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All About Our Michigan Girls Blogging and Social Media Meet Up!!

July 21, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I am still swooning thinking about how magical this weekend was for me! I got the opportunity to co-host a meet up for bloggers, social media rockstars, and all-around AMAZING women! Lauren, of the fabulous Pearls and Pastries Shop, asked me to help her organize a meet up and we made it a reality! I am *so proud* of that! Lauren and I met on Instagram ourselves, tried and failed to meet up before (hey, life gets so crazy!!), but we had only talked via phone, text, and email before this weekend! The room was filled with so many talented girls, and I feel so blessed to be to have spent a lovely afternoon mingling with them : ) I will stop myself before I gush on and just share some pictures ; )

I hope that you enjoyed seeing these pictures!! I am still on cloud nine! Lauren and I got dinner afterwards and were already chatting about next year!!! We want it to be bigger, better, and just as sparkly!!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX MAY 2014

May 16, 2014 & 1 Comment

Hi There! Happy Friday!

Today I am very excited to be reviewing the May 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box! Some people read spoilers…maybe that is why you are here reading this?!…but I prefer to be surprised! The box contains full size items in all different categories:food, beauty, fashion, home, and usually an extra goodie of some kind, too. The PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10th-15th of every month for me…it ships via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box.

I will quickly go over the items from my April 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box first, and then dig into the May box!

Product titles are also links for more information or to buy online.

APRIL MUST HAVE BOX MINI REVIEWS:

Must Have Food:

PopSugar Must Have Mix from Nature Box

Verdict: I LOVED THIS!! I wish I could buy this at my local grocery store. YUM! I still haven’t gotten a subscription for Nature Box yet, but I want to!

Must Have Home:

Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Liquid Hand Soap

$10.50

Verdict: I haven’t used this yet because we have been using up what we have, but it smells lovely and I can’t wait to try it.

Must Have Beauty:

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

$36

Verdict: My orignal palette came with a broken shadow, but PopSugar quickly replaced my palette. I love this little palette, and have been getting a lot of use out of it.

Must Have Fashion:

(XO) Echo Shopper Collapsable Tote Bag from Lauren Conrad for Blue Avocado (*Similar)

$24.99

Verdict: I really love this! It still hasn’t made it to the farmers market, but as soon as ours opens up, this bag will be heading there : )

Must Have Home:

Pocket Notes from Graphic Image

$20

Verdict: I used this immediately! It is so adorable and I love it.

Must Have Home:

TOTALLY AWESOME: 80’s Sayings Tea Towel Set by Fresh Pastry Stand (an etsy.com site)

$18

Verdict: I have used these a little bit, and they are pretty cute! I like the summery colors!

MAY 2014 MUST HAVE BOX:

Must Have Beauty:

Smell Bent St. Tropez Dispenser

$45 Value

This smells just like sun screen, salt, coconut…basically a day at the beach in the bottle! This may not be a favorite for everybody, but I LOVE it! It doesn’t seem to last super long on the skin, so that is a bit of a downside, and the bottle is glass so if you wanted to take it in your bag you’d have to consider that. I can’t wait to wear it this summer!!

Must Have Home:

Kerry Cassill Eye Mask (*Similar)

$24 Value

This is really pretty, and I needed a new eye mask, so I will happily use it!

Must Have Fitness:

Tone It Up

$15 Value

I really like workout DVDs because with two little loves running around, I don’t get to the gym very often anymore! I use our treadmill the most consistently, and I like to change up my DVD workouts. This DVD features the ladies from Bravo’s Toned Up, which I have never seen but have heard about. Has anyone watched Toned Up? Have you tried the Tone It Up DVDs? I would love to hear from you! Please comment and let me know : )

Must Have Home:

Zing Anything Cirtus Zinger

$17 Value

This is my favorite thing in the box!! I was *so* excited when I saw it!! In my April Beauty Favorites I mentioned that I have been drinking lemon water every morning recently, so the timing on this couldn’t be more perfect. You can press lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits into your water. Love!

Must Have Beauty:

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Pool Boy Nail Lacquer

$10 Value

This is such a pretty color for spring and summer! This is 100% vegan and cruelty free. I already put it on my nails and I love it!

Must Have Food:

Hi I’m Skinny Sticks Multi-Grain Sweet Onion

I was excited when I saw these, but I unfortunately really didn’t like them. They do have adorable packaging though! I think that if these were savory flavor I would have liked them, but a sweet flavor just wasn’t doing it for me. I sent these to work with my husband, so they hopefully won’t go to waste!

