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Pinecone Research is my favorite survey company! Right now they are looking for new panelists! Sign up to take surveys and earn $3 per survey from Pinecone Research. They only send you surveys you qualify for- no wasting time doing lengthy qualifiers.
I earned about $70 last year just from Pinecone Research!
Pinecone will send you an email notification when you have a survey available. Complete the survey and earn points to be redeemed for either cash or prizes. Occasionally, they will send you a product to test, too.
Pinecone Research is my favorite survey company! Right now they are looking for new panelists! Sign up to take surveys and earn $3 per survey from Pinecone Research. They only send you surveys you qualify for- no wasting time doing lengthy qualifiers.
I’ve earned over $50 this year just from Pinecone Research!
Only users who fit into one of the 3 demographics below will qualify: Males (regardless of age), All users aged 18-24, and all users that identify as Hispanic.
Pinecone will send you an email notification when you have a survey available. Complete the survey and earn points to be redeemed for either cash or prizes. Occasionally, they will send you a product to test, too.
Brew your favorite coffee double strength (because let’s face it, not everyone has an expresso machine at their disposal)
Heat some milk (I prefer 2% or whole milk) and I use a frother like this one. It makes the milk nice and frothy- just like the steamer at the coffee shop.
Pour coffee into your mug, add 2-4 pumps of syrup (I like my coffee less sweet, so I do 2 pumps), stir and then add your hot milk. Put a dollop of froth on top. Top with whipped cream (if desired, not needed).
For syrups, I prefer Torani. Amazon has a bunch of different variety packs for holiday drinks, I like this one the best. If you live near a Cost Plus World Market, they usually have a great selection of flavors. Since I’m not a huge fan of single task anything, I also put Sugar free syrups in my protein shakes, and in my regular coffee each day. I’ve got a regular coffee shop set up in my kitchen. Ya know, except there is no bearded hipster.
If you are making a mocha, I use Nesquik. Really. I’ve got kids, so we always have it in the cupboard. But you could use your favorite cocoa mix.
I’ve posted before about how I score so much cool frees tuff, but I wanted to update and share about one program: L’Oreal USA.
The makeup Giant wants women from across the United States 18+ to join and take surveys on products, daily skin care regimens, and test new products. When you take 5 surveys, you are eligible to receive a full sized L’oreal product (Of their choice)! They also do consumer product testing. They send you a product, you test it and complete a survey.
I recently completed a product survey. They mailed me products which I tested over a period of a month, then I completed a survey about the products I tested. The product surveys are long- they take about 20 minutes to complete, but, you get to try awesome new products, and as a than you, L’Oreal sends you some pretty sweet goodies.
Here is what I got as my thank you gift yesterday in the mail:
It may not look like a lot, but these three products have a value of about $90.00!
Lancome Large Shadow Brush $29.50
Lancome Color Design Eyeshadow Palette in Mauve Cherie $50.00
Maybelline Brow Drama $8.50
I’ve been part of their survey panel for about 10 years, and I’ve done four in home product tests. They can be hard to get into, however, the products you test are top quality, and the thank you gifts are pretty great!
And if you’re curious about why I got Lancome products, here is a list of companies that L’Oreal USA owns.
SQUEEE!!! I am super Super excited to share this with you! If you’ve read the blog for a while, you know I love doing surveys at home to earn extra spending cash. My #1 go to survey company is Pinecone Research.
PineCone Research conducts on-line interviews with consumers from all walks of life to obtain their opinions about new products. To become a panel member, all you need to do is complete the simple form here, This will only take a few minutes of your time.
It’s easy and fun to see and evaluate new product ideas in the comfort of your own home. You will earn points for each completed product survey, which can be exchanged for cash and other rewards. PLUS you will be automatically entered into a bi-weekly Sweepstakes to win additional cash prizes for your time. Each interview usually takes 15-20 minutes of your time. Plus, you are free to leave the panel at any time should you choose to do so.
Pinecone has no crazy high minimum pay out (like some other survey companies)- You only need 300 points to cash out for 1 $3.00 Paypal reward. 300 points is just 1 survey!
Nitty Gritty: Registrants who complete the signup form online and align with the recruit target(s) and are eligible for membership consideration will immediately receive an email invitation containing a link, ID and password to complete the full registration process. The link takes them to a brief “staging” survey (6 minutes or less) to gather some further information about that registrant and their household, and to gain agreement to the terms and conditions for panel membership.
Right now they are primarily looking for Males, or anyone aged 18-24, or Hispanic ethnicity. And here is proof that I make money with Pinecone, here is a screenshot showing that I cashed out points:
300 points is $3.00, 900 points is $9.00 and 1500 is $15.00. So in the past 3 months, I’ve made $36 in less than a half hour, all told!
As the new year begins a lot of women (and men too) resolve to take better care of themselves, both physically and spiritually.
Today we’re dealing with the physical self-care, and one way to start is with a good facial. It’s important to put your best face forward, and taking care of your skin will help!
I’ve listed DIY formulations that I like as well as links to professional products that I’ve used recently. Products that I use and recommend tend to have a high concentration of natural/botanical ingredients. I’m a huge fan of using products that have a basis in nature! Facials are a fun thing to do as part of a Ladies/Moms night in!
For your Ladies/Moms night in, have every one can bring their favorite product to share, or a quick trip to the beauty supply and the grocery store can get you everything you’ll need for a soothing facial.
