An interview with Elaine Huntzinger
Image credit: @elainehuntzinger

Tell us a bit about yourself

I have always been interested in skin care, as I’ve suffered from eczema nearly all my life. I studied homeopathy and acupuncture in Sri Lanka many years ago, and I noticed all these women asking for certain points on their face. They came every day to the free acupuncture clinic I was working in, and I saw their skin improving. As I became more and more interested in which non-Western modalities would improve my skin, I took a deep dive into TCM and studied how diet, emotions and different treatments could have a positive effect. I tested everything on myself while in acupuncture school, and always focused on what would help those who (like me) were super sensitive to inflammation and allergies. I also began taking classes on facial acupuncture outside of school.

I would classify myself as an acupuncturist/TCM practitioner who specializes in facial treatments.

What is your own personal skincare regime?

I keep it pretty simple. I double cleanse at night, then spray with hypochlorous acid, which is a gentle but powerful disinfectant that helps reduce itching and inflammation; it’s been shown to reduce staphylococcus aureus which is often overgrown on eczema prone skin. I use a toner essence, then I put on a moisturizer and finally a dab of In Fiore’s Fleur Vibrate Cerate for a bit of slip (and the amazing ingredients really nourish my skin). I do the same thing in the morning, but just a single cleanse and a bit of sunscreen instead of the cerate. I mask several times a week. I choose a mask depending on what my skin needs depending on the season, and try to use an exfoliating one once a week. At the moment I’m alternating between the ACTIVIST Mānuka Honey Mask, Mahalo’s Petal Mask, or Omad care’s Bio Cellulose Restore and Repair Serum Mask.

I also do a gua sha massage or a facial massage using The Lymphatic Brush from my teacher Cecily Braden, followed by my Lyma laser every night. I made a promise to myself to build healthy skin habits and this has been a game changer: I really feel doing both a massage and the laser regularly has made my skin healthier and more resistant to environmental changes.

What's the first thing you do every morning?

I brush my teeth with charcoal toothpaste and wash my face and do my morning routine. I follow with taking my ARMRA colostrum (for gut health), NMN (for cellular antiaging), Vit C and then my matcha with collagen.

Skincare advice you find yourself repeating?

Double cleanse and hydrate your skin. Also, don’t go crazy with active ingredients, we don’t need to over exfoliate or use something that is going to hurt your skin, such as super powerful retinol or acids.

Your thoughts on aging?

Aging is normal. You just have to accept, adapt and modify. Keep moving, continue trying to optimize what you are born with, and be flexible with diet, supplements, and certain limits. This means, maybe you have to eat less at night in order to maintain your weight or to sleep better.

Favorite skincare ingredient?

Presently I am a fan of honey, ginseng, and green tea.

Thoughts on the skincare industry right now?

I think the boom during COVID is almost over and people are becoming a bit over saturated with all the brands and new products launching every day. Hopefully quality will win over quantity soon.

How do you incorporate ACTIVIST Mānuka Honey into your own personal routine?

I use the Mānuka Honey Mask several times a week, I use Mānuka Immune Elixir drops during the winter months and travel with it in case of an illness, and I take a teaspoon of ACTIVIST 850+ MGO Raw Mānuka Honey when I feel I need to protect my system.