Best Foundations + Primers For Oily / Combo Skin

Hey guys!

One of my favourite makeup products has to be foundations! I own way more than what it necessary but I just can't help myself, I absolutely love trying to find the "perfect" foundation!

For me, with my oily / combination skin (mainly I have a very oily t-zone!), there are a few key things that I look for in a foundation and that is the finish, longevity, and of course the colour! It's extremely hard to find foundations that match my fake tanned, olive skin tone, but that's a whole other issue. If you want to know more information about these foundations than what i've written below, check out my video too! 

The Best Foundations for Oily/ Combo Skin !

So let's jump straight into my favourites!

Ex1 Invisiwear Foundation

This is my everyday foundation and I can't rave enough about it! if you've been looking for a lightweight foundation that still has decent coverage but looks really natural this stuff is amazing. I love how it doesn't completely mask your skin and has a natural finish, plus it lasts all day with little touch ups. Here's the link to my full Ex1 review- it's that good it deserved a whole blog post to itself! 

http://jennifermcfadyen.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/ex1-invisiwear-foundation-review-check.html

Buy here: http://bit.ly/1eSWfR6

Revlon Color Stay Oily / Combination 

This is an oldy but a goody and still one of my favourite boots / superdrug / drugstore foundations, particularly for nights outs! It gives quite a full coverage and has a satin/matte effect, and no joke, this is super glue for the face! It's very comparable to the Estée Lauder double wear but for the price, I'd say just stick with the cheaper option.

Buy here: http://bit.ly/1rsAGoM

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue 

This is probably not the type of foundation you'd expect in a oily skin focused blog, but I think this stuff is great for everyday wear! it's a very sheer coverage, and a little dewy, but it gives my skin a really nice tint so it matches my fake tanned skin a lot better (which if you don't tan your face, you know the struggle! haha). It also has spf 30 so it's a good everyday choice. I've nearly finished one bottle and i'll definitely be picking up another! 

http://bit.ly/1KopTUD

Nars Sheer Glow

Ahhh Nars sheer glow, my top pick for high end foundations! You might have been expecting something like double wear, and although I do need to blot with this foundation, I love the finish so much that it's totally worth it to me. It has a medium, build able coverage but it's really hard to describe the finish, it's not completely matte but it does have a sort of 'sheer glow' to it, *face palm*. I always get asked what it is i'm wearing when I have this foundation on, so I guess that's the true test of how amazing this is! 

Buy here: http://bit.ly/1WPvNBE

Check out this review here to see more in-depth information on these primers! :) 

>>> http://jennifermcfadyen.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/how-to-make-your-pores-look-smaller.html <<<

- Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer
http://bit.ly/1TryIgW

- Nyx Angel Veil Primer
http://bit.ly/24dsHJO

- Smashbox Pore Minimising Primer
http://bit.ly/1rangNF

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How to Make Your Pores Look Smaller || Products + Tips

Hey everyone!

This is a post for all of you, who like me, have been cursed with the problem of having large pores, and when I say large pores, I literally mean craters, that you could fall into, on my face :'( 

i have pretty oily skin, which I'm guessing is to blame for my humongous pores? Anyway, I have pretty clear skin, so my pores are the one thing that really really bug me when I do my makeup! 

**PS- this should be some sort of drinking game, take a shot every time I say pores, haha**

So if you're looking for some of the best pore filling products on the market then look no further, hopefully my list below will help you fill in those pores and save yourself some cash at the same time! 

- First up is primers, which personally, I think are essential for anyone with oily skin and large pores! My favourite to use is the Smashbox Pore Minimising primer, which at £28 is a little pricey but is definitely worth it for the effect it gives and how long it lasts! It has quite a thick texture so it's important to only use a teenie tiny amount and really push it into your pores, rather than swiping it on. If you have any dry skin at all, I wouldn't go near this stuff because it will cling!

- Next up is the Nyx Angel Veil primer, which I've heard works really well for those with dry skin too, though I can't really vouch for that. I wouldn't say this covers pores as well as the Smashbox primer but it does a pretty decent job, plus it's the most affordable one I've found at around £15; loving that Nyx is now more widely available in the UK! 

I do also find a big difference between using different application methods! I'd really recommend using a sponge like the real techniques one or the beauty blender as this will allow you to push the product into your pores (and not moving your primer around) and make them less noticeable, rather than just swiping a brush across, which can make them look more prominent than they were before! 

