makeup review

COLOR CORRECTING WITH L’OREAL TRUE MATCH SUPER-BLENDABLE CORRECTING CONCEALER | DRUGSTORE PEACH CONCEALER

March 14, 2018 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a wonderful week so far!

If there is any week above others when I’m feeling like I need to correct my dark circles even more than normal, it is the week of Daylight Savings Time! I have talked about my battle with dark under eye circles (I credit the combo of genetics & three Little Loves under the age of seven!) and I have found what is my new favorite for quick color correcting under my eyes. Be sure to follow my LeahTacklesBeauty Instagram to see makeup tutorials on lots of products I’m testing out!

L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Correcting Concealer in 402 Peach

My Thoughts

I love that this is a chubby crayon style corrector because on mornings when I am in a hurry and don’t want to deal with a thicker cream concealer (no shade to my Benefit Boi-ing Brightening Concealer, it’s still an all-time favorite for me but it is more time consuming to apply). I love that this is a twist-up style crayon because I don’t have to worry about sharpening. I was AMAZED at how this completely counteracted my very apparent darkness, especially on the inner corners of my eye against the side of my nose and on the under eye area. I enjoy that this application style allows me to make sure the product goes right where I want it to, and it’s soft so I didn’t feel that it was tugging the delicate skin by the eye. This is now one of my absolute favorite peach concealers, and I will 100% repurchase it. *Note: L’Oreal does sell these in other color correcting shades, including a Bisque which would work well for medium skin tones and Orange which would be great for deep skin tones.

My Routine

After applying my foundation (if wearing foundation that day) I apply the product on the inner corner area of my eye and gently apply some under my eye, stopping about at my halfway and then using my finger or a Beauty Blender lightly press and blend the product into my skin. I then like to use a light skin-toned concealer (I am loving the Tarte Shape Tape in Fair) before setting with a loose power like the Coty Airspun Loose Powder.

Watch Me Use It

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Do you have a favorite peach or orange toned concealer? Do you do color correcting? Be sure to leave a comment to let us know! Have a fantastic weekend! xx

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PRIMED & PEACHY COOLING MATTE PERFECTING PRIMER REVIEW

September 18, 2017 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you are ready to have a fantastic week! The Too Faced Peaches & Cream Collection launch features adorable packaging but I resisted purchasing because I have so many palettes from Too Faced that I wasn’t too intrigued. However, I recently received a deluxe size sample of the Primed & Peachy Cooling Matte Perfecting Primer and wanted to share my thoughts with you.

What It Claims

This Sephora website (the Peaches & Cream Collection from Too Faced Cosmetics is exclusive to Sephora) says this primer is cooling, mattifying, it blurs, smooths, and brightens the complexion. This primer has a comfort matte technology, this Primed & Peachy formula delivers a mattifying, soft-focused finish with light and comfortable feel. This says it will control shine for up to 12 hours and will last on the skin for up to sixteen hours.

My Thoughts

This primer has a nice but a bit artificial peachy smell that reminds me of peach rings and I definitely noticed a cooling feel that was refreshing when I applied it to my skin. I like the way this kept my oily skin matte, but I didn’t find it to fill and blur my pores as well as the Benefit Porefessional with certain foundations that tend to settle into my pores. I do think this is very lightweight and refreshing to wear, and it is now high up on my list of favorite primers, but it can’t touch my “holy grail” Benefit Porefessional.

My Routine

I cleanse my face with Purity by Philosophy, tone with my Sea Breeze Astringent, use my Esteé Lauder SPF 25 DayWear, and apply First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Mattifying Gel Moisturizer.

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URBAN DECAY ALL-NIGHTER WATERPROOF LONGWEAR FOUNDATION

July 10, 2017 & 1 Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that your week is off to an amazing start!

I like to go lighter with my makeup in the summer months, opting for concealer and maybe a powder foundation most days, but when I do want a full coverage look I need something that won’t melt off my face in the heat ; ) If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you know that I like to make it a point to “shop my own stash” (read about that here) and that is what I did when I pulled this foundation back out.

All Nighter Liquid Foundation by Urban Decay provides full coverage with a matte finish. This foundation is also oil-free. Urban Decay loaded this formula with an higher amount of pigment so a little goes a long way, using too much is easy to do and doesn’t look good! This waterproof formula claims to diffuse light to blur flaws and also mattifies and absorbs oil to reduce shine.

