Leah Tackles

PERFUME POD THE REFILLABLE PERFUME ATOMIZER FROM TRAVALO

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

We have made it to the middle of the week! Am I the only one who gets excited for Friday on Wednesday? I didn’t think so ; )

When I was a little girl I remember loving smelling the different perfumes at department store beauty counters and spraying as many fragrance cards as my mom would allow. I still love trying different scents and have a few favorites, but after becoming a mother and getting a bit older I started searching for a signature scent that my husband, little loves, and people close to me could associate with me. I knew that I wanted a timeless scent that was elegant, not too strong but lasts all day and several months ago I found Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel which is my new signature scent.

Perfume Pod 

When traveling I typically just take small rollerballs or perfume samples that I happen to have on hand, even if they aren’t a scent I particularly love, or if I am traveling somewhere where I want to have my beloved Coco Mademoiselle I will pack it in my suitcase and hope it doesn’t break or spill. Is this ideal? No, but I was recently sent a Perfume Pod by Travalo to try out and now I can safely take my signature scent with me in my purse or suitcase. *Note Travalo sells both the Perfume Pod and the original Travalo, the original is a bit sleeker and more expensive, but both are an affordable price-point and work the same way.

How It Works

This diagram shows how you can easily put any fragrance easily into the Perfume Pod by inserting the bottom of the pod atomizer onto the atomizer stick of the perfume or cologne bottle and pump until the Perfume Pod is filled up. One thing I realized is that you cannot wash out the Perfume Pod, so you would need to stick to the same fragrance unless you were feeling daring and wanted to mix. You can see it in action on my LeahTacklesBeauty Instagram.

My Thoughts

I think that these are fantastic! I love that they are perfect for traveling, and I love having my fragrance with me for nights out.  It is about the size of a tube of lipstick, but if you fill it up it will get you 50-80 sprays, so perfect for vacations! I like that these come in a ride variety of colors because you could easily identify your different perfumes if you used multiple Perfume Pods. I think this is an absolute win, and I would definitely buy more in the future.

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Have you tried this? Do you have a signature scent?

Thank you, as always, for reading! xx

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STYLE SUBSCRIPTION BOX | NADINE WEST CLOTHING SUBSCRIPTION REVIEW

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you are having a great start to your week : ) I have shared my outfits from Nadine West before on my blog (read the posts here, here, here, here, here, and here), and I have been wearing some items from my last several boxes a lot lately, so I was so excited to receive a new box in the mail from them. Nadine West sent me this box for my consideration for review but I was not paid to write this post and as always all opinions are my own.

 

 

 

What is Nadine West?

NadineWest.com is a company that sends you an outfit to try on and you keep only what you love. The outfit is a surprise, but you take a style quiz and the stylists get to know your style more each month. The outfits are affordable with pieces costing about $10-$30 each, which is very affordable compared to other similar services.

How Does It Work?

On the Nadine West website, you take the style quiz so that the stylist can get to know what you are looking for in an outfit. You will receive a pink package in the mail with your personalized outfit. Try on the outfit and keep what you love and send back what you don’t.

My Thoughts

The style quiz was super easy to do, which was great because I wanted something that didn’t take too much time but I was still able to make notes to make sure the stylist knew my preferences. I really loved the surprise aspect of this, and it was like opening up a girly gift from a really stylish friend. I cannot stand having to return things, it is such a bummer, but I LOVE the way this company does it because your outfit comes with return shipping.

Discount Code

Use the referral code “Nadine” on NadineWest.com (not an affiliate code for me, just sharing the one they currently have on their website) to waive your shipping fee which means you’ll get your outfit in the mail without paying anything!

My Outfit

This month I received a lot of clothing pieces and jewelry. For clothing, I opened up a  beautiful peach colored open-faced cotton cardigan, a blue 1/3 button blouse, a pair of floral leggings, and a green sweater dress. For jewelry, I got gold stretchy bracelets, a gorgeous pair of antler gold earrings, and a gold necklace.

Did I Keep It?

