leahtackles – Page 32

Quick & Cute Hairstyles For Working Out! And The Best Headband Ever…with Promo Code!

August 29, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!
I hope you had a great weekend! We had a fun weekend soaking up what is left of summer as a family : )

Hailey, our oldest, keeps us busy with soccer, cheerleading, and dance. She has hair just like mine was at her age; super baby fine but lots of it, and it isn’t easy to find a hairstyle that will hold it out of her face when she’s running on the field or twirling in dance class. I wanted to order Hailey a headband for her soccer games that matched her uniform, so I checked on Etsy.

On Etsy I found SassyGirlHeadbands which I liked instantly because Donna was fast with communication and had tons of adorable choices. SassyGirlHeadbands are awesome because the velvet side means they do not slip, even on baby fine hair! This is the first time I’ve been able to use a headband on Hailey without using clips with it. I can do a run or a cardio workout video without having to fix my headband and I even forget it is there! I love that it is adjustable! I also love that adding this to a ponytail or messy bun not only keeps the hair out of my face, but makes it a cute look instead of something that took zero thought or effort. Donna was kind enough to send me not only the soccer ribbon headband that I ordered, but a precious pink dance headband that is adjustable for Hailey, an adjustable headband for myself, and an awesome heavy-duty but cute key fob that I can wear around my wrist to be hands-free when I am out and about with the kids. SassyGirlHeadbands also had really nice grosgrain bows that are perfect for cheerleading or dance and really nice lanyards.

If you’d like to save on some practical cuteness, use the COUPON CODE: leahtackles to save 10% on any order. Thank you so much to SassyGirlHeadbands for providing me with these for consideration and review. I can’t wait to order more to match her dance outfits and different holidays ; )

SASSYGIRLHEADBANDS:

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MAKEUP SETTING SPRAYS: WHY & HOW TO USE THEM!

August 24, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you’re having a great week so far! One makeup item that I use daily, but up until now have only casually mentioned on my blog or YouTube channel is makeup setting spray! So, today I thought that I would share the basics of why you may want to consider trying a makeup setting spray if you haven’t already, and how to use them. If you like these types of posts, please comment so that I know and can keep it up : ) Your comments always make me smile ; )

WHAT IS A MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY?

Just like a makeup primer (*Note: my favorite is the Benefit Porefessional) is used to help keep your makeup in place, a setting spray is used to help keep you makeup in place. A primer is used before you apply your makeup, and a setting spray is used after you’ve applied your makeup.

WHY YOU SHOULD USE THEM:

Just like you would use a protective coat when painting your nails or Mod Podge on a craft project, you should apply this final step after working hard on your makeup! Makeup setting sprays should not change the look or texture of your makeup. Makeup setting sprays are sold by both drugstore brands and high end brands and also just like foundation they have different formulas for different skin types. Setting sprays can also help if you’ve gone a bit overboard on powder products and help get you back to a more natural look while helping lock your makeup in place.

HOW TO USE THEM:

I like to spray about 8-10 inches away from my face first make a “T” formation and then an “X” formation. If I just have a regular, casual makeup day I will do one “T” and one “X” but if I am getting ready for a big event or a dinner date I will do each one twice for a total of four sprays.

MAKEUP SETTING SPRAY SUGGESTIONS:

FOR OILY SKIN:

Urban Decay All Nighter

(*Note: My holy grail setting spray!)

FOR DRY SKIN:

NYX Setting Spray Dewy Skin

FOR ALL SKIN TYPES:

Laura Geller Spackle Mist

Thank you so much for reading! If you would “Pin” this to your Pinterest you would totally make my week ; ) And don’t forget to susbcribe! xx

3 Ways To Get Better Skin In A Week!

August 22, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend! Thank you, as always, for taking time out of your busy day to read my blog! It means a lot to me : ) I can *tend* to be a perfectionist (friends and family may be laughing at this “confession” because to them I’m sure it’s obvious!) and have to watch myself so that I don’t fall into an “all or nothing” mindset, and lately I’ve been doing that with skincare. For example, yes I do have a morning and evening skincare routine, but just because I maybe can’t afford a super fancy eye cream, or can get regular facial treatments, doesn’t mean that I should throw in the towel, so to speak. So, today I want to share three very easy ways to really improve the tone, even-ness, and health of your skin.