At first glance, I thought this was a fairly small box, but that being said I really enjoy the items in this months PopSugar Must Have Box! This box has a value of $115 and besides the Hi I’m Skinny Sticks, I know that I will use everything in the box. As always, well worth the $39. Do you subscribe to PopSugar? Do you subscribe to any other subscription boxes? Please comment (click the link by the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Please subscribe by entering your email into the subscription box on the right hand of this screen and you’ll only get emails when I post something new : )

PHEW! SUPER LONG!!! But thank you for reading : ) Also, don’t forget to check out my column, Leah’s Friday Five, on Pearls and Pastries Shop Blog! There is a new post up today!!

DELICIOUS KALE CHIP RECIPE!

May 5, 2014 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

In my April Lifestyle Favorites and Big Announcement post on Friday I mentioned kale chips as a food favorite…they’re so so good! So today I want to show you how to make them! I found this recipe from Tayzerfun (she is hilarious!!) and I just added one additional seasoning to mine. If you enjoy this recipe, you can pin it onto your Pinterest account by clicking the “pin” button that shows up when you hover over any of the pictures in this post. Even if you have never eaten kale in your life, I really suggest trying these! They are so delicious, and you can change up the seasoning to your liking.

Kale Chip Recipe

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh kale (TIP: I originally bought a box of kale but had better luck with a fresh bunch of kale because the pieces of kale were larger. The kale cooks down a lot so the smaller pieces make very tiny chips, but they were still yummy!)

Olive oil

Seasoned salt

Dill weed

Smoked paprika

Ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Wash your kale and then dry it COMPLETELY! If it is at all wet the kale will steam and not make a nice crunchy snack. Remove the kale from the stems. Lay the kale onto a cookie sheet with a small rim. Lay your kale out onto the cookie sheet, but be careful not to layer the kale or it will steam (a.k.a be soggy and not a crispy chip!). Drizzle the kale with a little bit of olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Season with seasoned salt, dill weed, smoked paprika, and a tiny ground nutmeg. The seasoning will be more concentrated as the chips will cook down, so be careful and don’t go too crazy unless you want to…! I don’t take my own advice at all, but I love heavily spiced things! Bake for about 9-12 minutes.

Thank you for reading this and I hope that you enjoyed this recipe! If you try this out, or there is another recipe you would like me to make, comment (click the link by the title of this post) to let me know! You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! I’m LeahTackles on all social media. I hope you are having a great start to your week!

April Beauty Favorites!!!

April 30, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi There! Happy Wednesday!!

I cannot believe that April is already ending! Didn’t we just celebrate Valentine’s Day?! Time is FLYING by, as usual! Because it is the end of the month, I want to share my beauty favorites today! I will also be sharing my “lifestyle” favorites (a.k.a my everything-that-isn’t-beauty-related favorites) this Friday. Be sure to comment (click on the link by the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to tell me what YOUR favorite products have been for the month of April! I would LOVE to hear from you! I also, as usual, have created a Luvocracy collection if you’d like more information on any of these products, or would like to shop online. I’m feeling chatty today, so I’ll stop myself before I ramble on and just get started ; )

LEAH’S APRIL BEAUTY FAVORITES:

Lips:

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Pretty Social

This lipstick is long wearing, feels nice on the lips, and has very sleek matte packaging. To me this is a perfect light cool toned pink, it’s light but not TOO light…yet light enough that I can easily wear this without a lip liner or constant touch ups. This is neutral enough that I can wear it with a lot of different make-up looks.

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in 915 Blushing Beige

This is one of the nude colored tube lipsticks from the Maybelline Vivid line. I LOVE the formula of the Maybelline Vivid lipsticks: it is very moisturizing, and feels very comfortable on the lips. I love this color because it is a very wearable, slightly pink-y nude and it looks great with everything.

EOS Lip Balm in Summer Fruit

I love this lipbalm! I use them under lip color or by itself. It is always in my bag!

Cheeks:

Maybelline Master Glaze Blush Stick by FaceStudio in 20 Pink Fever

This is a cool toned cream blush in a stick form. I like to stipple this on with a brush or blend a very tiny amount on my fingers. It blends easily and lasts on my combination/oily skin. This color IS intense, but blends out to be a stunning color.

Maybelline Master Hi-Light by FaceStudio Hi-Lighting Blush in 251 Natural

This is part of the Dare To Go Nude Spring 2014 Limited Edition Collection from Maybelline. This is a golden highlight that is absolutely stunning! I have worn this every day since I bought it, and I know I will use it all summer! It works so well on my pale skin, but I think it would also look gorgeous on deeper skin tones. If you come across this, pick it up before it’s gone! I hate when they make colors like this limited edition!