I LOVE the peach cardigan and think it is perfect for spring! I like the way the blue blouse looks on, it looks almost like a chambray or denim. The leggings are super comfortable and the print is so vibrant and fun! I love the leggings for lounging around the house or yoga class. The green dress, while I LOVED the olive green color, didn’t fit me well, and also wasn’t my style, but Nadine West makes returns easy. I have worn the earrings already several times, and the bracelets will be cute for stacking bracelets–if my six-year-old gives them back ; ) She LOVES them! I didn’t care for the gold necklace, but have a friend in mind who I think will love it. I appreciate how Nadine West pays attention to your feedback and tries hard to currate a great box of clothing and style pieces for you based off your preferences.

Have you tried any fashion boxes like this? Have you tried Nadine West? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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The Better Skin Co. Product Reviews

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fantastic week so far : ) I had an AMAZING time at the Justin Timberlake Man of the Woods concert and got home just in time for a huge snow (yes, snow in April!) storm. How is the weather where you are? Let us know in the comments!

I love trying out new skincare, and when The Better Skin Co. sent me a few products to try out I was excited to see what the brand co-founded by Natalya Rachkova, an aesthetician who has been making her “magic” cream for years and beauty industry alum Murphy D. Bishop, II, had to offer.

Mirakle Cream

This claims to be “genius in a jar” and a one-stop, skin-loving, problem-solving, all-purpose cream. The recipe is imported from the Republic of Uzbekistan, and is handcrafted in the USA. Some of the ingredients are coconut oil, sea buckthorn, shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe, and algae to help moisturize the skin. Peptides and hyaluronic acid help skin appear smoother and youthful.

My Thoughts

I really have enjoyed this, but because I have been working hard to find the perfect balance for myself, I have been using this in my rotation but not as the standalone moisturizer in my skincare lineup. I have LOVED this for my neck, decolletage, and the tops of my hands. This does absorb quickly into the skin, which I really appreciate.

Lava Magik

 

 

A daily cleanser, exfoliating scrub and revitalizing mask. Skin cleansing volcanic lava from France enriched with ingredients including calendula, sweet orange and grapeseed oils, cucumber, parsley, and chamomile which claim to give healthy and more youthful skin.

My Thoughts

If you follow my social media such as my LeahTacklesBeauty Instagram you have probably seen me in many face masks, and I tend to mask at least two or three times each week. As soon as I opened this I tried it out as a mask, and love that I can scrub for some extra exfoliation after wearing the mask for about 10 minutes. I did notice my face looked as if it was stained red after using it, but as soon as I washed it off with a cleanser that went away. I love this and will continue to use it.

Zit No More

This product contains salicylic acid wrapped in three soothing essential oils.  The formula is boosted with PhytoVie® pollution defense to assist the skin with its battle against pollutants.

My Thoughts

The verdict is still out for me on this one. I really love the idea of it because it’s perfect to toss into your bag and the roller ball makes it a breeze to use with no mess, but it also smells very strongly of tea tree oil and I’m not sure if it works for me. To be fair, I haven’t used it very much yet, but when I did use it on blemishes though I felt that initial slight sting as if it would work, I don’t know if it made my blemishes any smaller after use. I don’t think this made anything worse, but I am still not sure if it made it better, either.

Have you tried any of The Better Skin Co. range? I am excited that they are now being stocked nationwide at Ulta Beauty stores and look forward to trying out more of the line. Thank you, as always, for reading! xx

 

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HOT STEAM HAIR MASK | HIP CHIC SOFT LAMB STEAM HAIR MASK

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

Thank you, as always, for reading : ) I hope that you are having a great week!

 

 

This steam hair mask claims to be a fun way to improve the look and feel of split ends, stressed out and unruly frizzy hair. Lamb steam masks are popular in Korean beauty and work by heating up on application to help mend split ends and frizzy hair.

