Leah Tackles

BECCA SHIMMERING SKIN PERFECTOR IN PRISMATIC AMETHYST

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Back in December I did a review on the Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette (read that review here) and so when Becca launched their limited edition pressed shimmering skin perfector in Prismatic Amethyst I was very excited to try it out. Today I want to share swatches of the highlighter as well as my thoughts on this compared to other duo-chrome highlighters on the market.

 

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Prismastic Amethyst

 

 

I think this is a very pretty highlight with pink and lilac iridescent sheen that changes as the light catches it. I found it to swatch more pale pink, but look more purple or blue toned on my cheeks. This highlighter is a lot more subtle than the Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette colors were on me, and I had to actually build it up a bit which surprised me. I do find this to be a very pretty look, and if you’re looking for a more subtle holographic or prismatic look, this may be a great choice. I do think that this can work on any skin tone, but I think it would show up more on a deeper skin tone than mine. I haven’t tried this as an eye shadow topper, but I think it would be beautiful on the lids and plan to try that next.

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Are you into the holographic, duo-chrome highlighter look? Have you tried this one? Let me know in the comments!

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HOW-TO KEEP LONG AND COLOR TREATED HAIR HEALTHY

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have very long and color treated hair, and I get a lot of questions about how I keep my hair healthy, so today I want to share a few simple tips with you.

 

 

Don’t Wash Your Hair Every Day

This was a hard one for me years ago, but now I wash every other day or every couple of days. If you get greasy in the roots, or if you are an every single day hair washer, it can take time to get yourself AND your hair trained to skip a day, but it *will* even out! Skipping a day or two between shampooing will actually slow down the oil production and leave you with  healthier hair.

Befriend the Braid, Messy Bun, or Top Knot

I like to wear my hair in a braid or bun when I want to give my hair a day off from heat styling, or if I’m in a rush. I have been LOVING wearing my hair in a french crown braid that is perfect for summer and the gym! I got a lot of requests on Snapchat (@LeahTackles), which surprised me because it takes less than 5 minutes and isn’t fancy, but I ended up filming a talk-through style tutorial so you can copy the look.

 

My Hair Product Essentials

 

 

If you have any more specific questions about my hair or haircare routine, please ask! Thank you for reading and please subscribe!

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LimeLight by Alcone Enduring Lip Color

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

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

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

 

 

About LimeLight by Alcone

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

LimeLight by Alcone Enduring Lip Color in Macaroon

 

 

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

First Impression

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

My Routine

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

Final Thoughts

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

Skincare

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

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

 

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

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

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

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

 

 

What Is It?

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

First Impressions

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

Pros

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

Cons

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

My Routine

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

Yay or Nay?

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

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

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DOES THE SPF IN MAKEUP WORK? READ THIS BEFORE YOU HEAD OUTSIDE THIS SUMMER!

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

Summer is right around the corner and as you’re shopping for your summer essentials SPF should definitely be on that list. Now, I love a great multitasking beauty product as much as the next gal, but what about sunscreens? You see SPF listed on lotions, makeup setting sprays, lip balms, and of course, sunscreen lotions themselves on the shelves but which do you need? Can you get away with using just a foundation with SPF and calling it good? Let’s take a look…

 

 

 

SPF: THE BASICS

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN FOLLOWING SPF (i.e SPF 15 vs. SPF 50)

Say that your skin normally begins to burn after 10 minutes in full sun without any protection (definitely my situation as a very fair skin toned lady) if you use 30 SPF sunscreen that would provide 30 times the protection of using no sunscreen. In other words, 30 times longer before you start to burn, or 300 minutes.

WHAT ARE UVA and UVB RAYS?

UVA rays penetrate deep into the dermis which is the skin’s thickest layer. Exposure of unprotected skin to UVA rays can lead to premature skin aging and wrinkling, and even suppression of the immune system! UVB rays will usually burn the superficial layers of your skin and plays a major role in the development of skin cancer.

IS SUNSCREEN IN MAKEUP ENOUGH? WHAT SHOULD YOU SLATHER ON BEFORE HEADING OUT?

Sunscreen is added to so many products these days, and in my opinion that is a great thing because we need all the protection we can get from the harmful rays. Foundation with sunscreen is definitely a great added bit of security, but unfortunately you would need to use as much as SEVEN times the regular amount of liquid foundation you normally would to get the SPF protection stated on the package and about 14 times the normal amount of a powder makeup product, so don’t use this as your only shield from Mr. Sun.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I REAPPLY? 

I know that reapplying is a huge pain, and applying BEFORE you actually hit the beach is also hard to manage, but here is what you should aim for in a perfect #sunscreengoals world; Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to completely mind with your skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is as important as that initial application, and should be done every two hours!

MY ROUTINE

I use a moisturizer with SPF in it such as the Estée Lauder DayWear SPF 25 after cleansing and toning my face each morning. I then apply my foundation, a recent favorite is the Tarte BB Treatment with SPF 30 (read my thoughts on it here). On days when I am planning to be spending significant time outside I like to finish with a setting spray with SPF like the SuperGoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist Broad Spectrum SPF 50 . Because my skin is combo/oily I do need to touch up quite often anyways, let alone in the summer heat, so I go minimal with my makeup when I will be outside and use Peter Thomas Roth Oily Problem Skin Powder SPF 30 which is MUST-HAVE for me! Both my husband and I used this at Walt Disney World and it’s perfect because it controls oil and adds back some protection as the day goes on. For my body I use an SPF 50 spray or lotion such as the Sun Bum SPF 50 Continuous Spray Sunscreen.

