LeahTackles Beauty

BENEFIT GALIFORNIA BOXED BLUSH | YAY OR NAY?

April 5, 2017 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week so far! With summer right around the corner (at least this Michigan gal hopes it is right around the corner!) I thought it would be fun to try the *new* boxed blush from Benefit Cosmetics and share my thoughts with you.

Benefit Galifornia

First Impression:

How gorgeous is this brush? It is definitely a super cute name and adorable packaging as I’ve come to expect from Benefit. The cardboard box is sturdy, has a nice sized mirror, and does come with a brush but I do not use the brush it comes with unless I’m in a pinch without my other blush brushes. This blush smells amazing, and reminds me of fresh peaches and summer picnic! The gorgeous blush with the gold glimmering sun is absolutely Instagram worthy. The glittery sun is stunning, but unfortunately is just an overspray on top so once you’ve swatched it that does go away, however the gold hints are in the actual blush.

Why I Love It:

This is a super pigmented shade that would work well on even very deep skin tones, is absolutely perfect for spring and summer, and even my very fair skin can wear it but do use a light hand if you’re very fair. I think this gives a healthy glow and just the right bit of shimmer.

Shop:

Will you be picking up this beauty? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to enter my beauty giveaway on my YouTube channel, too ; )

STRETCH MARK CREAM REVIEW | NAVAN SKINCARE

April 3, 2017 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! Today I wanted to share my thoughts on the Stretch Mark Reducing Cream from Navan Skincare. If you follow me on Snapchat (@LeahTackles) you may have seen me speak about this when I was gifted it from Navan Skincare for my consideration for review.

Stretch Mark Reducing Cream from Navan Skincare

This cream claims to work to reduce the appearance of stretch marks by combining three scientifically back ingredients (Collaxyl™, Elastonyl®, Retinyl) and six natural oils (Jojoba Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Rosemary leaf oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Peppermint Oil, Lavender Oil), that work to diminish the appearance of stretch marks caused by pregnancy or extreme weight gain or loss on the belly, hips, bum, thighs, breasts and arms.

My Initial Thoughts

I was a little unsure of this product because stretch marks aren’t a huge problem area for me and I have tried other creams in the past. I do have three children, so I had one stretch mark on my stomach that I really wanted to fade, as well as on my inner thigh. During all of my pregnancies and in the first few postpartum months I drank a ton of water, and also slathered myself in body oils and lotions to hopefully reduce my chances for stretch marks. I decided to try using the Navan Stretch Mark Reducing Cream twice daily and see if I noticed a difference.

Why I Love It

I really like that this cream has a refreshing and not overpowering smell, sinks into the skin quickly which is important because you are not supposed to get dressed until it has absorbed into the skin, and also comes in a container where I can (and did!) scrape out every last bit. It is a thick, creamy consistency so that it feel substantial not watery or oily, which I enjoy. I definitely noticed a significant difference in the appearance of my stretch marks. I like this because it wasn’t oily, sticky, or a pain to use.

Would I Purchase This Product and Will I Continue Using It?

I really loved this product, and it has peaked my interest in the rest of the Navan Skincare line because I found this to work better than other brands products with similar claims and price points. I do think that this product helps to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, and is worth a try.

Discount Code

Navan Skincare has kindly given me a discount code to share with you. Use the code Leah15 to save 15% off of your order. *Note: I am not paid if you purchase using this code, it is just a discount for you to try the product if you’d like.

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Stretch Mark Reducing Cream

Thank you, as always, for reading! Have a beautiful week! xx

HOW TO PRIME AND TREAT OILY SKIN BEFORE MAKEUP | FEATURING BENEFIT COSMETICS

March 29, 2017 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have combo/oily skin, and my t-zone, my nose especially, tends to get very oily. One product that I’ve spoken about before is Milk of Magnesia which I do still like for special, all-day occasions, but as detailed in this post, the magnesium carbonate effectively break down wax esters which helps to degrease your skin but it has a high PH level. Because I do not use Milk of Magnesia daily, I am always on the hunt for ways to safely combat the oil.

Benefit Cosmetics POREfessional Line

Benefit Cosmetics the POREfessional Matte Rescue

This product intrigued me right away when it came out, but it took me a little bit of time to determine if I thought it made a significant different in helping me stay matte. This claims to keep your skin matte and to help minimize your pores. This should be used after cleansing and moisturizing. I have been using this product daily for several months now, and as an experiment skipped a day and definitely noticed that my skin was not only shiny faster, but my makeup didn’t stay as fresh looking for as long.

