makeup

BEAUTY STOCKING STUFFERS $5 AND UNDER!

November 16, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a great week! I am in full on holiday mode now in terms of making my lists and adding to them twice ; ) I absolutely love doing stockings because who doesn’t like little goodies that are personally picked for them?! They are so much fun to make, and I like that it’s a little bit of a puzzle to make it all fit together. You will see aisles dedicated to stocking stuffer goodness in most stores, and while they’re fun they can get really expensive! I decided it would be fun to share a few beauty items that you can find at most drugstores or big box stores for $5 and under each. If you have ideas for affordable beauty stocking stuffers, let me know in the comments : )

Conair Head Wrap

Nivea Creme Travel Size

Sally Hansen Cuticle Rebab

(*Note: less expensive in store!)

Montagne Jeunesse Masks

Bonnie Bell Lip Smacker Tsum Tsum

I also wanted to share my Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Ideas video because this week November 14-21st is collection week! You still have time to put together a gift for a child in need : ) Thank you, as always, for taking the time to read my blog! xx

HOLIDAY BEAUTY RELEASES! BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS!

October 5, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I have been excited about the holiday makeup releases since mid summer which seems crazy, but that is when some of the sneak peeks come out! I absolutely love the holiday season and I, obviously, love makeup so putting the two together makes me giddy. Today I wanted to share three beauty and makeup related advent countdown calendars incase you’d like to treat yourself or a friend to a little beauty cheer this holiday season ; ) Speaking of advent calendars, our Elf On the Shelf will be delivering fun ones to each of the kids this year and I am *so* excited about them! Stay tuned to our Daily Vlogs to see those later this season!

L’Occtiane Advent Calendar:

Price: $55

I was excited to see this as an option for those who would like to try a higher end skincare brand. I do wonder if the sizes will be large enough to get a good feel for if you like some of the products, but others like the hand cream and soaps I would think you could definitely get enough of an idea of whether or not you’d like to purchase the full size items. These would also be awesome for traveling if you have an upcoming trip!

Ciaté London Mini Mani Month Nail Polish Set:

Price: $59

I am SWOONING over this one! If you know me then you know that I do not need any more nail polish, but this set is gorgeous! I am swooning over the packaging as well as the colors! I love that you get a great variety of polish colors.

Benefit Cosmetics Girl O’Clock Rock Mini Set:

Price $45

This isn’t quite an advent calendar this year, but you could do “12 Days of Christmas” or just open it the 12 days before Christmas instead of 24. I think this is a great set if you don’t have a lot of Benefit Cosmetics items or maybe for someone who is just starting out with makeup. And Benefit does such adorable holiday packaging!

Have a wonderful weekend loves! Please comment below what you would like to see for the holiday season! Reviews? Gift Guides? Both? Let me know ; ) xx

URBAN DECAY ULTIMATE BASICS PALETTE PREVIEW! HOT OR NOT?

September 12, 2016 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! We had a busy but productive weekend, and I woke up feeling ready to tackle this week! There are so many exciting makeup launches happening soon, and I am so excited to share my thoughts on some of the holiday 2016 collections in the very near future, but today I want to dedicate a post to what could be a GAME CHANGER for a lot of you! Urban Decay Cosmetics is known for their neutral eye shadow palettes, and their Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 have been incredibly popular, and now they are launching Naked Ultimate Basics. Do you need it?

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics:

(*Photo Credit to Bustle.com)

The packaging is really pretty, and I love that it is a rose gold color. This palette features 12 brand new matte shades, a mirror, and a dual ended brush. There is one highlight shade that is slightly shimmery, but the rest is matte. The palette does feature both cool tone and warm tone shades.

When Can I Get It?

This palette launches on UrbanDecay.com on September 18th, online on Sephora.com on September 20th, and September 22nd in-stores at Sephora. I have heard that some stores have already put them out, but *officially* they aren’t out yet ; )

Do I Need It?

I won’t lie, I am *really* tempted to pick this up because I think it looks perfect for traveling and for when I want to create looks from just one palette without having to grab from other shadows or palettes in my collection. I love that these shadows allow you to do a neutral lip all the way to a vampy lip. I also have one of the original Urban Decay Naked Basics palettes before they switched the packaging, and it doesn’t open well so the black got ruined so that could be an excuse for me…right?! However, that said, I think if you have a lot of neutral palettes already, especially matte palettes, then no you probably do not need this. The Naked Ultimate Basics palette will retail for $55, and the Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2 retail for $29 each, so if you don’t have those already then it might be a great option! I think this is a great palette for beginners, too. It is beautiful packaging, and the eye shadows look gorgeous, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on one in person to see if it’s a “must” for me. I would call this “hot” but I don’t think it is a must for everyone.

Naked Basics and Naked Basics 2:

(*Note: pictured left to right)

urbandecaynakedbasics-urbandecaynakedbasics2-leahtackles.jpeg

What are your thoughts? Is this on your list? Let me know in the comments! And please subscribe and make my day!! xx

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 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 Take Advantage of Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards! 5 Tips!

