September Favorites ♡

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

September is almost over (which is crazy!) so I decided to share my first ever favorites! 

♡ MAKEUP

Urban Decay's Naked palette: this stuff is just amazing for every season and every occasion. I wear this every single day to uni. My go-to colors this month were Sidecar, Buck and Hustle.

Physicians Formula Matte Collection Quad Eyeshadow (in Canyon Classics): What I've been loving this quad for is to fill in my eyebrows. My eyebrows are dark brown (bordering on black) so that bottom gray shade is the PERFECT shade for me to fill in my eyebrows. I just avoid the inner part of my eyebrows to get the most natural look.

Real Techniques brushes: These are super soft and high quality. Slowly purchasing the complete line...

Wet n Wild coloricon blush (in Mellow Wine): I own all four of these blushes, but Mellow Wine has always been my favorite. Really pigmented and not too shimmery.

Sonia Kashuk Undetectable Creme Bronzer (in Rich Bronze): Perfect for contouring. I take a small stipple brush and apply it under my cheekbones and around my temples... It's easy to go overboard with this so a little goes a long way with this if you want a seamless/natural look.

FRESH Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 (in Rosé): I love this for uni! A very light wash of color that enhances your look. It doesn't matter if I'm wearing a full face of makeup or just  some mascara, this is a must for me!

Maybelline Lasting Drama by Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner (in Blackest Black): This lasts ALL day, it's really creamy and easy to apply. Screw felt tip eye liners. This is the way to go. 

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation (in Golden Tan): New favorite foundation. It is so long lasting and perfect for oily skin. 

♡ SKINCARE

Clarisonic Mia 2 with Acne Brush Head: This was definitely an investment, but it was worth it. I used the sensitive brush for a couple of months before switching to the acne one and I find that it is softer and my skin likes it a lot more.
St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub: This stuff is so cheap yet AMAZING! Feels really nice on my skin, but you can definitely feel the scrubbing. Since I got this, I've been getting a lot less breakouts. (It's oil-free, 2% salicylic acid and 100% natural exfoliants)
Proactiv Solution Refining Mask: This has been my go-to mask this month. Whenever I feel like my skin is acting up I just feel like it needs a deep pore cleansing, I use this. This came as a sample with my first (and only) Proactiv kit and now it's almost gone :( I would definitely repurchase it if I find a good deal.
up & up Maximum Strength Acne Medication (store brand for the Clean & Clear Pesa-Gel 10): I have tried SO many spot treatments and I've finally found one that works. A must-have!
L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution: I showed this in my haul and since then, I've been using this every single day. Love this stuff! There might be an upcoming review soon :)

♡ HAIR & BODY

Caress Sheer Twilight Body Wash: This stuff smells like a dream. Every time I use this I just feel so luxurious and the smell is so delicate. I've lost count of how many times I've repurchased this.

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage-Erasing Balm: This deep conditioner is SO good and inexpensive. It seriously brought back to life my hair. Pick it up if you have a change; you won't regret it!

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse: this is the one product I can't live without. Like, holy grail status! My hair is just not the same if I don't use this. I stopped using it during the summer because I had another mousse laying around and as soon as I went back to this one I noticed a HUGE difference.

♡ RANDOM

Fiber One Protein Bars (in Caramel Nut): I've been obsessed with these. When I don't have time to eat full on meal or I'm on the go, I grab one of these. I also like to use them as a snack in between meals. They taste so good! And these actually have a great amount of fiber (5g), unlike most protein bars.
My iPhone 5: Yes, I know the new one just came out but I got my first iPhone on August and I've been loving it this month. It feels good to have a new phone you love...
Gratitude journal: This is the most random favorite ever, but I've been really enjoying using my gratitude journal more. I just take 5 minutes at the end of each day to write 3 things I am grateful for. It can be something good that happened that day or just small things like having enough food. Especially when having bad days, forcing yourself to think about the good things makes you feel instantly better.

----------------

So that's it! Hope you enjoyed my (long) list of favorites. Be sure to follow this blog to read all the upcoming reviews I have planned.
Question of the day: What was your favorite product of the month?

Gabriela xx

The Autumn Tag

 I saw this tag on Adalia's Closet and decided to answer it myself because, why not? After all it's not like I have a bunch of homework waiting to be done... Oh wait maybe I do. Anyway...here it goes!

