Upper West Spa
New York City’s most skilled teams of skin care experts
Our therapists have over 20 years of experience of working together. The team is delighted to transition after many wonderful years of service from neighborhood landmark, Feline Day Spa, to our beautiful new space.
We perform a variety of services including facials, massage, laser hair removal and are pleased to add medical aesthetic procedures performed by board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Tae Kim.
At Upper West Spa, you will be in the hands of true professionals. Our master providers are fully licensed and extensively trained in the newest techniques and most cutting edge technologies, ensuring a highly personalized and satisfying experience for all our customers.
We also offer a wide variety of advanced skin care products from Skinceuticals, Biopelle, Prescribed Solutions, Repechage and Dermalogica.
We are very excited to welcome you to our new home at Upper West Spa!
Meet Our Team
Dr. Tae Ho Kim
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Tae Ho Kim has more than 16 years of experience as a board certified plastic surgeon and as a masterful human sculptor. He utilizes all treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical, to give you the best algorithm in treating you.
Important treatments like Botox and fillers have emerged to help you look younger, less tired and more refreshed. It is more desirable than ever.
While you may think any doctor could do this well, it actually takes a skillful, experienced and artistic plastic surgeon to restore, reshape and create a more youthful and harmonious balance of your face and body and keeping you looking natural.
Dr. Kim has been a top plastic surgeon in the New York Metro area for nine consecutive years by Castle Connolly and US News and World Report. More importantly, Dr. Kim believes in giving personalized service in a caring, creative way while achieving great natural results with surgical and non-surgical techniques.
Guided by his important principle of The Natural Look, Dr. Kim will give you honest opinions and recommendations about what may be best for you. He will always try to give you proper guidance in the not so simple world of cosmetic and plastic surgery.
Joanna Kaminska
Aesthetician, Certified Laser Technician
Joanna Kaminska has been working on the Upper West Side as an aesthetician for over 25 years. She started at Gemayel Salon & Spa in the early nineties, then moved to Feline Day Spa and more recently to Medaesthetique.
Joanna and a team of talented coworkers were followed by an impressive client base everywhere they moved. It was only natural that after so many years of working as an aesthetician and helping to run other spas, she decided it was time to build a new home for the wonderful clients and colleagues she was lucky to meet over the years. Together, they offer the best facials, massage, laser hair removal, waxing and nail services on the Upper West Side.
Joanna was originally trained in Poland, where she attended a rigorous program and graduated with high honors from Warsaw College of Cosmetology. In 1996 she passed an international exam to become a proud holder of the CIDESCO (Comite International d’Esthetique et de Cosmetologie) Diploma, the most prestigious qualification in the field of aesthetics.
Joanna enjoys staying ahead of the curve, constantly exploring the beauty industry’s latest research, and passing her knowledge on to her coworkers. She frequently attends seminars on new technologies so that she can deliver the highest quality results for her clients. Her drive to constantly learn new techniques has allowed her to collect countless certifications in more advanced treatments.
She is a certified laser technician for laser hair removal and has completed master trainings in microneedling, manual lymphatic drainage, dermaplaning and all forms of exfoliating procedures including JetPeel. She is an avid reader and enjoys sailing, horseback riding, traveling and hiking.
Marta Marek
Aesthetician
Marta Marek graduated from Christine Valmy International School of Aesthetics and Cosmetology in 1987 and has been working on Upper West Side ever since. She started at Feline Day Spa where she tied a close bond with the entire crew of the current Upper West Spa team of professionals.
Marta has always been our in house healer, who had the ability to transport everybody to the “seventh heaven”. Her calm personality, incredible massage technique and a caring touch can melt away every issue life throws at you.
During many years of serving Upper West Side community and taking numerous seminars she also became an expert in advanced skin care treatments including all exfoliating techniques, JetPeel, microdermabrasion, microneedling and more.
She enjoys traveling, learning languages and tango dancing during her free time.
