I Went To A Buzzy Celeb Facialist (Who Also Read My Astro Chart)

Tucked away on the sixth floor of a building in Tribeca, Raquel New York is nondescript like all the best NYC celeb hot spots are. The space is well-lit (by windows, not harsh overhead lights) and smells expensive. So naturally, I felt completely out of place despite the comfy couch and the proffered glass of ice-cold water.

Raquel New York boasts celebrity clientele like Jennifer Lawrence, Emily Ratajkowski, Pamela Anderson, and Gabrielle Union. When I ran to the restroom before my appointment, I thought to myself: Jennifer Lawrence has probably used this bathroom, too. But once I changed into a cozy robe and tucked myself into the heated bed in the treatment room, those thoughts of A-listers faded away.

Monica David, my esthetician, has over 10 years of experience on her resume. Plus, she learned her craft from big names in beauty like Joanna Czech, Georgia Louise, and Joanna Vargas, so I felt completely comfortable trusting her with my sensitive, acne-prone skin.

The only thing I was less sure of? The astro-analysis David would give me at the end of my facial. It’s a $150 optional add-on to David’s treatments (which have a base price of $500), where she gives you a detailed explanation of your birth chart. I dabble in astrology — mostly due to writing about it for my job — and while I like reading the occasional horoscope, I don’t put too much stock into it. But only a few minutes in, and David’s natal chart reading put those doubts to rest. Here’s how the experience went.

The Facial Was Ultra-Relaxing (And Helped My TMJ)

Facials are my favorite spa treatment to splurge on when I want to treat myself. At Raquel New York, the facial was a dream. David started off with a double cleanse, using the Environ Cleansing Oil and the Micro-Exfoliator.

Before she started, I gave her a heads-up that I’d been dealing with headaches as a result of my TMJ, so she paid a lot of attention to my jaw, helping to relieve some of the built-up tension there. Long story short, it was pretty heavenly.

David then moved onto the ultrasound spatula, which uses ultrasound waves and water to exfoliate and deep-cleanse the skin. Honestly, the spatula’s humming/whirring noise sounded a little scary at first, but it didn’t hurt at all. The extractions weren’t painful, either, even when David was targeting the blackheads around my nose — a process that usually makes me involuntarily tear up.

Then, David put a gentle cool peel on my skin. It has a brightening and hydrating formula that removes dead skin cells, which can help my face absorb all the skin-friendly ingredients to come. Next up, she used a hydrating propolis sheet mask and massaged my face with cryo globes. This might have been my favorite part — it came just as the tension relief from the first massage was starting to fade, and the icy temperature felt incredible. (According to David, this helps “cool, soothe, and firm” skin.)

David rounded out all that skin nourishing with a peptide serum featuring vitamins A, C, and E — showing my complexion some more TLC and giving it a hearty boost of moisture. She also put me under a red LED light mask, a tool that can help reduce inflammation and promote collagen production. (It can also improve the appearance of wrinkles, BTW.)

Before sending me out into the world, David gave me one last touchup of products: Auteur’s Definitive Density Crème, Definitive Lifting Toner, Definitive Eye Cream, and Definitive Lip Balm. In other words, I finished up the treatment looking like my most glazed donut (or Moo Deng?) self.

The Reading Took Me By Surprise In Good And Eerie Ways

Ahead of my facial, I received a questionnaire from Raquel New York, prompting me to fill out my birth date, place, and time. I thought I already knew all this information: 10:20 a.m. on April 11, 1997 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Still, I decided to text my mom to double-check my birth time — turns out, my birth time was off by four minutes. This might seem insignificant, but it completely changed my rising sign, which all astrology-inclined people know is huge.

After finding out I’m a Gemini rising (and not a Cancer rising), I was eager to hear my astrology reading. (Out of my big three, I always resonated most with being a Cancer rising, so where the f*ck did this leave me?) But once the facial began, David gave me a heads-up that she would save the astro-analysis to the end when I was under the red LED light, so I felt comfortable that I wouldn’t feel too seen too soon.

A couple minutes in, however, David asked me, “Do you have a strained relationship with [redacted]?” My eyes shot open — which, JSYK, is never a good idea when someone is in the middle of washing your face. “Um, yes?” I half-told, half-asked her.

