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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

HOW TO GET INSTAGRAM WORTHY BROWS! NEW PRODUCTS!

July 20, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I will skip doing any other makeup before I will skip doing my brows! Having your brows filled in, whether you prefer a dramatic look or a soft fiber gel comb through, just makes you look pulled together and chic. Benefit Cosmetics recently launched a bunch of new brow products, and brought back some old standbys in new futuristic looking packaging. I do not have the entire line, but I have a few that I’d like to share with you today!

Goof Proof Brow Pencil in Shade 1:

I love this pencil for when I want the look of a filled in and perfect brow but am trying to do it quickly. I do always fill my brows in a couple of shades lighter that my brows to avoid looking too harsh.

KABrow! in Shade 1:

I got a deluxe sample size of this from Ulta by using a coupon that came in the catalog mailer and I am definitely going to be buying a full size! It comes with a little pot of a cream-gel brow color on one end and an angled brush on the other! So easy to do a put together look with this! This does remind me of my Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow, but it seems slightly a bit more wet in formula. I always start on the bottom of my arch in the middle of my brow and go to the ends before finishing at the start of my brows because I like to avoid having the most color deposited where my brows begin.

Gimme Brow in Shade 1:

This volumizing fiber gel is one that I’ve used before and I think it’s fantastic for super natural or rushed days but where you don’t want to skip doing your brows altogether. I love the little fibers especially for brushing the start of my brows up for a very natural and feminine look. I also like to use this to set my brows after either a gel or pencil.

Browvo! Conditioning Primer:

I just got a deluxe size sample of this and I am very curious! It claims to give your brows a fuller look instantly and prime the brows so that your other brow products last longer and wear better. I will definitely keep you posted if you guys have interest!

As always, please ask any questions that you have in the comments! I am definitely passionate about filling in my brows and experimenting with new innovations in the brow world, so I am very excited for these Benefit Cosmetic goodies! This post is not sponsored and these items were purchased with my own money or received as samples from Ulta Beauty. And please don’t forget to subscribe and check out my social media! It truly means so much to have your support!! xx

MY FAVORITE FACE MASKS AND HOW I USE THEM!

July 18, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you all had a great weekend! I know that it went by way too fast for me ; ) Today I want to share something simple and inexpensive that I’ve been doing that has made a big difference in my skin and my confidence.

HOW & WHY I STARTED USING FACE MASKS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK:

Lately I have been using a lot of single use sheet masks and peel away masks. I originally started using them here or there just for fun, but once the weather got warmer I realized how clean it made my skin feel to use a mask for 15-20 minutes after removing my makeup. So, a couple of months ago instead of just doing the occasional face mask for fun I started doing face masks two or three times a week because I loved the way it made my skin feel. After a few weeks of doing face masks regularly each week I noticed that my overall skin tone was MUCH better! I make beauty and lifestyle videos on my LeahTackles YouTube Channel where I always have makeup on unless I am filming a tutorial where I end up in makeup, but I also am a Daily Vlogger on my family channel KwapisFamilyTackles and while I have been on there plenty of times with no makeup, crying, or after a workout I still noticed a big change in how confident I’ve been filming in no makeup for our vlogs as well. My skin looks so much more even, and I love doing the masks each week. I don’t really do certain ones, just ones that sound fun and good for my skin type.

WHAT MASKS I USE & WHERE I BUY THEM:

I really enjoy the Montagne Jeunesse 7th Heaven masks because they are fun, inexpensive, and easily accessible because you can buy them at Ulta and Walmart stores. I also really enjoy Tony Moly sheet masks which you can buy at Sephora, Ulta, or online. I also found a great deal on Amazon where you can get 12 Tony Moly masks for much less, but they do have writing in a different language but I believe they are still authentic Tony Moly because they do make these for several countries.

I hope that you found this helpful! If you do any of these masks after reading this post then tag me on social media and use the hashtag #LeahTacklesFaceMaskSelfie : ) It would be fun to do together! And if you have a favorite mask, definitely let me know in the comments!

MY OILY SKIN SECRET! FIRST AID BEAUTY SKIN RESCUE OIL-FREE MATTIFYING GEL | SKINCARE REVIEW

June 6, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

It’s June and the weather is warming up, and for me that means that my combo skills gets oily, especially my t-zone, fast! I recently ordered a few things from Sephora and wanted to share my thoughts on a mattifying gel I’ve been using.

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Oil-Free Mattifying Gel

This gel claims to hydrate the skin, while regulating oil production, and minimizing the appearance of pores. I cleanse my face, use a toner, and then apply this to my face both morning and night. I like to focus it on my nose and the skin beside my nose where my pores are the largest (which makes sense because larger pores = more oil). I definitely think this has made a significant difference on my skin because I don’t have to blot my nose as early in the day as I did before using this. I also do notice that it helps blur out my pores which makes my makeup apply very nicely. You could use this as a makeup primer, but I do still like to use a bit of my Benefit Porefessional Primer as well before applying my makeup.

