Leah Tackles

MY 7 MOST USED DRUGSTORE MAKEUP ITEMS | JANUARY-JUNE 2017

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Hi there! Happy Monday! And, most importantly, HAPPY SEVEN YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to my husband!

Why, oh why, do the weekends always fly by? We had a nice weekend getting odd jobs done around the house and spending time outside when the rain wasn’t coming down. I hope that you had a great weekend and that your week is off to a terrific start! Speaking of time flying, it is already almost July! I can’t believe how fast 2017 is going!  I thought that a post sharing my seven (seven for 2017, get it?) most reached for drugstore makeup items for the year so far would be a good way to show what I truly love and use regularly.

 

 

 

L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation 

This foundation lasts all day without feeling super heavy. I get medium to full coverage with this foundation, and apply it with stippling brush (my favorite is the Sigma F80).

Maybelline 24 Hour Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

These individual eye shadow pots can be applied with your finger and start as a cream feel, but go to a powder finish. I use these alone, and as an eye shadow base. When I went into labor with my youngest I was wearing a Maybelline Color Tattoo, and you can see it in pictures after he was born…so it works ; )

Rimmel Scandaleyes Water Proof Kohl Kajal Liner in Nude

I did an entire blog post on this (read it here) because it is AMAZING! This is my quick-fix for tired eyes.

L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara Primer Base

I also did a blog post featuring this (read it here) and it is now an almost every single day item for me! I love the ooomph this gives my lashes.

Hard Candy Brow Ink in Light Medium 

This is a super tiny brush and works great for me for a natural day when I am not doing anything else to my brows, or as a finishing touch after using a brow pencil or pomade.

EOS Lip Balm

I love using this lip balm at night before bed and each day under my lipstick.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lip Color in Airy Fairy

This is a gorgeous pinky nude color that looks great with any makeup look.

Let’s share the love, tell everyone your favorite drugstore makeup essentials in the comments of this blog post! Thank you for reading! xx

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COPY MY LOOK | SIMPLE SUMMER MAKEUP LOOK

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you enjoyed my Copy My Look Summer 2017 Makeup Look from Monday, because today I want to share another look with you! If you have more makeup or outfit of the day requests, please let me know! Or, if you want to see makeup tutorial or How-To videos, let me know so I can film them for my YouTube channel.

 

 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation in Fair Honey 

EsteE Lauder Double Wear Waterproof Concealer in 1N Extra Light

Too Faced Sweetheart Bronzer in Sweet Tea

Too Faced Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush in Sparkling Bellini 

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eyeshadow in 25 Bad to the Bronze

Urban Decay Single Eyeshadow in Freelove

Too Faced Sketch Marker Liquid Liner in Black 

L’Oreal Voluminous Base 

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Waterproof 

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe

Buxom Gloss in White Russian 

 

Thank you, as always, for reading!

 

LAST CALL TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY! Entering is easy! Head to YouTube to watch this video (click the YouTube button on the video to open in YouTube).

 

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Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy Lip Gloss Review

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! It was a HOT weekend here in Michigan, and I got to enjoy some beach time with one of my very best friends, so it was pretty fantastic on my end ; ) I love lipstick, but sometimes in the summer I want very little makeup and today I want to sharea review of the Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy lip gloss.

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy Lip Gloss

 

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy in Let’s Flamingle

Too Faced Lip Injection Glossy in Angel Kisses

 

Last summer Too Faced Cosmetics launched an updated version of their iconic Lip Injection Gloss, with juicy color plumping lip gloss. These glosses claim to give you color, volume, and softness. These glosses contain natural botanicals, avocado and jojoba oil, to smooth and moisturize your lips.

My Thoughts

I own two of the shades in the six shade range of these glosses.These lip glosses definitely plump the lips and give a very pretty, full look to the lips. When you apply these glosses you do notice a tingling sensation, and that sensation lasts for about thirty minutes for me, the tingling isn’t too bothersome though and not painful in my opinion. These glosses to give a soft wash of color to the lips, but they are definitely not an opaque color, and not as dark as the color on the product packaging. I do not find these glosses to be so tacky or sticky that I won’t wear them, but they definitely are a little sticky so I wouldn’t wear them on a very windy day when I wore my hair down ; ) I do find that the bit of stickiness helps the gloss to last for a long time on the lips, which is nice because you don’t have to reapply constantly. I do not find the stickiness to cause that awful, stringy gloss gunk (you know what I’m talking about, yes?!) when I open and close my mouth, which is of course a good thing. I enjoy these glosses, and think they give a gorgeous plump look that is the perfect finishing touch to a glowy, natural summer look.