FACE:

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder 1

This is a setting powder that I use almost daily under my eyes! It brightens up the area, and doesn’t settle into any fine lines. This is my go-to under eye setting powder.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in 1C1 Cool Bone

This stays all, covers everything, and makes my skin look perfect! I love this foundation for my combination/oily skin. It even stays on my nose area where foundation likes to come off of on me first. A little goes a long way with this foundation and it does set quickly, so work in sections on your face!

Estée Lauder Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB Highlighter in 1N Extra Light

This is a beautiful brightening concealer for the under eye area! I like to dot it on with the brush it comes with, but then I use my own brush or my fingers to blend it out.

Estée Lauder DayWear

This is my favorite moisturizer for day and night! It never leaves my skin feeling oily (we will see how it does this summer!) and provides lots of moisture to nourish my skin.

EYES:

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Ash

This is my favorite eye brow pencil! I had always preferred powders until I found this pencil! It is a super fine point that allows you to make tiny strokes that look soft and natural. It also comes with a spooli on the other end, which is nice! Love this!

NAILS:

Nicole by O•P•I in Am I Making Myself Claire?

This is from the Modern Family Collection by Nicole by OPI and is such a unique color that I’ve been loving for spring! It is a gray-ish lilac cream color, and the formula wears well on the nails.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in 405 Coral Reef

This is a GORGEOUS coral color for spring! It is just so bright and beautiful, and shockingly I didn’t have any coral shades like this in my collection! The price is right with this polish, and the formula is great.

Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

I didn’t notice a difference with this immediately, but I kept using it every night for a few weeks and now I can see a big difference. I had this in my collection for so long just sitting unopened (it came with a set I believe that I had gotten for Christmas) but I am so glad I tried it. It smells great too! My one complaint would be that it can be slightly difficult to open.

RANDOM:

Warm Lemon Water!!

I have been taking 2 minutes every morning to heat up some water in the microwave and squeezing a lemon into it because of the many heath and beauty benefits! I am no expert, I am just experimenting with it right now, so I will link one of the websites that I found that explains why lemon water is beneficial. I also brush my teeth BEFORE drinking the lemon water, because I read that if you brush immediately after it is actually worse for the enamel on your teeth. I do rinse my mouth out with water after drinking my lemon water.

Wow! Another long post : ) If you read all that, thank you! What products have you been loving this past month? I would love to hear about them! Comment (just click the link by the title of this post!) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Please also let me know if you have any requests for things you would like to see on my blog! If you have enjoyed this, please subscribe! If you have already subscribed, thank you!!! Have a fantastic day!

DIY LIPSTICK HOLDER AND ORGANIZER!

April 23, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I love lip products, and even though I have large makeup storage drawers, my lip products are always sliding around and unorganized which I hate! I absolutely love the look of the acrylic lipstick holders that you can buy on amazon or other websites, and I will probably eventually get one of those to display my most used lipsticks on my vanity, but I needed something for all my other lip products. I recently came across a video tutorial from ItsKeerstin where she recreated and modified a super inexpensive and practical way to organize all of her lipsticks…it’s awesome and I wanted to share my own version as well! ItsKeerstin is hilarious and I really enjoy her videos!! You can easily decorate it to make it fit your style, or keep it pretty simple like I chose to do since I will be keeping it in a drawer. If you like today’s tutorial, please considering hovering over any of the pictures until you see the pink “pin” button and pinning it to your Pinterest account… I appreciate it!!

SUPPLIES:

3-in-1 Cotton Sets from Dollar Tree (I used 2 but you can get more for a bigger storage container. I have only seen these at Dollar Tree, but I did find the 3-in-1 Cotton Set on Amazon, although there is $4 shipping)

Thick cardstock, cardboard, or poster board in the color of your choice

Scissors or a paper cutter

Glue gun

COST:

Less than $10 (mine cost $2!)

STEP 1:

Empty out the cotton swabs, cotton swabs, and cotton balls from the Cotton Set box. Then, soak the box in hot water or use Goo Gone to remove the labels on the box.

STEP 2:

I cut out my poster board to fit 2 of the Cotton Set boxes ahead of time with a pair of scissors simply by tracing them with a pencil onto the paper.

STEP 3:

Cut the lid off of the Cotton Set box with a pair of sharp scissors (it was a lot easier to get a clean cut then I thought it would be!)

STEP 4:

Be sure to have everything set up how you need it because hot glue sets quickly! Use your hot glue gun to put two lines of glue down the length of the poster board or cardstock for the first Cotton Set box and press it onto the glue. Do the same thing with the next Cotton Set box and so on. Be sure to have all of the boxes facing the same way if you are doing more than two boxes, otherwise the tab from where the lid would have snapped closed will cause the boxes to not line up perfectly.

