In-Flight Depuffing Tips from One of Paris’s Most Sought-After Facialists
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Published on: January 30, 2025

Known as the go-to skincare guru for many discerning locals and jet-setting visitors of Paris, acupuncturist Elaine Huntzinger has been using her deep knowledge and training in traditional Chinese medicine to tailor customized treatments for her clients since 2008. “Elaine is, in simplest terms, a magician,” claims one of her many patrons. (A few goop staffers who’ve had sessions with her all say the same.)
Her signature treatment, a facial called the “sculptural transformation,” includes targeted acupuncture, gua sha and a tension melting buccal massage that swiftly depuffs your face and releases any tightness you might have been holding onto in your jawline.
As someone who has clenched her way through a retainer or two, I wish I could fly to Huntzinger’s practice in the 3rd arrondissement right now. But even if I could, it’s not a guarantee that I would see her, as her schedule is typically booked out months in advance.
“Over the years, I’ve realized that there’s a real limitation on what I can do in my practice. This weighs on me because I want to help more people,” she tells me over a recent call. “I get lots of questions from people around the world about their skin and health, and I can never get to them all, so I wanted to create a space where everyone can have access to this information.”

Enter Huntzinger’s newest venture: an online studio that’s set to launch in March. (You can sign up for updates through her website.) Currently still in its nascent stages, she hints at wanting to share personal recipes centered around eating with the seasons, as well as product recommendations and DIY massage tutorials that utilize her holistic know-how.
With a less-than-ideal itinerary on my horizon including a long flight and a layover, I asked Huntzinger for her tips for easing some common travel woes: airport stress, poor circulation, and the bloat of it all.
PRE-FLIGHT:
Pressure Points that Help Release Stress on the Spot
Even with TSA Pre-Check, making your way to and through an airport can be an overwhelming experience (especially if that airport is LAX). For precisely those moments, Huntzinger recommends pressing down on two key acupressure points that help regulate feelings of stress and calm you down quickly.
“The first point is the little V between your big toe and your second toe, which is the beginning of the liver channel. Massage that spot using a firm, almost uncomfortable pressure to pull any negative feelings of anger and anxiety away from your head and out of your body,” she says.
Not quite in a position to take your shoes off? The next pressure point is definitely more accessible and discreet: the area between your thumb and index finger. “Use your other hand to squeeze this spot and do this for a few deep breaths, until you start to feel your body relax,” advises Huntzinger.
“These two areas—between the toes and fingers—are called ‘the four gates.’ You can think of them as gates that can be opened up to release any energy that’s stuck inside, so everything can move better and circulate throughout your body.”
MID-FLIGHT:
Small but Mighty Circulation Boosts
“One of my favorite ways to boost circulation in my face during a flight is to massage the area where my jaw meets my ears because there are a lot of lymph nodes here,” says Huntzinger. (Just make sure you wash or sanitize your hands before touching your face!) To do this, place your ring finger in front of your ear and your middle finger behind your ear and pull down in a vertical motion. “You want to use a firm enough pressure that your ears wiggle a little when you do this,” she adds. Repeat this motion a few times before brushing your fingers down your neck, where your lymph drains and empties near the collarbone.
Hunztinger is also a proponent of wearing compression socks on longer flights and continually doing small exercises to keep things moving through your extremities. Try drawing little circles with your feet, pointing and flexing your toes, and walking down the aisle whenever possible.
POST-FLIGHT:
A Floral Tea That Helps You Debloat and Depuff
Whether you just had a salty meal or you tend to swell easily on long flights, Huntinzger has a floral tea blend that will help you recover and depuff faster.
To make it, you’ll need chrysanthemum, rose, and jasmine. “In Chinese medicine, jasmine is known for being detoxifying, while rose is warming and it supports the middle or center of your body; chrysanthemum is cooling and helps move the liver chi, which is why I put more of it into this blend than the other two,” she explains. “Steep it twice and sip on it throughout the day.”
Puffy eyes are also common after flying, but Huntzinger has a fix. She suggests warming two chamomile tea bags and placing them over your eyes for a few minutes to bring down the swelling.