1. Drink Water!

I know this is an obvious one, but I drink so much water that I can immediately tell if I haven’t had enough water to drink. I really like using a bottle that is large enough to fit 8 servings of water in it. It also makes my lips much more willing to endure drying liquid lipsticks! Don’t drink anything else until you’ve finished the jug of water! I drink a coffee (or three…) each day, but besides that it is almost exclusively water! I will have the occasional glass of wine, and I’ll have a fountain drink when traveling, but otherwise it is only coffee and water. Plus, water has no calories and I much prefer to eat my calories than drink them ; )

2. Do Face Masks!

I recently did a post called “My Favorite Face Masks & How To Use Them” because this simple change has made my skin tone so much better! My skin truly is much more even now that I’ve been doing face masks a couple of times a week. We Daily Vlog (KwapisFamilyTackles on YouTube) and I’ve always vlogged with a bare face occasionally, but I’ve found myself doing it regularly now that I feel better about my skins appearance.

3. Don’t Touch Your Face!

This is so hard! I didn’t realize how much I did this until I made a real effort not to. Also, if you follow me on Snap Chat you have seen that I tend to touch my face / neck while vlogging or Snapping. But, not touching your face really does help keep your face clean!! Just think of all of the things you touch and all of the oils on your hands…not what you want on your face!

I challenge YOU to do this for one week and report back in the comments section telling me if you noticed any changes in your skin! I hope that you do because I think you’ll love how easy it is to make a big difference : ) Please don’t forget to subscribe! xx

$3 EYE SHADOW TRIOS YOU NEED TO GO BUY!

August 17, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog! It really does mean so much to me!! : ) .I have had people ask me to just tell them what to buy, or tell me that they don’t know where to begin when it comes to eye shadow. Today I want to talk about Wet n’ Wild Color Icon Eye Shadow Trios! These are about $3 each, and that price is a fantastic value! These are super soft and super pigmented shadows that are easy to blend. I also love these because they tell you right on the packaging where to apply each color to create a beautiful and easy look. You can of course wear the eye shadows however you like, but I think that having a little direction is less intimidating for beginners. If you’re a longtime reader you’ve heard me talk about these before, but they really are worth the mention again!

My Favorite Wet n’ Wild Trios:

Silent Treatment

Walking On Egg Shells

I’m Getting Sunburned

Seriously, go spend a few bucks and go buy these! They are fantastic!

Have a wonderful weekend! Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t yet! It makes my day!! xx

HOW TO MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION WORK BEST FOR YOU!

August 15, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a fantastic weekend! I was talking to a few friends recently about what foundations we had been loving and which we maybe hadn’t been loving as much. I realized that a lot of people (myself included until I really got into the blog and YouTube scene a few years ago) will try a foundation once or just one way before giving it a yes or no verdict. Buying a foundation, especially one you’re really excited about or you’ve heard others rave about, and not having it work can be frustrating! So, today I thought I would share a few quick tips for what to do if you think a foundation isn’t living up to the hype.

TRY A DIFFERENT APPLICATION METHOD:

This is absolutely my biggest tip! I have some foundations that I apply with a makeup sponge like the Beauty Blender, I have others that I know I prefer the look when applied with a stippling brush like the Sigma F50, and others still that I apply with my fingers or other brushes. I have some foundations that I can apply any way and the look turns out pretty much the same, but a few of them I dislike one way but love the finish I get using another way to apply it.

SOMETIMES LESS IS MORE AND SOMETIMES MORE IS MORE:

For some foundations they will look and feel cakey very quickly, so I apply a very small amount. Other foundations are more buildable, so I will apply a small amount and then go back in any areas that still have redness, blemishes, or inperfections that I want to cover.

WHAT IS THE WEATHER?:

Some foundations I love on myself in the dry winter months I absolutely cannot wear in the summer, so if the foundation is an oil-slick on you, for example, in the summer, there is still a chance it could be dewy perfection on you in the winter!