August 19, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

A couple of weeks ago I did a post on how to get the most out of your Sephora Beauty Insider Membership, and today I want to share how I take advantage of Ulta’s points system. First things first, I *LOVE* Ulta’s points system because there are so many ways to get free $$, and who doesn’t want that? But I will say that it took me a lot longer to understand Ulta’s point system because they do offer so many promotions so how many points you can earn in always changing, so you really have to pay attention. With that said, you can get such amazing deals!!!

1. SIGN UP FOR ULTAMATE REWARDS!

You have to sign up to earn points. Even if you don’t get into shopping when you’ll get the most points or special extras, you’ll still earn points that can be redeemed in products. Once you earn 100 points, you can start redeeming them. You earn 1 point for ever dollar spent in their store, INCLUDING the salon (this is a huuuge bonus for me!) and sometimes they offer additional points. You reach platinum status when you spend $400 which is very easy to do, especially if you use the Ulta salon, and once you’re a platinum member your points never expire.

2. SIGN UP FOR THE EMAILS, DON’T IGNORE THEM, AND CHECK THE WEBSITE

You get offers like 2x the points or 3x the points for platinum members! Sometimes you have to activate the promotion by logging into your account and clicking “activate” when you’re looking at your rewards page.

3. BUY STUFF DURING YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH

You get 2x the points for the entire month of your birthday, so this is an awesome time to treat yourself while earning extra points.

4. CHECK THE MAILERS, EMAILS, AND WEBSITE FOR SPECIAL PROMOTIONS

Sometimes they will offer 2, 3,4 or even 5x the points on a certain product or brand! So, if it’s something you would use this is amazing! If you wouldn’t, it may be a great time to get someone a gift if you can think of someone in your life who would use it.

5. BUY STUFF WHEN YOU GET SOMETHING EXTRA. PERIOD.

It sounds so simple, but spend money when you’re getting extra points to get the most bang for your buck. Also keep an eye out for gifts with purchase. I am not perfect about this, but if I have my eye on an expensive item I wait until I’m going to be getting extra points before buying it whenever possible. Also, if you have a holy grail foundation or eye liner, stock up when you’ll be getting extra points! Points at Ulta are awesome becasue that is money towards new products!! I have even been able to get items completely free by saving my points up!! I don’t ever use the points for a small amount like $5 (unless I’m extra broke that month, hah) because I am a points collector!! I love being able to get things like high-end makeup free.

If you would like more information on the Ulta Ultamate Rewards Program you can find it here.

Ulta is offering 2x the points and 3x for platinum members until 8/22/15…happy shopping ; )

I hope that you found this helpful! If you did, please subscribe, and share! Let me know how you like to use your Ulta points in the comments. Don’t forget to stop by my LeahTackles YouTube Channel and my Daily Vlog Channel : ) I hope you have a great weekend!!

How To Take Advantage of Sephora Beauty Insider Membership Offers! 5 Tips!

August 5, 2015 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

As most of you know, high-end makeup from Sephora is expensive, BUT there are a few very simple ways to reduce your spending without kissing your $50 eye shadow palette goodbye. And PSSSST! Sephora is doing 2x, 3x, and 4x points right now!!! Go ladies go!!!

1. JOIN THE BEAUTY INSIDER MEMBERSHIP!

The first step is of course…JOINING ; ) You know when you’re checking out and they ask if you are a “Beauty Insider”? Instead of brushing them off, take a minute or two to sign up, because it is worth it! At the very least you will get a free birthday gift and be able to redeem your points for products.

2. CHECK THE WEBSITE WEEKLY

This may sound a little bit crazy, but often times Sephora will offer double points, triple, or even quadruple points per purchase! This is a huge advantage as far as getting you more points for free products and moving up to a higher membership level. They also offer promo codes for free deluxe size samples on the website that change weekly. Right now they have a Dr. Brandt primer and an Urban Decay mini lipstick!! Um, yes please!

3. BUY YOUR GIFTS AT SEPHORA

If you have a lady (or hey, they have guy stuff too!) in your life, try to get her gift at Sephora! Even if she isn’t into makeup, they have amazing skincare, bath products, hair tools, and perfumes. If you buy your gifts here, you can add up points faster to become a V.I.B (level 2) or V.I.B ROUGE (level 3) beauty insider which means exlusive 20% off sales, events, makeovers, and even special edition makeup exclusive to you.

4. BUY YOUR ESSENTIALS AT SEPHORA

There are a few items that I will buy on Q.V.C or Amazon because they are far less expensive, but for the most part if it’s avaliable at Sephora I will try to get things like my Clarisonic brush heads, favorite foundations, or my beloved Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz from Sephora so that I can get the points.

5. WAIT FOR A SALE

It’s really hard, but I try to not buy things from Sephora unless I have some sort of promo code from my Beauty Insider membership or a friends and family discount. I make exceptions for limited edition palettes or things that I must replace, but definitely try to save up some money so that during the sales I can stock up so that I end up saving money in the long run. They offer sales of 20% off and with expensive makeup or skincare items, that adds up! I just “love” all of the items that I want, or even add some to my cart, and when a sale pops up I am ready!!