Benefit Cosmetics the POREfessional

This has been a long time favorite product of mine and I always repurchase this primer. This product claims to minimize the appearance of pores, smooth fine lines, and help your makeup stay put, and for me this is absolutely true!

My Routine

After I cleanse and moisturize my skin I give my moisturizer a couple of minutes to skin in and then I apply Benefit the POREfessional Matte Rescue as the last step in my morning skincare routine. After the POREfessional Matte Rescue has a few minutes to sink into my skin I apply the POREfessional, concentrating on areas where I have large pores, which for me is my nose and the sides of my nose.

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What is your favorite primer? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to follow my Snapchat @LeahTackles to see my makeup, skincare, fashion, food, and family life every day ; ) xx

SUNDAY RILEY SKINCARE REVIEW

March 27, 2017 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a lovely weekend! I recently turned 30, and when my milestone birthday was approaching I made the decision to bump up my skincare. I have heard wonderful things about Sunday Riley, especially in the past year or so, and decided to finally take the plunge and try a little bit of this luxury brand for myself.

SUNDAY RILEY

ABOUT THE BRAND

Sunday Riley offers revolutionary formulas created to powerfully target treatment that work immediately and continue to work overtime.

GOOD GENES ALL-IN-ONE LACTIC ACID TREATMENT

Good Genes contains strong, purified grade lactic acid to help immediately exfoliate dull skin, plump fine lines, and with continued use battle hyperpigmentation and signs of aging. *Note: This is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) so please be sure to use proper SPF along with this to protect your skin from those rays!

MY THOUGHTS

Good Genes amazed me because my mild acne scars and other fine lines looked instantly plumped!! I have oily/combo skin and while this does take a couple of minutes to sink in, I didn’t find it to make me any more shiny than usual, and loved how much it brightened my skin.

LUNA SLEEPING NIGHT OIL

Luna is a retinol oil that boosts your skins plumpness, and improves the appearance of pores, wrinkles, and redness. This oil has german essential oils and blue tansy which help to balance the skin and offer soothing benefits while you sleep.

MY THOUGHTS

I apply Luna at nighttime after cleansing my skin. I absolutely love the bulb style and the blue/green color was a bit surprising at first, but actually makes it really easy to see when I have it rubbed in enough to be effective. This looks and feels so luxurious to use, and I really enjoy the scent but it is a bit strong if you’re very sensitive to smells. I do find that this takes quite a bit of time to soak in, so I try to make sure I have at least 15-20 minutes before I plan to actually crawl into bed because otherwise I would get the oil on my pillow. I once again noticed results right away! The morning after my first time using this I thought my skin looked so much better, more awake and just beautiful! I think this will be a product I continue to use for a very long time.

SHOP

You can purchase these products separately in two different sizes, or in a bundled set which is what I did.

SUNDAY RILEY GOOD GENES

SUNDAY RILEY LUNA SLEEPING NIGHT OIL

SUNDAY RILEY POWER COUPLE

If you enjoyed this post, please share it or “Pin” it to your Pinterest. Thank you for reading! xx

TOO FACED CHOCOLATE BAR PALETTE FAVORITE SHADOW PAIRINGS, TUTORIAL AND GIVEAWAY

March 22, 2017 & 18 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are all having a fantastic week so far. If you are a Beauty Insider rewards program member with Sephora then you may have seen that Too Faced Cosmetics recently had a 500 Point Perk that featured a mini limited edition palette featuring their Chocolate Soleil Bronzer and three colors from the Chocolate Bar Palette, a deluxe size sample of the Better Than Sex Mascara, and a deluxe size sample of Chocolate Melted Liquified Lipstick in Chocolate Honey. The Chocolate Bar Palette is one of my favorites, so today I thought it would be fun to share three of my favorite shadow pairings from the palette. Be sure to check out my video at the bottom of this post and watch it on YouTube to see my swatches, tutorial, and to enter the giveaway to win your own set of the 500 Point Perk.

Too Faced Cosmetics Chocolate Bar Palette:

Champagne Truffle, Salted Caramel, and Semi-Sweet (the colors included in the 500 Point Perk):

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White Chocolate, Marzipan, and Creme Brulee:

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Champagne Truffle, Milk Chocolate, Cherry Cordial, and Amaretto:

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If you have this palette, let me know your favorite shades in the comments section of this post! Thank you so much for reading my blog and supporting me : ) Please subscribe! xx

30 YEAR OLD CAKE SMASH SESSION! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAHTACKLES

March 13, 2017 & 6 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

Whelp, I am *officially* a member of “The 30s Club” and I am actually quite proud of my induction into this exclusive group! I am still on cloud nine after my amazing surprise celebration over the weekend thrown for me by my amazing husband with the help of my amazing friends. I wanted to commemorate this milestone birthday with something special, so I decided that just like parents hire photographers to capture their toddlers smashing their cake, that I would have my photographer (my hubs) capture my very own cake smash. Oh, I also added champagne because, #Thirty. I hope you enjoy these pictures and please feel free to “Pin” onto your Pinterest (just hover over any picture to click the “Pin” button or use the sharing buttons at the bottom of the post) to share the idea!