 

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What is your favorite lip gloss for summer? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading, and please subscribe if you haven’t already : ) xx

 

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THE FIVE MINUTE MASK | VOLCANIC & EGG WHITE PORE HOT STEAM PACK | SKINFOOD KOREAN SKINCARE

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week so far! If you’re a regular reader of this blog, follow me on Snapchat (@LeahTackles), or if you watch my LeahTackles YouTube Channel, then you know that I am a BIG fan of masks! I try to do masks several times a week, but sometimes it can be hard to find the time to do a 20 minute mask, so I was very excited to try a five minute mask from Skinfood.

Volcanic & Egg White Pore Hot Steam Pack

This is a  clay hot steam pack that contains sulfur and albumin extract that can remove stubborn blackheads and excess oil from the skin. It has two main target ingredients, jeju volcanic ash and amazonian clay. This mask doesn’t have directions in English, so I did have to look up the directions on the Ulta website because I cannot read Korean.
Does It Work?
I really like this mask because it gives me a nice, clean feeling after removing my makeup at the end of the day. I have large pores, and combo/oily skin, and I do notice less excess oil when I use this mask. I don’t know if it has actually reduced the appearance of blackheads, but I definitely feel like my skin  feels cleaned out after using it. I really enjoy it, and will continue to use it.
My Routine
This stuff is thick and has a gritty texture within the clay. The mask does get warm, but that is normal as it is a hot steam mask. Because this mask is so thick in consistency, it isn’t too messy to apply, so you can easily apply this with your fingers or a foundation brush if you prefer. I leave the mask on for five minutes, and then massage the mask into areas where I have large pores and blackheads, before using a warm washcloth to remove the mask.
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Have you tried this mask or other Korean skincare? Let me know in the comments : )

Check Out My Latest YouTube Video 

*Note: Be sure to enter my giveaway, too! The info is on My YouTube Channel!

 

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HOW-TO FIX BRASSY ORANGE BLONDE HAIR!

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

It is Monday again! The weekend always flies by way too fast, but I hope that your Monday is off to a fantastic start!

We have well water at our house, and even with a water softener my blonde hair gets brassy and dry. I have used the Malibu Treatment Packets on and off for years, but I have just recently started using a shampoo and conditioner to really up the protection for my blonde locks.

Malibu Hard Water Wellness Treatment Kit

 

This system comes with a shampoo, conditioner, and four Malibu Treatment packets that help protect against protects your hair against minerals hiding in your hard and well water that can cause discoloration and can also dry your hair out. This kit contains 100% vegan ingredients and removes and prevents discoloration, dryness, damage and dullness.

 

My Routine

I use the shampoo and conditioner once per week and the treatment packet about once every three-to-four weeks. I use the shampoo while I’m washing my body, and then I rinse the shampoo out and squeeze the water out of my hair before applying the conditioner for a longer amount of time while I shave and wash my face. One the days that I am doing a treatment packet I wash my hair with the Malibu shampoo and rinse before doing the treatment packet. To do the packet  I mix a tiny bit of water (about 1 oz.) with the powder in the packet to create a paste which I apply all over my hair, lightly squeezing it into my hair. I let the paste sit on my hair for 5-10 minutes before rinsing and conditioning as normal. If you have the time, you can also wrap a towel around your hair (like the Turbie Twist) and let the treatment stay on even longer.

Does It Work?

The first time I used the shampoo and conditioner I didn’t notice a drastic difference, but I do find that it helps keep the brass at bay when between treatments. I absolutely LOVE the Malibu treatments, but it did take me a bit of time to get the hang of the consistency that works for me, how long to leave it on, and where to focus the product (wherever you have orange or brassy color).

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Have you tried any hair masks or treatments that you love? Let me know in the comments! : )

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AFFORDABLE EYE CREAM THAT WORKS | FEATURING RoC

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you’re as excited as I am to be halfway through the week already!

