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.
