{"id":1833245,"date":"2026-03-18T18:29:52","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T15:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1833245"},"modified":"2026-03-18T18:29:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T15:29:52","slug":"i-had-20-needles-in-my-face-and-ive-never-looked-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1833245","title":{"rendered":"I Had 20+ Needles In My Face and I\u2019ve Never Looked Better"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"oVA page-456196256\">.page-456196256{&#8211;slot3:#cad533;&#8211;slot4:#f5ffb1;&#8211;slot6:#78ae02;&#8211;slot8:#cad533}<\/p>\n<div class=\"cCV\">\n<div class=\"sWr\">\n<div class=\"SIZ Nx0\">\n<div class=\"seY o-J\">\n<div class=\"jIi oZY\">\n<p class=\"Stm\">Beauty<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"yHO m_R vCz MnQ\">I Had 20+ Needles In My Face and I\u2019ve Never Looked Better<\/h1>\n<p><span class=\"pQX\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"LD0 Cwn\">\n<p>And no, it didn\u2019t hurt!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"mLI U4m\">\n<address class=\"Fdy\">by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nylon.com\/profile\/viviana-harris-456119004\">Viviana Harris<\/a><\/address>\n<div class=\"DHw\">\n<div><time datetime=\"2026-03-18T18:29:52.411Z\">9 minutes ago<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"aSs\">\n<div class=\"vmZ DwG Eir\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/18\/75841edb\/triedit_header.jpg?w=414&amp;h=414&amp;fit=crop&amp;crop=faces&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"LSz EdX\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"vmZ eqj OtB\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/18\/434e2d07\/nylon-approved-web.png?w=120&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"Sk_ UX5\">Courtesy of Poosh<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"QVH\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tn6\">\n<div data-adroot=\"true\" class=\"AOL Afg\">\n<p>When it comes to the ravenous world of beauty, I accept I\u2019m no expert. I\u2019m always three facial treatments behind, happily married to one makeup look, and spiritually opposed to skincare more than three-steps. I stare at rows of perfectly stacked serums, perplexed by what feels like a secret insider language \u2014 labels boasting scientific buzzwords like ectoin, and bakuchiol that mean nothing to me.<\/p>\n<p>But on the occasion I stumble upon a treatment I like, whether guided by word-of-mouth or my ever-intuitive TikTok FYP, I feel obligated to tell everyone. So when I found myself recently ordained into the expansive world of acupuncture I felt like I was uncovering a beauty ritual that had been hiding \u2014 the kind so spellbinding it demands to be shared.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sWr iGR\">\n<div class=\"QYV\">\n<div class=\"uES fEt\">\n<div class=\"QfP\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"uT7\">\n<div class=\"FDO\">\n<div class=\"vmZ XJ- jWP\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/17\/f1bcbde8\/untitled-design-3.jpg?w=374&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"MO9\">Serene settings at Soulmei Wellness.<cite>Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"FDO\">\n<div class=\"vmZ XJ- jWP\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/17\/9b6ba703\/viva.jpg?w=374&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"MO9\">Before the needles, Bella checked my pulse and then my tongue to understand what&#8217;s going on beneath the surface.<cite>Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"yOD GLK\">\n<div class=\"ki0 kpP\">\n<div class=\"MNV\"><\/div>\n<p><label for=\"lightboxCheckbox-456440846\" class=\"QNb y8V St5\"><button aria-label=\"open lightbox\" class=\"kMc\"><\/button><\/label><\/div>\n<div class=\"C1C\">\n<div class=\"ZXG\">\n<div class=\"F6c\"><button class=\"ikQ VkL\"><\/button>1 \/ 2<button class=\"ikQ Olc\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"LOc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"igl f5y\"><button class=\"ikQ Xfx\"><span class=\"Od1\">INFO<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"itG\">1 \/ 2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Having a dozen micro-needles pierced through the surface layer of your skin may not sound like the most pleasant of pastimes, or a beauty must-do, but the 3,000 year old practice has proved itself as one of the industry\u2019s best. Touted as \u201cnatural Botox,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kimkardashian\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">Kim K<\/a> has long been vocal about her love for the filler-free remedy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gwynethpaltrow\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">Gwenyth Paltrow<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/goop.