you did please considering sharing it using my share buttons below or hovering over the picture to “pin” it to your Pinterest! Thank you! Have a wonderful weekend!! xx

THE RIGHT WAY TO WEAR LIQUID LIPSTICK! THE BASICS!

August 3, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

On Monday I shared my DIY HONEY ALMOND LIP SCRUB with you and promised that today I would be sharing how to apply liquid lipstick to make it very long wearing and not flaking off the lips.

HOW TO APPLY LIQUID LIPSTICK:

1. Make sure that you have exfoliated your lips before you get started using a lip scrub like this DIY LIP SCRUB. Liquid lipstick is very drying, so you need to be sure to do this step!

2. I like to put a *little* bit of a lip balm like the Tsum Tsum Lip Smackers or the EOS Lip Balms on before applying even matte liquid lipsticks. Don’t slather it on.

3. I suggest lining your lips with a liner that goes with your liquid lipstick, or an anti feathering clear lip liner like Too Faced Borderline or Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in OZone. If you choose to use a color that goes with your liquid lipstick, you can also fill in your entire lip lightly to help the liquid lipstick have a nice color base.

4. Make sure to get any excess lipstick off of the applicator by wiping it against the top of the tube before you begin applying it on your lips.

5. Apply a THIN layer, I’m talking as thin as possible, of liquid lipstick onto your lips. For most matte liquid lipsticks one thin layer is all you need, but if using a metallic shade you may need to do a second layer once the first layer has dried. Do not put on a thick layer or layer after layer thinking that this will help you lipstick to stay on or last longer because it will not! Putting on too much liquid lipstick will make it begin to flake off and therefore look patchy!!

6. I try to wear my liquid lipstick until about lunchtime and then reapply after lunch and that second application usually lasts the rest of the day. Certain foods or drinks, like an oily salad dressing, can break down the liquid lipstick and cause it to come off faster.

7. If you like use a gloss that can be put over the liquid lipstick to make it look nice when it does start to go south after several hours of wear! I have some liquid lipsticks that I can truly wear most of the day, and others that aren’t as long wearing but still wear longer than traditional lipsticks.

LIQUID LIPSTICKS I LOVE (a few of many!):

(*Note: left to right)

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Como

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick in Feelin’ Myself

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sarafine

LIQUID LIPSTICK SWATCHES WET:

LIQUID LIPSTICK SWATCHES DRY:

I hope that you enjoyed this post! If you did please share it using my social media links at the bottom of this post! Have a wonderful day!! xx

HOW & WHY TO USE AN EYESHADOW PRIMER OR BASE

July 25, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you’re having a wonderful start to your week! For years I didn’t prime my eyes or even know what it meant to prime my eyes before applying eye shadow, but now it’s an essential part of my routine that I want to share with you incase you are skipping this step of your makeup routine.

WHAT IS AN EYE SHADOW PRIMER?

An eye primer, like Too Faced Shadow Insurance, is used to prep your eye before you apply your eyeshadow. An eye primer gives you a smooth surface before you apply eyeshadow, and also help prevent the natural oils in your skin from breaking down your eyeshadow during the day. Primers also neutralize any discoloration on your lids which helps eyeshadow colors to appear very pigmented when applied. Primers also help make your eyeshadow easier to blend, which is a huge benefit!

WHAT IS AN EYE SHADOW BASE?

Primers help for your eyeshadows to appear more intense and pigmented. An eye shadow base can be many different things, but the general term means something that is a little moist or sticky that helps the shadow stick to your eye. A base does not always help with creasing like a primer does, but a lot of things that can be used as a base, such as a M.A.C Paint Pot or Maybelline Color Tattoo, can also be used as a primer for an easy 2-in-1.

HOW TO USE THEM:

I always use an eye shadow primer of some kind, but often when I’m hurrying I use something that can perform as both a primer and a base. I also will sometimes use only a base, such as the Maybelline Color Tattoos! I actually was wearing a Maybelline Color Tattoo with nothing else on top on my eyes the morning my youngest son, Logan, was born and it lasted all though labor and from the day before…good stuff, huh?

SOME OF MY FAVORITES:

My favorite primer is the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, but I also like the Urban Decay Primer Potion. You can often get these primers in a deluxe sample size with holiday sets or other kits which is great because a little tiny bit goes a long way and they last forever!

My favorite eye shadow base products are the Maybelline Color Tattoos (there is also a stick form available!) and the M.A.C Paint Pots.

I hope that you found this helpful! As always, please let me know if you have any questions! Also, feel free to share this on social media using the easy share buttons at the bottom of each post : ) xx

HIGHLIGHTER 101: HOW TO HIGHLIGHT SIMPLY IN A HIGHLIGHT HEAVY MAKEUP WORLD! EASY STEPS!

July 11, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Highlighting, contouring, strobing, baking, and color correcting are all makeup terms that you may hear a lot right now because there is a huge trend of strong contours and BAM highlighting. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love to contour and highlight, but I feel like it can be very intimidating to see a YouTube video with 10 steps or a Pinterest picture with tiger stripes all over a face diagram. So, today I want to share the exact products you can use and what you can do to get a subtle, beautiful highlight for summer. If you’d like something similar for color correcting, baking, or contouring please let me know in the comments : )

HIGHLIGHTER 101:

What You’ll Need:

highlighter101-leahtackles-highlightingmakeupmadeeasy.jpeg

First you will need a highlighter of your choice, I prefer powder highlight most days and suggest that for when you’re first starting out. I love Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder Highlighters like Champagne Pop, but you can also get a beautifully look much cheaper using Reserve Your Cabana from Wet n’ Wild.

