I Tried the "Astro-Analysis" Facial at Raquel New York

July 24, 2024

On my birthday earlier this year, I had my natal chart read by Monica David, a star esthetician at Raquel New York. It was my first time having my chart read by a person, having previously only tried online calculators like cafeastrology.com. I wondered if hearing such predictions from another person would add to their validity or if, for an hour, Monica and I would be partners in speculation. From its ancient roots to today’s sun-sign horoscopes in newspapers, magazines, and the internet, astrology has attracted as many skeptics as believers.

I’m somewhere in the middle.

I can’t get myself to fully subscribe to the idea that life is predetermined, yet the accuracy of astrology readings can be hard to deny. Humans tell themselves stories to make sense of things. Perhaps destiny also meets us somewhere in the middle.

By Sahir Ahmed
Photography by Liv Solomon

The month of my session marked exactly a year since stylist-turned-esthetician Raquel Medina-Cleghorn opened the NY-based skin studio with business partner Erika Dunn, whom she met during her time as a lead esthetician at veteran Joanna Czech’s NY studio. I had heard rumors about Willy Chavarria, Paloma Elsesser, and Emily Ratajkowski’s go-to esthetician — whom Simone Rocha visited ahead of the 2023 Met Gala — so I was excited to visit Medina-Cleghorn's studio.

She recommended Monica, especially because of the "Astro-Analysis" that came along with her client-tailored sessions. When booking, Monica’s only available date was my birthday, a coincidence which felt more like a moment of synchronicity.

The session began with a consultation addressing my specific skin needs — dehydration and tightness. Despite my sensitive, acne-prone skin, and reluctance to let anyone touch my face, knowing Monica had experienced acne herself made the session more reassuring. The New York native has been into skincare as long as astrology, finding her passion for both in high school.

We started with an exfoliating treatment, followed by a deep tissue lymphatic drainage massage, LED therapy, extractions, and a microcurrent massage. Throughout the session, she pointed out key placements in my natal chart, which amplified the experience. I left the facial feeling fresh-faced and primed for 26. Read on for the recorded session below:

This session originally took place on March 11, 2024 and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Monica David — No allergies, right?

No, but my skin barely absorbs anything. That’s been a problem recently. Maybe I don’t drink as much water as I used to.

Are you exfoliating?

No, actually not really. I used to always exfoliate with an AHA or BHA. I’ve just gotten super lazy.

That’s probably it. This layer of dead skin on the surface is always piling up so your skin won’t absorb the product as well. Exfoliation is super important for that reason.

That makes sense, maybe I’ll start exfoliating again.

I can guarantee that you’re going to notice it gets better. So have you ever had a chart reading before?

Never by someone else.

Birth chart report from Co-Star

The computer-generated ones are pretty good, honestly. The readings I do are mini, not as in-depth as you would get with someone that can sit down with you for a few hours. I’ll go over the meat and potatoes of your chart.

I’ll start off by noting that there are two intense aspects between two planets — your moon aspecting Pluto. The moon represents our emotions, what brings us security and comfort, and also the relationship to the mother. Pluto is obsessive and intense. What I see here is a very deep wound in your family life and probably most closely associated with your mom in some way. My boyfriend has a similar, almost identical aspect, and he actually lost his mom to cancer. Can you confirm?

Yes, but my mom is still alive.

It could be generational trauma as well. It can mean that she's experienced a lot of loss in her life, therefore she is the way she is. Do you know about Chiron?

Not too much.

It’s an asteroid that represents our deepest wound. It's nicknamed the Wounded Healer. For you, it’s in your fourth house, which is really the base of the chart: it brings us security and builds our emotional responses because it represents your roots and your home — reflecting that wound in your family life. Would you consider yourself an emotional person?

Yes. I’d say that I’ve become more attuned to my emotions recently.

Your first house, the house of self, represents your physicality and how you’re perceived by people, especially their first reaction to you. People call it the mask. Your ascendant is Leo, even though in truth you're a Pisces, people are going to notice you: you’re going to light up a room like the sun. However, having your moon in your first house — your moon sign being Virgo — is going to deeply influence your overall self.

