The phrase "most wonderful time of the year" is usually marked by the ringing bells, unsettling brisk, and warm gatherings of the winter holiday season. However, Equinox Hotels, known for hosting the fittest guests in New York City, is hoping to make the weeks leading up to Met Gala Monday your new favorite time of year.
On the first Monday in May, the Met Gala is the only event that matters. The red carpet is filled with opulent gowns, grandeur, and intricate symbolism from head to toe. In a city that never sleeps, Met Gala Monday is a day when rest is almost impossible. But that's about to change with the launch of a unique experience where beauty, fashion, and relaxation converge.
Today, April 3, Equinox Hotels has announced its most ambitious partnership yet: The Ultimate Met Gala Beauty Experience.
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Equinox Hotels’ signature tagline reads, “For Those Who Want It All.” The Ultimate Met Gala Beauty Experience takes this notion and ups the ante by marrying Equinox Hotels’ wellness-conscious methodology, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Lara Devgan’s beauty expertise, and luxury fashion house Valentino’s graceful pomp to introduce a new transformation that leaves you in better shape than when you arrived. The all in question costs a whopping $12,000, though, and for good reason. Luxury indulgence is what you’re paying for.
“Indulgence in the context of our pre-Met Gala package means a one-of-a-kind, high-end luxury experience that prioritizes beauty, fashion, and well-being for guests and attendees alike. The package takes our everyday luxury offerings to the next level through our partnership with Dr. Lara Devgan, a renowned plastic surgeon and beauty expert, and luxury fashion house Valentino,” says Ara Patterson, Vice President of Food, Beverage, and Spa at Equinox Hotels. “The Pre-Met Gala package offers the pinnacle of luxury in an exclusive, high-end experience. By offering the package in the weeks leading up to the Met Gala, we are providing attendees (or anyone seeking a red-carpet-ready look) with ample time to look and feel their best prior to the event,” she adds.
The experience will take place starting on April 15 and will end on May 1, the day of this year's Met Gala. For two nights, Equinox Hotels guests are submerged in opulence from check-in to check-out. The two-night stay is designed specifically to intrigue Met Gala attendees and beauty obsessives alike with a package that prioritizes rest and relaxation as much as it does leisure and health. The stay includes two nights at Equinox Hotels and facial and body treatments at the Spa at Equinox Hotel. The lofty price tag also includes a $200 credit to Equinox Hotels’ coveted Electric Lemon restaurant, a curated set of products from renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Lara Devgan’s eponymous skincare range, and consultation with Dr. Devgan for one of the most coveted treatments on the Upper East Side beauty menu. The experience allows for plenty of time for exhausted, overcaffeinated visitors to hit pause on their busy lives and enter a serene haven where luxury isn't a perk, but a part of your lifestyle—even if for two days. Guests are empowered to feel their best through the beauty and fitness offerings that are the clear standouts of the two-day respite, such as:
Gold Collagen Facial by Dr. Lara Devgan
Designed by Dr. Lara Devgan, the Gold Collagen Facial is the 60-minute tune-up that Met Gala attendees or hotel guests can indulge in for a plump glow. Focused primarily on hydration and brightening, this facial begins with a cleanser and a gentle, non-abrasive scrub to slough away any impurities. The facial is punctuated by the star of the show, the Gold Collagen Mask, which is infused with hyaluronic acid, vitamins, and peptides to improve texture and brighten dull skin to reveal a glow.
Lymphatic drainage treatment with Icoone Roboderm
Abs aren't made in a day, but the process can be expedited with this lymphatic drainage massage using a cool technology called Icoone Roboderm. Like the arms of Spiderman's perennial foe Dr. Otto, the Icoone machine features just two "arms" with handpieces that the massage therapist will use to work across the same area to tone and define. As the stimulators are glided across the targeted area, you'll feel a pinching sensation that can be intensified or abated depending on your tolerance level.
Choice of Cryotherapy or Infrared Sauna
Whether you enjoy a cold plunge or like to sweat the day out, each therapy is designed to alleviate stress from your muscles and relieve any pain. Cryotherapy has smaller, bite-sized sessions that can go up to 15 mins, depending on your target area, while the infrared sauna can be used for up to 60 mins.
Private pilates reformer session at Equinox Hudson Yards
Pilates is the workout du jour for its ability to strengthen muscles and improve posture and tone and sculpt the body with consistent sessions. This session includes your very own private instructor who tailors the workout to your expertise and strength level. Through a series of full-body stretches and strengthening flow, your body is pushed to its full potential to leave you feeling confident enough to book your next class.
Gold Microinfusion Microneedling Treatment
Glass skin can be achieved using a cocktail of products, but this signature treatment from Dr. Lara Devgan's office can pull results faster than your favorite serum. The Gold Microinfusion Facial aims to boost collagen production and smooth skin texture using a needling device designed with a slew of micro gold-plated needles to impart a blend of hyaluronic acid, PRP, and Botox.
“Botox shrinks the piloerector muscles in the skin so it makes the skin look poreless. The hyaluronic acid plumps the skin because it goes right into the dermis, and the PRP, the blood product derivative, is rich in growth factors that ramp up stem cell activity. The microneedling itself is collagen production, so it has all those mechanisms of action,” Dr. Devgan explains to ELLE.com. The results appear over the course of seven days and reveal brighter-looking skin with fewer wrinkles and fine lines and more radiance. For those looking to get this ahead of the Met Gala, it's wise to book at least a week in advance of any big nights.
Elsewhere in the two-night stay, you'll encounter the fashion offering. Upon entering the suites, guests are met with a Valentino Vanity Case exclusively designed for this Equinox Hotels package. The set includes a large vanity case with three compact sizes for accessories, mini makeup, and other tiny knickknacks. Enclosed in the gift is an invitation to a personal Valentino shopping experience at the house’s SoHo location, perfect for those looking for a last-minute get-up for any special occasion.
Melding the worlds of beauty, fashion, and fitness isn't that unlikely of a pairing, as this partnership expands Equinox Hotels' reach far beyond the fitness and wellness walls it has long been entrenched in.
“With the Met Gala being fashion’s biggest night of the year, and this year’s theme being “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” it presented a unique opportunity for our team to provide unfettered access to our Equinox ecosystem. Beauty, fashion, and well-being have an understood synergy and work in tandem with one another. Dr. Lara Devgan, a renowned plastic surgeon and beauty expert, has been a phenomenal partner at The Spa by Equinox Hotels. Combining that treatment with an exclusive shopping experience at the luxury fashion house, Valentino, and our on-site facilities designed for regeneration, creates an invaluable inner and out-of-body experience, only offered at Equinox Hotels,” Patterson adds.
The Equinox Hotel New York has always exemplified an elegant and unassuming charm, standing tall among the buildings of the Hudson Yards campus. However, it's the hotel's soothing atmosphere that keeps guests coming back, even in the fast-paced environment of New York City. With its blend of beauty, fashion, and relaxation, what more could one ask for?
Nerisha is the beauty commerce editor at ELLE.com, covering all things beauty (and fashion and music). She has a penchant for sneakers and nude lip glosses, and spends way too much time re-watching 90s sitcoms.
