The response I receive—and admittedly also give—when enquiring how someone is these days is universally the same: “busy”. It’s definitely one of my most frequently uttered words, and if there was a word that defined 2019, surely it would be this.
Between work, a demanding streaming schedule of must-watch shows and films, family, friends, maintaining a basic level of fitness, endless life admin and multiple social media accounts, we’re all so time poor that basic beauty maintenance is often the last item on a never-ending weekly to-do list that no human could ever realistically complete in the span of a lifetime, let alone a seven day period.
But beauty maintenance and self-care shouldn’t be an afterthought in our lives, and yet finding time for it can be tough. It’s for these reasons that celebrity facialist and Chanel nail expert, Jocelyn Petroni, created the ultimate three-in-one beauty experience oh-so-promisingly called The Complete JP Experience.
As Petroni told Vogue, she created it for “the time-poor client, who wants to receive the best [beauty] treatments in an hour.”
And not only does the treatment—which as Petroni revealed “sees three therapists working together in simultaneous harmony for optimal beauty attention”—prove itself to be the ultimate beauty multitasker, incorporating a facial, pedicure and manicure within just 60 minutes, the experience is also exceptionally relaxing and luxuriously pampering, a fact I was lucky enough to find out when I experienced the treatment at Petroni’s heavenly Woollahra salon.
So, what is the The Complete JP Experience actually like? I arrived at the Jocelyn Petroni salon feeling harried and rushed after a Saturday morning spent in traffic racing to catch up on a week’s worth of errands. But, from the minute I entered the salon, slipped on the terry cloth slippers and was handed a calming cup of herbal tea, I immediately felt the tension in my shoulders start to slip and was able to put my mental to-do list aside.
The therapist who would be handling my manicure asked me to select a nail colour from the range of Chanel polishes in the reception area (I selected a pale pink) and I was then led into one of the soothing treatment rooms to chat about my skin with the therapist who would be performing the facial. After our consultation, I was left alone to get changed and instructed to slip into the crisp linen-covered treatment bed.
A gentle knock announced the arrival of the two therapists who would be performing the simultaneous facial and manicure—I had opted out of the pedicure that day due to another commitment straight after that required closed-toed shoes. But, two-in-one is better than none, so I settled in and waited for the treatment to begin.
As promised, the therapists really do work beautifully together—while one therapist performed the salon’s Heart Chakra Prescribed Facial, the second therapist worked away at transforming my nails with a fresh coat of polish and a whole lot of care. Between the soothingly dark room, the indulgent facial (which Petroni says incorporates “massage and reiki” as well as a customised line-up of products) and having my hands worked on, I’m fairly certain I fell asleep at one point.
This state of head-to-toe relaxation is part of the holistic approach Petroni takes, while also catering to each individual’s needs, particularly when it comes to the facial element. “The whole treatment works holistically and this also comes through in the consultation,” Petroni says. Adding: “How a client is feeling on the day is all considered in our consult whether extractions are important or lots of massage, we work with you on what you and your skin needs that day. I’d describe it as a performance, results-based facial with a beautiful out-of-body feeling.”
I certainly can attest to feeling like I was walking on cloud nine when the hour was up. And, with newly glowing skin and an Instagram-worthy manicure I felt like a different person than the harassed version of myself who had arrived in the salon a mere hour earlier. It was a truly transformative experience and I will be booking this magical beauty experience again.
Value for money: The Complete JP Experience is $480 for the 60 minute treatment, which includes three therapists performing an hour-long facial, manicure and pedicure simultaneously. It’s a luxury experience and the pricing reflects this, but paying for three separate therapists along with the time cost of having to go to three different appointments makes it worth the investment.
Good for: Those with minimal time on their hands and small spaces in their schedule for essential beauty maintenance. The experience is also very relaxing, making it ideal for anyone wanting to switch off and be pampered for an hour. It would also make an ideal pre-wedding beauty appointment for a bride in the lead-up to their wedding.
Where to get it: At the Jocelyn Petroni salon in Woollahra. Level 1, 80 Queen Street, Woollahra, NSW 2025. www.jocelynpetroni.com
Words by Lucie Clark for Vogue Online