And last but by no means least is the Alpha H liquid gold. I freaking LOVE this stuff, and it's really the only skincare item that I feel has actually made a noticeable difference to my pore size. I know many products claim to do this (believe me I've wasted my money on A LOT of them) and skincare experts say it's impossible to make pores smaller but I really do notice a difference with this product. I do think it is a temporary effect though and you need to keep using it regularly to see a change, it's almost like its firming your skin which then makes your pores looks smaller. in any case it's a fantastic product which I'm planning on doing a full review on because I think everyone needs to try it! 

And that's it guys, all the products, tips and tricks I think really help with minimising pores, let me know in the comments what products you use so I can try them out :)

EX1 Invisiwear Foundation Review + Check In

Hey everyone! 

For the past 2 years one of my absolute favourite foundations has been the Ex1 Invisiwear. Recently, I've noticed quite a few bloggers it out and hoping onto the Ex1 bandwagon, so I figured i'd throw my 2 cents in and do a full review and check in throughout the day so guys can see how it holds up on my oily / combination skin :) Check out the video above to see how this foundation holds up though out the day with regular check-ins!

For me, it's extremelyyyy hard to find lightweight foundations for my skin type, does anyone else feel like all foundations for oily skin are super thick and heavy?! I'm quite picky however when it comes to foundation - I want something that will hold up all day and not make me look like a total grease-ball, but I also don't want to be scrubbing my face at night trying to remove it from my skin because its held up so well. Not asking for much, eh? haha.

I basically discovered this foundation because I was sick of looking oompah loompah-ish and wanted to find a foundation that would match my fake tan really well! And whal-ah, I came across this amazing brand catered towards olive skin tones.

Here's a few reasons why I love this foundation so much and a link to where you can buy it!

• It's very lightweight 
• Applies evenly with a brush or beauty blender
• Holds up on my oily / combination skin
• Easy to remove at night
• Doesn't sink in too badly to laughter lines (all foundations do this for me, some are worse than others however!)
• Doesn't break up 
• Can be sheered out for light cover, or built up for a medium coverage
• Natural / Skin like finish
• Fab for everyday use or a special occasion
• No SPF, so it's great for any flash photography, so good in fact that many celebrity makeup artists use this on their clients for red carpets!
• Packaging is b-e-autifulll colour, has a pump and no product is wasted with the push up function
• The colours are amazing for olive and fake tanned skin and they have a colour chart comparing their shades to Mac so you know which one to buy
• And finally the price, such a steal at £12.50!

The only negatives I can think of with this foundation is that the colour range could be larger as there's only a measly 5 shades. Plus, I can't wear this foundation when i'm not fake tanned, and although the brand is geared towards olive skin tones it would be great to see them branch out at later stage and use their amazing foundation formula to cater to all skin tones.

Look Fantastic Ex1 -http://bit.ly/1YCvbyq

(I never pay full price because this site always offer discounts of at least 10%!)

Hope this was helpful for you! Please let me know in the comments down below if you've tried out this foundation or if you have any other questions! :)

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March 2016 Favourites!

March Favourites!

Hey everyone!

Here's my March 2016 Favourites :) Check out the video below if you want to hear why I love these products so much!


Nyx Soft Matte Liquid Lipstick - Cairo

Nyx Wonder Stick - Universal

Nyx Microbrow Pencil - Taupe (Blonde shade also mentioned!)

Nyx HD Concealer - Fair

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - 01 Fair

Revlon Precision Eyelash Glue

Urban Decay 24/7 Lip liner - Stark Naked

Estee Lauder Little Black Primer, Eyelash


Hope you enjoy watching! 

Jen xxxxx

Morphe 7 Piece Rose Gold Brush Set UK: Update + Review

Hey everyone!

So this time last yeah, after hearing so much hype around the brand Morphe, I did a first impression/review of the Morphe rose gold 7 piece brush set.

I've been wanting to do a kind of update video for a while now and figured this was the perfect time as it has been a one whole year since I purchased them! I did also do a video on this, so if you want to see how they look now check that video out above :)

Also, like I mentioned in my previous blog post, I've only tried this one set and not any of the individual brushes which I think might be better quality? If you've tried any of their other brushes let me know in the comments down below! 


Rose Gold Powder Brush

This is still my favourite brush from the collection because it only occasionally sheds (nothing major that would put me off using it!) and is a great multitasker brush since I use mine for powder and bronzer. It is also pretty soft but I would say the Real Techniques are softer, such as the blush brush, although this Morphe brush is a lot more dense. 