STEP 5:

Carefully put a line of glue between the boxes and press together (you only have to do this at the very top, and you only need a tiny amount of glue because it’s more important to work fast then to get a perfect line).

STEP 6:

Decorate the box if desired or leave so that it is clear on the sides like I chose to do.

STEP 7:

Fill the box with lots of lippies!!

I hope that you enjoyed today’s quick and inexpensive DIY project! If you try this out for yourself or have any questions, please comment (click the link by the title of this post!) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Thank you so much for reading this and thank you SO much to those of you who have subscribed to my blog! To subscribe, enter your email on the right side of this page in the “subscribe” box…it’ll make my day ; ) I hope you have a fantastic day and I will talk to you on Friday!!

NAIL POLISH TUTORIAL-HOW TO AVOID BRUSH STROKES WITH FROST FORMULA POLISH

April 18, 2014 & 2 Comments

Hi There! Happy Friday!!! (Friday’s always deserve the most exclamation points!)

A few weeks ago I shared my Wet n’ Wild Spring 2014 Limited Edition Collections “And the Style Award Goes To…” post and mentioned that there is a technique I saw awhile ago to avoid the brush strokes that often happen when using a frost formula nail polish. I had a reader comment that they would love to see the technique, so today I am going to share a quick tutorial post with you on how you to do it by simply using a makeup sponge. I love hearing from you, so if YOU have anything you would like to see on here, comment (click the link by the title of this post) and let me know!

What you’ll need:

A small piece of a makeup sponge or a sponge eye shadow applicator (my preference is the eye shadow applicator)

A frost nail polish (a nail polish with a very fine, smooth shimmer)

A base coat nail polish and a top coat nail polish (optional, but highly recommended)

Products I used:

Revlon Colorstay base coat (005)

Wet n’ Wild Megalast in Sophisticated Lady (34359)

Out The Door top coat

Step 1:

Apply your base coat

Step 2:

Apply 1 or 2 coats of your frost nail polish with the brush your nail polish comes with.

Step 3:

Carefully dip your sponge tip eye shadow applicator into the nail polish or if using a makeup sponge pour a small amount of polish onto a paper plate or something else you can toss when you’re done. Then brush the sponge over your nails in one even motion. If you go over the nail with the sponge too much it can cause bumps which isn’t the look you want (I don’t think!). Try to sure that the sponge isn’t too soaked in the polish, getting it ever so slightly wet before dipping it into the polish can help with this.

Step 4:

Apply your top coat and allow the polish to dry!

My application isn’t perfect, and it takes a little practice, but it gives you a much cleaner look and you don’t see such obvious brush strokes. I like this method because it doesn’t take too many extra steps or too many coats of different nail products to get the desired effect.

I hope that you enjoyed this quick and easy nail polish tutorial! What is your favorite nail polish type? What is your favorite nail polish secret? I love crème nail polishes finishes and usually gravitate to those, but trying a frost is a fun change! If you have any questions or comments, please let me know by commenting (click the link by the title of this post!) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! If you liked this post please subscribe (it’ll only take a minute!) by entering your email into the subscription box on the right side on this page. Thank you so much for reading this! I hope that you have a wonderful Easter if you celebrate and a fab weekend!!! MUAH!

“Bunny Bait” Treat Bag DIY and Free Gift Tag Template- Hopping Into Spring Series Part 3

April 16, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi There! Happy Wednesday!

I hope you are having a great week so far! Easter is only a few days away and today I want to share a super simple treat bag DIY for the third and final Hopping Into Spring Series post. I think that is perfect for a last minute basket stuffer, gift for friends, co-workers, church groups, or just to enjoy yourself! I have also included a free template PDF file printable if you’d like to print out gift tags for your treat bags. Please consider “pinning” this post to your Pinterest account by hovering over any picture until a pink “Pin” button appears and clicking on that.

BUNNY BAIT:

Ingredients:

Mini marshmallows

Small pretzel sticks

Easter candy (I used M&M’s and Hershey Kisses)

Treat bags

Directions: Fill your treat bags to your liking with all of the ingredients! I did marshmallows first, then Hershey Kisses, then pretzel sticks and then finally M&M’s just so I didn’t crush the pretzel sticks with the heavier items.

GIFT TAG PRINTABLE:

Here is my free gift tag printable that you can simply click and print!

