First Look Fridays Interview Series: Beauty Blogger Honey Kaho'ohanohano of Honeygirl's World

So I have a bit of an obsession, and it's reading the blog Honeygirl's World. Beauty blogger Honey Kaho'ohanohano is a fantastic writer, provides amazing in-depth reviews of products I simply have to have, and come on ... she's gorgeous to boot. Can we please talk about that HAIR? Plus, she lives in Hawaii, so I'm basically super jealous of her all around. Read on to discover how she started blogging, her number one skincare tip and so much more.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I am a Hawaii girl, born and raised and currently residing on the island of Maui. I attended the local community college here on the island (now an accredited university) and have had various vocational courses and certifications over the years. As many know, I am a wife and mother of 3 boys -- an 11 year old and 5-year-old twins (soon to be 6).

How did you first become interested in beauty, and what led you to create your own blog?
Well, my interest in beauty actually came unexpectedly. You see, I was raised a tomboy, being the oldest of my siblings and spent most of my childhood and teenage years through high school at the beach catching waves and shooting guns with my dad. But my tomboy side also had a little girly as well. Here in Hawaii, hula is a huge tradition that many of the local Hawaiian girls take part in, and I also danced hula with my mom, and wore makeup from time to time. However, I spent more time in the ocean and because of this makeup wasn't a necessity till after high school. I will say that I still remember getting a Revlon Black Cherry lipstick from the store and black eyeliner when I was going through my Aaliyah phase.

After high school, I was hired at JC Penney as the gift wrap girl, but once I started working there, I was offered a position to be a consultant at the Iman counter, having been told I had gorgeous skin and great skin color. That only lasted a few months, but it paved the way for me to learn so many different things with regard to beauty and skin tones and opened the door for me to freelance with companies like Estee Lauder and M.A.C later on. I was able to gain a lot of perspective, learn different techniques and while my time working as a beauty consultant or freelancing was not long lived, it opened doors for me and a passion I had no idea was in me. Till this day, while I don't do it as often as before, I do freelance for weddings, photo shoots and for friends and family when they need and once in a while when my local M.A.C or Estee Lauder does an event, they may knock on my door.

I started my own blog as a way to have an outlet and creative freedom from the humdrum of my everyday corporate life. When I first began blogging in 2007, I didn't think about a niche, but mainly used my blog to write about my daily life and to document things about the growing habits and milestones of my eldest son (then 3 years old). After doing so for a few months, I realized that I enjoyed writing and used my then blog as my journal. It wasn't until I was laid off due to an economic downturn and drop in tourism (I worked for Starwood Hotels) in 2008 that I began reviewing products I purchased which included all kinds of products, not just beauty. Six months after that, I found out I was pregnant with my twins and started talking about products that I loved. Since I had to take a break from YouTube while pregnant, my blog became a consistent part of my life documenting my world and little by little, different companies were reaching out for me to review their products.

I love the name of your blog! How did you come up with it?
My original blog was named Beauty by Honey, but I realized really quick that I really wasn't excited about the name. After thinking and lulling over it a few months, I settled on Honeygirl's World because I realized my blog had become to encompass who I was as a person. My blog also talked about the things I loved and was passionate about and most importantly it featured the people I loved. Honeygirl's World became a fit because everything and anything I discuss on my site has to do with what is going on in my life, my loves and my world.

What are your top 5 favorite beauty products?
Oh my gosh, that's like asking me to choose between my children...

Coconut Oil

LORAC Pro Palette

Milani Color Statement Lipliners or Jordana Easyliner for Lips

ColourPop Eyeshadows (all of them) but my favorite is La La

BECCA x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop. The Jaclyn Hill collaboration. Yes it is new, but I seriously can't stop using it.

What are your top 3 beauty tips?
1) Drink lots of water daily to keep your skin and body hydrated

2) While trends are great and fun, do what works for you, your skin type and your wants and needs.

3) Beauty is about everything that is beautiful -- not just makeup. Love yourself, love the skin you're in and smile!

Being a blogger must be fun, but what do you do in your spare time?
While my blog does keep me busy, I have found a routine that works best for my family. While my husband is at work and kids are in school, I work on the blog and when they are at home, it's family time. My family is EVERYTHING to me ... so when I'm not working on the blog, I'm out walking or exploring with my sons, heading to the beach or streams with the whole family or just lounging around cooking, talking or enjoying each other's company. Our playground is Hawaii and we try to make the best of it while we have it, even if that means sitting in front of a fire, roasting mallows and talking about our day.

In addition to your blog, how can The Beauty of Life readers find you on social media?
You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat (@honeygirlk1), YouTube, Pinterest and Google+.