Rose Gold Blush/Contour Brush

I think this brush might originally be designed for blush but I tend to use it when I want a soft contour as the shape fits really well for that purpose. Although I really like the shape of this brush I don't think it's great quality as it's losing its shape and a bit scratchy!


Rose Gold Blending Brush / Sigma E25 Dupe

If you read my previous post on these brushes you will already have seen the side by side pictures comparing this to my Sigma E25 brush, and going by that you would think it was a no brainer to go for the cheaper Morphe alternative. However, while I didn't mind this brush, I was actually using it today and found it so scratchy that I had to swap it over for my Sigma E25. So yeah, spend a bit more and get the Sigma brush haha. 


Other Rose Gold Eye Brushes

If you want to see what I use these brushes for, check out the video above! These three brushes are okay, wouldn't say they are anything special to be honest. 


Rose Gold Flat Paint Brush

I can't really say too much about this brush as it is the least used in my set, sorry guys! 



Links to previous blog posts on the Morphe Rose Gold 7 Piece Set and where you can buy them, I got mine from beauty chamber! xxxx


http://jennifermcfadyen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/morphe-brushes-uk-rose-gold-7-piece-set.html

http://jennifermcfadyen.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/beauty-chamber-where-to-buy-z-palette.html

http://bit.ly/1RC1Tut - beauty chamber morphe rose gold brush set 

http://bit.ly/1piEXtX - Cult Beauty Morphe

http://bit.ly/1nAb32j - Beauty Bay Morphe

http://bit.ly/1XfzfU5  cocktail cosmetics, rose gold brush set 

GRWM: Family Dinner

Hey everyone!

Here's a quick GRWM for my grandparents 50th anniversary dinner, hope you enjoy! :)


Products Used:

- Korres Wild Rose Moisturiser Oily/Combination Skin

- Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer

- Smashbox Pore Minimising Primer

- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray

-Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab 

- Becca Under Eye Brightner

- Mac Prolong Wear Concealer NC15

- Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Light Neutral and Fair Neutral

- Laura Mercier Loose Translucent Setting Powder

- Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette

- Makeup Forever Pro Bronze Fusion 20M

- Milani Luminoso Blush

- Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal

- Laval Eyebrow Pencil Blonde

- Mac Brow Gel in Dirty Blonde

- Lancome Hypnose Mascara

- Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner

- Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

- Ardell  Double Individual Lashes

- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner Liberated

- Dior Lip Maximizer Lipgloss 

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My 'Go-To' Everyday Makeup Routine \\ Oily Combination Skin

Using my favourite Ex1 Invisiwear Foundation F100

Hey guys!

Here's a tutorial for my every day, go-to makeup. This is perfect for those of you with the same oily/combo skin as myself. It can be a nightmare trying to find products that will stay intact all day and not make you look like a total grease ball :/ But i've found that all these products work really well to stop that from happening! :D 

Products Used:

- Korres Wild Rose Moisturiser for Oily/Combination Skin
http://bit.ly/1n0hNpU

- La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Anti-Shine Dry Touch SPF50
http://bit.ly/1k7jIIg

- Nyx Angel Veil Primer 
http://bit.ly/1TBII8r

- Ex1 Invisiwear Foundation F100
http://bit.ly/1SYsQOt

- Becca Undereye Brightening Corrector 
http://bit.ly/1Q5zoas

- Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer: Fair Neutral + Light Neutral
http://bit.ly/1By2mVP

- Mac Mineralize Skin Finish: Light
http://bit.ly/1DJVSIa

- Nars Pressed Powder: Beach
http://bit.ly/1SYtgV9

- Nars Bronzer: Laguna
http://bit.ly/1QILppH

- Makeup Forever Pro Bronze Fusion: 20M
http://bit.ly/1N79SlM

- Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette: Incandescent Light + Radiant Light
http://bit.ly/1SdXy6n

- Laval Eye Pencil: Blonde
http://amzn.to/1p9YXP1

- Mac Fluidline Brow Gel Creme: Dirty Blonde
http://bit.ly/1SYry64

- Lancome Hypnose Mascara
http://bit.ly/1oDsW15

- Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid liner
http://bit.ly/1pWgkkU

- Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
http://bit.ly/1MUnvAe

- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
http://bit.ly/1R9M9Sk

- Dior Addict Lip Mazimizer 
http://bit.ly/1OQ3a0X

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February Haul 2016! Makeup + Skincare

Hey Guys!