Turns out, my natal chart had been doing plenty of talking for me while I was silently enjoying my facial massage. Here were the biggest takeaways from my astro-analysis:

I Found Out Why I’ve Never Really Identified With My Big 3

Aries zodiac signs are known for being impulsive — a word that no one has ever used to describe me. In a very non-ram-like fashion, I overthink everything and often feel paralyzed when I have to make a decision.

My rising and moon signs are both in Gemini, which David says translates to being “communicative, quick-witted, sociable, and full of mental energy.” Because Gemini shows up in my chart twice, it’s an indicator that I’m “quite outgoing.”

The combination of these placements should translate to me being a bit of a social butterfly who isn’t afraid to speak her mind — but I’m very reserved about expressing myself, especially when it means opening up on a deeper level. So, what gives?

According to David, that actually makes perfect sense. A closer look at my chart shows that my moon is in the 12th house, which is often associated with being more private. “The 12th house rules everything that is hidden. Because your moon represents your emotions and sense of security, this position means that you are someone who enjoys solitude, privacy, and keeping to yourself,” she tells me. It also means I’m a big daydreamer. (Guilty.)

My Venus Placement Could Mean Trouble For My Love Life

My Venus is in the 11th house, which is tied to friendships and social groups. The good news? That translates to having a good circle of friends that fill my cup. But in terms of romance, this Venus placement is complicated.

It’s opposite Chiron in the fifth house, which rules romance, creativity, and children. According to David, “Chiron is an asteroid, and it is called the wounded healer. This placement denotes a wound associated with self-worth and matters of the heart.” (Perfect!)

Apparently, this placement can signify a bit of a journey when it comes to my relationship with myself. “Over time, your self-worth can be worked on, and you may even become the wounded healer through your experiences,” David says.

TL;DR: I’m going to have to work past some stuff, but that progress might help others move forward, too.

Apparently, I’ll Find The Most Fulfillment In My Home Life

The north node “represents our destiny,” David says. It’s in my fourth house, which symbolizes home, family, and emotional security. Apparently, it opposes the 10th house, which is more about career and accomplishments. And yes, I’m considering this placement an excuse to embrace my inner homebody without any FOMO.

David says professional achievements could have been my focus in a past life, so there’s that. In this life, however, this placement indicates that I won’t be completely satisfied by a successful career and I’ll get more “emotional fulfillment” by putting my energy into my home and family, à la most Hallmark movies.

At this point, I told her that one of my lifelong dreams is to drink coffee on my very own front porch, which officially makes way more sense post-reading. Still, David says the appeal of professional ambition won’t exactly fade away. It’s just up to me to straddle the two goals and figure out where I’ll find the most joy.

Leaving The Treatment, I Felt Rejuvenated And Slightly Overwhelmed

First things first, my skin looked great after my visit to Raquel New York — my complexion was glowing, without any pesky post-facial breakouts. The following days, it continued to look radiant and feel nourished. Plus, those TMJ-induced headaches disappeared (which was honestly the biggest plus). Compared to other facials I’ve gotten in the city, this one was slightly shorter at 60 minutes (though, according to their site, sessions range from 75 minutes to over 3 hours). However, every second was put to good use, from the gentle extractions to the thorough massages. It was a luxe experience, but one that fit easily into the rest of my schedule that day.

As for the astrology reading, I felt more seen by it than I expected. There were a few pieces that didn’t resonate, and I personally prefer not to hear anything about metaphorical death and rebirth — when David mentioned them, I told her it felt like a bad omen to me and we quickly moved on. Still, most of it felt eerily accurate, especially compared to palm readers and tarot readers I’ve visited in the past.

Before leaving, I asked David if diving into astrology was as weird for her as it was for me: “You learn all this stuff, but then what are you supposed to do with it?” She didn’t give me a firm answer — she’s an esthetician and astrology enthusiast, not a life coach — but she says I wasn’t the first client to feel that way.

Of course, that only made me wonder if J. Law herself had posed her the same question. (I like to think so.) Now, my only hope is that my Venus placement doesn’t stir up too much trouble going forward, especially as I approach my Saturn return in the coming years.