Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Skin Tools

I’m pretty serious when it comes to beauty tools. There are few things I love more than a good makeup brush or a really cool skincare tool. My Dad, who has a huge collection of goodies out in the garage, has always taught me how important tools are. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite skin tools with you today so keep on reading to see what gizmos and gadgets I have and use.

Have you heard of Derma Rolling or Micro-Needling? It initially sounds a lot scarier than it is. It’s when you use a plastic wand-like instrument with hundreds of tiny, sharp needles to cause micro-injuries all over your face. The tool comes in varying sizes and the needles penetrate the skin and make your body think it needs to send collagen to the area to heal it, which in turn makes the skin look fresh and youthful. It is also said to help get rid of acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines.



I have 3 different Derma Rollers ranging in size from a .3 mm to a 1 mm. I would have to say that the .5 and 1 are my favorite, though. They do the most for my skin so I can’t personally recommend going any higher or any lower.

So, how it works is you use the roller all over your face and you roll in each area 10 times horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. You want to make sure you get every single area on your face repeatedly. It doesn’t really hurt but it is a bit uncomfortable, although you definitely get used to it with each treatment. It also leaves me a little red so I only like to do it before bed. I wake up without any redness or irritation so I feel like getting some sleep really helps heal my skin. Anyway, afterward it’s really important to use good skin care because any and every single product you apply after will be quickly and easily absorbed into the skin.

I noticed a result the very first time I used it and have continued to see brighter, clearer, healthier and younger looking skin with each use. I absolutely love the effect and my skin looks really great. I also feel like I get an incredible tightening boost, especially in my forehead area. I can’t move my forehead and make my wrinkles appear after I roll, in a good way. I’m not sure if this is common but I love it. Granted, I’m only 29 so it’s not like I have massive wrinkles but they’re still there and I love looking smooth and youthful.

One final note, it’s really important to keep your roller clean and sanitized. Isopropyl Alcohol will be your best friend if you decide to start rolling.

It’s definitely not for everyone but I really, really love it.

I also love using Jade on my face. I’ve got a roller, which I did a full review on, a Gua Sha stone and a kind of spiky roller (not sure what it’s actually called), and I really like all 3. I won’t go into too much detail on the roller since I have a dedicated review on it so click here to check that out.



Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which the skin is scraped to stimulate blood flow and healing. I didn’t think I would like this little jade stone very much but I really enjoy using it. It helps my skin look fresh and bright and I’ve noticed my skin being so much clearer since using it. Although, it’s hard to say exactly which tool is helping the most since I use them all regularly. This tool seems to work really well and get my blood flowing so there’s no stagnation. It also seems to tighten and lift a bit.

The spiky jade tool is kind of like a cross between a Derma Roller and my regular Jade Roller. It’s nice and does a good job of stimulating my skin but isn’t what I reach for first. If you’re afraid of using actual needles on your skin I would highly recommend you get one of these instead.



Finally, I’ve got some Orbits Eye Stones. These little donut shaped stones are made from Finnish bedrock that is more than 2 billion years old. All you have to do is simply set them on your eyes and relax. You can chill them in the fridge for extra relief but I find that they stay pretty cool on their own. They’re perfect for relieving puffiness, itchiness, or just helping tired eyes feel less strained. I love the way these feel and use them every night before bed.

I also use a Foreo Luna Mini, but also have a separate review for that so you can click if you’re interested in learning more.

That’s it for now. I might do a post on my favorite makeup brushes and tools if that’s something you want to know more about. Let me know in the comments and be sure to let me know what your favorite tools are, as well!

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Valentine's Day Look featuring Honeybee Gardens

Valentine’s Day is a fun reason to get dolled up whether you’ve got a special someone to celebrate with or you’re just a fan of the gorgeous shades of pink and red, frilly hearts, and sweet treats that are often associated with the holiday. We’re not big on Valentine’s Day in my household because the 15th is my Dad’s birthday so we like to celebrate him instead but I still love creating romantic looks during this time of year so I wanted to share with you my current soft and pretty look that I’m loving using Honeybee Gardens products.


I like to keep my look fresh but elevated with super soft and feminine shades. I used three PowderColors Stackable Mineral Colors on my eyes. I used Flirtatious, a light matte pink, all over my lid and up to my browbone. I then blended Chai, a lovely matte pale creamy coffee shade, through my crease and finished with a bit of Angelic, a sparkly iridescent pink, on the lid for a touch of shimmer and shine. I finished up with several coats of mascara for long, dramatic lashes.

On my cheeks I applied a healthy dusting of Complexion Perfecting Blush in Euphoria. Euphoria is a gorgeous shade that can be described as a peachy pink and it’s such a flattering, healthy looking flushed shade and I can’t recommend it enough. I think it would look stunning on every skin tone! I tend to go quite heavy handed with blush, because I like having color on my cheeks, but I make sure to blend it all out so it looks as natural as possible.

I used Brown Sugar, a light matte brown, Effortless Eye Liner on my brows and also under my lower lashes for a bit of extra definition.

I’m wearing the Truly Natural Lipstick in Romance, a medium neutral mauve with red undertones, on my lips and I am so completely in love with this shade and the way it looks on. I think it’s my favorite Honeybee Gardens lipstick! It’s a perfect color that brightens up my complexion and looks so good on! It always wears beautifully, like all of the Truly Natural Lipsticks do, and feels so silky soft and soothing.



So there it is, my fresh and flirty look that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day, really! What do you have planned for Valentine's Day? Anything fun? Leave a comment below and let me know!

(FTC: I'm an ambassador for Honeybee Gardens and these products were sent to me for free by the company. I am not being compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)