So I have to put my hands up and admit that I've definitely been on a bit of a buying binge this month! My bank account has seriously taken a bashing but at least I have all these nice new products to try out, right? right?! haha. Look out for some individual reviews of these items over the next month or two :D Video with swatches also in this post xxx

Amazon

- Crest 3D Whitening Toothpaste

- Garnier Micellar Water 

- Ardell Individual Double Flare Lashes

- Stargazer White Foundation

Superdrug

- Make Up Revolution Rose Gold Metal Eyeshadow

- Make Up Revolution Platinum Metal Eyeshadow 

- Rimmel Lipliner: Spice

- Collection Lipliner 01 Nude Pink

- Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer: Fair 1 

- Loreal Touche Magique Concealer

Space NK

- Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector

- Laura Mercier Translucent Powder


Debenhams 

- Mac Soft Ochre Paint Pot

- Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner: Midnight Cowboy

- Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Collagen Active Lip-Gloss

Look Fantastic 

- Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipliner: Liberated 

- Bliss Daily Detoxifying Facial Toner

- Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 

- Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment 

- Free Beauty Bag with Order: Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eye Primer Sample, Look Good Feel Better Eye Shading Brush, Detangle Shower Brush, Codage Paris Serum No 03, Tan Worx Tan Maintainer.   

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All About My Hair! + My Favourite Hair Care Products

All about my hair + my favourite hair care products!

Hey guys!

Here's a quick blog post on all my favourite hair care products for supeerrrr long hair and how I maintain it! :)


Favourite Products:

Tresemme Heat Protection Spray
http://amzn.to/1niag6x

If your looking for an affordable heat protectant spray that's going to cover you against hairdryer and straightener heat then this is the one for you! I normally buy mine from amazon because that's where I tend to find it the cheapest but you can get this in Boots too. I've used this product for years yet I think i'm still only on my 3rd or 4th bottle?And I spray a very generous amount! Its amazing how long this stuff really lasts. I've already converted a friend of mine after she borrowed mine on holiday after forgetting her GHD protectant spray :) 


Moroccan Oil
http://bit.ly/1Jw9oBW

After hearing so many bloggers/vloggers raving about this product and reading amazing reviews online I finally took the plunge and splurged on the Moroccan Oil..... I really wish I hadn't wasted my money to be honest! :( Don't get me wrong, it smells really nice and conditions my hair well but I really can't justify the price when I previously used an argan oil from the brand Argania (I think the packaging has changed for this brand, its still on the boots website but I'm not 100% sure its the same product!) which is half the price. I normally put around 2-3 pumps of this (I will say the packaging is excellent on this product) on the ends of my hair. This is still part of my hair care routine which is why I included it but when I'm out I'll be repurchasing the argan oil instead!  

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray 

http://bit.ly/1UkZG9M

This is mainly a summer time product for me but I thought I'd give it a quick mention anyway! This is just a sea saltspray, quick and easy to use to give your hair a bit of texture and a 'lived in/messy' vibe which I really like! Effortless looking hairstyles are always my favourite :) It is pricey but it's lasted me agesss so I don't grudge the price too much.

TIGI Bed Head Superstar Queen for a Day Thickening Spray

http://amzn.to/1SGjZAA


I don't spray this every time I wash my hair but I do use it quite frequently. It's essentially a volumising spray and I would say it does a pretty good job at doing that (although I really want to try the Bumble and Bumble thickening spray, if you've used it let me know your thoughts down below!). I only spray this on the top half of my hair, mainly near the rootsbecause it does leave your hair feeling quite rough, a bit like when you've backcombed it so I prefer not to have that texture on the ends of my hair. (Definitely not using my £30 oil to make my hair feel smooth to rough it up with this type of spray haha.)

I did mention in my video too that I only use very cheap, basic shampoos and the only reason for that is I find more expensive brands (such as tresemme etc..) are far too heavy for my hair. It feels really nice, conditioned and soft the first day but it just becomes greasy sooo quickly which I do not enjoy! I only wash my hair every 3-4 days, its far too long to wash everyday, I have a hard enough time trying to get out the door in the morning already haha!

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Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Creme Review

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Creme - 06 Ginger

Hey everyone!