What are some of your favorite skincare items for the warmer months? I would love to hear about them! I hope you have a wonderful day! I try to write each blog post as if I was sending a message to a friend one-on-one about some of my favorite things, and I hope that you can feel that coming through! Thank YOU for reading! xx

5 DRUGSTORE PRODUCTS I ALWAYS REPURCHASE

May 23, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a great weekend! I had a very busy, but very fun weekend! My very first post was on shower favorites-drugstore edition and today I decided to share a few of my drugstore staples that I will always repurchase. Please let me know some of your holy grail favorites from the drugstore in the comments : )

TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Leave-In Spray:

This is a great heat protectant that I always have on hand. I buy a pretty equal mix of drugstore and high-end hair products, but this is my go-to thing to spray on my hair before curling or straightening.

Plus White 5 Minute Whitening Gel:

I do like doing more intense whitening kits from time to time, but on an almost daily basis I will use a Q-Tip to apply a little bit of this gel to my teeth after showering and I’ll just leave it on while I finish my nighttime routine and then I’ll rinse it off. I don’t notice a super huge difference, but I do think that it helps them stay white and avoid staining from every day things like coffee or tea. I find this at Walmart for about $5 or you can buy a kit with trays for $20.

OGX Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum:

I mentioned this in my April Beauty Favorites post, and it still remains something I use all the time! I love this for working into the ends of my damp hair, but I actually like it even more for apply to the dry ends of my hair after heat styling to help the ends from looking too dry.

Summer’s Eve Simply Sensitive Cleansing Wash:

This has been a favorite of mine for a long time, and maybe it’s T.M.I but I love this stuff! I don’t use it daily because you need to be careful with your p-H levels, but I do like having a wash that’s appropriate for your lady bits. You should NOT use regular body wash down there! They have scented options too, but this is my go-to.

Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser:

I love Purity by Philosophy, but this is my favorite drugstore cleanser and I usually use this one in the morning and the Purity by Philosophy at nighttime.

Have a wonderful Monday! Thank you for reading! Be sure to subscribe so that you can be notified whenever I post something new!

Urban Decay Through The Looking Glass Palette Swatches, Review, and Video with Giveaway!

May 18, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

If you know me then you already know this, but I adore with all things Disney! And if you’re a regular reader of my blog, then you know that I’m also a huge makeup lover! So, needless to say, when the Urban Decay Through The Looking Glass collection (which is inspired by the new Alice in Wonderland movie) came out, I snagged it the day it launched on Ulta.com! I uploaded my video on this on my YouTube channel, but felt that this beautiful collection earned itself a blog post as well so that I could show off just how gorgeous the details are.

Through The Looking Glass Palette:

throughthelookingglasscollection-urbandecay-spring2016-leahtackles.jpeg throughthelookingglassurbandecay-alicepalette-leahtackles.jpeg

Through The Looking Glass Lipsticks in Alice (sheer shimmer) and Iracebeth (comfort matte):

Video with Review, Swatches, Lip Swatches, & Giveaway!

As always, if you have any questions please feel free to ask me in the comments! I will get back to you! I hope that you’re having a fantastic week so far and that you have an even better weekend! Thank you so much for reading!! : )

Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Palette Review! Do you need it?

May 9, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend! I got lots of extra special hugs and love from my little loves and my husband : ) My kids somehow managed to buy me a little something from Ulta (thanks Stephan!) and I am so excited to share it with you today! At the end of February Too Faced Cosmetics released the Peanut Butter and Jelly palette and even though I wanted it I wondered if it was really something I *needed*. Do you *need* the Peanut Butter and Jelly palette? Keep reading and you can decide.

The Packaging:

This palette comes in the cute tin packaging that the nine shadow palettes from Too Faced typically come in. The packaging is OH SO ADORABLE! I can’t even handle the cuteness! I mean, the piece of bread on the tin has lashes and jelly colored lips…hello cuteness overload! I also think these tins are perfect for traveling and putting into your makeup bag.

The Basics:

This palette has three shadows that are 2.0 grams each and six shadows that are 0.9 grams each. There are three matte shades and six shimmer shades, though one of the shimmer shades is almost matte but has just the tinniest bit of shimmer. And this product does not contain actual nuts but does have the ever so faint peanut butter scent mixed with the yummy cocoa powder scent we know and love from other Too Faced products.

