A touch of Pacific in New York

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 20 December 2017, 12:00AM

New York City always seems to carry that unofficial title of being the capital of the world, a centre for finance and business.  

It’s a tough place where people with ambition and energy go to find out how far they can go and what they are made of.

Usually the mecca for aspiring musicians ready to rough it in order to make the big time, one beauty therapist made that brave pilgrimage to the ‘Big Apple’ and has managed to make her mark in the concrete jungle with her own distinctive touch – a “Pacific Touch” to be exact.

Touted by XO Jane online magazine as the “Samoan skin guru”, Nichola Weir is the owner of Pacific Touch NYC which is located in the heart of the Flatiron in Manhattan. Twenty years ago she moved to New York after she fell in love with the city. 

“I fell in love with New York when I moved here nearly 20 years ago, but living here is definitely very different from what I was used to growing up in New Zealand. New York is all about the hustle and chasing the dream in a magical city that ‘never sleeps’.”

Giving New Yorkers a taste of the Island atmosphere, Weirs Skin Therapy clinic rooms are filled with Valerie Beale artwork and the clients wear lavalavas during their treatments while an ocean wave sound machine delicately drowns out New York sounds of sirens, blaring horns and chaos on the street. 

 “In 2009 I opened a skin therapy practice that specializes in providing holistic solutions for skin problems and called it Pacific Touch NYC,” she said. 

 “I had a dream of helping stressed-out New Yorkers by providing them a haven in the middle of a concrete jungle that also showcased a little of my side of the world. I wanted Pacific Touch NYC to help bring the ‘Island’ back to Manhattan.”

And “bring the Island” she did catching the eye of fashion and culture magazines such as XO Jane and Huffpost Style as well as appearing on Rachel Ray talk show where she demonstrated a noninvasive anti-aging treatment, this Samoan skin care guru is on a mission.

 “I am very proud of the fact that years of hard work has established Pacific Touch NYC as an industry leader in holistic skincare on this side of the world with published articles that I have written about skin health in popular Wellness magazine, numerous magazine interviews and a TV appearance on the Rachael Ray show about a cutting edge non-invasive treatment I do with Microcurrent and LED Light Therapy called the Pacific Touch Lift and Glow.”

 “Having suffered from acne for over 15 years I studied esthetics in New York and soon learned that stress and unhealthy life style choices are the main underlying causes of many hypersensitive skin conditions like acne, rosacea and eczema.

 “The idea of being a ‘Pacific’ beauty brand meant so much more to me than the products I used and instead dived much deeper into capturing the essence of what I loved most about being Polynesian and I have tried to infuse this into my business.

 “The importance of community, the value of connection and the power of healing touch on the mind, body and spirit are all things I learnt growing up and this is what I have tried to weave into the fabric of my business from day one.”

According to Ms. Weir, the realities of living in New York usually means cramped living conditions, grueling work schedules, being too far away from family and fast paced living which can and does take a toll on your health and well being. So having a sanctuary that can relax and rejuvenate you is a must and with a unique Polynesian feel, a Pacific touch is exactly what New Yorkers need. 

 “New Yorkers have been extremely receptive to this approach and most articles in the press and reviews written about Pacific Touch NYC talk about the intimacy and quality of the relationship I have with my clients,” Ms. Weir said. 

 “Clients are warmly welcomed with heartfelt hugs; treatments are holistic, completely customized for each client and purposefully unhurried (island time) and I make skin superfood treats to give clients after their treatment with a warm lemon ginger tea or green juice depending on the season.”

Ms. Weir is currently working on expanding her product line of facial oils which initially have been inspired by botanicals indigenous to New Zealand and would like to look at including ingredients that are indigenous to Samoa. 

“I am currently working on expanding my product line and would love to travel to Samoa in the future to explore healing botanicals and extracts that I could incorporate in my facial oils. I also plan to launch an online course that provides people with a step by step framework to heal their acne without using any nasty chemicals or scary medications.”

By Elizabeth Ah-Hi 20 December 2017, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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