Guest Post-You Found Erin

Hello there, lovely readers of  A Little Gem ! You may have noticed that I am in fact, not A Little Gem. She has very kindly offered me the chance to do a guest post, so here I am!

I should probably quickly introduce myself, I'm Erin, from www.youfounderin.blogspot.co.uk , and I am going to be writing about my "Winter Beauty Essentials", so lets go!

1) Lipbalm

Fist up is lipbalm. Now, I am a huge lipbalm junkie all year round, but in winter my lips get super dry (as I believe most people's do) so it is very important for me to keep my lips hydrated, and moisturised. I particularly love this cocoa butter one from Palmers, as it does its job really well, and smells divine!

2) Moisturiser

Similar to dry lips, my skin also gets quite dry in the winter, so I try to moisturise both morning and night, using a hydrating one, that will be sure to leave my skin feeling silky smooth and glowing. (Such as this one from Simple)

3) Red lipstick

Now what is winter without a red lipstick? Whether it be berry, bright, or dark, there's a shade to suit everyone! I for one am a huge fan of red lipstick, and there is no better time to wear it than in the cool winter, festive months. My favourites are (from l-r) Rimmel Kate Moss in 107, Elf in a deep berry colour, and Christian Dior in Sparkling Red

4)Deep Conditioner

Now, I don't actually have one to hand, as I just finished one, and haven't got round to buying another, so here is a lovely photograph from Google Images.

My hair goes a bit limp, dry, and just 'meh' in winter, so what better way to inject fresh new life into it than by deep conditioning? I love, love, love this one from Aussi, it leaves my hair so soft and shiny!

5) Red/Purple Nail Varnish

Deep colours are so fashionable and cool in winter, and I think they look fab on my nails. These two from Rimmel (Deliciously Dark and Rapid Ruby) are fab, long lasting, and they dry super quickly, which is always a plus, I hate waiting for nails to dry!

6) Hand Cream

I got this hand cream as a gift, and while I don't like the smell, it makes my hands so smooth (perfect for these cold months when my hands are so dry) Plus, the packaging is so beautiful.

7) Concealer

This is essential for me all year round, but I find that dark circles show more in WInter, so it is definitely a winter must-have for me.

8) Face Mask

It's nice to treat yourself once in a while, and what better way to do that than to put on a face mask and relax for ten minutes. I am actually allergic to most face masks, because I have such sensitive skin, but I absolutely love the Lush ones,  particularly "Cupcake". Yum.

9) Eye Liner

Last but not least, eyeliner. I wear more eyeliner in winter, i'm not entirely sure why. I think it's because I know it won't melt off my face, and it looks great with a dark lip. I just love black eyeliner.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this, and if you did, feel free to check out my blog, and also, follow "alittlegemm" who has very kindly let me write this blog post on her blog!

Quick question (feel free to tweet me the answer @youfounderin),

What is your Winter Beauty essential?

youfounderin x

Demi from Kiss & Makeup's Top 5 Products For 'At Work' Makeup

Hello lovely followers of A Little Gem, It's Demi here from Kiss & Makeup and I've been given an opportunity by the beautiful Gemma to guest post on her gorgeous blog! Two months ago I started my new job fresh out of university as a scrub nurse and so I thought I'd share with you all five fabulous products which aren't too heavy on your skin and so are perfect for weekday wear. 

One: Dr. Jart Platinum BB Beauty Balm

In the past I've overlooked many BB creams because they just don't give me the full coverage I desire. A few weeks ago I discovered Dr Jart platinum Beauty Balm when it was on offer in Boots, when I swatched it I noticed that it was actually pretty thick for a beauty balm and so it clicked that it might not give too shabby coverage after all. I wasn't wrong and I'm really enjoying this high coverage balm which also leaves my skin feeling hydrated and not weighed down whatsoever. I will say however that it does only come in one very light shade, which is great if you're fair skinned like me - if not, then this probably isn't for you!

Two: Estée Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush in X-Pose Rose

I reviewed this gorgeous gel blush on my blog a few weeks ago (click here to read!) and I am absolutely loving it. Pretty steep in price for its size but its so lightweight due to its gel consistency, giving your cheeks a beautiful but subtle splash of colour without soaking up any moisture which often happens with powder blushes. I'll definitely be trying out some of the other lovely colours in this product range!

Three: MAC Mineralize powder in Medium

This powder is perfect for warming up my Dr Jart Beauty Balm base, it's pretty lightweight and doesn't leave my face feeling caked or heavy. This product does give a slightly matte finish but I've not found it to dry out my skin at all which has been a huge problem I've had with every other powder in the past, this is the powder which I always go back to after trying anything else. It does, of course, carry a hefty MAC price-tag but I really can't knock this product and it's for sure where my face powder loyalties lie!

Four: MUA Makeup Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit

There's nothing I love more than a massive beauty bargain and this product is one of my favourite finds of the year. This is a ridiculously good dupe of Urban Decay's Brow Box and it costs only £3.50, which is jaw dropingly cheap in comparison with the £19 Urban Decay price tag! I feel butt-naked without shaping and shading my brows, it's got to the point where people say I look really weird without them! This fab little kit from MUA is ideal for achieving perfectly-primped yet natural looking brows and I can't recommend it enough - if there's one product you MUST try after reading this post, this is the one - go go go! I've reviewed this product in full over on my blog (click here to read).

Five: Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Mascara

I've never been a fan of overly dramatic and false looking lashes and I really think that they can cheapen the overall look of your makeup. I'm loving this mascara by YSL because it gives my lashes amazing but natural looking length and volume, without leaving them clumpy and looking like spiders legs. Natural is the key word here, making this mascara perfect for weekday wear! Again, I've reviewed this product in full (click here to read!). 

Anyway dolls, I really hope you've enjoyed reading this post and I hope that you can take the time to check out Kiss & Makeup sometime! Thank you so much Gemma for giving me the opportunity to guest post on A Little Gem, keep up the amazing work with your amazing blog!