My Thoughts

I LOVED the idea of this mask because it is all contained and a fun thing to try for a night in. I shampooed my hair and then got out of the shower squeezed out excess water out of my hair before gathering my hair on the top of my head. I put the shower cap style mask on my head and used the tape tab to tighten it so none of the mask got out. I used my fingers to work the mask into my hair and then waited about 10 minutes before rinsing it out and following with my regular conditioner in the shower. My hair didn’t have any buildup issues after using this, and my ends felt very smooth! Just like my face feels smooth immediately after a facemask, my hair always feels soft after a conditioner, so it’s hard to tell what the longterm results with this will, but I would definitely use this mask again.

Watch Me Use It

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You can shop online here or I found it at Walmart : )

What do you think? Have you tried a steam hair mask before?

Have a wonderful weekend! xx

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CLEAN & CLEAR NIGHT RELAXING JELLY EYE SHEET MASK | COOLING EYE MASK FOR TIRED EYES

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that your week is off to a wonderful start! My two oldest Little Loves are on spring break, so we are planning lots of staycation fun like playdates and activities right in our own town. If you’re on spring break, let me know what you are doing for fun in the comments : )

As you know, I adore face masks and anything that can help me look like I got more sleep than I actually did? I am all for it!

 

 

Clean & Clear Night Relaxing Jelly Eye Sheet Mask

This Jelly Eye Sheet Face Mask soothes and replenishes skin, targeting the eye area where stress and sleepiness from the day can show. The cooling jelly sheet mask with Hydrogel formula is designed to contour to the skin to help restore and lock in essential nourishing ingredients and moisture leaving the skin feeling fresh and replenished. Gentle on skin and easy to put on and remove, this ready-to-use eye mask contains seaweed extract. Use this dermatologist tested, alcohol-free, and non-comedogenic face mask for just 15 minutes to replenish skin after a long day.

 

My Thoughts

I really loved how cooling this mask felt, and I’ve shown the trick I use on my LeahTacklesBeauty Instagram where I put my mask in the fridge or freezer but the Clean & Clear Night Relaxing Jelly Eye Sheet Mask was very cold without doing that step. My skin felt incredibly hydrated after using this mask, and the cooling feeling gave me the same sensation as splashing cool water on my face to wake up–very refreshing!

 

Watch Me Use It Here 

 

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If you try this out, let me know your thoughts! It is available online or I found mine at Walmart for just a couple of dollars : )

 

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*Note: It’s a LIVE video! My first ever live video and this is the replay!

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HOW TO REFRESH YOUR WARDROBE ON A BUDGET | REPLACE BUTTONS TO ADD STYLE

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a fabulous week! Cheers to making it to hump day : )

I have recently been doing some major spring cleaning in my closet. I began by going through every piece of clothing that was hanging in my closet and deciding whether or not it was something I loved or wore enough to justify it getting to stay in the closet.

 

CLEANING OUT MY CLOSET

I got strict with myself and if things had stains or looked ratty I tossed them. I had so many cami shirts, tanks, and tees that while I still consider closet staples, needed to be replaced. I threw away cheap shoes that weren’t comfortable or were very beat up. I donated clothing that was in good shape but that I didn’t wear or that didn’t fit me.  Anything that I couldn’t part with because it was extremely sentimental, great quality but not currently being worn, or things that I did use but very rarely I moved out of my closet and into storage.

ORGANIZING MY CLOSET

I put all of my clothing in color order and by type so that when I am looking for something, it is easy to find. I already had been doing this, but I perfected it to make it as easy as possible to find and use my clothing pieces. I use these black velvet hangers to keep a clean and organized look while maximizing my small closet space.

 

REFRESHING CLOTHING ITEMS WITH BUTTONS

I made a pile of clothing that needed to be dry cleaned, and then another pile of things that I loved but wasn’t wearing because they needed small inexpensive repairs. I took a trip to Hobby Lobby and ended up spending $13 to fix three items and am so thrilled with my results that I had to share them with you. I am no seamstress, but I have a small sewing box that is pretty much exclusively the spare buttons that come with clothes and a few basics. If I can do these quick fixes, so can you! ; )

 

E3000 RHINESTONE FIX

I found a button down shirt that I have had for years from Express that love because it has the timeless style of a white shirt but fun rhinestone buttons to give it a little something, but I hadn’t worn it in YEARS because one button on the shirt was missing a rhinestone. I was able to find a rhinestone that fit into the button and glue it in using E3000 and now I have my shirt back. Similar shirts at Express cost about $60 and I fixed it for $3!

