Hey friends! We are BEYOND excited to be sharing this blog post with you today! You know we are always on the hunt for all holistic skincare education so we were happy to find Liana Moynier on Instagram. She is a Central Coast native with an incredible skincare journey. More specifically, she is going to breakdown the Dien Chan Zone Reflexology facial she does (and can we just say we are so excited to try this out ourselves soon...so get ready for a full blown review!) Now... let's get to the interview!
Q: Will you introduce yourself and tell us how you became interested in holistic skincare?
A: Of course! Are you up for a pretty long story? My name is Liana Moynier; I practice skincare out of The Cass House in Cayucos. I grew up here on the Central Coast and I've been a licensed esthetician since 2007. My interest in holistic skincare really began back then, although I didn't really have the tools or knowledge yet to apply it to my own skin. When I was 17, I had suffered a rare but life threatening autoimmune reaction to a common antibiotic I'd be prescribed to treat mild acne. I was treated at Stanford University for many years following that. Due to my condition and the side effects from medications I had to take, I developed severe cystic acne at 18, which I struggled with for several years. I was put on Accutane twice in a years' time, all while still taking the chemotherapy drugs and steriods I'd been prescribed for my autoimmune condition. The emotional and physical toll of the entire experience had made it nearly impossible for my body to find a balanced state, even after my condition was stabilized.
This led me to start looking into holistic healing. I came into contact with many practitioners and so many modalities over the following 15 years or so. My healing journey was long, is forever evolving, and has been riddled with many physical & emotional lessons and challenges. I began with learning about proper nutrition, my personal food sensitivities, and the connection between gut health and - everything, including my skin. There was a lot of trial and error through my healing process, but I began to truly understand that all aspects of our health are so intertwined with each other - not just each system or our physical, mental and emotional aspects, but also the ways we individually process incoming energy from situations we encounter in our lives. It all has an impact on our bodies, and our skin can be a very trusty mirror for what's going on inside! I also gained the understanding that healing is a very nonlinear process, never a one-size-fits-all, but our bodies (and really every aspect of ourselves) want to heal, and are biologically designed to do so given the proper facilitation.
I credit my two main longtime teachers and healers who at this time which to remain anonymous, as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Laurel Doyle, and my first holistic nutritionist Lisa Saslove for helping me learn this wisdom. So honestly, this is what led me to holistic skincare. I was a practicing esthetician long before I found balance and healing in my own body, and subsequently my own skin (which still flares up from time to time to this day!).
I realized that something I can offer within my scope of practice as an esthetician and as an extension of myself, is nurturing facial treatments that offer an opportunity for a calm nervous system, which gives the body a leg up on its own healing and balancing process. I combine this approach with my knowledge of the skin / natural skincare, and my own personal experiences and gifts of being highly sensitive and able to feel and work with the energy of others who give me permission to do so. As a result, I am always learning, and always looking at the skin through an expanded lens; a person's overall energy, lifestyle, diet, stress factors, AND skincare practices.
Q: What services do you offer?
A: I currently offer intuitive, massage-focused facial treatments supported by non-toxic, bioavailable skincare from OSEA Malibu and Apoterra Skincare. Each treatment is customized for the individual and is focused on their goals, whether that be lifting and sculpting, treating acne, addressing inflammation, rebalancing moisture and so on. I also offer curated non-toxic skincare and beauty offerings from lines I love - I have some retail offerings, both in the treatment room and virtually (classes and possible coaching programs by the end of the summer, which I'm excited about :)
Q: Can you tell us more about Dien Chan Zone? What is it and how did you find out about it?
A: Yes! I first came into contact with Dien Chan Zone (DCZ) through other holistic estheticians I'm in touch with online. I was so curious about it and decided to train and become certified as a DCZ Operator through AIRFI Institute, which is the only organization that offers training in English. DCZ is a Vietnamese method of multi-reflexology designed to bring balance to the whole body on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels through the use of established maps, all of which exist on the face and are accessed through the nervous system via our sense of touch. It was developed in the late 1970s by Professor Bui Quoc Chau, an acupuncturist and researcher of traditional medicine, to provide a form of accessible, free medicine to mass populations. I understand that in Vietnam (as in may other cultures), elements of traditional medicine have been culturally practiced as folk medicine within households and passed down generationally for thousands of years. While acknowledging these traditions, DCZ is distinctive in that it was intended to place an effective, direct and fast form of healing into the hands of the masses without needing to study and learn the over 600 specific points located on each person's face - this is why the facial zones were developed. The original Vietnamese teachers of Dien Chan Zone brought the modality to Europe to teach and formulate a version suitable for Western culture. That is the version I was trained in.
Q: What can people expect when they come for a Dien Chan Zone facial? Walk us through the process...
A: When someone comes in for Dien Chan Zone reflexology, I first find out how they're feeling. Do they have any physical ailments, pain, anxiety, so on - this modality can be used to help improve the symptoms of a wide range of issues - skin issues, yes , but also, for example, sleep troubles, headaches & migraines, digestive issues, anxiety, musculoskeletal injuries & inflammation, period pain, etc., so it's vital to first understand what the client's needs are. This type of treatment uses very little product, so it's not really like a facial at all - I might cleanse tone and use a little oil for slip. From there, the client (or receiver, as it's called in DCZ terminology) just relaxes on the table while I work on them. DCZ utilizes a tool that looks like a small wand with very light pressure on the face, using small circles to cover the zones that correspond with the system in the body that is being treated. It is very, very relaxing to receive. Most of the time clients fall asleep very soon into the session. Afterwards, I show the client how to work on themselves at home, so they can continue their own journey and see what benefits self-treatment can bring.
Q: Why do you love to offer Dien Chan Zone?
A: I love that it is a great alternative for people with a lot of inflammation happening in their skin. It also offers a form of personal sovereignty and empowerment in treating uncomfortable symptoms, although I feel like I should disclaim that I am in no way claiming it to be a substitute for medicine or the extensive long term wisdom behind traditional medicine, its culture and its practitioners. That being said, I love that DCZ can give us insight into our bodies through touch, even if we don't consciously understand the information, and I have witnessed many people reporting improvements in a wide range of conditions after consistent use. It's always very interesting to hear feedback on the sensations clients experienced throughout treatment. I have also personally found that it has helped me relieve or improve symptoms in my own body, and the feedback I've received from people I've worked on is consistent with this!
Q: Is there one technique that readers could try doing at home in their own skincare routine?
A: To be honest, I was instructed that part of maintaining the purity of the practice means that instruction really should only be given individually; I know some disagree with this, but I am going with the teaching. Once thing readers could try though, is (on clean skin) using that the tip of a pen cap or makeup brush to slowly, lightly explore areas of the face and feel into the sensations that are experienced without lifting the tool off the skin. Where feels "zing-y," where feels nice, etc? This should never be painful, and can be used as an exercise in turning in to the connections between our own inherit wisdom and our body - in this practice, what areas of the face are asking to be worked on? Just trust what the sensations are telling you :)
Q: Where can people find you (social media / where to book etc.)?
A: I'm on
Instagram and all my information, services and booking links can be found on my
website. I'm always up for answering any questions about any of my offerings through DM or via the contact form on my site!
Who is headed to her website to book a Dien Chan Zone facial right this very moment?! Comment below with any questions and tell us if you would be up for trying this experience!