What tricks do you have for taking advantage your membership? If you liked this post please share! I will be doing a similar post for Ulta because I love the ULTAmate rewards points too, but use it a bit differently with a different strategy ; ) Who knew makeup shopping was so strategic?! Be sure to follow me on Twitter @LeahTackles for tweets about sales!! XO

Mally Beauty Poreless Face Defender Review with before & after pictures!

July 13, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you each had a wonderful weekend! I will keep this short and sweet today and hop into the review : )

Mally Beauty EverColor Poreless Face Defender with Sponge:

Price:

$40

Claims:

1) Diffuses Pores and Fine Lines

Absolutely did this for me!

2) Makes Your Makeup Last

This one the verdict is still out on for me. I like setting my makeup with setting powders, and it probably does help just like setting with powder helps, but it isn’t a mind blowing selling point for me.

3) Matte Finish

YES! This is the biggest selling point for me! Matte finish without a powdery or cakey look!

Pictures:

Before:

After:

*Note: I wasn’t super oily to begin with, but here you can see how matte it made me and how it blurred the pores on my nose!

Thoughts:

Love, love, love being able to keep oil at bay without adding powder because I haaaate adding powder, especially in the summer when I’m especially oily. This is a new favorite : )

Have a wonderful day!

Are You Making These 5 Makeup Mistakes?!

June 8, 2015 & 4 Comments

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend! First things first, MICHIGAN readers have you entered to win the LivnFresh Detroit D shirt I’m giving away? It’s perfect for any Tiger fan! You have a few hours left to enter. You can enter on the LeahTackles Facebook page, and entering is easy : )

Now, I decided to talk about 5 makeup mistakes that are VERY common! Now, I am not claiming that I don’t make plenty of makeup mistakes, but I know that I make a lot less than I used to. So, today I am sharing 5 things that you should make sure you’re not guilty of.

*Note: These are *my* opinions and of course if you really enjoy what you’re doing or one of these makeup “mistakes” then please understand that I mean no offense to you and you should do whatever makes YOU feel beautiful! xx

#1 Using Expensive Makeup With Cheap Brushes

It took me YEARS to invest in nice makeup brushes. I didn’t own any brushes, except for the brushes that came in kits or that I found in tiny cheap kits at the drugstore, until after college. FOR SHAME : ( Using good brushes helps for your makeup to look better, period. I suggest starting with a kit, Sephora has some basic but get-the-job-done kits, and I love the sets from Sigma Beauty.

#2 Not Blending Your Eye Shadow

Just because you know to put a brow bone highlight, lid color, and crease color doesn’t mean your look is compelte, girl! BLENDING is your bff! Use a clean blending brush, and it will turn your amature eye makeup skills into art. My favorite blending brush is the E25 from Sigma.

#3 Too Much Dark Eye Liner On Lower Lash Line

Just. Say. No. This should not be an everyday look. Or at least please smudge it out. I did my fair share of this in high school, but seriously just try skipping it, or just doing your top lashline and waterline, because the difference is HUGE! It will open up your eyes and make your eyes look bigger.

#4 Ignoring Your Eyebrows

Yay for beautiful, groomed but not over plucked, filled in brows!!! I am so glad brows are back! On days where I wear no other makeup, I still like to fill in my brows and throw on some lipstick. Even if you just use a tinted brow gel, do not ignore your brows! Also, do not overpluck or let someone do too much waxing on your brows.

#5 Sleeping in Your Makeup

I did this all through college multiple days a week (days I went to a party or the bar, let’s be honest) and my skin was beautiful. Well guess what? Now I’m in my late 20’s and I want to keep my skin as beautiful as possible for as long as possible, so washing off your makeup is essential. At the VERY LEAST use a makeup removing wipe ( I like these ones from Neutrogena). I have timed it, I can use a makeup remover, wash my face, use a toner, moisturizer, and eye cream in about 3 minutes. And it just FEELS clean.

Do you agree with these makeup mistakes? What makeup mistakes do you admit to making or have you made in the past? If you like these types of posts, please let me know in the comments and don’t forget to share! Thank you so much!!

MANIC MONDAY! QUICK makeup!!

May 18, 2015 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I had a post scheduled to go up today because I was out of town, but after a night of only a couple of hours of sleep, (my 2 year old! ah! Stephan got even less sleep than me last night! Thank you babe!) I decided to instead save that for later. So, today I want share how I did my makeup in 3 minutes so I still looked put together for an early morning meeting. Sometimes I just want to keep it really real and share my manic Monday makeup save! I almost wore nothing which while *completely* fine wouldn’t have looked as chic and this took less time than eating a donut or french pressing coffee ; )

3 Minute Makeup:

A fun bold lip that doesn’t require a liner and looks amazing on everyone with nice sharp liner and perfectly defined lashes! BOOM! Done!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper

CoverGirl Clump Crusher Water Resistant Mascara

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Lilac Flush

2 Minute Hair:

Day 2 hair, dry shampoo, a hair donut, and a spritz of hairspray! BAM! Done!

I wore in this picture on Mother’s Day:

Thank you for reading! I hope that you had a beautiful day and that you have a wonderful week!! Lots of love from me to you! And please don’t forget to subscribe and SHARE!! : )