Lucyna Bajan
Aesthetician
Lucyna Bajan began working on the Upper West Side as an aesthetician after graduating from Christine Valmy School of Esthetics and Cosmetology almost 30 years ago. She started her journey at Gemayel Salon & Spa, where she and Joanna first met. The two have been working together since then, followed by a large and loyal client group to Feline Day Spa, then to Medaesthetique, and finally to their new place, Upper West Spa.
After beginning medical school in Poland, Lucyna decided to move to the United States where she became a highly skilled skin therapist.
Her passion for skin care and wellness has always motivated her to attend new seminars and trainings. Her expertise allows her to perform typical “European” facials and bridal make-up, as well as microneedling and advanced peels. She is an expert in JetPeel treatment, and has had the chance to perform it on many celebrities.
Lucyna loves to spend time with her family and her two beautiful dogs, which she rescued from the shelter where she volunteers.
Helena
Aesthetician
Helena earned her esthetician license from Christine Valmy School of Esthetics and Cosmetology and has been practicing in this field since 1990. She began her career in SoHo at the Ayurvedic Skincare Spa, and relocated to the Upper West Side after expanding her skillset to include a variety of modern techniques.
Helena is an expert at combining the gentle approach of traditional Ayurveda with the beauty industry’s newest and most cutting-edge techniques. Her loving touch and background in holistic healing add something special to her treatments and always leave her clients feeling deeply nourished.
Helena specializes in customized facials, microdermabrasion, peels and waxing. Thanks to her experience as a modern and holistic esthetician, she has superb intuition for selecting individualized skin care regimens for her clients.
She is always motivated toward professional growth and enjoys expanding upon her extensive training by keeping up to date with the latest techniques in beauty so that she can continue to exceed her clients’ expectations.
She believes that staying healthy is the surest way to success and happiness, and always encourages her clients to supplement their beauty routines with excellent self-care!
Magdalena
Massage Therapist
Magdalena is a massage therapist with a Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Josef Pilsudski in Warsaw, Poland.
She has honed her skills as a massage therapist over the past 11 years, enhancing her ability to relieve stress and muscle tension with her specialized training in both, physical and massage therapy. Her treatments provide instant relaxation as well as long-term improvements in musculoskeletal health.
Magdalena his passionate about helping her clients to develop healthy lifestyles. Through massage and other relaxation techniques, she has helped dozens of clients recover from excess tension and muscular discomfort. She believes that massage is more than just physical touch; that it heals not only the body but the soul as well and that receiving it on regular basis can help to prevent many injuries.
Iwona
Massage Therapist
Iwona is an alumni of the Swedish Institute, the oldest and most recognized massage institution in the country established in 1916. She has been a licensed massage therapist since early 1990’s and has built a strong client base on Upper West Side.
Her technique reaches far beyond typical Swedish massage. She also specializes in deep tissue, prenatal massage, reflexology and often incorporates myofascial release and stretch into her treatments. Her skills and deep knowledge of musculoskeletal system proved to be essential in her daughter’s incredible progress.
Gaby, her younger daughter was born with severe disability and the family was told she will never walk. Iwona never gave up and after many years of daily massage, stretching and physical therapy Gaby started walking. Our entire team has been able to witness Gaby’s amazing journey over the years and we know that without Iwona’s sacrifice and expertise the outcome would have been totally different.
Iwona is deeply involved in many programs and charities helping children with disabilities.
Dolores
Nail Technician/Jr Aesthetician
Dolores, our licensed nail technician and junior aesthetician is the sweetest person you ever meet, equally loved by clients and coworkers. She is a detail oriented perfectionist and her manicures and pedicures are impeccable and long lasting.
She has been successfully doing nails and waxing for many years, but a couple of years ago she decided to broaden her skills, graduated from aesthetic school and became a licensed aesthetician.
Her specialty are relaxing facials and her touch and massage technique are unforgettable. We are very proud of her drive and hard work since it was not easy for her to find time to complete aesthetic training while working full time and being a mother of four.