Passionate about skincare from an early age, Pietro Simone began his foray into the world of beauty by giving facials to his friends’ moms. Finding his true calling, he eventually began working at La Prairie, where he learned an array of facial and body techniques. At the age of 24, he left to open his first beauty concept store in Italy. In 2016, he moved to London and opened the Pietro Simone Clinic, which has since been rebranded as the Pietro Simone Beauty Concept Store. By that time, he had already begun formulating his own skincare line, Pietro Simone Skincare. Crossing the pond, Simone founded the House of Pietro Simone, a high-tech, high-touch skincare clinic, in New York City in 2023. Located in SoHo, the clinic is popular for those interested in a range of innovative skincare technologies. Here, Simone shares how he maintains his own wellbeing and the wellness innovations he is obsessing over.
What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness, for me, is about thriving, not just surviving. It’s a state of mind and body that allows a different way to exist. Health, mental health, and emotions are so perfectly correlated that taking care of them leads to a magnificent level of complete wellness. It’s a path to discover your inner self and your inner balance, your past and your future. It is about really allowing and encouraging yourself to be open to changes that can beautifully impact your life and your loved ones.
What are your favorite things to do to maintain your personal wellbeing?
It’s a mix. I personally love delving into a deep understanding of my internal self and partake in a monthly therapy session to clear my mind both from my private and professional life, which can’t be dissociated. I have a great life coach, and we discuss everything, and I find it very enriching. Pilates, hot yoga, gym, and other training are a weekly must! Food and longevity are also a very big interest for me. I enjoy the cryotherapy chamber, ice plunge, infrared sauna, and hyperbaric chamber. I find them incredibly effective in managing stress and how this truly impacts us. I guess I do a lot, but honestly, for me, it’s like I’m not doing it. It’s a natural routine that I vary according to how I feel.
Is there a specific fitness activity that you love and why?
I certainly love hot yoga and Pilates, as well as long walks with my dog, Winnie, on the beach, especially during the winter. Gym and various workouts are always a great add-on in my routine and equally pleasurable times with friends and family and good laughs. I personally think all of them are key to our overall wellness and wellbeing.
What is your favorite healthy food, and do you have a favorite way of preparing it?
I’m Italian for those who don’t know my accent! So, food is a big topic. Generally, I love making soups. I could have soup every day. I love selecting the best veggies in combo with good proteins, steamed rather than boiled. I know it sounds weird, but the taste is great. I use a lot of herbs, which are phenomenal for our bodies. It’s the same process that I use to make my skincare.
What is your favorite healthy beverage (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), and do you have any insider tips for preparing it?
I certainly love Napa Valley wine. The Italians are having a heart attack right now, but the soil over there allows an explosion of my favorite Cab Franc! I love the artisanal process behind winemaking, the extreme attention to detail, the seasonality, and the avoidance of chemicals. So, I personally love it! I also like a great martini with vodka, not gin, and surely dirty.
What is your greatest wellness achievement?
Being nearly 40 years old and not taking any chemical medications.
What is the best piece of wellness advice you have ever received and from whom?
Nothing is the same for everyone. Don’t be fooled by miracles. It all requires work and a willingness to succeed.
What do you think is the most exciting wellness innovation you have recently discovered?
The ritual of breathing between ice plunges, the infrared sauna, and the hyperbaric chamber. To me, they’re like a teacher who is teaching me how to fight and strategize stress. There is a big psychological component in these therapies that deeply enhances my life.
What is your idea of balanced, healthy happiness?
I think it’s a complicated balance, but I do believe that when you are distressed, rather than walk away, go through every emotion causing your distress and be aware that you’re resilient and you will make it. Thoughts can hurt you, but they can also heal you.
What is your favorite place for a healthy vacation or escape?
Anywhere where the ocean is, possibly the Caribbean or Maldives. They are breathtaking, the colors, the dawn, and the sunset. I fall in love again every single time I’m there.
What is your favorite self-care routine?
Wake up, oil pulling, tongue scraping, remove my castor oil pack, cleanse my face, and apply a hydrating cream meanwhile playing with my dog, Winnie.
What is your go-to for de-stressing?
A massage, absolutely a massage, and possibly a hammam. The ritual of cleansing plays on my senses; manifesting the stress to be cleansed with a subsequent massage, the touch, all extremely important to feel the flow of energies in my body.
How do you celebrate small victories?
Sharing is my choice. Sharing my small victories with my loved one and surely with whoever is part of it, it’s my go-to. Cooking for them and having a great night together.
What brings you joy?
In this stage of my life, I take joy from every angle, because I want to celebrate everyone and everything. My partner, my family, my friends, and to be honest, all the beautiful clients I have that through me have an experience and feel better. Knowing that I can make a positive impact in their life makes me not just happy but also joyful and grateful.