GET SHADE MATCHED:

I need to follow my own advice here, but I consider myself a fairly easy shade match because I am so fair that I can usually get away with buying the lightest shade in a foundation range, but definitely go to Sephora, Ulta, or a cosmetics counter at a department store to get color matched whenever possible! If you can’t go to be color matched in person, websites like Sephora and Ulta do offer very good return policies. Drugstore makeup is tricky because here in the United States you typically cannot open the makeup, so you have to just take your best guess as far as color goes. I will say that some drugstores do have very friendly return polices as well, but be sure to check them before you purchase just incase!

WATCH FOR OXIDIZING:

Oxidizing happens when oxygen mixes with the air and this can cause you foundation to turn orange, flake off, and dry out! Sometimes, because of oxidizing, you need to be careful about the shade that you pick because it may change.

USE NATURAL LIGHTING:

Always use natural lighting whenever possible when applying your foundation! This can be tricky when being shade matched inside a store like Sephora, but you can walk outside to take a peek ; ) If you don’t have good natural lighting where you apply your makeup, get a nice makeup mirror that mimics sunlight.

I hope that you found these tips helpful! Never be afraid to ask for samples, ask questions, or return products that do not work for you! Makeup is expensive, and as long as you’re kind and follow the return policies you are absolutely fine girl! Let me know your tips for testing out new foundations in the comments! I would love to hear them : )

SUNLESS TANNING TIPS TO GIVE YOU A PERFECT APPLICATION EVERY TIME!

August 10, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have very fair skin, and while I’ve learned to embrace the pale these days I didn’t always feel that way! I started getting spray tans in high school, and I still love a great spray tan but those can be extremely pricy! I also will admit to the fact that I have used tanning beds (very minimally but still it makes me cringe!) in the past but haven’t been in one in about 6 years. Even though I’ve embraced my naturally fair skin, I do love how a bit of a tan makes my skin appear a bit more even, my muscles more defined, and overall just a nice healthy glow. And my favorite way to get a little glow going? Without any hesitation, at-home sunless tanning! I have been using sunless tanning products at home for about half my life now, and I have made plenty of sunless tanning mistakes along the way, but now I have some tips up my sleeve that really help me get a natural looking tan every time.

Exfoliate:

Okay, I know you’ve probably heard before that it is important to exfoliate before you tan you skin, but I of course have to throw that in because it is an important first step! I love my Caress Evenly Gorgeous Burnt Brown Sugar & Kartie Butter Exfoliating Wash! The name may be a mouthful, but this stuff smells incredible and works as well as higher end exfoliating products for me.

Skip Shaving:

If you shave you legs in the shower and then get out and immediately apply self tanner the tanner will go into the hair follicles you’ve just opened up and then you will have little dark spots visible all over your legs which isn’t as lovely as the slimming, flaw covering tan you can get if you wait 20 minutes or alternate your shaving and sunless tanning days. I like to shower at night, so I usually will shave one night and then the next night apply sunless tanner and just rotate nights to keep up on both my shaving and my summer glow.

Start Down and Work Up:

This sounds simple, but begin with your feet and legs and work your way up so that you’re not behind over to get your legs and creasing the sunless tanner that you’ve already applied to the rest of your body.

How To Apply To Your Back Without Help:

I LOVE using the St. Tropez Applicator Mitt for reaching hard to get places, like my back, and it also helps to get a nice even application without any awkward zebra stripes! You can also, if you’re reasonably flexible, put a little bit of your sunless tanner onto the front and back side of you hand and reach behind to tackle that challenging middle section of back. I also have been known to use a sunless tanning mist for my back, but I actually prefer lotion (loving the Banana Boat Summer Color right now!) for the rest of my body.