Packaging

The gun metal packaging is very sleek, and I like that you can see the packaging through the window like cut-outs. The bottle has an airless pump, so you can get every bit of foundation out (though I have yet to finish a bottle to test this out).

Shade Range and Cost

$40 for 1 oz.

There are 24 shades in the range, which is wonderful, but because this foundation is so pigmented, finding your perfect match can be very tricky. I suggest going to Ulta or Sephora and asking for a sample, if possible, and keeping in mind that this does oxidize on most people. I purchased a shade that looked too light (which is tricky for me, I am often the lightest shade of foundation ranges) but ended up working perfectly on my fair skin with pink undertones.

Why I Love It

I like that I can get a full coverage look that lasts! I haven’t completely tested it out to see if it is truly waterproof, but I have splashed water on my face, cried, and been very sweaty while wearing this foundation and it doesn’t budge! I think this foundation works beautifully on my oily/combo skin, so long as I use only the tiniest pump.

Wear

This lasts ALL day! It is remarkable.

My Routine

I make sure to moisturize my face well because a matte foundation like this would cling to dry patches. I use a makeup primer (this one is my favorite). I put one small pump onto my hand and then dab dots of the foundation onto one area at a time (forehead, chin, nose, etc) before stippling it in with a stippling brush (I like the Sigma F50).

Watch My Demo

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You can find this foundation at Ulta, Sephora, UrbanDecay.com, or department store Urban Decay makeup counters.

Thank you for reading! Please subscribe! xx

THE BEST LIQUID LIPSTICK? | NOW EASILY ACCESSIBLE!

July 5, 2017 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

It’s hump day already, yay! I hope that if you’re here in the U.S.A, that you had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July.

I LOVE liquid lipstick, and have tried a *lot* of them. I had heard really great things from fellow bloggers, my YouTube friends, and “real-life” friends about Dose of Colors liquid lipsticks, but because they weren’t widely available at mass retailers I typically shop at, I hadn’t taken the plunge to order them. Now, however, they’re available at Ulta.com, so I ordered my first one to try out…and as you may have guessed by the spoiler alert title of this post, I am OBSESSED.

About the Brand

In May of 2013 Dose of Colors was launched by freelance makeup artist Anna Petrosian. Dose of Colors is cruelty-free company (that means they don’t test on animals) and is also vegan. The liquid lipsticks are also gluten free and paraben free.

Shade Range and Cost

This liquid lipstick cost $18 which is comparable to other high-end liquid lipsticks. There are 25 shades in the range, and I picked up the color “Stone” which is a pinky-nude, a go to for me on a daily basis.

First Impressions and Packaging

The liquid lipstick is in a frosted bottle with the color of the lipstick showing through. The bottle is the same size and shape as a Jeffree Star Cosmetics liquid lipstick if you are familiar with those, just about half an inch longer than a regular tube of lipstick. The applicator is awesome, it fits onto the lips perfectly and I like how it’s easy to stay on the lips.

Wear

This lipstick feels incredible on the lips! The website states a velvet matte finish, which I do agree is accurate. It is matte, but it doesn’t dry down completely, which I liked because it didn’t settle into every single line on my lips, or looked dry and cracked. I was able to wear this lipstick for an entire day without touching up! My preference is still to touch up midday, especially if I’ve eating salad because salad dressing or other oily foods can breakdown even the best liquid lipsticks, but I love that I can put this on and not think about it or worry about touching up.

My Routine

I use a little EOS lip balm, line my lips with a lip liner, and then apply one coat of my Dose of Color liquid lipstick. I love that this lipstick gives me full opacity in one coat, because I do not like having to layer on liquid lipsticks because I find that always makes my lips appear and feel very dry. I re-apply midday and then remove when I take off all of my makeup for my night routine.

Final Thoughts

I hope that Ulta.com gets a high volume of sales so that they begin testing Dose of Color in stores! I cannot wait to pick up more of these, and it has sky-rocketed to the top of my liquid lipstick favorites list in just a couple of weeks.

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You can now shop some of the Dose of Colors collection at Ulta.com or you can view the entire collection at DoseofColors.com

Have you tried these lipsticks? Let me know! Thank you for reading, and please subscribe!

URBAN DECAY NAKED HEAT PALETTE YAY OR NAY REVIEW

July 3, 2017 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you had a great weekend, and maybe you are even still on a long weekend, and that you’re excited for the holiday tomorrow if you’re here in the United States.