This is thirty ; ) And as of yesterday, LeahTackles.com is officially THREE YEARS OLD! Thank you for reading! Please subscribe : )

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HAIR WHEN HEAT STYLING | DRUGSTORE REPURCHASE ITEM!

March 8, 2017 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week! LeahTackes.com (that’s the blog you’re on!) turns THREE YEARS OLD on Sunday! Which means I will also be celebrating a birthday ; ) so stay tuned for a post next week! I get a lot of questions about my haircare routine, and I thought that sharing one of my go-to repurchases would be a great place to start.

TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer

Why I Love It

I have been using this heat protectant for years on a nearly daily basis for any heat styling that I do to my hair. I have included it in blog posts here and here but thought that it deserved its very own post because it is a must-have to me! This sprays out evenly and covers a lot of hair at once, so it’s easy to quickly spray into my hair even when I’m in a rush. The smell isn’t overpowering, but it’s a very refreshing fruity scent that I do enjoy. I never skip this step because I do curl my hair a lot, and also use a blow dryer and occasionally a straightening iron which all can be very damaging especially on my long, fine, color treated hair. Using this product guards against heat damage and friction from styling tools. This doesn’t make my hair feel sticky (my pet peeve is the nape of my neck feeling sticky!) or heavy.

Key Ingredients

This product has panthenol and glycerin which help to condition, biotin to strengthen, and cetylpyridinium chloride which give you the heat protection.

My Routine

I hold this several inches away from my hair and spray all over, focusing on the ends of my hair which tend to be dry. I style my hair as normal and then finish off with hairspray (shop my favorite is here) and a little oil on the ends (shop my favorite is here).

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

February 15, 2017 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

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

Cutex Spa Formula Nail Polish Remover

Why I Love It

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

My Routine

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

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

ChapStick® Total Hydration Product Review with GIVEAWAY!

January 30, 2017 & 33 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! I love to wear liquid lipsticks, and liquid lipsticks can be very drying on the lips especially in the cold winter months so I have to be sure to take good care of my lips. I have shared before some of my favorite items from ChapStick® which you can read here, so I was thrilled when I was asked to review the ChapStick® Total Hydration products. This post has been sponsored by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, and as always all opinions are my own. I would never exchange money in exchange for a positive review and share my honest opinions.

ChapStick® Total Hydration Moisture + Tint

These are formulated with a tint that enhances your natural lips and I love that because I can wear a chapstick but still have a little color, and that “your lips but better” look. These come out flat, not with a angle and point like most lipstick type products, so it was a little trickier to apply on the corners of my lips but because it is a tint of color as opposed to an opaque lipstick I didn’t find this to be much of an issue. This tinted moisturizer features a formula with 100% naturally sourced ingredients that provide lasting moisture. These boast high-end ingredients like Rose Hip Oil, Jojoba Oil, and Avocado Butter and I love the way they smell.

Wearing ChapStick® Total Hydration Moisture + Tint in Rose Petal

Swatches (left to right) Coral Blush, Rose Petal, and Merlot

ChapStick® Total Hydration 100% Natural

These feel AMAZING on the lips! This formula is so soft and feel like butter going on your lips. I love that these are formulated with 100% naturally sourced ingredients such as Argan Oil, Avocado Butter, and Omega 6 & 9 that are supposed to give you healthier, more youthful looking lips. This formula is available in Fresh Citrus, Soothing Vanilla, and Honey Blossom which was my favorite of the two I received. I have one of these in my car and have been very grateful for it for myself and the kids, especially my oldest who spends her Sunday afternoons on the slopes at ski club!

ChapStick® Total Hydration 3in1

I was intrigued to try this product when I read that it was a Korean inspired formula because I know that Korean beauty is a huge trend right now, and I have loved some of the Korean skincare that I have tried. This 3 in 1 formula claims to moisturize, renew, and transform the lips and features ingredients like Madecassoside and botanical oils. I have been using mine at night before bed and so far I am really enjoying it. This formula is available in Coconut Hydration, Soothing Oasis, Sweet Peach, Wild Acai Berry, and Cooling Peppermint which is the one that I tried. This formula is available exclusively at Target stores and I was so excited to be able to find it in Target and take a “shelfie” with it ; ) I live an hour away from a Target, but whenever I get the chance I am going to be scoping out ChapStick® because I love these exclusive items! I think these would be perfect for my favorite kind of gift to give (and receive) where you package a bunch of your favorite goodies together in a cute way with a really pretty gift basket.