Use a Makeup Sponge or Makeup Brush:

This is my BIGGEST TIP! For years and years I always dreaded the telltale sign of a fake tan that stopped at your wrists, or the awful look of sunless tanner all over your fingers, but now I have finally found a way around it! After I’ve finished tanning the rest of my body and washed my hands throughly (get between those fingers!) I use a stippling makeup brush like the Sigma F50 or a cheap makeup sponge to apply a tiny half-of-a-pea-sized amount of sunless tanner to the tops and sides of my hands, fingers, and wrist! You want just the ever so slight amount to help blend some color onto those areas without having horribly obvious self tanner faux pas. Seriously, this is LIFE CHANGING!!

Fix a Goof:

If you get streaky try using a mix of lemon juice and baking soda for a small streak, and if you get a big orange disaster somewhere like your palms or between your fingers try a whitening toothpaste or a little bit of an acetone based nail polish remover.

I hope that you found this post helpful! If you did please considering sharing it using my share buttons below or hovering over the picture to “pin” it to your Pinterest! Thank you! Have a wonderful weekend!! xx

HOW I SURPRISED MY HUSBAND FOR HIS 30TH BIRTHDAY!

August 8, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! I had one of those days yesterday where I didn’t realize it was Sunday until about 8p.m which is always a letdown ; ) But it was an incredible weekend! I haven’t done a lifestyle photo post in awhile, but I think that this event deserves one! My husband, Stephan, turns 30 on the 12th and he thought that him and I were celebrating on Saturday with a nice dinner out while my parents watched our little loves…all of this was true, but he didn’t know that 16 of our nearest and dearest were waiting at the restaurant to surprise him! He was SO shocked! His reaction was caught on film (thank you Nicole and Kayla!) and it is priceless! It would not have been possible without the input from our friends who thought of things I wouldn’t have, and helped me keep the surprise for months and months! And thank you to my mom, who helped me with all of the details and had it all set up perfectly. Stephan told me that it was the nicest thing that has ever happened to him. Thank you to everyone who took time out of your busy lives to be there for us and to celebrate this milestone birthday with my guy! I originally had guessed we would have about half of the people I invited show up, but actually nearly everyone did and it was awesome! We are very lucky people to know such incredible humans! I hope that you enjoy these pictures and if you’d like to watch his reaction the video will also be down below : ) If you’ve enjoyed this please don’t forget to subscribe and share! xx

Where We Stayed

Where We Ate

Where We Partied

kwapisfamilytackles-residenceinndowntownannarbor-leahtackles.jpeg

THE RIGHT WAY TO WEAR LIQUID LIPSTICK! THE BASICS!

August 3, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

On Monday I shared my DIY HONEY ALMOND LIP SCRUB with you and promised that today I would be sharing how to apply liquid lipstick to make it very long wearing and not flaking off the lips.

HOW TO APPLY LIQUID LIPSTICK:

1. Make sure that you have exfoliated your lips before you get started using a lip scrub like this DIY LIP SCRUB. Liquid lipstick is very drying, so you need to be sure to do this step!

2. I like to put a *little* bit of a lip balm like the Tsum Tsum Lip Smackers or the EOS Lip Balms on before applying even matte liquid lipsticks. Don’t slather it on.

3. I suggest lining your lips with a liner that goes with your liquid lipstick, or an anti feathering clear lip liner like Too Faced Borderline or Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in OZone. If you choose to use a color that goes with your liquid lipstick, you can also fill in your entire lip lightly to help the liquid lipstick have a nice color base.

4. Make sure to get any excess lipstick off of the applicator by wiping it against the top of the tube before you begin applying it on your lips.

5. Apply a THIN layer, I’m talking as thin as possible, of liquid lipstick onto your lips. For most matte liquid lipsticks one thin layer is all you need, but if using a metallic shade you may need to do a second layer once the first layer has dried. Do not put on a thick layer or layer after layer thinking that this will help you lipstick to stay on or last longer because it will not! Putting on too much liquid lipstick will make it begin to flake off and therefore look patchy!!

6. I try to wear my liquid lipstick until about lunchtime and then reapply after lunch and that second application usually lasts the rest of the day. Certain foods or drinks, like an oily salad dressing, can break down the liquid lipstick and cause it to come off faster.

