Jordan Samuel Pacitti

Lei Musings | Jordan Samuel Pacitti

Muse of the Month: Former Pro Ballet Dancer and Jordan Samuel Skin Owner

Photos courtesy of Angela Sterling and Jordan Samuel Pacitti


The ballet may not be the first place one might find inspiration to create a skin care brand, but sweating under the hot stage lights and wearing heavy stage make-up as a professional ballet dancer for 11 years prompted Jordan Samuel Pacitti to become a skin therapist and launch Jordan Samuel Skin in 2013 to embrace the healthy lifestyle and nutritive choices of ballet dancers. In this interview, the New Yorker shares what drives him creatively and where he goes to escape it all.

Image by ©️Angela Sterling

What creative rituals do you have before/while/after working? 

It’s all about the before for me. I always start my morning with a walk followed by a workout. I feel I need this to help get me going and find that it leaves me energized and activated. The walk in Central Park is the perfect way to ease into my day while still being productive. I get inspired, talk ideas out with my husband, engage in a walking meditation, or simply enjoy both the manmade and natural beauty of the park. Engaging in physical activity first thing allows me to organize my thoughts and offers a fresh perspective on the day ahead. 

What’s on your bedside table?

A hand and body lotion (something we are working on for Jordan Samuel Skin), lip balm, “Simply Halston: The Untold Story” and Norma Kamali’s The Scent.

What’s your favorite part of the creative process?

Not knowing what the final destination will be. I always start with a blueprint of what I think I want the final product to be, but it rarely ever ends up how I initially imagined it.

Photo by ©️Angela Sterling (Left) and photo courtesy of Jordan Samuel Skin (Right)

Where’s the strangest place you find inspiration?

Always an airplane. I can have my phone off, wi-fi off, and no one can reach me. Truly being “shut off” from the outside world and not having to take calls, respond to an email, or be in meetings gives me the freedom I need to really get inspired. The combination of forced free time and absence of distraction in the air really put me in a creative zone that’s hard for me to replicate anywhere else.

What is one thing you do when you are creatively uninspired?

Let it be. I think there is nothing worse than forcing yourself to be creative. So, I just give myself time until the wheels start turning again. 

What place in NYC embodies a true sense of place for you?

Central Park.

Where do you like to go to get away from it all? 

Sicily! It’s a check box of everything I love… the weather, the food, the wine, the people, and the pace of life. The relaxed yet passion-charged atmosphere of the island allows me to take things slower, put things in perspective and really appreciate life.

What’s something you’ve recently rediscovered or revisited?

The book “My Story” by the perfumer Jo Malone. I have read it a few times, and it’s always such an inspiring read.

If you weren’t a small business owner what would you be?

I would either still be in the ballet world—teaching/coaching, or I would be a sommelier.

What’s a spot from your neighborhood that you’ve recently discovered?

This diner on the corner near our apartment! It’s called Madison Restaurant, and I could spend hours in there eating, people watching and working.

What’s the view outside of your window right now?

An apartment building across the street on a very rainy NYC day (we were supposed to have snow).

About Jordan Samuel Skin

JORDAN SAMUEL SKIN is an uncomplicated collection of products for perfectly comfortable skin. Sleekly packaged and easy to use, the curated, results-driven line is inspired by Jordan’s experiences as a professional ballet dancer, as well as the expertise he gained as an esthetician working to address clients’ concerns in the treatment room. Emphasizing a gentle approach to both facial and body skincare, the product range, which includes products that are suitable for all skin types, provides users with opportunities to choreograph their own skincare routines to achieve their unique skin goals via moments of everyday self-care and effortless indulgence.

For more information, please visit: jordansamuelskin.com

Follow on Instagram @jordansamuelskin, TikTok @jordansamuelskin, and YouTube for JORDAN SAMUEL SKIN Talks.


5 Musings of the Month

  1. Congratulations, by the Way. Some Thoughts on Kindness, by George Saunders.
  2. Rezdora – restaurant, NYC
  3. The New York City Ballet
  4. A walk in Central Park
  5. Pomelo – a perfume by Jo Loves