West Village Health & Beauty

The fact that sought-after NYC aesthetician Jessica Bowers never wears makeup is proof of her skill. Her hidden West Village skin studio (she refers to it as her “skin-care speakeasy”) opened in October 2020 and has been booked solid ever since. Bowers offers customized facials (we love the classic illuminating facial), as well as treatments like microcurrent, scalp massages, and lash tints, which can be booked alone or as an add-on to any facial. What’s surprising is not that she’s busy, but that her super-simple skin routine yields such incredibly glowy results.

Founder Angela Jia Kim incorporates the Korean beauty rituals she grew up with into every therapy, focusing on thorough cleansing and massage for “mul-gwang,” the Korean concept of luminous, dewy skin. The Skin Clinic facial is an over-the-top session of peels, LED lights, microcurrent, and ultrasound to firm and sculpt. You walk out with soothed, happy, noticeably improved skin.

Sadie Adams’s unique therapeutic approach is designed to help clients tease out energy and vitality from within. Her technique stems from her studies in anatomy at the School for Body-Mind Centering and in Ayurveda and yoga therapy at the Ayurvedic Institute. After founding Take Care Face & Body in New York City, she opened a second location, Take Care Center for Body Mind Regeneration, in Santa Monica. Adams combines science, ancient wisdom, and intuitive awareness to support physical and spiritual healing. Her therapies include microcurrent facials, a restorative therapy that stimulates marma points in your face, promoting deep relaxation and healing throughout your entire body.

This beloved neighborhood center for spiritual nourishment is connected to one of the best health-food stores in the West Village. Varied yoga classes take place in sun-filled studios, all with gorgeous wood floors—the vibe of the place is more beautifully rustic than polished: Yoga and Qigong focuses on harnessing energy to your advantage, while Yoga for Arthritic and Chronic Pain teaches self-soothing techniques.There are also incredible workshops (topics range from eye health to the importance of eating seasonally to how to how to give a Thai massage), and the wellness spa offers cranial therapy, acupuncture, myofascial release, spiritual counseling, and more—and there’s an excellent book alcove-boutique that sells blankets, stones, mats, and grounding yoga paraphernalia.

CAP stands for “clean and pure,” which describes everything you’ll find at this tightly curated shop in the West Village. The gang’s all here as far as clean beauty brands go—they carry Kjaer Weis, Odacité, Tata Harper, and a great selection of dusts and potions from brands like Moon Juice, Four Sigmatic, and Urban Moonshine. They’re also known for excellent facials—for a holistic anti-aging package, look at the CAP Lift, a series of facial-rejuvenation acupuncture treatments that takes place over several weeks.

In a city flooded with Duane Reades, this neighborhood pharmacy is a standout. The pharmacists are the friendliest around and know their stuff, so don’t be afraid to ask for advice. You’ll also find great alternative health products, cosmetics, and vitamins.

Jin Soon Choi, the fashion world's go-to for nails, has taken her tiny nail salons to the next level. Each mani and pedi is more like a mini spa treatment for your hands and feet, with a menu of massages, essential oil and hydrating treatments to choose from. Her technicians are great, the space is lowkey, and blessedly low-tech (no vibrating massage chairs, here), and she has a five-free line of polishes, too (goop did a collab with her). There are also locations on the UES and Tribeca.