For the last three years, one of the most coveted experiences for a certain kind of New Yorker—that is, the ones obsessed with how their skin looks, feels, and functions—has been the hard-to-book bespoke facial at Aesthetica Skin Lab. The facility, founded in 2023 by board-certified dermatologists Dr. Dhaval Bhanusali and Dr. Muneeb Shah, quickly won headlines for its wait list, which at one point was 1,000 people deep.

But on Monday, Bhanusali announced that the highly sought-after service is getting a little bit easier to book—at least, as long as you’re a member of the tony new social club Kith Ivy.

Starting today, members of the sleek Soho padel club can book the $350 facial, which I tried just before its launch. The treatment is a fitting addition to the rigorously curated offering, which has turned a series of smart partnerships into a distinct and compelling environment on New York’s somewhat overloaded private members’ club scene. Its stylish, wood-paneled restaurant is run in association with Cafe Mogador, the East Village stalwart that has been attracting diners for over 40 years. There’s also an Erehwon smoothie bar and a stylish gym outfitted with high-end gear from Pent, and a travertine-lined spa operated in collaboration with Giorgio Armani.

“Ronnie has been a dear friend for many, many years,” says Bhanusali, referring to Ronnie Fieg, Kith’s founder, when asked why the club made sense as a place to offer his services. “I think it’s incredible, the standard with which he operates—he’ll never compromise anything. And I think we share that similar value.”

The Aesthetica facial demonstrates Bhanusali’s commitment to getting you real, meaningful results.
Unlike so many products and services with viral acclaim, its waiting list isn’t based on hype—though Bhanusali’s association with famous patients and collaborators, including Hailey Bieber (with whom he created the $1 billion brand Rhode) and Martha Stewart (who partnered with Bhanusali to develop the Elm Biosciences skincare line) certainly helped spread the word.

They differ from the relaxing, spa-like facials on offer across the Big Apple because they’re driven, first and foremost, by a scientific study of your skin. “We start every single facial with advanced, objective visual analysis, and we can use A.I. to figure out a) how you’ll age, or b) just what’s going on underneath the surface,” Bhanusali says. “We create a protocol for that person, and we use technology to increase the penetration of ingredients.”

After a gentle cleansing, I positioned my face in front of a Visia camera, which took three images of my skin: one head-on, and two more from either side of my face. These images found that though my skincare routine is keeping wrinkles at bay, I still have some hyperpigmentation and dark spots to deal with. Fortunately, none were serious enough to raise the alarm, but Bhanusali has had instances where such diagnostic tools have uncovered deeper issues. “Your risk for skin cancer and things like that might not be something that can be easily seen by the human eye,” he says.

My custom protocol, delivered by a veteran aesthetican who’s been working with Bhanusali since Aesthetica opened in his West Village practice, included hydradermabrasion (which simultaneously exfoliated my skin and infused it with hydration), extractions assisted by a Dermaflash device, red-light therapy to stimulate collagen production, green-light therapy to help minimize scarring and hyperpigmentation, and a dose of the Elm products Bhanusali developed with Stewart. The next day, my coworkers started giving me unsolicited compliments. Now, over a week later, my skin feels smoother and brighter than it has in a long, long time.

But the next-day results aren’t always Bhanusali’s focus. “I’m not always so interested how you look immediately,” he says. “It’s really more of, what about a week from now? Two weeks from now? And how these facial build on each other.”

Which is precisely why I asked Kith Ivy’s front-of-house team how I might become a member before I reluctantly left its stylish environment.