In your case, your true core is your moon sign, Virgo: it’s what brings you comfort, the emotional part of you — how you feel nurtured and how you nurture others. People with moon in the first house wear their heart on their sleeve. People can sense how you feel, it’s hard to hide even if you try.

I’d say that’s true.

Your sun is in your eighth house, which I personally like. The eighth is all about transformation through intense experiences regarding intimacy, sex, and loss. And money as well — other people's money. With sun in the eighth, you’re someone that likes to explore the depths of yourself. Intimacy is important. You don't like anything superficial. You want to connect and merge with another person on a much deeper level. A closer look at the eighth house would suggest that you may have an interest in taboo subjects or anything related to the occult. You may sometimes struggle with the emotional upheaval bubbling under the surface due to your Chiron, but it’ll also act as a positive aspect for healing and healing others.

Moon opposing Jupiter in the eighth house also suggests someone overly indulgent, quite emotional. The work you do is very creative and artistic, although you may be a bit picky and critical of it.

That tracks! I feel like I’m constantly changing through my relationships, especially romantic ones. Going through cycles of rebirth.

That’s exactly it. You’ll constantly experience metaphorical deaths and rebirths in this lifetime.

Wait I love that by the way.

Yeah, lymphatic drainage is the best; you can actually feel the fluid leaving your face, the muscles tightening — everything feels lifted.

So, your north node is in your second house, which is related to our possessions, like the money we earn. You want to gain a sense of security in this life through your earnings and possessions. It will give you a sense of self-worth. While the eighth house is very deep and intimate, and other people’s money, the second is strictly material possessions. Okay now let’s put you under the red light.

What can you tell me about my romantic life?

So Jupiter — Pisces is naturally ruled by Jupiter — is in your eighth house, which means that you’ll benefit from exploring your shadow self. You’ll know yourself better, you’ll come to terms with it and know how to harness it. Jupiter brings good fortune, it's the planet of abundance. It being in the house of other people’s money, you might marry someone with an inheritance or [REDACTED].

Okay, I’m going to do extractions now — I’ll get this little one by your lip over here. So are you seeing anyone now?

No. I like someone. We talk often. It seems mutual but he lives in [REDACTED].

Oh that’s far. How old are you?

26.

Your transits right now are actually very favorable for a relationship at this moment because you have Venus and Mars transiting in your seventh house, which is the ultimate partnership house. It's like marriage partner. It's also good for business too, because it's your business partner, one-to-one relationships, contractual relationships. So it's literally either the person you're going to marry or the person you're opening a business with. So this could be a favorable time for you at work with someone that you work with, but it's also very favorable for creating a new relationship.

I feel like that could make sense.

There's potential for it right now simply because of what's going on in the sky. This is a favorable time for a new union. It doesn't ever mean that it's going to for sure happen, but it's more likely. Yeah. Okay. You have Jupiter in your 10th. This is going to be until 2025. This is great for your career, essentially abundance in your career, your status, how higher-ups see you. All of that stuff is looking really good for a little while. So this is a good time for you to make moves in your work and be seen in a very positive light, if that makes sense. Yeah. Feel renewed in optimism about your professional life. Very good for working with the public, stepping into the spotlight.

Good to know. I'll have to keep an eye out!

You’re also coming up on your Saturn return soon. Your Mercury, Mars and Saturn are in your ninth house, which represents expansion, foreign travel, higher education, different cultures, your morals and belief systems. When you get your Saturn return, it’ll be in this house. With these placements, you’re likely a great communicator. You may enjoy the process of learning and even teaching.

That all resonates. I want to move out of New York at some point and could definitely see myself being a teacher.