 

REPLACING A BUTTON ON A SILK BLOUSE

I had a beautiful silk shirt that my mother purchased for me for sorority events back in college (yes, it’s more than a couple of years old!) that I hadn’t worn in years and years because it was missing a button and the puffy sleeve had gone out of style. Fast-forward to 2018? The romantic sleeve is back in style, and a silk shirt really always looks good, so I decided to try to find a replacement button. I found a button that was a bit larger than the buttons on the shirt, but I decided to move the top collar button onto the shirt to where the button was missing and then added the larger rhinestone button to the top collar spot to that the size difference looked like it was meant to be that way. *TIP: If you can’t find the exact button or the exact size you need, put the replacement in a spot that isn’t obvious and move that button to the more obvious spot if needed. I spent $3 to replace a button on a shirt that would retail about $100.

 

REPLACING BUTTONS ON A BLAZER TO TAKE IT FROM CHEAP TO CHIC

A one-button gray blazer from Maurcies was sitting in my closet but I wasn’t ever reaching for it because I felt that it looked a bit cheap, even though it fits me well. I spent $7 to replace the plastic gray buttons that the blazer came with one large gold button and the smaller gold buttons on the sleeves. A Maurice’s blazer costs about $40-50 and I was able to make it look like a blazer from a more expensive brand by simply replacing the buttons.

 

 

SHOP

 

So, what do you think? Can you think of any jackets, blazers, or shirts where a simple button replacement could make them wearable, more luxe, or more current? If this post inspires you to update any of your pieces, please share with me on my social media which is always linked at the bottom of every post : ) I plan to do more style DIYs and budget tips, so please let me know if you have any requests! xx

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HOW-TO CLEAN YOU MAKEUP BRUSHES AFFORDABLY

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

I hope that you are having a great start to your week : ) I try to clean my makeup brushes once a week, and while I have a few favorite cleansers made specifically for makeup brushes (like the Beauty Blender Cleanser Solid), sometimes I like to keep in low-maintenance and budget friendly. I was sent a tool called the Bump It Off Silicone Cleaning Tool for consideration for review, but this post is not sponsored and as always I would never accept money in exchange for a positive review.

 

 

How I Clean My Brushes Easily and Affordably

I use foaming antibacterial soap and gently rub the brush onto the silicone nubs until it is clean and the water runs clear. I use the large nubs for my bigger brushes and the fine nubs for my eyeshadow brushes. I use a brush tree to dry my makeup brushes upside down which makes them dry a lot faster, but if you don’t have one you can simply roll a hand towel so that the brush head can still dry tiled down.

 

Bump It Off Silicone Cleaning Tool

I have used other small silicone brush cleaners, but I did like the size of this one especially for larger powder brushes. I did find the fit of it a bit odd to get used to, but I still enjoyed having it fit on my hand so I had more freedom to adjust the water, pump the soap, and use my other hand for holding the brush. This tool has awesome views for washing pups on Amazon, but we don’t have a pup in our house so I haven’t been able to test it out. The packaging also brags that it can be used to scrub laundry and pots or pans.

 

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Sometimes keeping it simple makes it actually get done, you know? ; ) What are your affordable or low-maintenance favorites? Let us know in the comments! xx

 

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

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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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HOW-TO UP YOUR HAIR GAME | HAIR ACCESSORY STYLING TIPS FEATURING ULTA BEAUTY

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Hi there! Happy Monday!