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Thank you, as always, for watching this post! Please share this, it helps me out and I think this post is so important with summer coming (hopefully) fast! xx

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MOTHER’S DAY BEAUTY GIFT GUIDE FOR ANY AGE! | + GIVEAWAY AND GIFT CODE FROM SMILE BRILLIANT!

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

May is here and that means Mother’s Day is RIGHT around the corner! Don’t panic- this gift guide has beauty items for the mom in your life! I curated these products because I think they are thoughtful items that show you’ve taken time to select something special instead of grabbing something at the very last minute.

 

 

Smile Brilliant Teeth Whitening System 

 

 

This is an item that I personally use and love. I have very sensitive teeth but was able to use the Smile Brilliant kit with no issues! You can read about whitening sensitive teeth here.  I have teamed up with Smile Brilliant again for this blog post, but as always all opinions are my own. I will never accept money or products in exchange for a positive review. I am excited to offer you the opportunity to enter a giveaway and get a gift code. You can read other reviews of Smile Brilliant kits here.

Coupon Code

Save $50 off this amazing kit with the coupon code LeahTackles50 (expires 7/17/17)

Giveaway and Free Gift Code

Use this link to enter the giveaway and you will get a $25 gift code for entering! Visit my LeahTackles Instagram to see a short video, enter my giveaway, and get my gift code link!

Here is my YouTube video sharing my results with Smile Brilliant

Sunday Riley Power Couple

 

 

I shared my review of this set here and I still absolutely adore it! I actually recently re-purchased the Luna Sleeping Night Oil because I love it so much!

Elizabeth and James  Find Your Nirvana Roller Ball Set

 

 

I love the Elizabeth and James fragrances, but they’re pricy, and this is a great way to get to try them at an affordable price. I like having the rollerballs for my purse and travel.

Benefit Cosmetics Sunday My Prince Will Come Easy Weekender Kit

 

 

This packaging is so adorable, and all of the products inside are great makeup basics that can work for any age which makes this a fantastic gift.

If you liked this post, please share it to help out people who may still have some Mother’s Day shopping to do! If you’re a mama, Happy Early Mother’s Day! Don’t forget to subscribe! xx

 


Teeth Whitening

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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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BRONZER FOR ULTRA FAIR SKIN! | BENEFIT COSMETICS HOOLA LIGHT YAY OR NAY?

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday! And most importantly, HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY to my daughter, Hailey Madison! Be sure to follow me on Snapchat (@LeahTackles) for birthday cuteness!

As someone with fair skin I know that bronzer can be tricky because a lot of them tend to be way too dark or can appear orange on my skin…translation? NOT cute! So, when I saw that Benefit released a “lite” version of their cult favorite Hoola, I was very excited to try it.

 

Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Lite:

 

 

Price:

$29

Packaging:

Just like the original Hoola Bronzer and the Benefit boxed blushes this comes in a study cardboard box with adorable details, a nice mirror, and a brush. I personally do not use the brush unless I am in a pinch, but it could be used if that is your preference.

 

First Impression:

This is not too warm and reminds me of a darker shade of a powder foundation instead of a very bronzy shade that you typically see with bronzers. I love that this looks very natural on the skin and blended out very easily. This product is not shimmery or sparkly, and I think it will be beautiful for a very natural look or with a blush with a bit of shimmer like the Benefit Galifornia Blush I blogged about a couple of weeks ago (read that post here).

 

Overall:

This product could be used for people with fair to light skin for bronzing and to do a very light, subtle contour is you have very fair skin like me. I love that this is an easy way to bronze my skin without having the fear of appearing too dark, fake, or orange. I do use other bronzers with a more subtle hand and that works, but this is a no nonsense way for a fair gal like me to lightly add some bronze to the skin. I think this is also a very natural looking color for someone with fair skin like mine as opposed to a warmer bronze.

 

Have you tried this? What is your FAVORITE bronzer? Let me know in the comments! xx

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Lancome Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick | The Perfect Summer Lip?

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! We celebrated our Biggest Little Love, Hailey, by throwing her a pool party with a mermaid as the special guest! You can see pictures on my Instagram accounts here and here.

Sephora is currently having their VIB Spring Sale and I received my order (a haul video is coming soon!) and have already found a stand-out favorite that I think will become my perfect summer lip for summer 2017.

 

Lancome Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick in 272 Energy In Peach

 

 

First, let’s talk color; this stunning peachy nude is highly pigmented and is subtle enough for most people to feel comfortable rocking, and gives a beautiful, youthful color to the lips. The Matte Shaker High Pigment Liquid Lipstick line has seven shades in the range so far, and I am hoping that they continue to add more. If you’re familiar with the Lancome Juicy Shaker Pigment Infused BI-Phased Lip Oil then this applicator foam numb is the same and the packaging looks the same, but on the new matte shaker the cap is matte black instead of metallic silver. The liquid lipstick has a very thin, light feel that feels like you have nothing on your lips, the claims say “second skin” which I would have to agree with! It is pretty impressive to get that color payoff for something that doesn’t feel like lipstick at all. I do find that I have to reapply this more often than other liquid lipsticks, but still get decent wear off of it. The applicator takes a bit of getting used to, but I didn’t have any problems applying it to my lips. You can use multiple shades to create a gradient effect with these, but I haven’t gotten that fancy with them yet. I have worn this without a lip liner and have not had major issues with the color bleeding, but a lip liner would probably be best as with most liquid lipsticks. *Tip: Be sure to shake up the product like the name suggests before applying.

I think this product along with a little concealer and bronzer will be my go-to “no-makeup” summer look! Have you tried this? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! Please don’t forget to subscribe : ) xx

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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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