September 18-24, 2003

naked city

Skin Deep

Irrigation of life: Matt Titus wants to give you a complete makeoverÖ and clean out your colon. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Matt Titus made his name in the fitness center business. Now he lends that name to a high-price center devoted to the pursuit of beauty.

by A.D. Amorosi

In a universe where first looks are often the only look, Matt Titus is king. At 36, the fast-talking, good-looking health-and-fitness guru has turned himself from the task of manipulating mass and muscle to working on the face and body with his new venture, Titus, an "appearance enhancement boutique."

This is the first of Titus' businesses to bear his name -- he is the man behind such local notable health huts as Manayunk's Body Detail, Wynnewood's Main Line Personal Health and Image, Olde City Ironworks and the Sweat chain of gyms. "The reason my name is on this is because it's the first place that deals with the honesty of looks -- the real reasons behind why we work out, eat well, whatever," he says. "We do it because of the FVI -- First Visual Impression -- of how you get judged."

He's sorry to have to say that. He knows he's being harsh. But Titus insists that we judge each other with this "FVI," specifically on one's skin, teeth and body proportion. So in his new facility, he deals first with those totems of physical attraction. Titus starts from the outside, offering Botox and collagen, FotoFacials, laser teeth whitening, Invisalign dental alignments and an onsite plastic surgeon who focuses on skin care. Then visitors can focus inward, with training, nutrition and weight management services, even colonic irrigation.

"It's bullshit to say you work out because you feel better," Titus says. "You feel good because you look better. Every book is judged by its cover. And you never get a second chance to make a first impression."

Dogmatic, sure. And risky. Titus knows starting a place where you can have your teeth whitened and your colon irrigated may be a bit much in provincial Philadelphia. And it isn't cheap (though a year's membership of $1,000 gets you the works, including afternoon teas and limo service). "It's fucking nuts. If I did this in Beverly Hills, I'd make a mint."

But Titus, who completed a B.A. in psychology and a master's in exercise and physical education at Temple, stands behind his product. He's had each and every one of his services done to him with great regularity. "I've had it all. I'm a vain fuck. I don't care," Titus says. "Look, my personality will carry me far. But if I look good -- it's powerful." He happily admits to having had Botox and fat transplants in his cheeks and lips. "I'm pretty fucking fake. But I'm a pretty good-looking guy. I can maximize what you have genetically. So who cares."

Titus, the place, stands as a tony testament to its creator's personality. For his Fourth and Walnut beauty boîte, Titus says he's seeking a diverse audience, from "26-year-old women who are investment bankers [to] the older wives who have nothing better to do."

Titus' 3,000 square feet of training and treatment rooms include spaces for massage, body wrapping, colonic therapy, dental work and a private gym, plus places to lounge. The decor is minimal but rich with stone and tile, with red glass accents appearing throughout. "The red is so prevalent because it's a powerful color," Titus explains. "I want people who come here to feel like we do, powerful, [to feel] that they have the capacity to immediately change their appearances. We have that capacity -- to instantaneously change their appearance. It's like God. I'm not God. But the feeling is. That's the red. The minimalism [is] because we're direct. No bullshit."

The services are expensive -- perfect for hotels like Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons, who've made a point of putting Titus on speed dial. The training is $70 an hour. But you will constantly be under heart monitors, no matter how minor the activity. The Botox is more expensive because, Titus says, it will be the freshest, cleanest grade. They will micromanage your diet in tandem with local restaurants' daily menus. "No diets. No Band-Aids. I want to change your lifestyle rather than just give you a list," Titus says. The skin care -- from cosmetic peels to full-blown facial reconstruction -- is in partnership with plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen Goldstein. The colon cleansing works for instant weight loss, and also for detoxification before changing your nutritional habits. "I know people are scared of it," Titus says of the hydra-colonic irrigation. He adds without a laugh, "We can fall on our asses with that process."

Matt Titus wants his namesake to be as high-energy and direct as he is. "I want people to feel as consistently good and as upgraded as I do. Regret the things that you've done rather the things that you didn't do. Live dangerously."

Titus, 400 Walnut St., 215-413-3738.