Three Wilton residents are behind two exciting new business ventures in the area, bringing fresh, modern approaches to a variety of self-care services.
Naqi Medical Spa: Wellness and Aesthetics, Two Sides of the Same Coin
“My practice is focused on feeling like your best self, really from the inside out,” said Yasmin Santos, founder of Naqi Medical Spa in Ridgefield.
Santos — who has lived in Wilton since 2016 and hails from the family that owns and operates CT Coffee in Wilton Center — is a nurse practitioner with more than 10 years of experience in traditional medicine settings as well as advanced training in aesthetic treatments.
Now celebrating the one-year anniversary of the spa’s opening, Santos is reflecting on lessons learned, celebrating growth, and actively pursuing a Wilton location.
Santos says there are two sides to her new practice.
“The functional medicine, our wellness side, really looks at the things under the surface. We deal with hormone health, gut health, stress and inflammation, and all the things that really shape how you feel,” Santos explained. “And then the aesthetic side gives us the tools to enhance, refresh, restore what we see in the mirror, what’s more on the surface.”
However, she sees them as two sides to the same coin.
“Looking and feeling good — you can’t have one without the other,” she said.
Santos’ commitment to whole-person care comes from years in traditional medical settings, where she often saw patients after they experienced health issues.
“I try to get ahead of that, because often in medicine, we don’t necessarily do that. We treat the person when they’re feeling ill, as opposed to treating ahead,” she said.
Her hope is to help people “feel comfortable with these kinds of conversations” about wellness.
For Santos, the spa’s name adds an important dimension to her motto, “your wellness, our mission.”
“[In Turkish culture], ‘Naqi’ actually stands for pure,” Santos explained. “When people think about aesthetics, they might think of a very unnatural thing, [like] cosmetics. So that’s why the name came about, because it means pure, natural.”
Some clients don’t know where to start or what they need.
“I find that people are apprehensive,” Santos said. “So my doors are open… just to have a conversation.”
That philosophy applies to both women and men. “I don’t just focus on women’s health,” Santos said. “We can’t forget about men. But women’s health is something that is very dear to my heart, because as a woman, I feel that we’ve been neglected from that portion of medicine.”
“My focus is on empowering you to feel your best from the inside out, throughout your wellness journey,” she emphasized, adding that “everyone’s path is unique.”
Santos has deep ties to the Wilton community. Her father, Jim Shilleh, opened CT Coffee in town nearly 20 years ago, where she and her sisters each spent years behind the counter.
“I didn’t grow up in Wilton, but there’s part of me that feels like I did,” she said.
Santos eventually put down her own roots in town, and has lived here for the past nine years. When she began planning her practice, she first looked for a space in Wilton Center.
“I was looking to really bring it to Wilton, because that’s kind of what I know [and] where a lot of my clients are, ” she said.
However, in part due to uncertainty at the time about proposed redevelopments in Wilton Center and no real luck finding the right location, she eventually found space at 38a Grove Street in nearby Ridgefield.
After hitting the one-year milestone, Santos says the experience has been both humbling and energizing.
“As a small business owner, it definitely has its challenges,” she reflected. “But there’s been a lot of learning, a lot of growth, and I’m really excited for the future of it… just to see where this can go, and just how much it can grow.”
And just where might it go? Santos revealed she is “actively” pursuing a Wilton location.
“That is my primary interest,” she said. “Hopefully the stars will align, and in 2026, that will be where I am.”
Face Foundrié: Results-Driven, Accessible Skincare
A Wilton couple, Cavan and Lisa Pohlschroeder, are in the midst of celebrating the grand opening of Face Foundrié, a unique “facial bar” franchise that offers luxurious, professional skincare treatments in an approachable, accessible way. Its location at 1117 High Ridge Rd., Stamford is the first for the brand in New England.
The Pohlschroeders oversaw two big events last week, including a Sept. 19 ribbon-cutting with Gov. Ned Lamont and other guests. Cavan Pohlschroeder shared the highlights with GOOD Morning Wilton.
“[It] was a great way to kick things off,” he said. “We gave [Lamont] the tour. He was very engaged, asked a lot of good questions. He’s very small-business-minded.”
The company’s CEO and founder, Michele Henry, joined the festivities at the public grand opening on Sept. 20, which also featured Wilton-based Blue Door Flower Farm and The Painted Cookie as vendors at the event. Pohlschroeder was very pleased with the turnout.
“We had a line, 25–30 people deep waiting,” he said. “It was a great turnout.”
The decision to open in Stamford came after months of scouting locations. Pohlschroeder said the business model for what is envisioned as a “flagship” franchise location depended on a large population center that Stamford offers. He noted the location benefits from easy access to the Merritt Parkway and other major roadways, and a wide draw from surrounding towns.
He also expects brand awareness and foot traffic for Face Foundrié will be boosted by numerous neighboring businesses, which include Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, Orange Theory, Barnes & Noble, and Crumbl Cookies, among many others.
However, having grown up in Wilton and relocated back during the pandemic, Pohlschroeder also sees Wilton as a potentially desirable location for another Face Foundrié in the future.
“I could see Wilton being very suitable for a smaller location, depending on how things work out,” he said.
At least for now, Pohlschroeder believes the Stamford location is close enough for Wilton residents to make monthly visits a realistic part of their service routine.
At the core of Face Foundrié’s concept is the idea that luxurious and effective skincare doesn’t need to be out of reach. Pohlschroeder says the goal is to remove the common “pain points” — time, cost and negative past experiences — while fitting into modern lifestyles.
“I think what we’re doing is really unique,” he said. “We really offer luxury and professional skincare in a manner that is unlike anything else in the marketplace — we make it completely approachable, accessible and affordable.”
“We really want to be a one-stop shop for all things facial skin care. We do brows and lashes as well,” he added.
Pohlschroeder says accessibility means being open seven days a week, having walk-in service as well as appointments, and offering other features that make the services convenient — including an app for booking, tracking treatment history and customizing routines. To add flexibility, memberships are available as well as à la carte menu options.
“It’s all about fitting into a modern lifestyle,” he said.
Face Foundrié’s grand opening celebration continues with a small business networking event featuring Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m.
[Editor’s note: this story was edited to clarify ‘naqi’ connection to Turkish culture.]