The Shadows:

The shadows swatch beautifully! They are all super pigmented and a little shadow goes a long way! I have only used this twice so far, but both times I was tapping off my brush because the pigmentation was so great that I didn’t need much product at all. This palette was inspired by the shadow Peanut Butter that gained a cult following from the Too Faced Semi Sweet palette. I love putting Peanut Butter or Nuts About U in the crease and smudging Jelly on my lower lash line.

Do You Need It?

You might have dupes for these if you own a lot of eye shadow palettes, but I really love having smaller palette like this filled with gorgeous warm toned shadows that I know will get me lots of fun looks. I think this is a great too because you can do a lot of quick looks with this and the How-To Glamour Guide it comes with is helpful too. If you don’t like warm toned eye shadows, definitely pass because this eye shadow palette is very warm toned! Think peanut butter, jelly, and nutty red colors!

Buy It:

You can buy the Peanut Butter and Jelly palette at Ulta Beauty or on TooFaced.com

Pictures:

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Do you have this palette? What is your favorite Too Faced palette? If you want to see more be sure to check out my What’s New At Too Faced Video!

Have a great week! Thank you for reading! Please subscribe : ) It makes my day!

AFFORDABLE MAKEUP BRAND REVIEW! 2B COLOURS

March 21, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I am super excited to be bringing you a fun, affordable, and cruelty free makeup brand. I hadn’t heard of 2B Colours until my friend, Ciera, talked about them on her YouTube channel and blog. Shortly after hearing about them 2B reached out to me and offered to send me a few items for consideration and review. I have had the makeup items for a couple of weeks and feel that now I have had the chance to use all of the products and test them out to provide good and honest reviews. I also was sent a set of Nail Art Pens, so stay tuned for a review on that soon! And wish me luck ; )

2B Cosmetics Makeup Reviews

Concealer Corrector Waterproof in 01 Peach

I wasn’t really sure what I would think of this when I saw the pen form, but I really have been enjoying it. The peach color works great for covering under eye circles, but I am careful when applying it so I’m not dragging it on my delicate eye area skin. I also LOVE this for targeting small imperfections or blemishes! I do find that it can be tricky to blend, but I just use my finger or a damp beauty sponge like the Beauty Blender. I would purchase this.

Cheek Pop Blush Powder in 04 Kissed By a Rose

This is my absolute favorite item that 2B sent me!! I want to try all of these blushes! This is SUPER pigmented! I was shocked and had to quickly blend it out because I was too heavy handed the first time I used it. This is gorgeous and it is very long wearing.

My Favorite Eye Color Eye Catcher in 01 White

I love the idea of having a white eye shadow on hand to use before applying other eye shadows so that the other shadows are exactly true to color, but I am not crazy about the texture of this shadow. I do think it works well for making other colors pop, and a small dab of it on the center of each eye lid makes the eyes pop as well, but this is my least favorite product in the bunch. I will keep you posted incase anything changes, but I wouldn’t purchase this.

Mascara in Mega Prune

I remember when I was in middle school and colored mascara was super popular! I think blue was the favorite color that year ; ) I normally wear only black mascara, but this was a really fun change! I will keep wearing this, and the prune is just ever so slightly different than a brown or black mascara, and is perfect if you just want a tiny bit of color.

Eye Liner Long Wear Waterproof in 01 Black

I tested this out in my waterline and it wore SUPER well on me! I was shocked because so many eye liners disappear on me almost instantly. I don’t know if it is waterproof, but it definitely wore well on the waterline. I have not tried it on the upper lash line yet. I would purchase this.

Pop Up Lips in 01 My Own Ice Cream Bar

I love this! The lip crayon is super creamy, and it’s just a hit of color but a very pretty pink. This isn’t long wearing, but it’s a super low maintenance lip that is easy to reapply even with no mirror. I definitely would purchase and I’ll keep this in my purse.

Hydrastick in 07 Rose

This feels very nice on the lips. This works perfectly for a natural makeup day when you just want a little moisture or for putting on under a lipstick. I like that it has jojoba oil and UVA/UVB filter. I also like that it is shaped like a lipstick instead of flat on the top like most lip balm products.

Mega Colours Nail Polish in 022 Rich Lavender

When I first started applying this I was worried because the first coat was very sheer, but the second coat was pretty and I could have stopped there but I went for a third coat and it was so pigmented! I couldn’t believe the difference. I also applied this without a base coat or a top coat and it wore for a few days without chipping. I was very happy with this, and my four year old, Hailey, wants to wear this color on her nails next.

Social Media:

You can check out 2B on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

If you have any questions please feel free to ask in the comments! I think 2B Colours has some gems that shouldn’t be overlooked, and I am happy that I now know about them. Have a wonderful week! Don’t forget to subscribe!! xx

CHAPSTICK PRODUCT REVIEWS and GIVEAWAY!!

