ELF Ultimate Blending Brush Review

Hey Dolls!

ELF Ultimate Blending Brush

It's been almost three weeks since I put up a post entitled Beauty Haul #3 featuring Mini Reviews. In that post I hauled two new ELF brushes. I told you all in the review that I have not used these brushes at the time; I said I would give them a try and would review them at a later date. Well, that later date has come! Today I will be reviewing ELF's Ultimate Blending Brush. Wednesday I will review the ELF Contouring Brush. I will be reviewing both brushes with the same bullet point style that I do with of my other reviews. If you are at all interested in my other reviews click the link below. It will take you directly to all other reviews I have. With all that said let's jump into it!




Let's begin with product claims, price, availability, etc.

ELF says, "The Ultimate Blending Brush is specifically designed for advanced makeup techniques that help
achieve professional looks. The large dome-shaped head and densely packed bristles maneuver in and around the crevices and contours of your face for seamless, even coverage. It picks up the perfect amount of product to build coverage with powder, liquid, or mousse foundation, bronzer, or blush. The ultra-fine synthetic fibers are hand cut, shaped, and assembled by artisans for expert craftsmanship for a luxury experience."

This brush retails for $6.00 U.S. dollars and can be purchased only on ELF's website. I will place a direct link to this brush below. At the time of this review, this brush is available.

Onto the Pros:

• Dense
• Easy to use
• Soft Bristles 
• Blends like a dream
• Inexpensive

Next up... the Cons:

• Nothing!

Final Thoughts:
I really like this brush! It is dense enough to blend out foundation, blush, contour, or whatever else. It blurs harsh lines. However, it's not so dense that is is hard or uncomfortable to use. It reminds me of my favorite Real Techniques brush. (The expert face brush.) I honestly haven't touched my other foundation brushes since I began using this brush. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Anything else?
Yes. I recommend if you are trying to obtain a full coverage look, use stippling or tapping motions to press the foundation into the skin and buff or blend once most of the product has been stippled into the skin. This will create a flawless, full coverage look.

That's all Folks!

Thank you for stopping by the Makeup Junkie! I hope you enjoyed that post. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them in the comments section below. If you have a more personal request, question, or have a serious business inquiry feel free to email me. You can use the Contact form in the sidebar or you can go to the follow me section above. If you would like to follow me on a day to day basis check out the follow me section above. There you will find all social media platforms that I am currently on. Remember to share this blog post as well as the entire Makeup Junkie with all of your friends, co-workers, classmates, and family. There is a social media section at the bottom of each post. Click on the platform you would like to share a post on and simply click share! Remember to also 1+ the blog on Google Plus. Also, remember new blog posts are live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12 a.m. Central Standard Time. So, make sure to return! Thank you again for stopping by. Your continued support means the world to me. I hope you have an awesome week!
-The Makeup Junkie

DISCLAIMER:  All opinions given were my own. I purchased this product myself. I was not contacted by the ELF company nor am I affiliated with them.

LINKS: 

• ELF Ultimate Blending Brush

• The Make-up Junkie: Reviews

Cinnamon Detox Water

Hey Dolls!

Detox water has become extremely popular. So, I figured I would jump on the bandwagon and make my
own detox water. Let me tell you Dolls, this beverage tastes AMAZING. It almost tastes like tea or juice instead of water. It's amazing. If you don't like the taste of water or you don't like bland detox waters than you may what to try this recipe. Remember that this is a guide, you can add or remove any ingredients you would like. If you are allergic to anything just remove it and replace it with something else. I hope you all enjoy and let's jump into it.









What does this detox water do?
This water speeds up your metabolism and flushes toxins out of your system. Detox water is an excellent alternative to sugary juices and sodas.

What is the recipe?

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 cups of distilled water
• 1 lemon
• Mint Leaves (Use as many as your heart desires)
• Pineapple (1/4 to 1/2 of a medium pineapple)
• Strawberries (Use as many as your heart desires)

Step by Step:

1. Add six cups of distilled water to a kettle.
2. Add 2 cinnamon sticks to the distilled water and allow the water to come to a boil.
3. Once your water has come to a boil remove your cinnamon sticks and allow it to cool.
4. Once the water has cooled a bit add in your fruit and mint leaves
5. Allow the water to sit in the refrigerator and become cold. 

Anything else?

Nope! Just enjoy your Detox water!

That's all folks!

 I hope you enjoyed that post. If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the comments section below. If you would like to contact me please refer to the "follow me" tab above. There you will find my email and all of the social media platforms I am on. I would love to speak to you all, so please follow me! Remember to 1+ the blog and post. Remember to share the blog and post. Also, remember to return for new post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thank you for stopping by the makeup junkie. Your support and love means the world to me. I hope you all have a blessed week! 

