I Thought Puffy Eye Tools Were Just Marketing BS, Until I Tried These Ones
Amy Clark is Adore Beauty's former Senior Editor and co-host of Skincare School the podcast (and self-appointed beauty road-tester!). Amy's worked as a journalist, beauty editor and podcaster for several years, previously writing and talking about all things beauty at Mamamia and You Beauty. When she's not writing honest, no BS product reviews and taking selfies 'for work', you'll find Amy eating halloumi in a hair towel turban and... taking more selfies.
As a beauty editor who's tried thousands of buzzy products and skincare inventions, let me tell it to you straight:
A lot of fancy (or freaky) beauty tools and gadgets are marketing BS.
Does anyone need pink, glittery ice balls, vibrating serum massagers or automatic makeup brush cleaners? No. But it's OK to want them if you have the money. Or the space in your bathroom cabinet.
Then, there are the products that look great on your feed and actually do some nice things for your face, too.
Like, say, a set of 'magic mushrooms' that promise to soothe and de-puff tired under eyes. Yep. That's the product name.
If you're sceptical about whether facial massage tools really work, keep scrolling for my honest review of these Salt by Hendrix tools - including what they can (and can't) do.
What the Heck Is the Salt by Hendrix Magic Mushroom Soother Set?
The SALT BY HENDRIX Magic Mushroom Soother Set is a set of two small facial massage tools made from natural rose quartz stone.
Unlike a jade roller or a gua sha, this set has been designed specifically for use around the eye area. The different size curved edges can easily navigate the contours of your eye socket, under eyes and brow bone.
I'm assuming they got their name because they're shaped like... mushrooms. One one end, you'll find a larger surface, with a smaller, thinner one on the other. Other than that, the name 'magic mushroom' is kind of buzzy - exactly the type of name that helps a product go viral on Instagram.
My Honest Salt by Hendrix Review.
So, is the SALT BY HENDRIX Magic Mushroom Soother Set legit? Let's discuss.
First up, no on needs this set, but it is very cute. The tools don't look too scary like some other face tools, and come in a travel-friendly felt bag to protect them from smashing or chipping.
The key to using this puffy eye set is: only use the tools on seriously slippy skin. Pulling or dragging them on dry skin will only damage the delicate skin around your eyes.
In the morning, I apply my regular serums and follow with a generous slurp of whatever face oil I'm loving. Then I sit on the couch with a coffee and slowly glide the larger end of the tool from the inner corner of my eye outwards to my temple.
I repeat that motion a few times, then flip the tool over and press the smaller surface over the eyelid and in the contours of the eye socket. If you wake up with a sore jaw or a tension headache, spend some extra time pressing the large surface of the tool into your temples.
Here's a little demo I whipped up for you.
The result is a rejuvenated eye area without a trace of a bad night's sleep or lots of salty food (or booze) consumed the day before. The final step for using the set in the morning is rubbing in or dabbing off any excess oil or serum, and applying your sunscreen.
Oh, and I forgot to say... the other key is keeping your tools in the fridge.
Rose quartz doesn't draw in or hold onto heat, so they'll always feel cool to touch no matter where you store them. But I gotta tell you, gently pressing the stone on weary under eyes straight from the fridge is as refreshing as diving into the ocean on a scorching day. It's heaven.
One thing to note is the tools can get a bit slippery once your face is lubed up with oil or serum. The brand also makes SALT BY HENDRIX Glow Dust Massage Tools - Aura Quartz that have long handles, but the shape of the orb is circular, not contoured to fit the bone structure of the eye area.
Do Puffy Eye Tools Actually Work?
Truthfully? Yes, and no, depending on what the tool says it can do.
Can any facial massage skincare tool change your face long-term? Absolutely not.
Using a rose quartz gua sha, face roller or even fancy puffy eye magic mushrooms feels really lovely (especially when used straight from the fridge) and can deliver an instant sculpting or de-puffing result. But it's just that - instant and temporary, not permanent or increasing over time.
You can learn more about the benefits of facial massage in this YouTube video below!
If you're into crystals, rose quartz is said to open the heart to all kinds of love, including self-love. But a main physiological benefit of using a rose quartz massage tool is in the way the natural stone is able to remain cool, whereas jade stone tends to absorb the heat from your skin.
The physical motion of massaging the face in upwards motions using a smooth, cold tool can help to increase blood flow to the skin, which in turn can help reduce the appearance of puffiness. The same could be said for massaging your face with your fingers, though.
So look, could you chuck a couple of teaspoons in the fridge and whack them on your under eyes instead? Sure.
But it wouldn't be half as fun, now would it?
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