March 7, 2016 & 14 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a fantastic weekend! If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that I absolutely love lip products. I wear lipstick almost every day, and it isn’t always easy because my lips are always causing me trouble! I have dry lips in the winter, but my lips also get equally damaged in the summer when the sun is pounding down. ChapStick® reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in trying some different lines of products, and I am so glad that I did! I was pleasantly surprised that ChapStick® isn’t just the classic staples most of us have known about for years. Chapstick offered to share a giveaway with a you, too! So be sure to read about that below : )

*Note: The ChapStick® product, information and gift have been provided by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. All opinions are always my own, honest opinions. I turn down products that I do not think fit LeahTackles.com and never accept money in exchange for a positive review.

CHAPSTICK ISN’T “JUST CHAPSTICK”:

I was sent things from five different lines of ChapStick® products! I had no idea they even had that many options!

ChapStick® Original:

This was the line that I was most familiar with. I have bought Classic Original and Classic Cherry for years! These Original ChapStick® have been around for over 100 years! I love wearing these under my lipsticks.

Classic Original

Classic Cherry

Classic Strawberry (my new favorite!!)

Classic Spearmint (my husband’s new favorite!)

ChapStick® Moisturizer:

Moisturizer Original

Moisturizer Vanilla Mint (I wasn’t sure about this one, but I actually like the kind of odd scent pairing!)

Moisturizer Green Apple

Moisturizer Raspberry Creme (this is my absolute favorite Chapstick of the bunch!)

ChapStick® Medicated:

Classic Medicated (my mom loves this one for her lips in the winter!)

ChapStick® Sun Defense SPF 25:

I am saying this here to keep me honest: I *WILL* be better about protecting my smackers this summer! I am really excited about this one for beach days or days out with my kids!

ChapStick® Tropical Paradise Collection:

Mango Sunrise (this makes me feel like I’m somewhere tropical! It’s almost as good as a fruity drink…almost!)

Aloha Coconut (this will be sold exclusively at Walmart stores and it smells SO GOOD!)

ChapStick® GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

If YOU would like to win some of these fun ChapStick® items, enter this giveaway! Thank you to ChapStick® for offering to hook up one of my sweet readers : )

1). SUBSCRIBE to this blog! (it’s easy!)

2). Comment below which ChapStick® item mentioned you would like to try or already love!

3). Follow LeahTackles on Instagram

4). Follow ChapStick® on Instagram

GIVEAWAY RULES:

1). Giveaway ends on March 14th and the winner will have 24 hours to respond before I pick another winner

2). Must be 18 years old or have parental permission

3). Must be a United States Resident (sorry to my non U.S subscribers!! I will have more giveaways in the future to include you!)

Thank you, as always, for reading! Have a wonderful week!

5 Tips For Getting EXACTLY What You Want At The Hair Salon!

August 17, 2015 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I have shared on here before a post called “I Did WHAT to My Hair?” and so today I want to share my tips for avoiding a hair disaster. When you’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time and money at the hair salon, it’s very important that you get what you want.

1. NEVER SAY “JUST A TRIM”

Please, NEVER EVER say this! I like saying “Just a dusting” and showing exactly how much I mean. Please have this conversation before your stylist has scissors in hand.

2. DON’T USE WORDS! USE PICTURES!

I have learned that words that you use to describe color are VERY different from what your hair stylist would use.

Example: “Red Red” to us is “Copper Red” to them.

3. DO YOUR RESEARCH

I like to look online, research certain colors or styles process, maintenance, people with it who have my hair type, talk to my stylist friends (Facebook groups like my mom-groups usually have at least a few!), and then go into the salon. Also, your hair may be too dark to pull a super pale blonde, for example, so have realistic expectations and ask your stylist questions when you arrive at your appointment.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” -Benjamin Franklin

4. USE THE PROPER SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER

I am not saying you need to spend a trillion dollars on shampoo and conditioner, but please consider that if you’re spending $$$ to get your hair done, you should probably spend a little extra to take care of it. I like buying the huge bottles with a pump when Ulta has sales.

5. BE NICE AND BE HONEST

Your hair stylist wants you to be happy!! Can you imagine the anxiety of having to do a big reveal multiple times a day? The thought makes my stomach drop, and I send so much respect to stylists everywhere. Don’t immediately scream “I LOVE IT” if actually you’re unsure, but also be kind!! I was HORRIFIED when I got my hair done this past winter, but a simple toner to tone down the brassy copper and I was completely happy. I know it’s so hard to deal with confrontation, but if something happens please say something! I like “I think I really like it, but I’ll have to see it in natural light and let it set in for a day” which is also the truth. If you’re very uncomfortable, you can also speak with a manager on the phone if you think a mistake was made that needs to be corrected.

What tips do you have for the hair salon? And if you’re a stylist I would especially love to hear from you!

Have a beautiful week!

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