Tucked onto Park Avenue in the Upper East Side is an inconspicuous glass storefront just a few minutes’ walk from Central Park. Located inside the Loews Regency New York Hotel, Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa is an iconic luxury hair destination, cofounded by celebrity stylist Farel himself and wife Suelyn. Julien, French-born, has styled the likes of Kate Moss, Greta Gerwig and Richard Gere; Suelyn is CEO and the driving force behind the successful salon, which has another location in Palm Beach. They are also official hairstylists of the U.S. Open since 2007.
I had the pleasure of experiencing the Julien Farel spa firsthand with a paraffin manicure. This treatment offers deep hydration, skin smoothing, exfoliation, and even pain relief for tired, dry hands. After a winter’s worth of hand-washing, I felt my hands needed some TLC.
An appointment at Julien Farel begins with check-in at the desk; I sat and waited for my turn in a gorgeous lobby not unlike that of a high-end hotel. It was a Saturday, and the salon was bustling with upbeat clients, most of whom were there for blowouts and hair color. Clients chatted cheerfully with experts – it was clear they were loyal customers who’d gotten to know their stylists. I traded my coat with a kind hostess and awaited my treatment.
Tanya took care of my manicure and paraffin wax treatment, carefully cleaning my nails and paying special attention to detail. With more than 20 years in the beauty industry, she was first introduced to Julien Farel at the U.S. Open Pop-Up, where she manicured the players. The treatment itself was divine – hands are encased in a bath of hot wax infused with lavender and other therapeutic oils, wrapped, then placed in individual heated pads. We forget to care for our hands, I think; it wasn’t until I was sitting there, unable to use them, that I realized they never really rest. The warmth zaps away any tension, while the wax moisturizes and calms. I highly recommend this add-on, especially with the arrival of spring. It’s time to shed winter dryness and switch to the spring nail palette.
Overall, I highly recommend a visit to the prestigious Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa. Offering everything from hairstyling, cuts and color to facials, massages, makeup, and of course nail services, they provide a bit of French flair to the Upper East Side. I have my eye on one of their iconic blowouts.
Book an appointment at the New York location here.
