Joanna Vargas spa staff accuse facialist to the celebrities of poisonous office: Post investigation

Scoring a spot at NYC’s upcoming Met Gala is only the start for boldfacers and A-listers fortunate sufficient to be included within the prime social occasion of the spring season, held on May 6 this yr. 

What follows the sought-after invite is months of preparation. There are fittings to attend at prime ateliers, high-priced resort suites at The Mark to safe — and, for a lot of, journeys to Joanna Vargas’ shiny Fifth Avenue spa to realize that camera-ready glow. 

Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz, Laverne Cox, Emma Roberts — all have turned to the high-profile esthetician, whose facials can value as much as $1,200.

But a Post investigation revealed accusations of a poisonous office behind the scenes, the place employees had been allegedly belittled and criticized, labored till they fainted or had panic assaults, and had been required to take part in coaching and efficiency workouts they are saying had been tied to Scientology.

“Joanna and Cesar Vargas — they’re the crux of the operation,” a former entrance desk assistant defined of the elite spot. “They’re some of the worst people I’ve ever met.”

For many ladies who dreamt of constructing careers as estheticians, touchdown a job at Joanna Vargas’s spas — there are three places, one in Midtown, one in Brooklyn and a 3rd in Los Angeles — was the holy grail. Vargas constructed a loyal following during the last 20 years — in response to these near her, she’s employed greater than 300 folks throughout that point — and positioned herself as a pacesetter in wellness and feminine empowerment.

Yet, in response to some former staff, the truth at her spa sharply clashed with that public picture.

From 2013 via 2024, 16 former staffers, all of whom requested to stay nameless for concern of retaliation, instructed The Post that the office was outlined by concern, hostility, and relentless strain to carry out. 

Their accounts are supported by inner paperwork, emails, and recordings reviewed by The Post.

“Behind closed doors, she was really vicious to the point where some of these estheticians would come to me crying,” mentioned one former workplace supervisor.

The Post reached out to Joanna and Cesar Vargas for remark. The couple declined to answer allegations. 

‘I am in danger’ 

Many former staff recall references to Scientology being not solely current, however at instances, specific. Some recalled Vargas and her husband overtly discussing their involvement, whereas others allege they got supplies, together with books and pamphlets, within the office.

“They kind of forced us to read a lot of their Scientology books, saying that it’s good for business and personal business and saying that that’s very informative to us, for ourselves, for our future, our career,” mentioned one former esthetician. 

Photos and inner notes reviewed by The Post present weekly performance-tracking formatted as “conditions,” a Scientology system used to categorize staff based mostly on output. 

Workers mentioned they had been labeled in response to their efficiency, reminiscent of “affluent” or “danger,” and pictures reviewed related workouts to Scientology-related books, like The Model of Admin Know How Program.

In one instance shared with The Post, an worker positioned in a “danger” situation was required to finish a written train to determine what they’d achieved mistaken, acknowledge duty, and description how they might appropriate it.

The doc included directives reminiscent of “bypass habits and normal routines,” “start being positive,” and persistently introduce services and products to shoppers and “never fall out of work mode.” 

In one part, she wrote: “I am in danger.”

Employees mentioned they had been additionally required to look at movies by recognized Scientologist Grant Cardone — as a scheduled a part of their work day and to finish written reflections. 

“We’d have to write reports on it… it was f—ing weird,” mentioned one other former esthetician. “He would ask how that made you feel… what did you take away…it was mental.”

“I didn’t know Grant Cardone was a Scientologist until later. I just thought that he was some kind of business mogul that Cesar loved,” mentioned a former workplace supervisor.  “I guess we were gullible, because we kind of ate that shit up.  I felt extremely brainwashed.”

Emails and recordings reviewed by The Post present Cesar utilizing terminology related to Scientology, reminiscent of “Theta” and “flaps on handlings.” 

In one recorded assembly, he referenced the video trainings straight, telling employees: “This is why we have you watch Grant Cardone.”

Pressure to carry out

Across interviews, former staff described an atmosphere by which job safety felt unstable. After twisting her ankle, one former aesthetician acquired a warning for failing to supply a precise return date, noting that three warnings might result in termination.

“I was constantly scared for my job. Even though I was doing well, it felt like it was never enough for them,” mentioned one former workplace supervisor.

Staff mentioned the couple set the tone. Cesar managed operations and gross sales; Joanna labored with estheticians.

“His approach to this was extremely paternalistic,” mentioned one former entrance desk assistant. “Not a whole lot of regard for us as competent human beings.”

Another former worker describes Cesar as a narcissist who belittles employees and flaunts his designer wardrobe and luxurious gadgets. A observe that can be seen on a number of of his social media posts.

“He would literally say verbatim to us, ‘ Do you think I look rich? How rich do you think I am? How much money do you think I have in my bank account? And he would literally make us guess, and then be like, this is what you’re working towards,” mentioned one former entrance desk assistant.

“He is super controlling and just has a view that everyone who works for him is lesser,” mentioned a former entrance desk employees member. “People worked there for years without raises.”

While Cesar was allegedly the controlling one, staff mentioned Joanna was subtler however equally unsettling, typically criticizing staff not directly. One former esthetician recollects Joanna, via a coworker, saying she might by no means put on a sure outfit once more as a result of she ‘looked tired.’

“She does that so you feel unworthy of even being addressed by Joanna,” she mentioned.

During a coaching on a brand new facial, a former esthetician recollects Joanna, who is thought to make use of profanity, cursing at employees over a Q-tip left in a cream jar, calling it “f–ing disgusting” and demanding to know who was accountable.

“She’s staring at you. Your hands are shaking. You can’t do your job. She’s just broken you down. As you work, she just says, ‘No. Wrong.’”

Fainting on the subway 

Employees mentioned efficiency was pushed by bundle and product gross sales. Front desk employees mentioned they had been anticipated to fulfill day by day income targets—typically as excessive as $30,000—via chilly calls, e-mail campaigns, and upselling packages. When the quota was not met, a former entrance desk assistant alleges Cesar would sit on the desk and monitor them.

In an e-mail reviewed by the Post, Cesar wrote, “If we aren’t demanding or making them work, very little sales is made.”

Beyond seeing shoppers, employees had been required to jot down 25 handwritten letters weekly to encourage bookings. In an e-mail reviewed by The Post, Cesar criticized an esthetician recovering from overuse hand ache for not writing letters, calling her “not MASTER worthy” and demanding extra output with “acknowledgement.”

When one entrance desk assistant was simply shy of her day by day quota, she fainted from stress, in response to a former aesthetician who was along with her.

“She’s only 22 years old, she’s passing out on the train because of work,” mentioned a former esthetician who was along with her in the course of the incident. “She made $18,000 for them that day, and that still wasn’t enough for them.”

In a resignation e-mail reviewed by The Post, one former entrance desk assistant described the office as “toxic and demoralizing,” citing “constant micromanagement and belittlement” and “a relentless pursuit of profit at the expense of employee well-being.” 

The letter additionally alleged that Cesar made inappropriate feedback about staff’ funds, calling his conduct “profoundly unprofessional” and “lacking empathy or respect.”

‘Cannot work like a machine’

12-hour shifts had been routine, with little time for breaks or restoration, leaving employees bodily drained. One former esthetician recollects working 9 days in a row.

Taking time without work was troublesome with out penalties. Company coverage allegedly required employees to make up missed days, making it unattainable to get better from sickness or damage and resulting in burnout. Internal emails reviewed by the Post present one therapeutic massage therapist saying calls for worsened present accidents.

“Working extra days to cover myself defeats the purpose… since it will be adding more stress to my inflamed hands,” she wrote. In one other e-mail she requested about having a 30-minute break. “I simply cannot work like a machine. I can’t stress enough how important this is for my health and the longevity of my career.”

That inflexibility, staff mentioned, prolonged even to private crises. One esthetician, studying her father had a coronary heart assault throughout her commute, mentioned she was nonetheless anticipated to complete remedies earlier than leaving.

“I had to work even if my dad was dying…,” she mentioned, including related expectations utilized throughout critical well being points, together with partial paralysis from herniated discs.

Even quitting was troublesome. When one former esthetician tried to resign, she was disregarded.

“They were just saying, ‘No, you’re not going anywhere. You’re fine. You’re not gonna find better than this.’”

The ‘ugly’ actuality

Former staff mentioned the strain contained in the spa additionally stemmed from how they had been spoken to.

Weekly company-wide conferences had been tense as efficiency was mentioned in entrance of friends. One esthetician mentioned the conferences diminished her, no matter her efficiency.