Beauty

office people: Sonny Molina

February 03, 2024

More an architect of tresses than a groomer, Sonny Molina's work is as much about art as it is about hair. While many of us think of past hair experiments and shudder at memories of less-than-desirable uneven bangs and botched accidental chops, Molina's textured, unexpected, and trendsetting cuts defy convention and only get sexier as they grow out. A long way from the days of testing haircuts on friends, they now have an entire network of models and creatives eager and willing to go under their shears. Since finding a home in the beautiful chaos of Manhattan, Molina has cut and styled the stars of downtown, including fellow office person and New York star Ren G of Club Eat. Their editorial work has graced the covers of The Cut, Homme Girls, Perfect, and Re-Edition, and their styles have graced the runways of Anna Bolina and Vaquera alike, crowning it girls like Bella Hadid, Paloma Elsesser, and Hunter Schafer. While every look Molina crafts is wildly unique from the rest, they are all united by Molina's love for creative expression and impulse for adventure.

Interview OFFICE
Photography YAHSHEL MACAPAGAL

[Originally published in office magazine Issue 20, Fall-Winter 2023. Order your copy here.]

What is your ideal office?

Somewhere overlooking Manhattan … with plenty of space and light.

If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

Probably some gross billionaire and literally fund all my friends’ dreams immediately!

What era most inspires you?

There is truly something special about every era … but I do love the 70’s.

Who was the last person you hugged, and how did it feel?

My partner Coco, it felt tender.

For you, what is the most sacred place in New York?

As cliche as it sounds, anywhere my friends are!

What does play look like to you?

Blissful with no boundaries.

If you were a hair tool or product, what would you be?

I would be a classic mixed-bristle hairbrush.

What is your favorite texture at the moment?

I'm obsessed with patina … as a texture and color.

Who was the last person to make you laugh?

My dog Kiki. Yes, he’s more of a person than a dog.

How do you win in a fight?

Listen, process, reciprocate.

Beauty

Kindred Black: Love for Our Mother

Throwing factory-produced recipes and excessive packaging to the wayside, the ethical beauty and scent brand collaborates with herbalists, farmers, and expert perfumers to create sustainable perfumes and cosmetics — while also marrying the worlds of art and beauty through their one-of-a-kind hand-blown glass vessels. Because beauty is truly an art, and we should decorate ourselves as worthy canvasses. office sat down with Kindred Black’s co-founders to discuss their unique process below.

What originally spurred you both to introduce a disruptive, apothecary-esque brand to the beauty scene?

Alice— I think it’s kind of age-old: I had this need in my own life and couldn’t figure out a way to fill that need in a way that aligned with my values. We’re both makeup and skincare lovers but with packaging being what it is, there was so much we didn’t feel right buying. We wanted an alternative where as much thought is put into the packaging as it is in the ingredients, where every single element of the line is considered.

Jen— We always said we’re not going to be the “please recycle this plastic bag” type of company — that’s such BS! Companies need to invest in alternatives so the public isn’t left guessing how to make their products more environmentally friendly. We spend a lot more money than we would have to if we just mass-produced bottles overseas and bottled up some pretty skincare. But we’re super anti-greenwashing — we want our behind-the-scenes to be 100% true to the ethics and values that we put out there to our community.

Your packaging — artisan-crafted glass bottles — really takes thoughtful production and consumption to the next level.

Alice— When we initially set out to design the collection, we envisioned a vanity with beautiful vessels, no branding, just pure oils and scents in colorful shapes and silhouettes. Life is already so cluttered; we think of the beauty routine as a quiet time, a private, sacred space. The entire line is plastic-free and every single item in the collection comes in an individually handblown glass vessel. Behind each bottle is an artist blowing out the glass, one by one. They’re not producing mass quantities; everything is designed to be treasured.

Tell me about the Kindred Black community. Not only do you work closely and travel to meet farmers and herbalists, but you also partner with artists and artisans for your one-of-a-kind glass bottles. What does this community mean to you?

