Open as of this summer in a beautiful, sun-drenched sixth-floor space on Walker and Lafayette — in the heart of the Tribeca Gallery District — is Raquel New York, a skincare salon run by esthetician Raquel Medina-Cleghorn and her business partner, Tribecan Ereka Dunn.

Raquel, who lives in Two Bridges and was fashion stylist before shifting gears, was the lead esthetician at Joanna Czech (the skincare guru whose salon opened on Howard in 2018) for four years when she decided to go out on her own. Her approach, she says, is to use both innovative technologies (microcurrents, InfraRed medical LEDs, ultrasound) as well more traditional techniques (lymphatic drainage, facial sculpting massage, gua sha facials) to treat the skin at a deeper level.

“We like to mix the scientific with the more holistic,” she says.

The salon offers facials, collagen treatments, photodynamic gel treatments, peels, as well as skin treatments for the entire body. And they have a small retail offering with favorite, often hard-to-find products.

She and Ereka, who was the chief brand officer for Czech for 20 years, wanted their first salon to be central to transportation but also capture some of that old-school artist loft vibe that the eastern side neighborhood still has to enhance the client’s experience. The space is not clinical at all. (They are in the same building as the art galleries Kapp Kapp and Lomax, but they capture the light on the top floor.)

“We love that we are right in the middle of all this art happening,” Ereka says. “I was born and raised uptown and I feel like there aren’t that may areas that still feel like real neighborhood like this one.”

Raquel, whose esthetiques degree is from Christine Valmy Institute, also has certifications in Dr. Vodder Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Neolifting Buccal Massage, Gua Sha Facial Fusion, LightStim LED and ProCell Microchanneling. Her client roster includes Jennifer Lawrence, Claire Danes, Zac Posen and Sara Moonves among dozens of other famous faces.

She also was recently named by Goop as one of the top facialists in the city.

Raquel New York
86 Walker St, Floor 6
studio@raquelnewyork.com
646.371.9749
Seven days from 10a to 7p, appointments required for treatments and retail shopping