Today is my birthday, and it is also the fourth birthday of this blog, LeahTackles.com. I have worked hard and proud that I haven’t missed a post in four years. I have consistently posted every Monday and Wednesday (and for a while, I posted on Friday’s, too). I have worked hard to constantly improve my content. If you have been here from day one, or just joined today, thank you for reading! I appreciate you! If you’d like to do something for me for my birthday, please consider subscribing ; )

 

 

Ulta Hair Accessories 

I’ve been very impressed with hair accessories section lately at Ulta Beauty. I typically spend my money and time looking at skincare or makeup while at Ulta, and if you’re that way too you definitely should pop over to the hair accessory aisles because they have so many chic options for great prices. I’ve grabbed combs that can make my 1-minute ponytail or messy bun look purposeful and stylish, elastics that feel weightless and keep my hair out of my face, and clips or claws that can dress up the half-down look.

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Kitch Marble Round Claw Clips

Hair Comb (*Similar)

Hair Comb (Not pictured)

Invisible Hair Elastics 

 

Do you have any hair accessory secret weapons in your arsenal? I would love it if you’d let us know in the comments! Thank you so much for reading! xx

 

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STYLE SUBSCRIPTION BOX | NADINE WEST CLOTHING SUBSCRIPTION REVIEW

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Hi there! Happy Wednesday!

I hope that you are having a great start to your week : ) I have shared my outfits from Nadine West before on my blog (read the posts here, here, here, here, and here), and I have been wearing some items from my last several boxes a lot lately, so I was so excited to receive a new box in the mail from them. Nadine West sent me this box for my consideration for review but I was not paid to write this post and as always all opinions are my own.

 

 

 

What is Nadine West?

NadineWest.com is a company that sends you an outfit to try on and you keep only what you love. The outfit is a surprise, but you take a style quiz and the stylists get to know your style more each month. The outfits are affordable with pieces costing about $10-$30 each, which is very affordable compared to other similar services.

How Does It Work?

On the Nadine West website, you take the style quiz so that the stylist can get to know what you are looking for in an outfit. You will receive a pink package in the mail with your personalized outfit. Try on the outfit and keep what you love and send back what you don’t.

My Thoughts

The style quiz was super easy to do, which was great because I wanted something that didn’t take too much time but I was still able to make notes to make sure the stylist knew my preferences. I really loved the surprise aspect of this, and it was like opening up a girly gift from a really stylish friend. I cannot stand having to return things, it is such a bummer, but I LOVE the way this company does it because your outfit comes with return shipping.

Discount Code

Use the referral code “Nadine” on NadineWest.com (not an affiliate code for me, just sharing the one they currently have on their website) to waive your shipping fee which means you’ll get your outfit in the mail without paying anything!

My Outfit

This month I received a beautiful black floral tunic, fleece lined burgundy leggings, a gray and white striped sweater with elbow patches, a pair of statement earrings, a gold and silver necklace, and a navy leather bracelet with floral beads.

Did I Keep It?

Yes! One of my very best friends had a surprise birthday party, and I completely changed the outfit I had picked out in order to wear the black floral tunic! The floral tunic is almost a dress, but the tie waist opens a bit so I prefer to wear it as a tunic with leggings. I was thrilled that the fleece lined leggings paired perfectly with the flowers on the tunic. I love that the leggings are lined with fleece, and they’re great because I have already been able to dress them up and then again down with a cozy crewneck sweatshirt. I love classic pieces and neutral colors, so the striped sweater with the cute elbow patch detail has already been worn several times, although I do wish it was a bit longer. I am not a fan of the necklace, even though I do think it looks pretty on, but I think that it is something that I can pass on to someone who likes that style. The bracelet also isn’t something I would have picked, but I think it will be super cute in the summer, especially layered with other pieces. I wouldn’t have picked the earrings, I am such a stud earring girl, but I ended up LOVING what a statement these make. My favorite piece is by far the tunic along with the leggings. I think that Nadine West does a good job paying attention to your opinions, so my boxes have been improving and evolving with my feedback.

Have you tried any fashion boxes like this? Have you tried Nadine West? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

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