I've been using the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Gel Creme (could've come up with a longer name eh?) for a few months now and wanted to share my thoughts on it :)

I wasn't too sure whether this would be a good purchase for me initially as I have oily skin, but I'd been looking out for a lightweight cc cream style of base, just something light for everyday use. I've previously used the bare minerals powder foundation and wasn't very impressed - does anyone else feel like it takes foreverrr to apply for little coverage?! Anyway, after finding it online with a few pounds off I decided to try the brand out again. 

I went for the colour 06 Ginger which is a great match for my fake tan, the shade range is pretty easy to choose from too with all undertones clearly stated on their website if you need some help deciding on a shade. The only problem with going for a sheer foundation (which I would definitely say this is, if you're looking for a medium to full this won't be the product for you!) is that the colour tends to look better when my face tanned too. I normally like to apply it with a buffing brush for a little extra coverage, or my hands which is quick and easy. Both ways blend out the foundation nicely though and i'm not left with any streaks. It does cover everything that I want it to cover nicely, the redness on my cheeks being my main problem area, but I do have pretty good skin and don't tend to lean towards full coverage foundations!

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Creme 

I really love the packaging for this foundation too, the squeeze tube is just so convenient for on the go, travelling and is super quick and easy for those mornings when you're rushing round do-lalley and don't have much time to fuss over makeup!

So like I said before, I wasn't too sure if I would like this product as it does have a more natural/dewy finish and I have oily/combo skin (basically a very oily tzone and normal on the outer perimeter.) This was one of the main reasons however why I wanted to post about it because I feel like most reviews online are from those with drier skin. 

I'm surprised to say I actually really like it! With any foundation I have to blot my t-zone throughout the day and this was no different, it's not an oil controlling product but I find that okay as I don't look like a total greaseball after hours of wear, a little blotting and powdering touch ups and it looks fab again :) I do want to mention though that whenever I first put it on I don't think it looks like anything special, but once i've finished my makeup it makes my skin look fab, very radiant, natural and glow-y without looking sweaty y'know? Whenever I wear this product I always use my favourite primers (either the Nyx Angel Veil or Smashbox Pore Minimizing), set it with some powder and finish off with a setting spray to add to the longevity, but I do do this with every foundation I use. I also think it doesn't look too oily by the end of the day because it's very hydrating and my skin doesn't feel the need to produce as much oil.

All pictures below are completely unedited! 

Before foundation, apologies for the wet hair haha

No foundation

Skin With Complexion Rescue

Completed Look

Completed Look

Oh and I also love that it has SPF30 in it, another added bonus for an everyday foundation, particularly because I use retinol skincare products which makes my skin more sensitive to sunlight!

Will I be purchasing this product again? Most likely! The only thing stopping me from saying absolutely is that I want to try out the new Nars Matte cc cream next haha, but if that doesn't work out i'll be right back to using the complexion rescue gel creme :)


I can't remember exactly where I bought mine, it was either look fantastic or feel unique.com (they always seem to have the best deals on bare minerals products in general!)

Buy it here >>> http://bit.ly/1KopTUD

Let me know in the comments below if you've tried this foundation and what your thoughts are on it ! 


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Best of Beauty 2015!

Hey everyone!

Here's a quick round up of all my top pick beauty products from the past 12 months. These are always my favourite videos to watch (or blogs to read) because you get to see what products people are constantly reaching for a repurchasing. Check out my video if you want to see me talk about these products in more detail and let me know in the comments below what your favourite products of 2015 have been :) 

Primer

Smashbox pore minimising 

Nyx Angel Veil


Foundation

Nars Sheer Glow- Punjab

Ex1 Invisiwear - F100,200 and 300


Concealer

Nyx Concealer - Glow

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer - Fair Neutral and Light Neutral

Mac Pro Long Wear Concealer NW15


Powder

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish - Light

Nars Pressed Powder - Beach 

Kat Von D Shade and Light Pallet



Bronzer

Nars - Laguna

Makeup Forever - 20M


Blush 

Milani - Luminoso


Eyebrows

Laval Eyebrow Pencil - Blonde

Mac Fluidline Brow Gelcreme - Dirty Blonde


Mascara

Lancome Hypnose Mascara

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara


Eyes

Makeup Geek Shadows

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil - Milk


Highlight

The Balms Mary Lou-manizer

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette


Lips

Mac Pure Zen

Mac Coral Bliss

Estee Lauder Kendall Jenner Shade - Restless


Setting Spray

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray