Top Shelfie: Esthetician Cali Strauhs

"I have so many people come in with the healthiest, cleanest diets, yet they’re in fight-or-flight and their hormones are out of whack."

Mar 03, 2026

Welcome back to Health Gossip Top Shelfies, a series peeking into the medicine cabinets, vitamin shelves, and beauty rituals of our dear community.

Today’s guest is Cali Strauhs, a New York City-based esthetician and the founder of Strauhs Studios. With an integrative approach that blends holistic skincare with clinical precision, her studio has quickly become a go-to for beauty editors, models, and women in the know. Below, a closer look at her skincare philosophy and daily routines.

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Top Shelfie: Cali Strauhs

Who are you?

Cali Strauhs (@calistrauhs @strauhstudios). Based in NY, I like to spend my time decompressing in many different ways, one of which is traveling to Brighton Beach to go to the Russian bathhouse, taking milk baths, expanding my mind and heart, and finding ways to do good in the world. I gift treatments to people who really need them and are going through hardship in their lives, rather than making it some big announcement or giveaway. I like that stuff to happen naturally; it’s what makes me feel alive. Ever since I was little, my family thought I was nuts. I remember getting into conversations with people living on the street and just talking for hours. Very much in my Scorpio nature.

How would you describe your approach to beauty and wellness?

I have always been a maximalist. Not so much a diva, but someone who truly enjoys finding ways to take better care of ourselves, mentally and physically. I’m a sensitive, empathic girl, so I energetically have to decompress every day.

Having acne-prone skin is what drew me to become a practitioner myself. My approach has shifted over the years because acne taught me how to take better care of myself beyond just topical treatments. There is no quick fix (well, sometimes we get lucky) without taking a proper scan of our overall nervous systems. Skin helps us come back to ourselves.

I have so many people come in with the healthiest, cleanest diets, yet they’re in fight-or-flight mode and their hormones are out of whack.

What are some of your must-haves?

I’ve been testing out a new product coming out that I’m absolutely loving called True Tone 2.0. It’s quite active, but that’s what I like — and that’s how I’ve been able to achieve real results and skin transformations in my practice.

True Tone contains retinyl propionate (non-negotiable — vitamin A in general), mandelic acid, kojic acid, lactic acid, and more. Why is using a form of vitamin A non-negotiable for me? We are constantly getting depleted of vitamin A daily. Regular use of vitamin A helps restore barrier function. It’s not about strong doses, but rather gentle amounts that you can tolerate and use regularly for daily cell turnover.

(Though, if you have an impaired barrier, you’ll want to start with healing your barrier first before introducing actives.)

Another product I’m drooling over is this form of collagen induction therapy we offer, which I named “BioLift,” also known as bio modulation or bio needling. It was originally used in nose surgery and was created by a surgeon in the EU. We use microscopic spongilla spicules to create a cascade of natural function in the skin that is completely regenerative and stimulates new cell growth. Amazing for pigment.

Any health or beauty secrets you swear by?

Microcurrent on the neck and traps for pain! The Big 6 Method and trampoline every single day to move lymph. Sauna regularly to live a long and prosperous life. Trust that your unique nature is what makes you perfect. Trust that life never runs out of good things for you to experience.

What’s on your wishlist?

My ultimate wish list item is a wood-fired sauna, which isn’t really possible in New York City. Infrared saunas don’t cut it for me; there’s something about an almost unbearable heat that makes you want to jump into the snow.