Jen— They’re everything for us and we couldn’t have such a special line without them. We’ve met such extraordinary people doing this — a chemist turned perfumer who only creates using ancient methods of extraction with the flowers and plants that she grows. An herbalist that specializes in Sonoran Desert flora. Glass blowers from all over the country who show their work in museums and create our bottles one by one like unique sculptures. Even a collective in Mexico that creates bottles using glass from residents and restaurants because there is no municipal recycling. They all have different specialties, but our community shares a set of values when it comes to our planet.

You also mentioned that the brand is historically rooted. How does the past inform every scent, cosmetic, or rich skin serum?

Alice— We’re both hugely into history and just curious people. When you start to look into it, some botanicals have been used for thousands of years to heal and scent the skin and as primitive cosmetics and ‘medicine,’ dating back to the earliest civilizations. People have always used what’s around them for beauty. Our formulas all start with who used this plant, what for, and whether or not there is a good reason to still use it on the skin. For example, our Aker Fassi lip and cheek pigment is a recipe that makes use of a dried poppy flower that North African Berber women have used as makeup for centuries. It’s a beautiful, flattering shade of berry red and we were just so taken by its place in history.

What is your favorite scent you have created to date?

Jen— This is hard — I love Earthly because it’s just so different from anything I’ve ever smelled. It’s like grassy damp moss and violet leaves but also has a lot of lilac enfleurage in it. Not many people use real lilac because it’s incredibly difficult and time-consuming to make and has a more subtle scent than say a jasmine or a rose. But real lilac is incredible and complex.

Alice— Delta Dawn is my current favorite. It's a classic floral rose but has real depth to it — an underbelly. The star ingredient is a night-blooming Damask rose that’s harvested before the sun rises. You can smell the cool night air, but also the warmth and muskiness of the jasmine oil, known as the perfume of love.

How does art play a role in Kindred Black? Many of the handmade bottles sold are antique or vintage-inspired. Where did that shared interest spur from?

Alice— We’re both big collectors, verging on hoarders, and have shelves and boxes full of trinkets and treasures we’ve picked up over the years — everything from piles of shells and rocks to antique Lalique perfume vessels, antiquarian snuff bottles, folk art liquor jugs, and on and on. We often find ourselves using an old glass piece as a jumping-off point — or a piece that we’re lusting after in an auction or Museum catalog. The halls of The Met are filled with incredibly beautiful glass perfumes and cosmetic tinctures that have survived millennia. Pre-plastic everything, in the early 20th century, many cosmetics were refillable and came in the most exquisite packaging — lipsticks in sterling silver canisters, blush in bejeweled compacts. They were practically pieces of jewelry. We like to think of our bottles as precious objects that people will hold on to and cherish as the years go by.

You just launched your refill program. How do you hope this sways the wider beauty industry?

Jen— We were really excited to start doing refills for our skincare — like I said, our bottles are like little, individually made sculptures. We chose aluminum for the refills because the necks are wide enough to clean the bottle out and aluminum is the most easily recyclable material. We’re hoping that if a tiny company like ours can spend the money and do it, more of these million and billion-dollar brands will start paying attention to their footprint. They have such power to create real change, it’s heartbreaking so many of them choose to sidestep the opportunity.

Tell me about one of the strangest ingredients you have worked with.

Jen— We made a light summer perfume and skin treatment once to benefit the Ocean Conservancy and infused the ingredients with sea salt from the Sea of Cortez. Not a strange ingredient but it definitely gave the scent a unique profile. We once gathered large sacks of rose petals from the world’s largest rose bush that sits inside the courtyard of an old hotel in Tombstone, AZ. We had a lot of grand ideas for it but the petals couldn’t be cleaned well enough to be made into anything marketable, so we had to give up on it. Sometimes these experiments fail!

Alice— Maybe the strangest right now is quite widely used for cosmetics by everyone from Chanel on down because it’s a safe alternative to chemical dyes. The rich berry red of Night Venom is from a pigment that is made from the cochineal beetle, an insect native to parts of North and South America. It’s actually a stain that has been used for centuries – Cleopatra is said to have ground up the beetle in beeswax to achieve her renowned red lips. The Aztecs also used the pigment for dyeing and painting, and it was then brought back to Europe with their Spanish colonizers.

You just celebrated eight years. What do you hope is in store for the next few and how do you hope to continue revolutionizing the beauty space?

Jen— We’re always looking to make things less wasteful in everything we do. There’s always room to improve. We’d like for our line to be 100% refillable and are working on bottle design tweaks that would make that achievable. We’d also love to expand the glass operation down the road and begin recycling our own glass. Our mantra is “love for our mother” and it informs everything that we do.

Beauty

It's Good, it's Weird, it's GoodWeird

December 04, 2023

It’s Silly Bandz, Japanese denim, Maui Punch Pixy Stix, the model "dressed as the giant fur ball at the Christian Cowan show,"; it’s the highest compliment. Founders Jon Wormser and Stephen Yaseen have coined the term “Good Weird” to celebrate the beauty found in being athentically and uniquely yourself, as out there as that may be.

From the “Back from Vacay” bronzer to the “Balmy Weather” stick, Good Weird understands that beauty can be defined by universal experiences rather than conventional standards. Creative direction by Maui-born skate icon Evan Mock ensures that the brand takes a genderless, inviting approach to cosmetics. In our conversation with the trio, we delved deeper into what makes something truly good and weird.

Interview by Soph Lucina
Photos courtesy of GoodWeird

Sophia Lucina— Hi, I’m so stoked to have you all here. I’ve been loving your brand for a minute now. So, give me the rundown.

Stephen Yaseen— Yeah, well I’ve always been super into skincare, and on the beauty side, one of my first favorite products was this tinted sunscreen. It kind of introduced me to the idea of having a beauty product that also acted as a skincare item, something with immediate payoff. That was my conduit into me realizing that beauty doesn’t need to be reserved for a subset of people.

Jon Wormser— I’ve always been one to experiment with beauty products, which meant stealing products from my mom’s makeup … I was always wearing things incorrectly [laughs]. But that led me into this world we’ve built where beauty doesn’t need to fit the heavily pigmented, complicated product … something that doesn’t require a bunch of tools to use. Good Weird was founded out of frustration with the current product offering.

Evan Mock— For me, my earliest memory of using beauty products has to be when I was growing up in Hawaii and applying Shiseido sunscreen before going surfing and being on the beach.

SL— I think one thing that immediately stands out to me about you guys is how you’ve infused pop culture into your brand approach. What’s that been like for you?

JW— Well, obviously when we’re serving consumers like Gen-Z, it would be remiss to leave out pop culture. I think some people might see our branding and ask, “Why are there skateboards and surfboards?” ... for me, that’s the antithesis of mainstream, we wanted to emphasize that Good Weird is all about embracing your own shit, not letting societal structures and norms set expectations for what you should do.

SL— For sure. I can tell you bring in a certain crowd of people, and it’s dope. If you could tell me, what was the first idea you had for Good Weird?

SY— Yeah, so we wanted to go forward with this idea of minimizing the footprint of a product by combining a bunch of steps together, so it’s the concept of infusing skincare and low-pigment beauty, for a “beauty routine in a bottle”. Operationally, that concept didn’t actually work at first, so we ended up focusing on the “white space” in the beauty world, for people who are curious about entering a world that might not feel so welcoming.

JW— And that’s been the fun part for Stephen and I. We’ve gotten to experiment with how much pigment goes into a product, how much of a serum goes into a product. We’ll chat like “Well, I didn’t see much of [blank] at the store,” or “I like [blank] concealer, but it’s really intense,” and be able to share our ideas towards creating something new. We really jive when it comes to product development.

SL— Especially because you guys don’t have a precedent to go off of. You’re building something that we don’t see.

JW— Right, we’re trying to create a new lane. If we’re going off the beaten path, then it’s important that our products reflect that.

SL— How has the process of creating a “genderless” beauty product been? Why is that important to you guys?