Others described moments the place Cesar allegedly made inappropriate remarks about price being tied to appearances, which was notably unsettling.

“He said, ‘ugly people can not make more money than beautiful people. The same thing goes for fat people; they make less money than skinny people,” a former worker with data of inner operations alleges. 

“This is a room full of women. And you’re degrading us,” she remembers considering on the time.

Comments about appearances weren’t remoted to only conferences. One former workplace supervisor, scuffling with an autoimmune flare-up, describes “countless” instances the place Cesar requested if she had free time to go to the health club.

“He would always reference it,” she mentioned, recalling the repeated feedback directed at her weight. “I really didn’t appreciate that.”

They additionally allege that Joanna’s conduct added to the tradition via favoritism, gossip, and public embarrassment, making a catty, “high school-like” atmosphere.

“Joanna was like a full-grown adult mean girl, times a thousand,” mentioned one former esthetician, who alleges Joanna saying issues like “I hate her voice,” and “oh my god she’s so annoying,” about her employees.

“In public, she talks about girl power, but we all smirk, knowing she isn’t about girl power,” mentioned one other former esthetician. 

In some instances, that dynamic performed out via direct humiliation, in response to a number of accounts. One former esthetician recalled Joanna allegedly lashing out throughout a coaching session after she requested a query.

“She said, Are you stupid? You just need to shut up and listen sometimes,” she mentioned. “I started crying… it was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me.”

Violations alleged

The spa’s atmosphere additionally raised issues about compliance with labor legal guidelines.​

One former inner operations worker mentioned she instantly recognized worrying points, reminiscent of failing to trace or pay worker sick days. She alleges that Cesar dismissed her issues.

“They were like, ‘We don’t. You don’t have to pay them for it. They’re not working,” she mentioned.

She additionally mentioned she raised issues about an alleged coverage requiring staff to make up missed time, not giving employees breaks.

According to a consultant from the New York Department of Labor, practices reminiscent of failing to supply required breaks, requiring staff to make up sick time, or improperly dealing with pay might represent violations of state labor regulation.

“We would encourage this individual to file a formal Labor Standards complaint so that our team could review this matter,” the consultant wrote in an e-mail.

In truth, The Post’s investigation discovered no authorized complaints or investigations in opposition to the spa or its homeowners that replicate this, neither is there any proof that they’ve ever been cited or discovered responsible for any violation of regulation. Still, a number of former staff mentioned they didn’t report incidents as a result of they had been unfamiliar with labor protections or as a result of they’d no different choices.

Relief and restoration

One former model supervisor who visited the New York salon solely as soon as per thirty days recollects a lukewarm expertise working at Joanna Vargas and admitted she didn’t see something notably poisonous throughout these visits; nonetheless, she was normally sitting upstairs within the workplace.

Overall, she instructed The Post that she was impressed with the enterprise they constructed and talked about that many different magnificence manufacturers she’s labored with function equally when it comes to pushing bundle gross sales.

Despite her recount, the overwhelming unfavourable reviews of the atmosphere contained in the Fifth Avenue spa left a long-lasting impression on staff.

Staff reported struggling nervousness, self-doubt, and signs related to post-traumatic stress.

While some employees members attested in emails despatched to The Post to having optimistic working experiences, the 16 staff interviewed by The Post shared unfavourable experiences that mirrored related patterns.

“I have workplace anxiety now because of this job, just the constant feeling like someone is out to get me,” mentioned one former workplace supervisor who described feeling “broken” and unable to work for months. “I was having nightmares. I was crying in the shower.”

Others reported bodily signs like stress rashes, hair loss, exhaustion, and burnout. One esthetician mentioned it led to panic dysfunction.

“When I left there, I had a full-blown mental breakdown,” she mentioned. “I had to be on medication, and I couldn’t work for four months because I was a fucking mess.”

One former workplace supervisor mentioned quitting made her really feel “exuberant.”

“I loved writing that email saying I was quitting,” she mentioned. “I came to work in a luxury space, and this is the exact opposite. This is disgraceful.”

Still, some discovered comfort of their resilience. 

“The best thing I did was work for her, and the best thing I ever did was to leave her,” mentioned a former esthetician. 

“Working with her has taught me to be so strong that no one in this world could destroy me.”