One of the more common observations about esthetician Raquel Medina-Cleghorn is that she’s stylish. And while, yes, her background in fashion is apparent the moment you see her, the most impressive thing about Raquel is her curious mind. In many ways, it’s her “research brain” that has driven her career and made her one of the most knowledgeable facialists in the industry right now.

After years of working as a stylist, Raquel’s interest in skincare was so strong that she knew she had to pivot. After training under renowned skincare guru Joanna Czech and serving as her lead esthetician on nearby Howard Street, Raquel decided to go out on her own. Her Tribeca studio, Raquel New York, quickly became a hotspot for the fashion set with celebrity clients like Emily Ratajkowski and Simone Rocha. 

But true to form, it’s Raquel’s individuality that makes this studio stand out. From “Astro-Analysis” facials to expertly curated playlists, it’s Raquel’s wide-ranging interests that make an experience at Raquel New York unlike any other. And, lucky for us, that experience comes with a convenient address. We sat down with Raquel to discuss her Walker Street studio and what New Yorkers can do to better their skin game.

Hillary Sproul: You began your career in styling; how did you end up pivoting into skincare?

Raquel Medina-Cleghorn: I got into skincare in my mid-20s, a little over ten years ago. What began as a hobby snowballed and before I knew it I was fielding skincare questions from models on-set and helping my fellow styling assistants streamline their routines. After seven years of assisting, I felt it was time to move on from styling. I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that I should definitely pursue a career in skincare so I enrolled in esthetics school and the rest was history.

Fashion styling can be very much about catering to either the client or the subject’s individual needs. I wonder if you ever feel that aspect of styling somehow prepared you for the one-on-one nature of working as an esthetician?

My time in fashion prepared me very well for this work in more ways than I would have imagined. Organization and logistics are a hugely important part of styling and set me up well for running a studio business, organizing international pop ups, etc. I also experienced working with lots of different personalities which fine tuned my ability to read the client. I can quickly tell what kind of mood my client is in, as well as ascertain whether a client wants to learn or relax, if they want some tough love or a gentle approach, and so on. I am always myself but this skill helps me direct my energies to what the client needs. 

As a very aesthetic person, I’m sure the design of your studio was very important as you launched the business. What were you inspired by when creating the space?

Designing the studio was really fun and I am proud to say we did it all ourselves in three weeks and with a minimal budget! I knew I wanted to be in a sparse, minimalistic space but it still needed to feel warm and serene. I was inspired by postmodern Italian interior design, Maison Martin Margiela and the retro futuristic appeal of glass bricks. We chose a palette of black, white and chrome, with a few pops of hot pink courtesy of some Gaetano Pesce Fish Design accent pieces. The studio is the complete opposite of my home aesthetic and I love it. 

As someone with a strong interest in music, what do you keep on rotation at the studio?

Music has always been super important to me; I can’t concentrate with bad music on! I have a Spotify playlist that I constantly edit, adding and removing songs if I hear something new or get tired of an old track. While it has to be music I like, I am also aware that this is a spa environment and I want my clients to be able to relax so I keep the style pretty mellow. I have a lot of Morrisey/The Smiths, Radiohead, Cocteau Twins, and Kate Bush, along with 1970s Ethiopian jazz, some ’90s shoegaze, and some newer artists like Drab Majesty, Kid Cudi and Yves Tumor. 

You also offer mini astrology readings during treatments! How did this come about? 

My colleague Monica David is the one who offers The Astro Analysis! We worked together about four years ago and she is a fantastic facialist and human. When it was time to bring another esthetician on, she was the first person I thought of and luckily she accepted! Monica has been into astrology since she was a teen and has gotten really good at deciphering all the planetary movements so we asked if that would be something she’d like to offer during the facials. The Astro Analysis has gotten lots of press lately and is very popular. It’s pretty astounding how much Monica can tell a person about themselves based solely on the planets. 

You’re pregnant! Congrats! I love that you offered pregnancy advice in your most recent newsletter. How often do these newsletters tend to reflect things you’re going through yourself or if you tend to focus on common questions from clients?

Thank you! I’m super excited to finally become a mom. The newsletters are usually topical to something in my life, interesting questions clients have brought up, or general seasonal topics. I enjoy writing them and making them personal, and thankfully skincare is a pretty inexhaustible topic. 

What are the most common skincare questions you get from your clients?

How to get rid of blackheads once and for all. (The answer is that it’s impossible.) Besides that, it’s what to do about sagging skin, sun spots, bags under the eyes… Although the answers are specific to that person’s skin, the questions are pretty universal because we all have some variation on the same concerns. 

You’re originally from San Diego. Do you feel like your skin has changed a lot from coast to coast and how would you say the city has impacted your skincare?

I’ve been in NYC for 15 years so I honestly can’t really remember what my skin was like before—plus, I was in a different life phase! To me, the foundations of a good skincare routine are the same no matter where you areand the specific products used will change based on the climate/time of year so, in a way, I wouldn’t change it up too much if I was visiting San Diego. I wear sunscreen every day so while it’s sunnier in San Diego, that wouldn’t even be a change. Any alterations to the routine would be more about humidity and cold temperature. 

What do you think are the three most important things a New Yorker can do for their skincare regime?

Antioxidants to combat free radical damage from the pollution we’re exposed to, sunscreen to protect against UV damage (yes, even on cloudy days) and a really good cleansing routine to get rid of the city grime. 

What does an ideal day in Tribeca look like to you?

I love the part of Tribeca we’re in. We’re on the border of Chinatown (and I live in Chinatown, so it’s close to home) but also on a street with tons of art galleries and historic buildings. I usually walk straight to the studio and home but on the rare days I have an opportunity to get out midday, I love what’s right on our doorstep. Breakfast meetings at Mostrador, sandwiches at Grandaisy Bakery, insane croissants at Maman on West Broadway and the best breakfast burritos at Los Tacos No. 1… I also love my tailor: I go to Shopboy on Walker. The best part of NYC is that it’s always changing, so I’m sure there will be many more new discoveries to come!

WORDS Hillary Sproul