Self-Care Q&A: Amanda Tran

Mar 06, 2020

Entering a new decade really makes us think about what matters, and for us, that hasn’t changed since we first opened our virtual doors. What matters most to us is YOU! We’ve always been obsessed with concocting the best of the best natural skincare because skincare is a great way to incorporate putting yourself first daily...a.k.a practicing self-care!

While we can design products fit for any lifestyle or need, we know no one knows self-care more than, well, yourself! So, for all of 2020 we will be spotlighting green beauty enthusiasts, boss babes, Honey Belle team members, AND even our very own customers in a special Q&A series centered around all things self-care.

Follow along and get inspo for new ways to love on yourself or if you have some awesome tips and want to share, let us know here. Ready. Set. Self-care.

Meet Amanda 💛

Meet Amanda Tran (@amandatranrocks), a Los Angeles transplant by way of Federal Way, WA (shoutout to the pacific northwest). Amanda is a multi-potentialite, someone who does a little bit of everything. She is a singer-songwriter, music video producer, creative director, artist manager, apparel owner, and basically a content creator for everything in between! You could say she’s becoming a professional “arts n’ crafts” person, because why not? Some of her other interests include a cappella, pickles, collecting vinyl, and theme parks.

Can you walk us through a typical day for you?

A typical day for me consists of exercise (I love to run and practice yoga/meditation), planning my next creative project or production, and answering tons of emails. I also do my best to meal-prep (even though it gets boring after the fifth time eating the same meal).

What are your favorite ways to self-care?

Getting in a run or yoga/meditation session is a huge part of self-care for me, but sometimes I will opt for an extra hour of sleep if it was a long day. Sleep is totally valid as self-care, coming from someone who doesn’t get enough of it! Regardless of how little I get of each of these things, I can always count on getting my skincare routine in, in the evening. Not only does my acne-prone skin need the attention, the act of the routine itself is so meditative and reminds me to take a second for myself.

What are some things that cause you stress? How do you manage?

Overextending myself is the root of most of my stress. Working in the creative field and being completely freelance this past year has been a great learning experience, but also very stressful in that you have to always be “on” and fending for yourself since you’ll likely be working 3-6 jobs to keep the dream alive! Ways that I have learned to manage that is to keep clear boundaries as to what is part of my job description, and what I am doing additionally to get the project done because I feel that it won’t get done otherwise. I have to remind myself that I can always ask for help and speak up for myself.

What advice related to self-care do you wish you received growing up?

Some advice I wished I received when growing up is, Get more sleep. Drink more water. Wear sunscreen. And don’t downplay the importance of mental health awareness and care.

Can you tell us more about skincare and self-care?

Moisturizers with SPF and face primers before makeup are so key in my beauty/skincare routine (Korean beauty brands are great for both of these types of products). You gotta protect your skin from those UV rays! I also LOVE the Glossier solution. Not many “acne prevention” products work for me, but this toning solution has proven to help me keep my skin texture relatively smooth even during the worst of my acne phases.

I am also a bar soap fiend and all of the Honey Belle soaps are amazing and include so many great natural ingredients. Their soaps have loofahs inside that are especially awesome because they add that extra exfoliation. The loofah itself makes it easier to grip! Since I struggle with acne, Honey Belle’s relief serum is an awesome natural product for sensitive skin that has really helped tone down the blemishes without drying out my skin!