Leah Tackles

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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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.

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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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TOO FACED MASCARA MELT OFF! DO YOU NEED IT? FOLLOW UP REVIEW

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! If you’re a regular reader of this blog or if you watch my YouTube videos then you know that I love wearing waterproof mascara to avoid makeup smudges and to hold a curl when I curl my lashes. If you wear waterproof mascara, you probably know that it is a huuuuge pain to remove! Today I want to share a product that I did a first impression video and demo on back in June of last year to let you know how it fits into my current beauty routine.

 

Too Faced Mascara Melt Off

 

 

First Impression and Demo Video

Follow Up Review

Do I use this every day? No, and I do find that it’s an “extra” step so I do not use this every day. I use the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water (I use the one with the blue cap) on a cotton round held to my eye  to remove my eye makeup most days. However, I do like to use the Too Faced Mascara Melt Off a couple of times a week because the mascara builds up little by little when it isn’t completely removed. I LOVE the way my lashes feel after using this! My lashes feel super soft and completely free of any mascara gunk.

Do You Need This?

You could use other things to remove waterproof mascara and condition your lashes such as coconut oil, baby oil, petroleum jelly, or olive oil, but that is going to be a lot messier. I personally like this product because I can get the oil directly onto my lashes and not deal with the mess dripping on my face.

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THE DRUGSTORE B.B CREAM YOU NEED TO TRY!

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Some days I get super excited to do my makeup and want to do a full face of makeup but other days I just want (or need) a go-to that is fast but leaves me with a pretty look that lasts all day.

 

L’Oreal Skin Beautifier B.B Cream

 

 

This B.B cream claims to prime, correct, hydrate, and perfect. With “beautifying beads” inside are encapsulated pigments infused with an ultra-light lotion with antioxidant Vitamin E. This comes out of the tube as a white lotion transforms to your perfect shade.

Why I Love It

This is easy to apply with your fingers or a foundation brush (I like the Sigma F60). I love that this gives me a natural look that looks like bare skin. This is easy to apply in only a minute and then a little under eye concealer and boom you’re done! I have combo/oily skin so when I saw this said “hydrates” I was nervous but it wears very well on me, even my oily prone t-zone! I have been using this product for three years, and originally included it on this blog in 2014 (here and here).

My Routine

I still use a primer when I use this (I use Benefit PoreFessional) but then I dot this on my face and then blend it in with either my fingers or a foundation brush. You can also apply this with a sponge (I like the Beauty Blender). I do set this *lightly* with loose powder (I use Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder) and if you want a little more coverage you could use a powder foundation. I wear this in the shade fair, but it is also available in light, medium, and deep.

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Thank you, as always, for reading! Please let me know in the comments your favorite B.B cream or C.C cream : )

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HOW TO CLEAN AND DRY YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES QUICKLY!

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend, and if you’re off today that you’re enjoying your long weekend! If you’re like me and you put off washing your makeup brushes until all of your brushes are dirty and you can’t put it off anymore then this post if for you. We all know that washing your makeup brushes is important because not only will your colors muddle if the brushes are dirty, but it isn’t sanitary and can lead to skin breakouts which nobody has time for.

Products I Use To Wash My Brushes

 

 

My favorite way to wash  my makeup brushes is with the Beauty Blender Cleanser Solid, I also will use the Beauty Blender Cleanser but prefer it for my sponges and the solid for my brushes. It is also fine to wash your brushes with a foaming antibacterial hand soap, and if I run out of my Beauty Blender Cleanser Solid I will do this.

My Routine

I set my brushes on the left side of my sink and a clean towel on the left side of my sink along with my Benjabelle Sunflower Brush Tree. I have blogged about the Benjabelle Sunflower Brush Tree here. If I am washing a larger brush I do it by itself, but I will wash smaller eye shadow brushes a few at a time. I wet the brush and then swirl it into the Beauty Blender Cleanser Solid or I put a little soap into my other hand and swirl the brush in circular motions in my hand. I rinse the brush until the water runs clear. I then hang the brush from the Benjabelle Brush Tree. I love the Benjabelle Brush Tree because it helps the brushes to dry much faster, but if you do not have one you can roll one end of a hand towel and lay the brush so that the brush head is angled down. *Note: Never tilt your brush so that the bristles are up after washing because if water gets into the barrel of the brush it can damage your brush. You can read more about that here.

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DON’T EVEN BOTHER WITH OTHER NAIL POLISH REMOVER! JUST BUY THIS…

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you felt extra loved yesterday for St. Valentine’s Day and that you’re having a great week : ) I recently shared how I get Salon Quality Nail Treatments at Home and I try a lot of nail care items because I do my own nails. I decided that although it may seem like a silly item to dedicate an entire blog post to, I truly think that I have a nail polish remover that you *NEED* to try!

Cutex Spa Formula Nail Polish Remover

 

 

Why I Love It

This 98% acetone nail polish remover takes off my nail polish, even glitters and hard to remove polish, so much faster than any other nail polish I’ve used before. I love that I don’t have to use tons of cotton rounds or really scrub to get my polish off. This nail polish remover also claims to remove gel nails but I don’t typically wear gel polishes. Cutex Spa Formula Nail Polish Remover is not only fast-acting but it contains conditioning oils which is a nice bonus, too.

My Routine

I use cotton rounds or cotton balls to remove the polish off of my nails. It has been so nice not having to avoid glitter polishes because I don’t want to struggle to get them off, because with this it doesn’t take long at all! If I am wearing hard to remove polishes, such as a glitter polish, I will hold the cotton round on my nail for 20 or 30 seconds and then lightly rub to get the polish completely off.

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If you like random “must try” product reviews like this, please tell me to keep them coming! If there is something else beauty related you’d like to see, please let me know that as well! Thank you for reading! xx

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