DISCLAIMER: I was given a steep discount on or received this product for free to review. The thoughts, opinions, and decisions on how to use this product are my own. Free or discounted DOES NOT EQUAL instantly great. This review will be treated as all my reviews are, whether I paid for my product or received it for free.
Raise your hand if you like needles of any kind. What? I know you’re not expecting my hand to go up. Listen, we’ve built this relationship on trust, and trust me; I hate needles. So just imagine how hard I kicked myself when I anxiously accepted the offer to review a derma roller. My mindset: “Well, Shuna Rae. You’ve been wanting to try a derma roller for a while. In the words of SpongeBob, BE A (WO)MAN!” Yes, my pep talks center around SpongeBob and his encouraging words of wisdom. I have been wanting to up my skin care factor, and what better way to do this than with a derma roller?
The Beautify.me Derma Roller is my first derma roller. The needles are 1.0 mm, a little longer than I wanted to start my beginning stages with derma rolling with. Before we get too involved in my review, let me first give a brief definition of what derma rolling is:
“A derma roller is an instrument consisting of a heavy duty plastic roller head covered in high quality titanium needles. The needles are designed to penetrate the stratum corneum, conium the hard outer surface of the epidermal layer of the skin, body, or scalp. Hundreds o tiny channels are created through the stratum corneum, which facilitate the passage and absorption of your skin care product, or minoxidil for hair restoration into the dermis, to maximize its absorption” (Derma Rolling Q & A, Derma Heal).
In a nutshell, derma rolling is the act of using a derma rolling instrument with many needles on it to micro-pierce the skin, in order to signal the body to heal those micro-tears and boost collagen product into the face. This also allows your skin care products to seep deeper into the skin, which is why it is important to use natural products on your skin while derma rolling.
As stated previously, my derma roller has 1.0mm titanium micro needles. The derma roller came in a nice box, which held the derma roller in its hard plastic container. Before you use your derma roller, it is important that you sanitize the tool with at least 70% alcohol (I use 90%) and warm water., You should sanitize it again with the lid off for an 1 hour for the tool to dry completely before replacing the top. The derma roller container box comes with directions on the side of the box, informing you of how to use your new derma roller. Here is my routine:
- I wash my face with Alba Botanica Hawaiian Facial Cleanser with my Spa Sonic facial brush.
- I pat my face dry with a paper towel. I do not tone my skin before I use the derma roller. I sanitize the tool at this point.
- Starting at my cheeks (typically my right one first) I move the derma roller over my skin horizontally, with even pressure, back and forth for a total of five times.
- Lifting the derma roller, I then go over my right cheek vertically, five times as before.
- Lifting the derma roller, I go over my cheek on a diagonal, five times to both the left and right sides of my right cheek. You should go in the pattern of an asterisk (*).
- I repeat this process on my left cheek, as well as the rest of my face (be careful around the eyes) continuing to use an even pressure all over. Choose a pressure that is consistent and to your comfort level.
- After I complete my derma rolling session, I tone my skin with Thayer’s Alcohol-free Witch Hazel, and I continue on with my night time routine of applying my Vitamin C serum and my Sea Buckthorn night cream that I have recently reviewed.
- Last step is to sanitize the tool again, and let it air dry before replacing the top on it to keep bacteria from collection on it.
- Do not roll to draw blood. Unless you plan on using a numbing cream, it will hurt. Because I have the 1.0mm needles, I believe that my needles go down into my skin further. If you want to try derma rolling, try using the 0.5mm or 0.3mm versions first.
- Do not roll on broken or already irritated skin. This could cause your face to become more inflamed, as well as spread bacteria around. Sanitizing helps, but don’t make it a point to spread the bacteria around.
- Do not derma roll every night. Your skin needs time to heal. Give your skin a break and derma roll every other day, or as much as 2x a week if you feel that derma rolling is too harsh for your skin starting out. Derma rolling once a week is a good way to get into the groove of derma rolling, as well as learning your tolerance to the pain of derma rolling.
Extra Reading
Derma Rolling Q & A: www.dermaheal.com/c72/derma-rolling-q-c108.html