1. Favorite thing about it?
Definitely the temperatures. I live in the desert to it's usually REALLY hot, but once autumn kicks in the temperatures drop a bit. On that same note, it also allows me to layer a bit more, wear scarves and nice sweaters. 

2. Favorite drink?
Hot chocolate, definitely. 

3. Favorite scent/candle?
I am probably one of the only people in the world who hate fall/spicy/holiday scents. I stick to fresh and floral scents.

4. Best lipstick?
Lipstick isn't really my thing but I really like the Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet and the Jordana Twist & Shine Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush. 

5. Go-to moisturizer?

Last year I used the Neutrogena Oil-Free moisture for combination skin during the day and for my nighttime moisturizer I used Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. However, this year I will be using the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector day/night cream, which I've never tried before.

6. Go-to colors for the eyes?

I like golds and deeper neutrals. My favorites are probably Urban Decay's Half Baked, Smog and Hustle. I also have a L'Oreal HiP duo in "Saucy" and I always use it during these months.

7. Favorite music or band/singer to listen to?

Muse, Fall Out Boy, The Script, Imagine Dragons and whatever's popular on the radio

8. Favorite outfit to wear (i.e. boots and scarf combo)? 

Simple top, a cute pleather jacket, dark skinny jean and combat boots. If I feel like it needs some spice, I'll throw a fun scarf.

9. Autumn treat?

I'll definitely be buying a new fall handbag. I want a large satchel in a tan or caramel color. I'm probably not going to splurge, but it is on my wishlist.

10. Favorite place to be?

I mean this isn't really special to autumn. I just like being at home :)

I'm tagging anyone who hasn't done this and wants to do it! This was fun to answer (:

Gabriela xx

REVIEW: Opinion Outpost

Today I got a bit of a different review for you guys. After seeing SO many youtubers mention this website called Opinion Outpost I decided to give it a try because why not? I spend most of my time on the computer so I might as well earn some money from it just by answering surveys and giving my opinions.

 My favorite thing about this website is that it lets you exchange the points you earn for the reward that better suits your needs. For example, every 50 points you earn a $5 Amazon gift card, every 100 you earn a $10 iTunes gift card or every 50 you can make a $5 donation to the American Red Cross. Personally, I get my rewards through PayPal ($10 every 100 points) because I buy a lot on eBay and you can transfer your PayPal balance to your bank account so getting rewarded through PayPal is the most versatile way to get your money.

A lot of people get scared with websites that claim to give you money for taking surveys because they think they are scams (which most of them are) but this one is very reliable and safe. I've been using it for more than 6 months and have enjoyed it a lot. Another thing that's different about this website is that you can get rewarded pretty easily. Other similar websites only pay you very small amounts of money per survey and you have to get to a pretty high amount of money before you actually get that reward. Here, I got my first $10 within the first 3 days. By now, I've earned a total of $170 which doesn't seem like a lot, but for a student who can't usually treat herself to nice things, this has been the perfect way to earn money.

In terms of the surveys, they are very varied. I have taken surveys about cosmetics, home improvement, finance, and even politics. Usually they start by asking some basic information like your age, location and employment status. If you qualify, then you proceed to the survey. Be prepared to not qualify for A LOT of surveys (especially if you do not live in the United States). They are usually looking for specific groups of people and if you don't fit into that category, you won't be able to take the survey and be rewarded.

Taking surveys can be a very time consuming task, but you at least get told beforehand how long it should take you so that you decide whether or not you want to start it (example above). I have taken surveys that take me less than five minutes, but I've also taken surveys that last more than two hours (and you are rewarded accordingly). Not all of them can be accessed if you leave the page before completing it, so when you start a survey make sure you have the time to complete it. 

This is not for everyone, but personally, I think this is a great way to earn some extra cash every month. As a student with a passion for makeup and beauty products, it is very hard to treat myself with nice things. What I've done is limit my online purchases to the money I get through this and this has helped me stay on budget SO much! I bought my Clarisonic and many other makeup products using only the money I've earned here (and of course finding great deals on eBay) so it has given me the chance to try things I haven't before. 

Let me know if you've tried this and what you thought of it. 

Rating: 9.5/10

Disclaimer: I am not being paid to review this. I just genuinely like this websites and the services they provide.

P.S. My vacations are coming to an end so once I get back to Arizona, I'll start posting more content and showing you some exciting products I've been using.

Gabriela xx