Danucera Diaries
Entry 09: Anita Katikineni
This Mother's Month, we're celebrating the women who nurture others while learning to nurture themselves. Meet Anita Katikineni, a functional medicine and longevity physician, mother of two vibrant city kids, and a longtime Danucera devotee whose path to wellness took a meaningful turn after becoming a mom.
After over a decade in traditional medicine, it was her own health and the birth of her second child that prompted a shift. “I think it was the universe’s way of looking out for me,” she shares. The pause allowed her to deepen her knowledge in functional medicine, embrace a more intentional lifestyle, and truly show up for her children with renewed energy and clarity.
She turns to Danucera not just for its performance, but for its purity products that support skin health without compromise, and a philosophy that aligns with her belief in doing more with less.
" For daily use - it’s a tie between Cerabalm and Cream Supreme. I love the soothing and calming properties of the Cerabalm to cleanse and brighten without stripping, and then the cream to lock in the moisture and improve tone without blocking my finicky pores."
- Anita Katikineni -
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your family!
Anita: I practiced medicine in a traditional setting for over a decade, treating patients in the acute, chronic, and end stages of disease. After the birth of my second child, my body decided that it had a different plan for me and I was forced to take a break to focus on my own health. I think that this was the universe’s way of looking out for me, as it allowed me to truly focus on my children and further build my background in functional medicine and longevity. I learned firsthand how changes in nutrition and lifestyle can lead to improvements in hormone and metabolic health resulting in greater beauty both inside and out. Optimizing my own wellbeing has allowed me to better show up for my family, especially my 2 outspoken, laughter loving, city kids!
Q: Why do you choose Danucera for your skincare routine?
Anita: As a functional medicine and longevity physician, I really try to limit exposure to harmful chemicals that can impact our hormone and metabolic health, cancer risk, and neurological functioning. As a busy mom, I value a simple routine that provides great results with minimal time and products. Danucera is the best combination of both clean beauty and high quality ingredients - utilizing carefully selected botanicals and nutrients to deliver big results, without the fuss of a complicated routine.
Q: What’s one beauty lesson you’ve learned from your mom?
Anita:That less is more. My mom would dilute foundation with water or lotion to get a more natural dewy look. My grandmother would make us shampoo with just soaked amla that would give that best shine. They showed me the value of simple ingredients and routines.
Q:
What’s one skincare step you never skip—even on the busiest days?
Anita: Evening double cleanse! It only takes a minute, but it’s made a huge difference in my skin [since Dana recommended it to me over a decade ago]. Cerabalm has transformed this moment into a soothing little ritual that I look forward to every night.
Q: What advice would you give other new moms trying to prioritize their wellbeing?
Simplify. It can get overwhelming with all of the parenting and wellness advice out there on social media. Rather than trying to squeeze it all in, consider choosing 1 or 2 practices that are most important to you, and use habit stacking (@jamesclear) to incorporate them into your day in an achievable and sustainable way.
For me - that’s a short meditation before my beloved morning coffee, often with master mask slathered on to make it extra decadent! If my kids wake up early and it doesn’t happen, I listen to a yoga nidra audio at night as I fell asleep. Learning to be flexible with my day (and expectations of myself) has been key.
Whether it’s 5 minutes to blend a freezer smoothie with your kids, a quick walk around the block on your lunch break, or squats while you make dinner…it will make a difference in how you feel and how you show up for your family.
Q: Is there a skincare or beauty ritual you always do with your kids?
Anita: I believe that so much of beauty and health comes from the way you nourish your body and mind. I try to include my kids in meal prep, meditation, and movement whenever I can, but our most consistent ritual is probably our nutrient dense skin boosting smoothies. They “experiment” with ingredients (especially neutral tasting veggies, nuts and seeds) to keep it both fun and delicious.
Q: Has becoming a mom changed the way you think about beauty or wellness?
Anita: Absolutely. For many years I thought wellness was following the latest trending fad in diet, exercise, and beauty. I had a busy career and spent the little remaining time I had doing too much of everything - too many hours in the gym, too much food restriction, and too many skincare products. Since becoming a mom, I’ve learned that a simplified and consistent approach can often be more effective in optimizing well being both inside and out.
Q: What do you hope your kids learn from watching how you care for yourself?
Anita: I hope that my children will learn that approaching each day intentionally and taking time to support your nutrition, movement, and mindset can help to create a more fulfilling life for you and the people around you.
As we honor the many forms of motherhood this month, we're reminded that beauty is not about perfection, it's about presence. Through her journey, Anita exemplifies how caring for oneself is not separate from caring for others, but deeply intertwined. From her mindful routines to her nourishing rituals, she shows us that when we prioritize our own wellbeing, we create space to show up more fully for the people we love.