1: Cleanse your skin using a gentle cleanser in order to remove surface oil, dirt and germs. If you have oily or combination skin, use a foaming gel cleanser; if you have dry skin, look for a creamier blend that won’t dry out your skin. I like Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser
2: Exfoliate. Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells that clings to your skin. You can either use a mechanical exfoliator (something that is rough/ scrubby like oatmeal), or a chemical exfoliator (something that dissolves the oil and dirt that holds the dead skin cells to your skin, like the acid in pineapple or dairy products).
Natural exfoliatants include: Ground oats and pineapple. Grind oatmeal in your food processor and add 3 T. oats to 2T. Plain natural yogurt (I like greek yogurt because it’s nice and thick!) Apply to the face and remove after 10 minutes with a warm towel. Or put ¼ cup pineapple and 3 T. plain yogurt into the food processor and pulse. Once combined apply to the face and remove after 10 minutes with a warm towel.
At this point, you may wish to apply a serum (I like this vitamin C serum, it’s got all kinds of botanicals and humectants in it to help moisturize your skin) or spritz the skin with a nourishing toner. I like this Vitamin C Toner. Remember to use anything that stings, burns or causes discomfort. That means NO SEA BREEZE OR ALCOHOL BASED ASTRINGENTS!
3: Mask. If you have oily or combination skin, try a clay-based mask; for dry or mature skin, look for a hydrating mask (with a creamy or gel texture). Peel off masks are better suited for oily or combination skin (They can be a little harsh for those with sensitive skin). Most beauty supply stores or drug stores sell masks in small sachets (like these) if you do not already have a favorite mask. Apply mask to the skin, being careful to avoid the eye area (this can lead to sagging skin). Leave mask on for 10 to 20 minutes or as directed. Do not allow clay masks to dry completely. The active ingredients only work as long as the mask stays moist. Sprtiz the mask with a spray bottle of water to keep it moist once or twice. Remove the mask with warm towels and follow with a light spritz of toner.
Most facials end with a special moisturizer or lotion applied to the face. Look for a moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher in order to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Don’t forget to apply moisturizer to your neck and décolleté. You can use SPF moisturizer in the evening too if your budget is too tight for two moisturizers. If you use a moisturizer that contains retinols (they are vitamin A derivatives), it’s imperative that you use an SPF during the day. Vitamin A can thin the skin and sensitize it, so you need extra protection from the suns rays.
If you wish to apply an eye cream, use only a pea sized amount and apply it with your ring fingers in a gentle patting motion. Don’t drag your fingers across the gentle under-eye tissue. It can damage the delicate skin in that area.
My Recent At Home Facial!
Here is my photo collage of my recent Spa retreat. Ok, so I was in the spare washroom after the kids were sleeping and hubs was vegging out.None the less, it’s nice to take 30 minutes or so out of your day once a week and pamper yourself!
I love a good pedicure. Living in California, I wear sandals 300 days in a year. What I don’t love is paying $40-$60 each month for a good pedicure that lasts a month. Sure, sure, I could get a cheaper pedicure, but the polish would chip in a week and I’d look scruffy.
Here are some tips for a great at home spa pedicure.
You don’t need a foot spa. I use a Rubbermaid Dish pan. I got it on Amazon for $9.00. It’s the perfect size for both of my big feet to fit into (I wear a size 11.5 shoe!) After I’m done with it, I just scrub it out with dish soap, a little beach, hot water, and dry it by hand. The best part is, you can store all of your pedicure supplies in the tub. You can also use a shallow pan or basin that both of your feet will fit in.
Use good quality tools. There are coupons regularly for Revlon and Sally Hansen beauty tools. In my pedicure kit I have:
Now that you’ve gathered all the needed supplies here are the steps to a top notch pedicure!
Here are some simple steps that will have you pampering your feet in 30 minutes or less:
• Remove old polish using a gentle nail polish remover (if you have glitter polish on, check out this tutorial on getting that stubborn polish off).
• Clip and file your nails. The modern look for nails is to keep them on the short side with a straight shape and slightly-rounded edge. Remember to file in one direction- don’t saw back and forth, it will weaken and damage your nail.
• Soak your feet for about ten minutes in a dishpan or plastic bowl filled with warm water and a few drops of your favorite body wash or Epsom salts (which have excellent relaxing properties that will soothe your tired, aching feet)
• Apply a cuticle remover; after a few minutes, push back the cuticles gently using an orangewood stick. Use Cuticle nippers to remove dead skin around the cuticle bed. Clean under your toenails with the nail scoop/cleaner.
• Apply a callus remover liquid containing alpha hydroxy acids. Slip you feet into plastic bags for 5-10 minutes, remove the bags and use a pumice stone to remove dead skin cells.
• Use an exfoliating foot scrub on your feet and calves, remove with a hot, damp towel. I make up 3 or 4 per pedicure and keep them warm in a crockpot set to low.
• Massage feet and calves with a creamy hand lotion. Rub in for a couple of minutes in order to fully hydrate the skin, particularly if you are suffering from dry skin.
• Use some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad on your nail beds to remove any lotion on your nails (The lotion will keep the polish from adhering to your nails) and apply a base coat. Adter the base coat is dry, apply two coats of your favorite nail polish color. Add nail decals, gems or paint flowers on your toes! Follow with a topcoat.
It’s back. Halloween is over and that means Starbucks is already to serve their holiday beverages!
Locate your 
Heat some milk (I prefer 2% or whole milk) and I use a frother like 
It may not look like a lot, but these three products have a value of about $90.00!
As the new year begins a lot of women (and men too) resolve to take better care of themselves, both physically and spiritually.
Hewes Family Fun 