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">goop<\/a>-approved the practice, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ashleygraham\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">Ashley Graham<\/a> swore off Botox, trading one needle for another.<\/p>\n<p>My awakening into the fountain of knowledge that is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) started at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soulmeiwellness.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">Soulmei Wellness<\/a>, a boutique clinic in New York\u2019s Upper East Side owned by licensed acupuncturist and esthetician <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bellapei_acupuncture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">Bella Pei<\/a>. The timing felt kismet. Chinese medicine is having a renaissance as the internet\u2019s \u201cChinamaxxing\u201d discourse dominates the zeitgeist, fueling a renewed interest in homeopathic remedies. Our two-hour session started with a Q&amp;A where Bella kindly interrogated every aspect of my life from sleeping habits to energy-levels; I was gratefully receiving answers to questions I didn\u2019t even ask.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sWr iGR CEt\">\n<figure class=\"Qf5 nbP LRM\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:177.3399%\" class=\"Rfb F8Y sMW\"><video controls playsinline class=\"kOK U-k\"><\/video><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"Yte pt7 VBN\"><figcaption class=\"rv9 TrI\">Bella gently massaged up my lymph nodes to slowly wake up my face.<cite class=\"hW6\">Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Before we dove into the needles, she read my pulse and then my tongue (a staple practice in TCM) where a simple glance can reveal your body\u2019s health before you\u2019ve uttered a word. Bella had curated a hybrid session that started with needling my legs to rebalance my internal energy \u2014 because remember, beauty starts from the inside-out. For the faint of heart, rest assured the micro-needle feels no more than a flick, which made me realize acupuncture is more daunting in <em>theory<\/em> than in <em>practice<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>As Bella guided me through the intricacies of each step, I collected bouts of wisdom: cupping for muscle recovery, dry brushing for circulation, mugwort for vitality boosting. The well of TCM insider beauty hacks, it turns out, runs <em>deep<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sWr iGR\">\n<div class=\"QYV\">\n<div class=\"uES fEt\">\n<div class=\"QfP\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"uT7\">\n<div class=\"FDO\">\n<div class=\"vmZ XJ- jWP\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/17\/2f8cced1\/slide-7.heic?w=374&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"MO9\">Surprisingly it was so comfortable, I forgot I was covered in needles.<cite>Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"FDO\">\n<div class=\"vmZ XJ- jWP\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/17\/c65ce413\/redlight.jpg?w=374&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"MO9\">Rested for thirty minutes!<cite>Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"yOD GLK\">\n<div class=\"ki0 kpP\">\n<div class=\"MNV\"><\/div>\n<p><label for=\"lightboxCheckbox-456525768\" class=\"QNb y8V St5\"><button aria-label=\"open lightbox\" class=\"kMc\"><\/button><\/label><\/div>\n<div class=\"C1C\">\n<div class=\"ZXG\">\n<div class=\"F6c\"><button class=\"ikQ VkL\"><\/button>1 \/ 2<button class=\"ikQ Olc\"><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"LOc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"igl f5y\"><button class=\"ikQ Xfx\"><span class=\"Od1\">INFO<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"itG\">1 \/ 2<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When we reached the facial portion she delicately inserted 20+ hair-thin needles starting near my collarbone then cheeks, forehead, and even my scalp. There\u2019s no surprise why people liken facial acupuncture to a mini-facelift. When each needle pierces through the dermis (the middle layer of skin) it acts as a wake-up call reducing inflammation, boosting collagen, and increasing circulation that results in that jealousy-inducing \u201cI just left a treatment\u201d look.<\/p>\n<p>Then, it was time to bake under the red light. Unlike Botox which freezes the skin, acupuncture stimulates the body\u2019s regenerative process. For the next 30 minutes, I laid under the beaming light resembling an extra-terrestrial being. Under the hue of the lamp, I drifted off, blissfully unaware at times that I still had a constellation of \u201cspikes\u201d across my legs and face.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sWr iGR CEt\">\n<figure class=\"Qf5 nbP LRM\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:177.3399%\" class=\"Rfb F8Y sMW\"><video controls playsinline class=\"kOK U-k\"><\/video><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"Yte pt7 VBN\"><figcaption class=\"rv9 TrI\">Depuffing and debloating my face!