What You’ll Need:

The printed gift tags

Paper cutter or scissors

Ribbon Eyelet punch OR regular hole punch

Step 1: Print out your free gift tag printable and cut the tags out with your paper cutter or scissors.

Step 2: Use your eyelet punch to put a grommet onto your tag OR use a regular hole punch to make a hole for your ribbon.

Step 3: Use the ribbon to attach your gift tags to your treat bags : )

I hope you have enjoyed this post! If you try this out I would love to hear about it or see pictures! If you have anything you’d like to see a post about, or have any questions or comments, let me know by commenting (click the link by the title of this post!) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! As always, thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read this, and please subscribe!! I will talk to you on Friday!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX APRIL 2014!!

April 14, 2014 & 5 Comments

Hi There! Happy Monday!!

I hope you’re having a wonderful start to your week! If you want to make my day, be sure to follow me on social media! The pink button links are at the top of this page! It’s LeahTackles everywhere!

Today I am very excited to be reviewing the April 2014 PopSugar Must Have Box! I have been receiving this subscription service since December 2012 and it is like Christmas every month! I personally love being surprised by what’s in the box, so I steer clear of spoilers! If your April box hasn’t come yet and you want spoilers, keep reading! Here is a little bit about Pop Sugar: The box contains full size items in all different categories…food, beauty, fashion, home, and usually an extra goodie of some kind, too. The PopSugar box usually arrives between the 10^th-15^th of every month for me…it ships via FedEx Smart Post, which means it goes out FedEx but arrives to my P.O Box. Today I will quickly go over the March items so you know what I loved and what was maybe so-so for me. When I go over the May box in a post next month I will do a mini review of the items from this month and talk about what I used, didn’t use, liked, or maybe didn’t like as much.

Product titles are also links for more information or to buy online.

Okay, here we go…

MARCH 2014 POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX OVERVIEW:

Must Have Food:

Snapea Crisps from Harvest Snaps

$3 Value

Verdict:

I ate these up quickly and really liked them! I was happy to find them shortly after receiving them in my box at my local grocery store. The listed value is $3, but I found them for less than $2, so keep your eyes peeled!

Must Have Beauty:

Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum from Jurlique

$30

Verdict:

I really like this serum! It is a very thin consistency, but I find that only 1-2 pumps is enough to cover my face, neck and décolleté. I have only been using it every few days at night, but I think I am going to be brave and test it during the day on my combination/oily skin to see how it goes! The serum seems to absorb into the skin quickly, so maybe it would work on me for daytime as well.

Must Have Fashion:

Lucky Horseshoe Necklace from Dogeared (*Similar)

$28

Verdict:

I love it! Very cute! I need to remember to wear it more often.

Must Have Fashion:

IKAT Scarf from Brokedown

$72

Verdict:

This is such a fabulous scarf! I have been reaching for it a lot lately, and it’s a great transition piece for spring!

Must Have Fitness:

Mini Stability Exercise Ball from Fusion Pilates (*Similar)

$9.95

Verdict:

I used this only once, right before writing this post so that I could tell you all at least a little something about it. The workouts for this Mini Stability Ball were fairly basic, but as most workouts not quite as easy as they looked! Now that I know how to use it, I need to grab this and give it a try with my exercise routine! I tend to get in exercise slumps where I do the same type of work out over and over! Time to change it up!

Must Have Home:

Elephant Ring Tree Holder from Bauble Bar

$12

Verdict:

I love this still! It looks so cute sitting on top of my jewelry box, and I have two little rings sitting on it looking pretty.

Special Extra:

Whole Wheat Fig Bar from Nature’s Bakery

Verdict:

This was yummy and came in handy when I needed a snack on the go! Would I run out and hunt down this exact bar? No, but it was tasty and I would consider grabbing again if I saw it at the store.

Okay, now onto the good stuff!! This months box!!

APRIL 2014 POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX:

Must Have Food:

Pop Sugar Must Have Mix from Nature Box

$5 Value

I have been curious about Nature Box for quite awhile now and was really excited to see something in this PopSugar Must Have Box to try from them. The mix is dried cranberries, corn, soybeans and almonds in it, and it wasn’t something I would have reached for myself, but I really liked it! I almost always have a snack while watching our favorite TV shows with my husband after our kids go to bed, and having healthy snacks like this around keep me from wanting chocolate or other not-so-healthy treats! The fat content is pretty high, it is a trail mix/energy snack after all, but otherwise it’s definitely a healthy option. They also included a coupon for a $9.95 trail month of 5 items, and I am definitely tempted! If you subscribe to Nature Box, do you like it? I would love to hear your thoughts! Let me know by commenting (click the link on the title of this post! Super easy!) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Must Have Home:

Caldrea Rosewater Driftwood Liquid Hand Soap

$10.50 value

I love seeing things like this in the box! I would feel guilty spending too much on hand soap, it’s a spot where I can cut corners or at least get the deals at Bath and Body Works, but I LOVE the little luxury of using them! It is a very nice rose smell, not too overpowering and not at all a fake floral smell that some soaps have.