-The Makeup Junkie

DISCLAIMER: All opinions given were my own. I purchased this product with my own money. I am not affiliated with this company.

LINKS:

• Chai Tea Latte
• Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

NYX Angel Veil Primer Review

Hey Dolls!

Welcome back to the Makeup Junkie! I recently featured the NYX Angel Veil n a post and I promised you all an in depth review on this product. So, today's post is going to be an in depth review of this product. Like always my reviews will be full of in depth content however, it will be in an easy to read bullet point format. I will also leave a link to all of my other reviews below. With that said let's jump into it!

ELF Mineral Eyeshadows Review

Hey Dolls!

I recently featured the ELF Mineral Eyeshadows in a post and I promised you all an in depth review on this
product. So, today's post is going to be an in depth review of this product. Like always my reviews will be full of in depth content however, it will be in an easy to read bullet point format. I will also leave a link to all of my other reviews below. With that said let's jump into it!

DIY Coconut, Vanilla Bean Whipped Body Butter

Hey Dolls!

Welcome Back to the Makeup Junkie! Today's blog post will be a DIY body butter. With all of that said, let's jump into it!

Current Favorites

Hey Dolls!

I haven't posted a favorites in about two months! Which is crazy because I have been trying a bunch of new
makeup, skin care, etc. So, it I figured it was time for me to share it with you. Let's begin!

DIY Anti-aging Beauty Oil

Hey Dolls!

I recently started a new skin care series on the blog called, au naturel. This series is all about easy, natural, DIY skin care. Today I will be sharing a easy recipe for a beauty oil. This is recommended for all skin types, but it would work best for people with dry and/or anti-aging. If you are allergic to any of the ingredients, do not have any of the ingredients, or don't like any of the ingredients feel free to remove them or switch them with other ingredients. With all of that said, let's jump into it!

Beauty Haul #3 featuring Mini Reviews

Hey Dolls!

Welcome back to the Makeup Junkie! As you all know I am a ride or die makeup addict. Especially when it comes to the drugstore. (I will go "ham and cheese" in the drugstore's beauty section.) So, it usual makeup addict spirit, I raided the drugstore and bought a few goodies. I also purchased some things from eyeslipsface.com. With all that said let's jump straight into it!

• L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Blackest Black- I purchased this from my local Walgreens for about $10. (Which in my opinion is expensive for a drugstore mascara.) The product is extremely black and it has a plastic spiky wand. This mascara does a wonderful job of separating my lashes and making them appear as if there are million of them, but it does not add volume to my lashes. With that being said I DO NOT like this product and I will NOT be repurchasing it. 

• L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara in Black Brown- I have been listening to people sing the praises of this product for years and I felt that it was time for me to see what they were all raving about. The product claims to lengthen and separate lashes. I can say it is great at separating the lashes, but it does not lengthen eyelashes as much as I was hoping. Honestly, my Jordana mascara works much better. 

• L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense Felt Tip Eyeliner- I have been in the market for an amazing felt tip eyeliner for quite a while now and when I ran across this I figured it would be worth a try. Boy, was I wrong! The liner's tip is too thick at the end to get a precise line, the formula is patchy and, it's not "carbon" black once so ever. The only good thing about this is, it doesn't remove easily after it has dried. 

• Wet n Wild Fergie Centerstage Collection To Reflect Shimmer Palette in Hollywood Boulevard- If you have been following my blog for a while, then you know how obsessed I am with the other three shimmer palettes in this line. They are so opaque and they give a gorgeous sheen-y glow. They are never glittery or chunky. I swear by these! Naturally, when I saw this new one I had to pick it up. This shade is a light, yellow toned gold. This would be gorgeous on all skin tones. (If you are very fair or very dark use this with a very light hand and blend it into the skin well. If it is not well blended in it may seem ashy or muddy.) Like all of the other it comes in huge packaging, which I am not a fan of. Never the less this is hands down the best drugstore powder highlight. I recommend this collection to everyone!

• Wet n Wild Color Icon Kohl Eyeliner in Taupe of the Morning- I purchased this because I am looking for a "nude" waterliner eye pencil that would work for my medium deep skin tone. A lot of the "nude" liners are way too light for me skin tone, so when I saw this color I couldn't help but pick it up. Sadly, it was a waste of .99 cents. This product has a hard time going onto my water line as well as staying there once it is on. This eyeliner is creamy and soft to the touch, but the lasting power is awful. 

• Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow Shaper, Wet n Wild Mega Clear Mascara, and Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow Pencil in Brunettes do it better- I recently posted an updated brow tutorial featuring these products. I figured for these few products I can add them into one bullet point because I have been using them in tangent. 
• Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow Shaper- This is suppose to be a wax that holds the eyebrow hairs in place. Sadly, it doesn't do that. This product has a greasy texture which I believe is the reason it cannot hold the brows in place. 
• Wet N Wild Mega clear mascara- I have been using this to help set my brows after I am finished filling them in. I am on the fence about this product. This works great went it comes to shaping the brows and blending the eyebrow gel in, but it doesn't make them stay in place all day. Fortunately, for me my eyebrow hairs are not too unruly nor, so the lasting power doesn't bug me much. However, if you are have extremely curly brow hairs I would not suggest this. 
• Wet n Wild Color Icon Brow Pencil- I love this pencil. One side is the pencil and the other is a spoolie. The pencil is opaque and easy to use, but I don't like how small the pencil is, nor do I like that it has to be sharpened. 

• Rimmel Stay Matte Primer- I have been wanting to try this for a while and I finally had the opportunity. This primer keeps me matte for the eight hours it says it will keep me matte. After that I have to blot per the usual. Which is fine with me. If you are in the market for an inexpensive mattifying primer then I suggest this one. 

Onto the ELF products:

• Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in Turk & Caicos- This has been one of my favorite bronzers for a while now. I am not sure If I mentioned it before or not, but I just decided to repurchase it because I hit pan. 

• Contouring Brush- This is a new brush from ELF. This is suppose to be used to create a structured contour line. I haven't tried this yet, but I will very soon. Once I have tried this for a while I will review it.

• Ultimate Blending Brush- This is another new brush from ELF. This is suppose be used to blend
  foundation, blush, bronzer, etc. Again, I haven't tried this yet, but I will very soon. I will eventually review it. 

That's all Folks!

I hope you all enjoyed this post. If you would like to contact me please refer to the 'follow me' tab above. There you will find all of the social media platforms I am on. Remember to share and 1+ this post and the blog. Thank you for stopping by the makeup junkie. I hope you all have an amazing week!

-The Makeup Junkie

DISCLAIMER: All opinions given were my own. I was not paid to make this post. i am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. I purchased all products mentioned myself. 

Dramatic Purple Smokey Eye Tutorial

Hey Dolls!

Welcome back to the Makeup Junkie! I have gotten a few requests for a dramatic makeup tutorial; so, I came up with an all purple smokey eye. To accommodate all of the Dolls budgets, I will be using mostly drugstore products in this tutorial. Remember this tutorial is just a guideline, you can switch up the products, skip steps, add steps, or change the colors; it is completely up to you. Also, if you are looking for any of the products please click on their names in the list below. The link to the makeup used in this tutorial will be there. With all of that said I will jump into it!



Products used:

1. Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
• 15 Bella Purple 
• 14 Bella Violet
• 13 Bella Pink
2. Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked3 Palette
3. Jordana Cosmetics - 12 HR Made To Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil
• 04 Purple Fix
4. Smashbox Always Sharp Eye Liner Waterproof Kohl Liner
• 3D Orchid 
5. Nyx Cosmetics Eye Shadow Base

• Skin Tone

Onto the tutorial:

• Begin by priming your eyes. Priming the eyes prepares them for shadow, reduces the look of veins, darkness, and discoloration. Priming also helps the shadow appear more vivid. I used the NYX Eyeshadow base in skin tone. You can use your favorite eye primer.
• Take a piece of tape and stick it on the outer edge of the eye. This will ensure you get a crisp cat eye like line. 
• Take a fluffy crease brush and apply the color Nooner from the Naked 3 palette into the crease. This color will act as a transition color. Transition colors help the other, more dramatic colors blend easier. 
• Apply the color Bella Pink onto your lid with a flat eye shadow brush. Make sure you are packing this color onto the lid. Packing is a term used for pressing color into skin for a more intense look. You may wet the shadow after it is applied to your brush for even more intensity. 
• Using a dome shaped fluffy brush lightly apply the color Bella Violet onto the outer two thirds of the lid. This will begin a slight gradient effect. 
• Take the color Bella Purple onto a stiff dome shaped brush and pack it on the outer V area. Make a dramatic wing and connect it to the Bella Violet shade. This will continue the gradient effect. 
• Take a clean blending brush and blend any harsh areas. 
• Take a small flat eyeshadow brush and apply the color Limit from the Naked 3 palette onto the brow bone. 
• Then apply the color Strange from the naked 3 palette into the inner corner. 
• Before removing the tape from the outer corner take the Jordana 12 H Made to Last Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in 04 Purple Fix onto the upper and bottom lash line. Take the colors Bella Purple and Bella Violet onto a small stiff domed brush and blend out the eyeliner. This step in completely optional, I simply feel as though it adds a little more drama to the look. 
• Add Smashbox Eyeliner in 3D Orchid into the tightline and waterline. 
• Remove the tape and blend the lines of the eyeshadow where the tape was. This will make the look appear softer. 
• Apply Mascara and False lashes if you would like.