I have been getting more into skincare lately, and truly believe that it is never too early to start a good skincare routine. If you’re like me and you love makeup, you may find it easy to spend $50+ at Ulta on eye shadow, but harder to spend on skincare because it isn’t as “fun” but I have now started really investing in quality skincare. Think of your skin as your canvas for makeup, makeup which will look a lot better if you have nice skin. This process of renewal is exfoliation or skin shedding of the epidermis. But the deeper layers of skin, called the dermis, do NOT go through this cellular turnover and so do not replace themselves…so treat your skin well because you’re going to have it, or parts of it, forever ; )

Skincare can be pricy, and I have fallen in love with some higher-end skincare that is now part of my regular routine, but I found that my favorite eye cream is effective and very affordable, so I want to share that with you today.

RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

Claims

ROC RETINOL CORREXION Eye Cream helps moisturize the delicate eye area and helps reduce the appearance of crow’s feet, dark circles, and even puffiness. This eye cream contains pure RoC RETINOL and a mineral blend to visibly reduce the signs of aging around the eyes. This eye cream is shown to even out the appearance of dark circles and reduce puffiness in four weeks. Additionally, this eye cream is shown to help visibly reduce wrinkles around the eyes and crow’s feet in 12 weeks. The cream is noncomedogenic and hypoallergenic.

My Skin

I have combo/oily skin that still battles oil and the occasional breakout, but also the beginning signs of aging such as fine lines.

My Thoughts

I suffer from dark circles (hellooo motherhood!) and use Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream in the morning to combat my dark circles, but love that this adds even more dark circle diminishing to my routine. I love retinol for anti-aging, and don’t find this to be drying or irritating to my eye area. I am starting to get some fine lines, and think that this is a great way to help combat them. I love that this comes in a squeeze tube, because I only use a small amount and can every last bit out of the tube, but it does sometimes nearly crack on the edges so do be careful that it doesn’t puncture which would cause you to waste product. I will continue to use this eye cream as part of my skincare routine.

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Have a wonderful day! Please make my day and subscribe ; ) Have you seen my latest video? I have a giveaway going on!

 

 

 

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LimeLight by Alcone Enduring Lip Color

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend and a Happy Mother’s Day! I woke up to sweet handmade cards, flowers, and we ate lunch at a restaurant, so it was a pretty big deal ; )

I pride myself in writing this blog as if I’m chatting to one of my girlfriends, and try to be completely upfront because I know that the one thing I have on my side is my credibility in you, the readers, eyes. Now that LeahTackles.com has been something I’ve done for over three years, I get approached more often by companies and also friends or acquaintances who are interested in me sharing their products on this blog or my LeahTackles YouTube channel. I never bash anyone, and I completely respect everyone doing their hustle, but I am always very careful because to me this blog is not a sales pitch platform, and it never will be. So, when Sarah, an independent consultant for LimeLight by Alcone, contacted me to do a review I was apprehensive initially. However, I agreed to try out a few items for consideration for review after she told me more about the makeup, and my curiosity was peaked because it sounded different and I LOVE anything new in makeup that I’ve never tried before. Today I want to share my thoughts on the Enduring Lip Color and also touch on their skincare line.

 

 

About LimeLight by Alcone

The Alcone Company opened in 1950 as a pharmacy sold makeup for stage shows in Broadway. The makeup was incredibly popular amongst makeup artists so now their top-selling products and then branded as LimeLight. So many of the popular makeup techniques we use today (hello contouring and highlighting…) were used for years in stage makeup, and so I found the history of this brand interesting.

LimeLight by Alcone Enduring Lip Color in Macaroon

 

 

Sarah RAVED about these liquid lipsticks, and being a big fan of liquid lipstick I was excited to try them out. She sent me a few pictures to see what color I would like to try, and I opted for this gorgeous deep mauve nude color. I do have to say that some of the promo swatches of this from the LimeLight by Alcone website make it look darker and more brown than it actually swatches in person, so I liked seeing it on actual people to get a better idea of the color.