Must Have Beauty:

Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette

$36 Value

I was SO excited when I saw this in the box!! I love Too Faced bronzers, lip products, and mascara but I have never tried the eye shadows! Speaking of their eye shadows, I am currently lusting over the Chocolate Bar Palette and know that eventually that must be added to my collection! Has anyone tried either of these palettes? Let me know by leaving a comment (click the link by the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram ! Anyways, I love neutral eye shadows and was super excited until I noticed powder covering the box while I was opening it : ( One of the eye shadows broke! I know I could try to repair it, but I also sent PopSugar an email to see about sending it back and getting a replacement. It wasn’t wrapped at all sadly, which I was surprised about because I haven’t had that issue in the past. I have only had one other issue in the 17 different boxes I have had since December 2012, so as long as it’s replaced I am not concerned about it, and PopSugar has always had great customer service.

Must Have Fashion:

(XO) Eco Shopper Collapsible Tote Bag from Lauren Conrad for Blue Avocado

$24.99 value

I wasn’t thrilled initially with this bag because I figured it would just be another bag that wasn’t any different than others that I have. However, upon further inspection it’s simple to use and an adorable print! This bag makes me so excited for warmer weather and hopefully heading to some farmer’s markets with my family! So many bags advertise that they fold up “easily”, but this one really does fold up without a struggle. I think it will be functional for so many things, for day trips or barbeques I always have extra stuff I want to bring along and this is a great way to look stylish while doing it. The company Blue Avocado works with other companies and they upcycle by using plastic bottles to make the Blue Avocado products. The Lauren Conrad line from Blue Avocado also has lots of beauty and travel items that are just adorable! She can seriously do no wrong!

Must Have Home:

Pocket Notes from Graphic Image (*Similar)

$20 Value

I LOVE this so much! It says “Run The World” (how CUTE!) on a small periwinkle leather notebook with silver glit edged pages and a little ribbon bookmark. I am already using this, and it’s a perfect addition to toss into my bag or have displayed on my desk.

Must Have Home:

TOTALLY AWESOME: 80’s Sayings Tea Towel Set by Fresh Pastry Stand (an Etsy.com site)

$18 Value

These are cute, and I will definitely use them a lot this summer in the kitchen. They are big enough unfolded that they can be very multi-functional, which I love! I think they’re a fun way to liven up and lighten up the kitchen for spring.

All in all it is another great box from PopSugar! The total value was about $115 (each month $100 value or more is promised!) and for $39 it is well worth it since I will use the products. I am not as excited as I was about last months box (I LOVED last months box, so pretty stiff competition), but I still think I will enjoy and use all of the products in the box! I will keep you posted and put a note at the bottom of this post when I hear from PopSugar about my broken Too Faced palette. If you liked what you saw here, you can subscribe to PopSugar Must Have Box and join in the fun too! It’s the only subscription box I have tried so far, but I am *SOCLOSE* to trying more! Everybody loves fun mail, right?! If you subscribe to any subscription boxes that you love, tell me about it commenting (click the link next to the title of this post), or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! As always, thank you so much for reading this and please subscribe! It’s easy, just enter you email and receive emails only when I upload a new post, and it’ll make my day!

***UPDATE*** PopSugar has emailed me back and are replacing my Too Faced palette! I am SO happy with the customer service and once I have my palette in my hands I think this will bump up to being one of my top boxes so far!! Makeup? Eeek! Too Faced makeup? EEEEEEK!

***ANOTHER UPDATE*** PopSugar sent my replacement and it arrived carefully packaged this time! So excited : )

TOP 10 NAIL POLISH PICKS FOR SPRING 2014!

April 11, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

I hope you had a wonderful week! Now that spring is here, I have been loving wearing all sorts of fun nail polish colors! I looked through my collection of polishes (I have a serious love for nail polish. Serious.) and picked out my top picks to share with you today. I created a Luvocracy Collection if you’d like more information on the polishes, want to add them to your own collections, or shop directly from the site.

Note: These are not listed in any kind of ranked order, they are just done in the order of a pretty spring-y rainbow! I also love my Megalast polishes dearly, and my spring picks I posted about previously: Wet N’ Wild Limited Edition Spring 2014 “And The Style Award Goes To…”.