7. If you like use a gloss that can be put over the liquid lipstick to make it look nice when it does start to go south after several hours of wear! I have some liquid lipsticks that I can truly wear most of the day, and others that aren’t as long wearing but still wear longer than traditional lipsticks.

LIQUID LIPSTICKS I LOVE (a few of many!):

(*Note: left to right)

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Como

Kylie Cosmetics Metal Matte Liquid Lipstick in Heir

Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick in Feelin’ Myself

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Sarafine

LIQUID LIPSTICK SWATCHES WET:

LIQUID LIPSTICK SWATCHES DRY:

I hope that you enjoyed this post! If you did please share it using my social media links at the bottom of this post! Have a wonderful day!! xx

DIY HONEY ALMOND LIP SCRUB! EASY & PERFECT FOR LIQUID LIPSTICKS FANS!

August 1, 2016 & 2 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend! We had an exciting weekend because we celebrated our 1 year Vlogiversary for our KwapisFamilyTackles Daily Vlog channel! Yes, we have every single day for an entire year (and a leap year!) on film! I will include a little montage video at the end of this post : ) Also, I can’t believe that it is already August! I have been having such a fun summer with my little loves and I’m not ready for it to end!!

Liquid lipstick is such a hot trend right now, and one that I adore because long wearing lipstick is ideal for the fast paced lives that we all are living these days!! However, liquid lipsticks can be *very* drying! Today I wanted to share my favorite DIY lip scrub that I love because it works AND the ingredients are things that most of you probably have on hand! It’s also very affordable and easy to throw together quickly. On Wednesday I will share with you How To Apply Liquid Lipstick for a beautiful, long wearing look : )

HONEY ALMOND LIP SCRUB:

Ingredients:

3-4 Teaspoons of granulated sugar

*This exfoliates!

1/2 Teaspoon of honey

*This hydrates!

1/2 Teaspoon of oil of your choice (I used olive oil)

*This moisturizes!

A few drops of an extract of your choice (I used almond extract)

*This gives flavor!

Instructions:

Simply mix the ingredients together and put in a small jar! I used a small jar that had been from a sample of skincare product, but old lip balm jars also work well! You could even use a small tupperware like the ones used for dressings or sauces. The consistency should be pretty granulated because that’s what will really scrub your lips, but it should still stick together, so you may need to add a bit more sugar depending on how much extract you put in.

How To Use It:

I like to rub this in a circular motions all over my lips in the evenings before applying lip balm. I love this lip scrub because it is edible, so you can wipe it off OR lick it off!

I hope you enjoyed this beauty DIY! I love this recipe because it can be stored at room temperature and makes a great gift : ) If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to share this post if you liked it or found it helpful!

HOW TO GET FREE DELUXE SIZE SAMPLES FROM SEPHORA WITH EVERY ORDER!

July 27, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

On SnapChat (I’m LeahTackles on all social media!) a couple of days ago I mentioned that I used a promo code to get a free deluxe size sample of a Christophe Robin hair mask when I was ordering online from Sephora and several people told me that they had no idea these codes existed, so I thought I would share how I get a free deluxe size sample item with every order from Sephora.com that I make!

When you go to Sephora.com there is a quick link that says “Weekly Specials” and if you click on that you can view all of the freebies that you can get with an order from Sephora.com that week. You can also do a google search for Sephora promo codes or look on a site like RetailMeNot but the codes are the same as the ones shown on Sephora. Sometimes the code will only work if you buy certain items or brands, or if you spend a certain amount, but often times they are free with a purchase. The catch is that you can only use one coupon code for each transaction, so choose wisely ; )

I did not know that you could use these promo codes for a long time! I also didn’t use Ebates until a couple of months ago, but now I always do both when I shop on Sephora.com! I first go to EBates so I can get cash back for my Sephora purchase and then I go to Sephora.com and figure out what promo code I want to use first before doing my actual shopping so that I don’t forget. I also check the point perks incase I want to cash in on any of those.

What is the best freebie you have gotten from Sephora? Let me know in the comments! Or, if you didn’t know about this I hope it was helpful and that you get some fun things to try as a result : )

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