My Target “Shelfie”

ChapStick® Total Hydration with CoQ10

This product is designed to instantly transform and smooth your lips. This formula is lightweight that provides long-lasting moisture, helps the lips stay hydrated for a full eight hours, and reduces the appearance of fine lines. I am really enjoy using this after using a lip scrub (mentioned below) before bedtime. I don’t know yet if I’ve seen any difference in the fine lines, but just knowing that it helps makes me feel good about using it for that, too ; ) This formula is comprised of advanced skincare ingredients such as Antioxidant CoQ10, Vitamin E which is a wonderful moisturizer, and ultra-hydrating Hyaluronic Spheres for super soft, supple lips. This is available in Vanilla Cream flavor and I think it smells like baked goods, but the scent isn’t overpowering.

ChapStick® Total Hydration Conditioning Lip Scrub

I have tried several lip scrubs, and I also make my own lip scrub quite often which you can see here, but I was very excited to have a new one to try out. This is the latest innovation from ChapStick® and it really is an awesome lip scrub! It’s an interesting texture compared to most scrubs, because it has the grit that you find in all lip scrubs, but the base of it is a creamier, softer consistency that I really love. This scrub is formulated with naturally sourced ingredients including Sugar Crystals, Maracuja and Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, and Vitamin E and features a fresh peppermint flavor. This is super easy to use, and a little goes a very long way! I actually used way too much the first time, and have learned to just lightly scoop out a small amount onto my finger because the soft consistency doesn’t require you to dig it out like some lip scrubs I have used in the past. To use this I massage a small amount onto wet lips in circular motions and then wipe it off with a damp wash cloth. After using this I like using the ChapStick® Total Hydration with CoQ10.

Shop Target Chapstick Items Mentioned

Find and Follow ChapStick® Here:

GIVEAWAY

If you would like to win ChapStick® goodies and a $25 Target gift card (um, who wouldn’t?!) then please enter the giveaway!

GIVEAWAY Rules:

Must be 18 years old
Must be a United States Resident
Must SUBSCRIBE to this blog (it’s easy, promise!)
Must comment on this post! Which item are you the most interested in?
Must Follow ChapStick® on Instagram
Must Follow LeahTackles on Instagram

Giveaway ends on February 8th at 12:00p.m Eastern Standard Time! Giveaway winner will have 24 hours to respond to email before a new winner will be selected. All rules will be checked and enforced to ensure fairness to all those who enter.

If you have any questions or comments, as always please let me know! Thank you for reading! xx

Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette Review

December 26, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend, and if you celebrate, a very Merry Christmas! I had a wonderful Christmas with my family, and ate WAY too many cookies ; ) Today I am so excited to be sharing the *highly* anticipated Alchemist Holographic Palette from Kat Von D.

Kat Von D Alchemist Holographic Palette

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katvondalchemist-leahtackles.jepg

What It Is:

This palette is being called a “transformer” palette because it can be worn as a highlighter, or as a topper for eye shadows and even lipsticks. Each of the four shades are formulated with “Double Dimension Technology” which catches the light from every angle, given a holographic effect.

My Thoughts:

I was intrigued by this palette because I have been watching Kat Von D slowly share sneaks on her Instagram account. Kat Von D has spent years working on these formulas and has called this palette one of her passion projects. Being a beauty lover, I knew that this was something I wanted to try for myself right away! I have worn two of the shades so far as a cheekbone highlight and it is stunning! A little bit goes a LONG way, but I absolutely loved the way it caught the light. I am excited to try this as an eye shadow topper, and think it would be a gorgeous look over a simple look to amp it up to something a lot more special.

Do I Need It?

I think that this is a must have for the makeup junkie who loves to try new things, play with makeup, and collect makeup. I think that this is beautiful for those looking for something new. I have noticed the similarities between this and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild highlighters, and after comparing swatches online they do look similar though not exactly the same. I think that if you have Moonchild you don’t need the Alchemist, but Alchemist seems more holographic and Moonchild seems to be more metallic or duochrome to me.

Do you have this? Are you planning to get it? I was able to pick it up on Sephora.com during the VIB pre-launch, but it is now available to everyone. Thank you, as always, for reading! I hope that you have a fantastic rest of your day : )

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