1) Essie Madison Ave-Hue

This is a beautiful bright pink polish from the spring 2013 line from Essie. It has a beautiful pink and silver sparkle to it. It is very bright and has great color payoff. This shows 2 coats.

2) Lóreal Wishful Pinking

This is a very light pink polish that gives your nails a beautiful, clean look. It applies flawlessly and you really can’t mess it up. I love this when I’m in a rush but want something polished on my nails. This shows 3 coats.

3) Essie Mango Bango

This is a beautiful coral-y to orange cream polish. I don’t have many orange polishes, but I LOVE this one! Orange is so on trend for spring and summer, and it is a great way to get that pop of color if you aren’t ready to try an orange lip. This shows 3 coats, but you can easily do 2.

4) Revlon Colorstay Buttercup

Buttercup is a beautiful pale yellow cream polish. It is a unique color, as pale yellows can be hard to come by. I love it because it has good color payoff, especially for a yellow polish, and isn’t too streaky. I did apply 3 coats.

5) Revlon Zealous

When I first got this color last summer I remember being so surprised at how much I ended up loving it on my nails! It is a yellow with lots of gold shimmer that definitely gives off echoes of a chartreuse green. I love it! It’s sheer, but looks great with 3 coats.

6) Revlon Parfumerie Lime Basil

This is a deep minty green cream polish that smells just like a lemon lime soda! I was expecting it to smell more herbal, but all I get when I smell it is soda pop! But I like it. It is a beautiful color and it wore very well on my nails.

7) Zoya Blu

This is such a stunning, very light blue cream nail polish. It looks gorgeous on the nail, and I always receive compliments when I wear this color.

8) Essie Play Date

I love purple nail polish shades and this one isn’t like any others that I have in my collection. It is a bright purple cream polish and is very opaque on the nail.

9) Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Coin Flip

I love this for any season really, but I love the metallic look that this foil polish gives. It’s mostly gold, but in some lights looks silver as well. It reminds me a lot of Orly Rage. It’s more fun than a neutral (and I love a good nude manicure!) but I find that it really goes with so much.

10) Nicole by O•P•I Lips Are Dripping Honey

I love using this color from the limited edition Carrie Underwood line as an accent to other polishes. It is a beautiful glitter polish with tiny gold glitter and holographic larger pieces of gold glitter. The mix of holographic glitter and tiny specs of glitter gives the look in some light of a rose gold polish which makes me love it that much more! I LOVE rose gold! I don’t find that this is a pain to lay down on the nail, and it’s easier to work with than a lot of glitters.

Ta-da! That’s it! What are your favorite nail polishes to wear in the spring? I would LOVE to hear from you and try out some of your suggestions!! Let me know in the comments (click the link next to the title of this post) or find me on Facebook , Twitter, or Instagram! If you have enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and subscribe (enter your email in the box on the right of the page and you’ll just get emails when I post!). I hope you have a fantastic weekend!!

Collective Beauty and Lifestyle Favorites!

April 4, 2014 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Friday!!

Yay! It’s Friday!! I am so glad it’s the weekend! For those of you without weekends, I sympathize! Both my husband and myself had jobs post-college where weekends didn’t exist! No fun! But no matter what you do, I hope you’re having a lovely Friday afternoon! Because of my excitement for Friday, I want to do a fun favorites post where I share all of the stuff I’ve been loving lately! Eventually, I plan to do a monthly beauty favorites post, and also a “lifestyle” favorites post where I show you all the other random things I love that aren’t beauty related. But today, these favorites are all going to be packed into one post! I made Luvocracy collection with the items listed below if you want more information or want to shop online!

Let’s get started!

LEAH’S FAVORITES:

Beauty Favorites:

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 001 Honey

These jumbo crayon lip products are everywhere right now, and this is a great basic to have. It is one of my favorite lip products of all time! I have been using it for about a year and half, I still find myself wearing it at least once a week! Sometimes I just don’t feel like fussing with a lipstick or gloss, and on those days this is an amazing thing to be able to reach for. I need to pick up a new one, mine has a crack in the cap and the writing it all rubbed off…and that’s because this has gone everywhere with me! It’s a beautiful “your lips but better” pink. I find that the color ends up getting a bit brighter after the “stain” part starts coming through, but it’s still just as beautiful. When I use this I only touch up a couple of times a day to keep the slightly glossy look. If you don’t have this yet, I really suggest picking it up if you’re in the market for an easy everyday lipcolor.

