Is an $1,800 Facial Worth it?
The human fascination with youth and beauty has been well-documented throughout time. There is the 16th-century lore of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce De Leon and his discovery of the legendary Fountain of Youth in Bimini, a chain of islands that rests in the westernmost part of the Bahamas. There are even countless novels that wrestle with the downfalls of the obsession; Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, and F. Scott's Fitzgeralds Beautiful and Damned, for example. So, when it comes to forking up hefty amounts of cash to preserve both, it comes as no surprise that an $1,800 facial is the Upper East Side's latest obsession.
"Our clients come in already savvy about skincare," Joie Tavernise tells Town & Country. "But the reason they remain loyal is not only because of our cutting edge treatments, but also our approach to personalization."
Since opening JTAV Clinical Skincare in 2013, esthetician Joie Tavernise has offered skincare treatments to high-end clients which include everything from standard facials, chemical peels, and body wraps, to LED light therapy and botox. Using a plethora of pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical (industry lingo for beauty products that have medicinal benefits) products such as ISDIN and MBR, heated beds, and luxury sheets, facial treatments can begin at $900 and skyrocket to upwards of $1,800.
According to Thervo, a website that tracks market details for service trades, the average luxury facial in the country lands at around $250. In New York City, places like Rescue Spa offer more affordable facial services for around $80, while well-known luxury spas such as Daphne Studios in Nolita offer Biologique Recherché powered facials for $300 to $600. So how does Tavernise's mammoth price tag come into play?
"It is really dependent on what the client needs," Tavernise says. "When someone comes in, we get to know them on a personal level: their lifestyle, what products they already use, and their habits. The second I meet someone, I'm kind of doing a diagnostic in my head and begin doing a little assessment in my head and planning out what their facial will begin to look like. It's very bespoke."
To further illustrate, a facial may begin with a bit of dermaplaning to remove peach fuzz or dead skin cells for ultra-smooth skin. Then, the Skinceautical purifying gel cleanser is applied to remove debris from pores with drying leaving skin refreshed and conditioned with is followed by a hydra facial (think vacuum on the skin) to extract dead skin sells and excess oils. This also sets the skin up to absorb the following products better.
Some of the fancier treatments that follow include a "Laser Genesis" which stimulates collagen regrowth and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. There's a slight burning sensation that comes with this process but only lasts temporarily. After a series of vitamin C serums and eye creams, The LED light therapy closes out the facial by using a low wavelength of red light to further improve the skin's appearance, reducing wrinkles, scars, redness, and acne.
Aside from the steep price tag, the facial concludes with radiating, smooth skin. And, what's seductive about the treatments is that the results last well beyond the day of service, as certain treatments, like the "Laser Genesis," continue to encourage regrowth of collagen for the next 3 to 4 days.
"We create a very specific treatment plan, and I think our clients receive that well. And we always follow up with them. We check in with them constantly and ask them how their skin looks and feels. It's really about the connection to reach our client's long-term skin care goals."
For those obsessed with beauty and skincare, perhaps the Fountain of Youth isn't found in the Bahamas, but on the cross streets of Madison and 61st.
To book an appointment at JTAV Clinical Skincare, please visit jtavclinicalskincare.com.
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