Urban Decay is well respected in the makeup world, and is most famous of their Naked eyeshadow palettes. The Naked collection has grown exponentially in the past few years, and now there is a brand new line called Naked Heat. I knew as soon as I heard the name of this collection teased before even seeing pictures that I would probably love it, because the word “heat” made me think of clay oranges and sunset reds which I love but are lacking in the other Naked eye shadow palettes. The collection also has new lipsticks and eye liners.

Packaging

If you’re familiar with the Naked Smokey palette, then this packaging is very similar to that. The hard plastic is easy to clean, the magnetic closure keeps these beauties safe, and has a beautiful gradient of golds, reds, and oranges.

Swatches

Ounce, Chaser, Sauced, Low Blow, Lumbre, He Devil

Dirty Talk, Scorched, Cayenne, En Fuego, Ashes, Ember

How gorgeous are these? This palette is a nice mix of mattes and shimmers, and the warm colors are stunning. The shades swatched well with both finger and brush swatches, but more importantly looked beautiful on the eyes. The matte shades especially are buttery and easy to blend.

My Thoughts

Simply put, this is the kind of product that ignites (see what I did there?!) my love for makeup, and makes me excited to get ready each day. I like that I can do a gorgeous, deep look, a basic neutral eye (“Chaser” is a perfect blending color), or a one-and-done shadow look with one of the gorgeous shimmer shades (“Dirty Talk” in the crease is STUNNING). I am swooning, and I think they knocked this one out of the park. I give this a very big YAY!

No Filter, No Flash, and Natural Lighting

Shopping Information

This is available on UrbanDecay.com, Sephora.com, Ulta.com, Macys.com, Nordstrom.com, and will be available in stores July 13th.

I hope that this review was helpful for you! If you would like me to do a tutorial on my LeahTackles YouTube Channel, let me know! Have you gotten this palette or do you plan to? Let me know! xx

MY 7 MOST USED HIGH-END MAKEUP ITEMS | JANUARY-JUNE 2017

June 28, 2017 & Leave a Comment

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

We have made it to the middle of the week! I hope that you enjoyed my post on Monday (if you missed it, you can read it here) where I shared the seven drugstore makeup products I’ve reached for the most so far this year. Today I want to share the seven high-end, more costly, makeup products that I have been using the most so far in 2017. If you like this post, please be sure to share it : ) I have share links at the bottom of every blog post.

Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer in White Out

I love this concealer for brightening my under eye area, and often use this mixed with a light colored concealer so it isn’t quite so harsh. This is a great choice for others with very fair skin like mine who often can’t find a concealer lighter than their skin for brightening the under eye area. You can read my review on this here and see how I brighten my dark circles.

Benefit Cosmetics Boxed Blush in Galifornia

This is a gorgeous blush! I did an entire review on it (read that here) and can’t stop using it! But, why would I?! It is PERFECT for summer!

Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Palette in 20

I don’t always contour, but when I want a beautiful cream contour that looks natural, I reach for this! Read this to see how-to do a cream contour.

Becca Cosmetics Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop

This is an item I have been using for a long time (I first spoke about it in 2015 here)

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe

This is my hands-down favorite eyebrow pencil, and it is always a repurchase for me.

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

This is a pricy powder, but I really think it is worth it! This is super finely milled, doesn’t look cakey, and keeps my oily t-zone in check!

Bobbi Brown Lip Liner in Nude

I absolutely love to rock a nude lip, and this lip liner works with any nude lipstick or gloss! You can read my tips for wearing a nude lip here.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your life to read my blog! It means so much to me!! xx

MY MAKEUP SECRET TO CONCEAL TIRED EYES!

June 14, 2017 & 3 Comments

Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Do you get eight hours of sleep every night? I don’t! In fact, I had to change my sleep goal on my fitness tracker to seven hours, just to be more “realistic” with goals. Of course, the best fix to tired eyes is getting more beauty sleep, but on days when you need a little extra help, this trick will help you!

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in 005 Nude

If you have red, tired eyes using this nude eyeliner on the waterline is the perfect way to neutralize the redness and look more awake. I also love using this when I want a more natural, soft look on the waterline. Also, this is less than $5 which is amazing!

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Have you tried this eyeliner? Let me know! : )

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

May 10, 2017 & Leave a Comment

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 : )

NATURAL SUMMER MAKEUP WITH SPF FOR COMBO/OILY SKIN!

May 1, 2017 & 3 Comments

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!

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

April 26, 2017 & 1 Comment

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