This next picture shows the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Honey and the next item I talk about, the Lóréal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black:

Lóréal Lineur Intense in Carbon Black

This is a felt tip black eyeliner that can create thin lines to very thick bold lines. I am no expert at winged eyeliner, but I definitely have success when I use this eyeliner. It is very black and stays all day. I haven’t had issues with the pen drying out too quickly. What is your favorite staple eyeliner? Do you prefer liquid eyeliner over pencil? Let me know by commenting (click the link next to the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion

I just hauled this in my March 2014 Collective Beauty Haul, so I won’t spend too much time on it but I had to include it! This color is BEAUTIFUL! It gives such a lovely flush to the cheeks and I don’t have to wear a highlight when I have this on (but let’s be real, I usually still do! I love a good glow!). This is gorgeous, and if you can get your booty to Sephora to swatch these for yourself, I highly recommend it!

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Mint Sorbet

I really like the Xtreme Wear line from Sally Hansen because it is very inexpensive and usually wears well for several days without chips. My good friend and fellow nail polish lover (sorry for getting you hooked and enabling you!! You know who you are!) gave me this color and it is just the perfect mint polish! I love the color mint green anytime, but springtime is the perfect time to rock a mint mani.

Jewelry Favorite:

Bauble Bar Deco Strand in Mint Tortoise

I have loved tortoise since I was a really little kid. Once before we left for a vacation my mom and I went shopping and she ended up buying me a pair of tortoise sunglasses…I must have been 7 or 8 years old, and I’ve been loving tortoise ever since! So this necklace fulfills my love of tortoise, a pop of spring color with the mint, and a little bling thrown in for good measure. It looks cute with so many things: A basic tee, a dress, or a great collared shirt. I wore it this past weekend with a casual outfit shown above. It is a bit expensive, but I was able to use Bauble Bar Vault Points to get it for less. Keep you eyes peeled for discount codes and sign up for vault points

Food Favorite:

Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bar in Roasted Mixed Nut

I like to have granola or protein bars in my bag in case I get hungry or “something” happens! Maybe it’s the mom in me! These are a great mix of salty and sweet with lots of nuts and nutty butter on the bottom of the bar.

Exercise/ Wellness Favorite:

Life Factory 16 oz. Glass Bottle with Straw Cap and Silicone Sleeve in Peony

I got this while I was shopping in a small local children’s boutique for my kiddos. I drink lots of water and wanted a bottle that I can take everywhere without spilling. It’s a bit heavy, because it is made of glass but it is free of chemicals and easy to clean. I really like the silicone around the glass because it gives a great grip. It is pricy, but if you consider cost per use, it has stayed in perfect shape and I use it all day, everyday.

Website Favorite AND Book Favorite:

“Seriously…I’m Kidding” by Ellen Degeneres read by the author

My hubster has been using audible.com for about a year, but I just didn’t know if I would like it or when I would find the time. I finally decided to listen while I was doing random household chores one evening recently and I chose Ellen’s book for something lighthearted to begin my audio book journey. And I loved it! It didn’t hurt that I listened to this straight after Ellen rocked The Oscars, but she is just so charming. I felt warm and fuzzy after listening. I finished the about three hour long book in two days and it made my chores a lot more fun. We have an Amazon Prime account which makes it very affordable as well. I loved the book and I loved listening to it instead of finding the time to read it.

Girl Power Favorite:

NOTE: I thought this would be a fun way to share some props when I do a favorites post to any girl I think is doing great stuff and should be recognized. I am all about girl power, more than ever now that I have a daughter of my own! I think it should be encouraged and supported!

Carrie Rad has Youtube channel I found recently that I think is just lovely! She’s got whatever it is (okay, now I can’t stop singing that country song…), something about her is so fresh, and she is a joy to watch. I found her and then binge watched every single one of her videos. She has beauty, fashion, and more in her videos. I just want to grab a coffee with her and hang out. She has great ideas, shows such passion, and I just know she will do big things! Carrie Rad is rad!

Song Favorite:

All of Me by John Legend

This song is SO beautiful! I love it each time it comes on the radio and avoid talking too much until it’s over. LOVE!

Okay, I don’t want this to go on forever because I’m in a rambling mood today, and that could get dangerous! But I really hope that you’ve enjoyed this post! As always, if you have any comments or questions please comment (click the link next to the title of this post) or find me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! Please let me know what type of posts you would like to see on www.leahtackles.com. Let me know what your favorites items of the moment are! I would love to hear about them! And if you like what you’ve read, please share and subscribe by entering you email into the box on the right of this page! You will only get emails when a new post from me goes up! Super easy! Thank you to all of you who have already subscribed!! I hope you have a beautiful weekend!!

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