You will also need a brush to apply your highlighter! I like to use a tapered highligher brush like the Sigma F35 but any dome or tear dropped shaped similar brush will work just fine. You can also use a fan brush for highlighting, and these often come in brush kits so you may have a few laying around.

What To Do:

After you have applied your blush and bronzer (if you choose to wear them) and set any foundation or concealer that you are wearing you want to put your brush into your powder highlighter and tap off the excess. Then from your cheek bone (usually about an inch below the outer part of your eye) up to the outer edge of your eyebrow you want to *lightly* apply the highlighter in a crescent moon shape. Be sure to blend this in with the brush so that it isn’t a harsh line of product. Ta-da! You are beautifully sun kissed! If you want to get extra fancy, you can apply a bit to the cupids bow above your top lip, or down the center of your nose.

I hope that you enjoyed this post! If you would like a more detailed post on highlighting let me know! I hope that you’ve found this helpful! You can “Pin” this onto your Pinterest (just hover over any picture or use the share buttons on the bottom if this post!) or share if on social media! Have a wonderful start to you week! xx

CURRENT FOUNDATION OBSESSION (DRUGSTORE)

June 29, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope you are having a wonderful week so far! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog : ) If you are new, hi! I am Leah and I hope you’ll subscribe to be notified whenever I post something new!

I have a few favorite drugstore foundations, but I have one that I recently rediscovered and have been wearing almost daily. I told you last week I’ve been shopping my own stash and it really is a great way to use what you already have. You can read that Shop My Own Stash! Makeup Challenge post here : )

About My Skin:

I have combo/oily skin with larger pores (usually large pores and oil go hand-in-hand! woo hoo?!)

Covergirl Ready, Set, Gorgeous Fresh Complexion Oil-Free Foundation in 105 Classic Ivory:

covergirl-readysetgorgorgeous-classicivory-leahtackles.jpeg

This is a drugstore foundation that I picked up some time ago when it first came out. I liked this foundation but didn’t use it too much when I first purchased it, but now I am LOVING it and definitely picking up another when this one runs out. This foundation has coverage that you can build up from medium to fuller coverage. I like that it’s oil free and even though it’s fairly full coverage it doesn’t feel cakey on my skin. And probably the biggest pro for me is that it keeps me matte a lot longer than most foundations, so I don’t feel like I have to blot constantly or cake on the powder. I don’t want a foundation that feels heavy or like it will melt off my face if I go outside in the summer, and this one blends into the skin beautiful but still gives me the coverage I want. I also am a big fan of the squeeze tube because you can get every last bit out of it.

What is your go to foundation right now? I am still on the hunt for the perfect summer BB cream for my combo/oily skin! I want to try the Rimmel Matte BB Cream because I’ve heard good things : ) If you have a favorite, let me know that too!

SHOP MY OWN STASH! MAKEUP CHALLENGE!

June 22, 2016 & 1 Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

If you’re a regular LeahTackles reader or if you watch my YouTube videos, then I don’t even have to say that I own and buy A LOT of makeup! But, lately I’ve been trying to use some of the makeup that I haven’t been giving as much love to lately. It’s fun to rediscover old favorites, or try out things that you might have not given a big chance to when you first used it. I would like to challenge you to dig through your makeup and pull out some of the gems that you already own!! If you really don’t like something, or if it’s really old you can always de-stash it or if it’s in good condition pass it on to a friend.

SHOPPING MY STASH!

Too Faced Love Palette:

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I actually did a blog post on the Too Faced Love Palette when it first came out about a year ago and I was OBSESSED with this for weeks! Not only is this a beautiful palette, but I can do full on five color look with it if I want to or I can use just one or two shadows for a super fast look that still looks like I really tried. This palette is definitely a shimmery palette, so you may want to use some mattes along with it, because it really only has a couple of matte shades. However, I do find that I can get looks that I love without having to use any other eye shadows. Because these eye shadows are shimmery, there is fallout and kickback when you put your brush into some of the shades, but they blend beautifully and the pigmentation is excellent. What I love the most about this palette is that the 15 shadows are separated into three sections of five eye shadows each, so it’s not intimidating to put together a look. I also think it’s a great way to enjoy some shimmery eye shadows without having to jump between a bunch of single shadows or palettes to have what you want. This palette also has adorable packaging and comes with example step-by-step look ideas. The palette comes with a full size of the Perfect Eyes Water proof eyeliner. The Perfect Eyes liner is very creamy and comfortable to wear so I find myself reaching for it quite often, but definitely NOT water proof and doesn’t last that long on my waterline. This palette is GORGEOUS for a date night or evening look, and looks stunning in low lighting (i.e: candlelight!) so the “Love” name definitely suits this beauty. This retails for $49 and it’s one of my more unique palettes that I don’t have anything else like it.

If you try this challenge out, let me know what you find and if you rekindle an old makeup love flame or find something new ; ) Have a wonderful weekend!

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