<cite class=\"hW6\">Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>After the needles, came the sculpt. Bella swept the gua sha across my face, coaxing tension out of muscles I didn\u2019t realize I\u2019d been clenching. Using a microcurrent device, she toned, lifted, and firmed my skin with electric pulses that had my facial muscles working overtime. You see, Bella\u2019s a bit of a beauty whisperer \u2014 she doesn\u2019t just treat your skin, she reads it. By the time I left she\u2019d drained away all my sins. My brain fog lifted, my skin turned to glass, and my body had been factory-reset. I walked out like I\u2019d awakened from a year long slumber.<\/p>\n<p>And like that, TCM had me hooked. There\u2019s something reassuring about a practice that predates algorithms, likes, and virality \u2014 you instinctively trust it. When I got home still glowing I knew I needed to find a way to bring Bella and her acupuncture magic into my day-to-day.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sWr iGR CEt\">\n<figure class=\"Qf5 nbP\">\n<div style=\"padding-top:133.209%\" class=\"vmZ F8Y ap2\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imgix.bustle.com\/uploads\/image\/2026\/3\/18\/15dab1fd\/slide-14-end.jpg?w=268&amp;h=357&amp;fit=crop&amp;crop=faces&amp;dpr=2\" alt class=\"EdX\"><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"Yte pt7 VBN\"><figcaption class=\"rv9 TrI\">Proof that sometimes the best beauty secret is 3,000 years old.<cite class=\"hW6\">Courtesy of Viviana Harris<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Throughout my deep dive to replicate the glow at home, I virtually stumbled across the <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.poosh.com\/products\/acupressure-mat-set-poosh-1?variant=40024669782101&amp;country=US&amp;currency=USD&amp;utm_medium=product_sync&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=sag_organic&amp;utm_campaign=sag_organic&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20723296008&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAoLTUV0Ibu22T_ameXS4706iRNECa&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA2bTNBhDjARIsAK89wlHHt5SG5yru2fBxqXAygu-lV9Pf4brNVKzpmNguWrf9lHWq3aCq1bUaAh6lEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"T3D\">acupressure mat<\/a>, a padded foam covered in plastic spikes that when laid on, stimulates the nervous system. Both practices are cut from the same cloth, grounded in the concept of life-force energy. The spikes may not be needles but they deliver their own kind of therapy, decreasing stress and ushering in restorative sleep that no nighttime skincare could ever replicate.<\/p>\n<p>Acupuncture reminded me that beauty isn\u2019t always about hoarding the latest shelf-stable serum, or clogging your pores with ingredient-ridden creams. Sometimes it\u2019s about taking a step back from products entirely and getting in tune with your own body.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"fX2 rhF jIS\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"lqj TnP\">\n<div class=\"BMP\">\n<div class=\"oHL\">Style + Culture, delivered straight to your inbox.<\/div>\n<div class=\"wCn\">\n<div class=\"Yte yjy DSW\"><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"Ex8 qgj\"><span>Submit<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"uxm\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"g-0\">By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bdg.com\/info\/terms-of-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Terms of Service<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bdg.com\/info\/privacy-policy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Privacy Policy<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nylon.com\/newsletter\">Subscribe to our newsletter &gt;<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>.page-456196256{&#8211;slot3:#cad533;&#8211;slot4:#f5ffb1;&#8211;slot6:#78ae02;&#8211;slot8:#cad533} Beauty I Had 20+ Needles In My Face and I\u2019ve Never Looked Better And no, it didn\u2019t hurt! by Viviana Harris 9 minutes ago Courtesy of Poosh When it comes to the ravenous world of beauty, I accept I\u2019m no expert. I\u2019m always three facial treatments behind, happily married to one makeup look, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,256],"class_list":["post-1833245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nylon-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1833245"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1833245\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1833245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1833245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1833245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}