EM— There really aren’t any other options for everyone that exists, until now with Good Weird. It's important that all aspects of life are inclusive to all, but also, who doesn’t want to look good?

SY— I think that the products that are super pigmented, part of “transformative” routines … don’t necessarily have to do with gender, even so we wanted to make products that anyone can feel comfortable using. With anyway you identify, from a gender perspective, everyone deserves to have beauty products that are accessible.

SL— I see. A less intimidating approach, so to speak.

SY— And of course, historically, the cohort demographic for the beauty industry is overwhelmingly female. So it’s really about giving everyone an intuitive, simple product with a low barrier to entry.

JW— A big barrier to entry for me growing up was having to use all these tools. If you look at our products, there are no tools required. Additionally, the way we’ve named our products — yes, “Back From Vacay” is a bronzer, but the name of the product is more emotive. It’s less intimidating to tell your friends, “I use this Good Weird product, called 'Back from Vacay’, instead of 'I use this bronzer.'"

... historically, the cohort demographic for the beauty industry is overwhelmingly female. So it’s really about giving everyone an intuitive, simple product with a low barrier to entry.

SL— For sure. These experiences “Balmy Weather”, “Back From Vacay”, aren’t gendered experiences. You’ll see other beauty products be labeled “Pure Seduction”, “Afterglow”, which evoke these sensual, intense, suggestively feminine experiences.

JW— And it’s not that we don’t like those words. But it’s all about making our products less intimidating. All of our stuff is buildable and sheer, so it can be another step in your routine, or it can be the main star.

SL— Evan, you’ve partnered with Jon and Stephen on creative direction. What's that been like?

EM— My job is to give the people what they want — do it with excellence and have fun doing it along the way. It’s been a great few months with Jon and Stephen, and the word is traveling fast.

JW— Evan was a muse to the brand before we even started working with him. He embodies the whole concept of “Good Weird”, he’s someone who can skate all day then wear a corset to a fashion show later that night. He also holds an amazing place in fashion and culture, and we wanted people in those spaces to feel open to trying the world of Good Weird.

SL— He’s someone that I can actually see reaching for these products, too. As the creative director, are you frustrated with any aspect of the current beauty climate?

EM— Yes, I think the general public’s view of what beauty is, needs to change. People need to realize that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes; it's also subjective.

SL— Subjective, yes. My last question for all of you — what’s something you’ve been recently thinking of as very “Good Weird”.

SY— Oh, yeah, let me think. Definitely what we’ve been posting on Instagram, the 90s vibes are very Good Weird, like those AI-generated yearbook photos.

JW— I’m trying to think of any moments from fashion week that stood out, even.

SL— The model dressed as the giant fur ball at the Christian Cowan show is very Good Weird, the smiley Collina Strada show — all of it.

JW— Exactly.

EM— Japanese denim, pickled mango … eating sunflower seeds with the shell still around it.

SL— Yes, heavy on Japanese denim. Even pickling your own vegetables?

JW— Any brands that feel like a nod to nostalgia. JNCO for sure.

SY— Anything that brings you back, anything that feels welcoming.

JW— Dippin’ Dots!

SL— Oh my gosh, and those spiky, jelly pens. I just saw a ring that was made out of that rubbery, jelly stuff. Well, you guys have created this great community, and I’m so excited to see where it goes. Thank you for taking this time.

SY— Thank you!

JW— Thank you.

EM— Thanks!

Sign up for our newsletter

I Tried the "Astro-Analysis" Facial at Raquel New York

Recommended articles

Paper Dolls

Scary Good

Anya Tisdale is Nobody's 'Cakeface'

office people: Sonny Molina

Recommended articles

The Real Dusty

Brush Off

La Maison Valmont: The Pinnacle of Luxury

Kindred Black: Love for Our Mother

Recommended articles

Beauty Committee: Round II

Coucou Chloe Will Melt Your Face

On Frankie's Face

It's Good, it's Weird, it's GoodWeird

Recommended articles

Everybody Loves A Clown

Sal Meets World

Starman

Confirm your age