How Le Petit Saint became Mayfair’s must-visit beauty and wellness clinic

Words: Sophia Charalambous

The perfect shade of plaster pink walls, a marble fountain, velvet sofas and 120kg crystal angel wings suspended from a skylight all ensure that Le Petit Saint at 49 Charles Street is a sanctuary in which to breathe amid the chaos of the city. It is the brainchild of Australian aesthetic physician Dr Joseph Hkeik, who already has a successful sister clinic, All Saint Clinic, with various locations around Sydney. All are designed with a people- first approach, with the goal of individuals leaving the space feeling more confident than when they arrived.

Hkeik says: “When I started to do aesthetic medicine 27 years ago in Sydney, I realised just giving someone a couple of injections is not going to change anything. You can give someone better shape, you can lift their eyebrows, but we're just fixing a little tiny problem, not a big complex entity.”

That's when he decided to further his education in dermatology, nutrition, wellness and healing to understand how to make the journey better for his clients. Cue All Saint Clinic and Le Petit Saint- clinics centred on the art of surrender. Clients walk through the door, leave everything behind and embark on the healing journey. Working closely with Hkeik is medical director Dr Raul Cetto, a leading aesthetic medicine physician and pioneer in dermal fillers. The holistic approach is, of course, backed up by science, hi-tech equipment and results.

The Signature Wellness Journey is a popular treatment, and includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy plus EnergyPod and lymphatic drainage, as well as iDome triple detox light therapy – ideal for those who feel fatigued after travel or generally lacking in energy.

“It is not trying to make everyone perfect, because perfection is the opposite of beauty,” Hkeik says. “I'm trying to enhance their face to take it back in time, balance it, make it more harmonious, so when people look at you, they cannot not look more, because they want to really see it, they want to admire what you are. “But more importantly, fixing the energy inside, because it's the energy that shines through your face and your eyes and smile that draws people towards you and also gives you the freedom to go outside into the world and do whatever you want to do because you feel more confident, you feel at home.”

Ending up in Mayfair wasn't the direct intention of Hkeik, as coming from Australia, he just wanted to choose the area he felt was right. After walking around different neighbourhoods in London, from Chelsea to Belgravia and Marylebone, he felt the connection to the five- level Georgian townhouse in Mayfair without even knowing the location was a hub for wellness excellence.

Hkeik adds: “I just felt energy wise, this area spoke to me, and then when I saw this building, and I asked to see it twice, there was something unique about it – it's got an energy that is so peaceful and beautiful and it's got so much light.” Light is integral to the work at Le Petit Saint – every treatment room of the townhouse is flooded with natural light, particularly the VIP facial suite with a skylight above the aesthetics bed so you can watch birds in the trees as you surrender.

Every journey begins with a private consultation, while each treatment has been designed by Hkeik to be multilayered and focusing on light, from the aesthetic treatments such as dermal fillers and anti- wrinkle treatments to advanced facials, skin rejuvenation using LED light, ultrasound, quantum molecular resonance and whole-body wellness including lymphatic drainage and Exomind neurotherapy.

“I've always been a visionary about these things, and I'm an energy person,” Hkeik explains. “It doesn't matter if you're black, white, English or you're Australian – we all want the same thing, we want to feel peace in our heart. I've been blessed because my mother was like this. I could see my mum elevating people's energy.”

The results are obvious in the number of clients who report back to Hkeik about their life progress – people changing their careers, winning those big contracts, going for the job interview they previously never dared to apply for.

Hkeik believes the key is doing everything with heart. “I'm doing it because I really care – if I don't care about you, you're going to see it because people are not stupid,” he says. “Being genuine is very important. This is what the brand is about and I impress this on everyone in here.”