That's all folks!

I hope you all enjoyed this post. If you would like to contact me please refer to the 'follow me' tab above. There you will find all of the social media platforms I am on. Remember to share and 1+ this post and the blog. Thank you for stopping by the makeup junkie. I hope you all have an amazing week!

-The Makeup Junkie

DISCLAIMER: All opinions given were my own. I was not paid to make this post. i am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. I purchased all products mentioned myself. 

Favorite Concealers

Hey Dolls!

I receive questions quite often about my favorite products, so I thought it would be a good idea to make a couple of posts about my favorite makeup and beauty related products. Today's post will be my favorite concealers. I recently posted my Favorite Foundations. (This post is also apart of this series.) So, without further a do, let's jump into it!

• NYX 3C Conceal, Correct, Contour palette- I have been ranting and raving for a few months now about this palette! I am so in love it is crazy! This palette comes in three shades: light, medium, and dark. I own the dark palette. This palette retails for about $12.00. It comes with six shades. Two-three light shades, two correcting shades, and one-two contour shades. The colors in this palette are amazing; they are extremely opaque. The only problem with this palette is the creaminess of the shades. I suggest using the warmth of your fingers to warm up the concealers and make them more blendable. 

• MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer- I have been using this concealer for years now. I love how opaque and easy to blend it is. As well as how long lasting it is. It never creases under my eyes whether I set it with powder or not. It doesn't settle into my fine lines or wrinkles. This product retails for $19.00.

• LA Girl HD Pro Conceal Concealer- This is an amazing concealer. Since I discovered it over year ago I have not be able to put it down. This is a dupe for the MAC concealer I mentioned above. This concealer retails for $2-$4 and it comes in a bunch of shades.

• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer- This is my favorite everyday concealer. It is lightweight with light to medium coverage. It blends like a dream and never looks cakey. It give such a beautiful glow to the skin. 

That's all folks!

I hope you all enjoyed this post. If you would like to contact me please refer to the 'follow me' tab above. There you will find all of the social media platforms I am on. Remember to share and 1+ this post and the blog. Thank you for stopping by the makeup junkie. I hope you all have an amazing week!

-The Makeup Junkie

DISCLAIMER: All opinions given were my own. I was not paid to make this post. i am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. I purchased all products mentioned myself. 

DIY Witch Hazel and Apple Cider Vinegar Astringent

Hey Dolls!

Witch Hazel Plant

I recently started a new skin care series on the blog called, au naturel. This series is all about easy, natural, DIY skin care. I have already put up a moisturizing, stimulating scrub and an acne fighting au naturel series. I will be sharing a easy recipe for a toner. This toner will work for all skin types, but it will work best for people with oily and/or acne prone skin. This is not recommended for people with sensitive skin or dry skin. If you are allergic to any of the ingredients, do not have any of the ingredients, or don't like any of the ingredients feel free to remove them or switch them with other ingredients. With all of that said, let's jump into it!

Updated Eyebrow Routine

Hey Dolls!

If you have been following me for a while then you know that I think eyebrows are the most important feature on the face; brows frame the face and give makeup a more complete look. Over the years I have spent quite a bit of time looking for the perfect eyebrow products as well as perfecting my routine. In the beginning I would spend a lot of money on eyebrow pencils and powders. Which for me was a problem because I was quite young. When you are a teenager/young adult means you can't always buy the most expensive things. And trying to makes you basically go broke, so you don't have enough money to do anything else! So, I came to the realization that I should probably try cheaper, more accessible, and easier to use products. I searched the drugstores FOREVER looking for dupes of the products I was using before. After a long while of constantly switching up products I can now say I have found the perfect drugstore eyebrow products for me. This routine is super inexpensive, the products are easily accessible, and the products are easy to use.

I do have an old Eyebrow Routine post as well as An inexpensive dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow post up on the blog. If you are interested in checking out either one then, click on their names in the previous sentence. Today, I will be sharing my updated eyebrow routine. So, without further rambling let's jump into it!