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

REVIEW: Loreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

Sorry I haven't updated the blog for the past couple of weeks. I'm back now with a lot of new products to try and review for you all. 

I was looking for a lighter coverage foundation a couple of months ago and came across the concept of a BB cream. I started looking into some reviews on YouTube and some blogs hoping to find the best BB cream for oily/combination skin types. This one was one of the most raved about, especially for my skin type, so I decided to give it a try. I paid less than $8 for two of them on eBay (which is an amazing deal compared to the $11 one of them usually retails for).

I dont want to make this review too long so let's get straight to the point: I really like this BB cream, but during these warmer months is not really holding on as well. As shown in the picture below, this comes out in a white creamy form and as you blend it it starts turning to a skin color. The coverage is very light, but it is enough to even out my skin tone and make it look like your skin but better. The finish is more of a demi-matte and once it has dried, it feels like a very silky powder on your face.

It lasts all day and it is pretty decent at oil control if you set it with a good powder. My problem with this BB cream at the moment is that when applying this, you should be in a comfortable temperature because the second you start sweating before the BB cream has set, it will break down.

Bottom line is that I do recommend this BB cream for people with normal to oily skin. It has a very natural looking finish and it smooths out your skin tone. It works great as a primer, but also just by itself. It is a must that you use a concealer if you suffer from undereye circles, sun spots or have any blemishes because this will not fully cover those. This is not very water/sweat resistant so it might not be the best product to use during the hot summer months, but other than that, it does what it claims.

Have you tried this BB cream? Do you have any recommendations for lighter, easy to apply foundations or BB creams for the summer time? Let me know in the comments!

Rating: 7.5/10

REVIEW: Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeliner

I don't know about you guys, but finding good eyeliners at the drugstore can be one of the most excruciating tasks. Thankfully, online reviews provide great input to narrow down the options. I usually go for the cheapest pencil eyeliners and most of them end up disappointing me. I decided to spend a couple more bucks and get the Rimmel Scandaleyes in the Black and Nude shade (I got mine at CVS for 4.99 each).

Some of Rimmel's claims are that this eyeliner

• is long lasting
• will give you shocking color intensity
• the formula is ultra smooth & creamy
• will glide on easily
• is waterproof, smudge-proof, sweat-proof, humidity-proof

And I would have to agree with these claims. I am currently on vacation in Puerto Rico, which has a very tropical/humid climate, and this eyeliner did not disappoint. 

Like any product, there is room for improvement. This eyeliner has to be sharpened, and it is not an easy task the first time you do it. There is some sort of coating you will have to sharpen first, before you actually start making the point finer, but after that first time it stops being a problem (I do wish it was a twist-up eyeliner). Also, it is very hard to remove this eyeliner from your waterline at the end of the night, which is annoying because it is not ideal to rub your waterline too much. In addition (and perhaps my biggest problem with this eyeliner), this product does not work on the upper lash line as well as it does on your bottom waterline. It gives you a fatter, sloppier line, which is great if you want to smudge it out, but it's not the one for polished looks or winged out looks.

Bottom line: I LOVE this eyeliner for my waterline and I will repurchase it. After trying this, I won't go back to my .99 cents pencil eyeliners... 

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: Olay Fresh Effects Shine, Shine Go Away! Shine Minimizing Cleanser

Hello lovelies!
 I went on a little shopping trip to CVS and ended up buying the Olay Fresh Effects Shine, Shine Go Away! Shine Minimizing Cleanser. I was running out of my Philosophy Purity and for the summer that was not really working (and it's quite expensive). In addition, using my CVS ExtraCare card I got a 20% off my purchase and two additional coupons that applied to the beauty products I ended up buying. The original price was $7.99, but I only paid about five dollars for this thanks to the coupons. 

I was a bit skeptical about this product because I've tried cleansers to reduce oil and shine and they all make my face feel dry and rough. However, this product really surprised me. The texture is like a very thick cream and it has a slightly pearly appearance. It doesn't have any overpowering fragrance, but it smells really fresh.
 As I was applying, it felt really soft and creamy but my hands started to feel a bit dry as I was washing off the product. In terms of my face, it really got rid of all the oil and impurities (much better than Purity), but it didn't feel like it completely stripped off my face like some cleansers do. I've also tried it with the Clarisonic Mia 2 and it works just as well (although I prefer not to use the Clarisonic every morning). 

Now, let's get onto the verdict. The claims Olay makes about this product on their website are the following:

"Add this cleanser to your morning regimen for a fresh and deep clean:

• Removes 2x more dirt, oil and makeup vs. basic cleansing

• Kaolin clay lifts away impurities and helps minimize shine

• Deep cleansing action for a fresher feel" 

And I would have to agree. The difference in easily noticeable. This is a deep cleansing product, it has helped me minimize shine and I didn't have to use a lot of product to get these results. Since I've started using this every morning, I rarely have to retouch my makeup or use blotting sheets throughout the day. 

For my combination skin and the current hot weather this is the perfect item to help me not look like a ball of oil halfway throughout the day. However, I get some dry patches on my cheeks when the weather cools down so I am not sure this is suitable to use all-year round unless you have really oily skin. 

Bottom line: Yes, I would repurchase this product and recommend it to anyone who tends to get shiny or oily mid-day. Just make sure you still tone and use a light moisturizer before applying makeup.

Rating: 9/10

Hello world!

Maybe I should start by introducing myself and let you know who I am. *awkwardly says hi* Well, my name is Gabriela and I just recently turned 20 years old. I am studying at the University of Arizona, but I am originally from Puerto Rico. 

If you met me one year ago, you would've NEVER believed I had a passion for beauty and makeup. I was the most laid back, i-dont-care-about-that-crap person and i literally never allowed myself to embrace what I have and make it work. This past semester was a really rough one. I struggled with balancing work, study and sleep, keeping my motivation/focus and had major self-confidence issues. I will save the story of how exactly getting into makeup and beauty has helped me for later. For now, I just want to state that the main reasons for me being where I am today are Zoe (zoella) and Louise(sprinkleofglitter). But enough about that...

I have been thinking about starting a beauty blog for a long time but I just never had the time or courage to do it. I am constantly trying new products and reviewing them on Amazon and manufacturers’ websites, but I wanted something more. To me, reviewing products and being helpful to other people is really fun so even if no one reads this blog, I will do it because I truly enjoy it. 

You can expect to see anything from hauls, posts about my favorite products of the month, great beauty deals at the drugstore, and more importantly, detailed reviews about the products I have tried. I am still not sure how often I will update this blog. It might be every other day, once a week or twice a month. Let’s see how this goes.

Come join this adventure with me and let’s have fun!