Vita Epidermology Center

“It might be a bit clichéd to begin a story about French aesthetician Joëlle Ciocco by citing her famous clientele, but with a list like hers, it’s almost obligatory. From timeless icons like Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche and Carine Roitfeld to contemporary role models like Natalie Portman, model Jeanne Damas and Julie de Libran, former artistic director for Sonia Rykiel, Ciocco is the woman they turn to for their flawless complexions. Why do so many beauty editors refer to the biochemist turned Epidermologist as a legend? For starters, her quintessentially French holistic approach draws on the basic premise that if you’re good in your head, you’re good in your skin—a sort of self-love meets self-care philosophy.

Each of Ciocco’s facials begins with a personal consultation where she considers external factors like pollution, climate or allergies that may be affecting skin as well as internal factors like stress, sleep habits, diet and exercise. She believes these elements combined are ultimately reflected in the health of your skin. “When you’re a scientist, you’re a Cartesian,” explains Ciocco. “You need evidence as to why this or that thing is doing this or not. I understand from experience that skin is also a state of mind.”

Ciocco also has her own independent laboratory where she produces a natural, plant-based skincare line. Then there’s her innovative Buccal Massage, a sort of natural facelift that involves sculpting the face with an inner-mouth massage to improve lymphatic drainage.

But Ciocco herself is probably the best proof of why her holistic approach to beauty works. At 66, she radiates vitality, has an enviable figure and is the best version of her years. Upon meeting Ciocco, I’m instantly struck by the warmth behind her green eyes, her tousled auburn mane evoking Grace Coddington and her incredibly chic ensemble: a knit dress cinched at the waist with a statement belt and set off by high-heeled black leather ankle boots.

For our interview, we sit in her sleek, light-filled office overlooking the elegant Place de la Madeleine where we are soon joined by her frisky Maltese dog, Nono. We discuss how her clients are no longer trying to stop time but instead want the radiant skin that comes from a life of balance.

“Women work a lot nowadays,” she says. “They spend hours locked in an office in front of a screen. I think that this feminine empowerment is awesome and that we must keep going, but it is true that it tires our body and mind. We must learn to take time for ourselves—reading, sleeping or doing sports. And it’s true for men, too!”

Exercise and nutrition are a start, but for Ciocco, massage is the ultimate youth serum. “I have a brain and 10 fingers,” she says, emphasizing how targeting both physical and mental tension can transform skin.”