First Impression

This stuff smells SO GOOD! It smells like a baked good, vanilla and delicious, but not overpowering and I only noticed it when I applied the lipstick. This has a sponge doe foot applicator and when I pull it out of the lipstick tube I like that it wasn’t covered in product that I had to scrape off on the side.

My Routine

This can be used as a base under the LimeLight by Alcone Signature Lip Gloss or alone. I did what I do before applying all liquid lipsticks; dab on an EOS lip balm ever so slightly on my lips and then line them with a liner similar to the lip color I am using. I then put on a THIN layer of the product, which was opaque and all that was needed, which is the best way to get a liquid lipstick to wear well without flaking off or appearing dry.

Final Thoughts

This had great wear, even after eating a burger at a Mother’s Day family cookout, and eating a dressing which can famously breakdown lipsticks because of the oils. I did choose to reapply this about midday, but the color never looked bad. I didn’t have any issues with the lip color bleeding, coming off on my coffee cup in the morning or my wine class at night, and it didn’t kiss off on my husband or Little Love’s either ; )

Skincare

Sarah was also kind enough to send me some samples of skincare, and I am still trying them out because I am very picky when it comes to skincare and takes some time to see a noticeable difference. It is natural, chemical free, free of parabens, and vegan. 

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Please take a minute to checkout Sarah’s LimeLight by Alcone Page! She was very upfront when I asked questions, and responded quickly to all my questions. I really want to try the foundation next, which claims to have 50% pigmentation vs. most foundations that have 18-26% pigmentation, to provide incredible coverage while still feeling light on the skin.

 

Thank you for reading! Have you heard of this brand? Have you tried this brand? Let me know in the comments of this post!

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BEAUTY TREND- THE SILICONE MAKEUP SPONGE! YAY OR NAY?

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a great week so far. If you know me, you know that I love trying out hype products (remember my Starbucks Unicorn Frappuccino video?! Watch it here)  and as a self-proclaimed marketing nerd, find them fascinating. The Sillisponge by the indie makeup brand Molly Cosmetics, the first well-known silicone makeup sponge, became a sensation in late 2016, and sold out quickly! Now the market has been flooded with lots of versions of this sponge, but is it worth the hype? I finally got my hands on one, and today I will share my thoughts with you.

 

 

What Is It?

A clear silicone makeup sponge use in place of a foundation brush, Beauty Blender or traditional makeup sponge, or your fingers to apply foundation to your face.

First Impressions

It totally looks like a chicken cutlet breast implant only tiny, but I was still eager to try it based on the claims I had heard of a flawless application.

Pros

I love that this thing is SO MUCH MORE SANITARY! It is a breeze to clean, you just wash it off and dry it with a clean washcloth or paper towel…no drying wait time, no deep cleaning needed.  Because it isn’t a porous sponge there isn’t makeup getting left on it after use, which is much better for your skin, and way more sanitary. I also love that you use WAY LESS PRODUCT because, again, the sponge isn’t porous so nothing is sinking into a traditional sponge or brush bristles. I actually used way too much product the first few times using the sponge because I used so much less than normal with this application method. Once I got the hang of it, I really loved the flawless finish this gave me.

Cons

I wouldn’t say this is a huge “con” but it definitely is an odd makeup application method and took some getting used to because you are *basically* slapping a mini silicone implant on your face. When I first applied this I felt like it was just sitting on the surface of my skin, instead of looking like my own skin which I really did not like. I did find this hard to get my under eye area.

My Routine

I prime my skin as normal with my favorite Benefit PoreFessional and then dot my foundation on my face before using the silicone beauty sponge to spread the product on my skin. I have used this with my Tarte B.B Cream, my Urban Decay All-Nighter, and my Revlon ColorStay which all worked but I definitely used way too much the first time with the medium-to- full coverage foundations. I have found that the most important step is pressing and tapping the foundation into the skin to give it that flawless, airbrushed look.

Yay or Nay?

I will continue experimenting with the silicone beauty sponge. I like the airbrush finish that I’ve gotten, but am not sure if this will take the place of my favorite stippling foundation application method (read about the stippling method here).I *doubt* this will be a product I am using for the rest of my life, but I am enjoying playing around with it, let’s put it that way.  I love how easy this is to clean, how sanitary it is, and how perfect it is for travel.

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Thank you, as always, for reading! Please subscribe : )

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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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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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