LINDSAY MALACHOWSKI OF TREAT
Lindsay Malachowski is the founder of TREAT, a luxury medspa brand that blends advanced aesthetic technology with a deeply personalized client experience. Since launching TREAT, Lindsay has focused on creating a welcoming environment where beauty is viewed as a source of empowerment. Her approach combines state-of-the-art treatments, wellness expertise, and curated client care, helping thousands achieve their aesthetic goals while embracing confidence in every aspect of life. TREAT has quickly become a destination for those seeking both transformation and trust in the medspa space.
Leaving a successful role to build your vision is bold. What’s something you’ve done at TREAT that you never could have done under someone else’s brand?
Starting from scratch gave me the freedom to reimagine every detail, from how the space flows to how the treatments are delivered. I could move fast, make decisions quickly, and focus only on what really matters for the client experience.
In a larger, more established brand, change moves more slowly. There’s more red tape, more layers. At TREAT, I’ve been able to strip away what doesn’t work and build a business that feels intentional, modern, and truly aligned with where the industry is going.
For us at TREAT, that means focusing on what matters most to the client, and leveraging new technology, like AI 3D photo analysis through Aura Reality.
Aura allows us to capture ultra-detailed images of the face, analyze things like texture, symmetry, and volume, and track results with measurable precision. It also gives patients the ability to simulate potential aesthetic outcomes before starting treatment.
In my opinion, AI is going to revolutionize the aesthetic industry. It enhances how we assess, plan, and deliver results, and being able to lead with that innovation is something I could only do by building TREAT from the ground up.
What’s one thing you obsessed over in launching TREAT that probably went unnoticed by most customers, but mattered deeply to you?
I obsessed over the space! We really wanted to create a beautiful space that felt inviting, but also was big enough and had the best flow for co-branded events with our community and neighboring businesses. We’ve already hosted four events in our space in the first six weeks, from our launch event to women’s beauty networking events. We have plans to hold more intimate gatherings to bring together the community, as well as events featuring industry experts and panels.
You’ve said before that a medspa isn’t just about beauty—it’s about confidence, energy, and momentum. What does “beauty as fuel” mean to you now, as a founder?
To me, “beauty as fuel” means when you feel good in your skin, you carry that confidence into every part of your life, your relationships, your work, your energy. Because when you look good, you feel good.
As a founder, I’ve seen firsthand how the right treatment plan can be the catalyst for real change, not just physically, but emotionally. That’s the heart of what we do at TREAT. We’re not here to change how you look; we’re here to help you feel great, so you can move through the world with confidence. Because when you feel great in your body, you show up differently, and that’s where the transformation really begins.
What’s one thing people assume about the medspa world that you love proving wrong?
That it’s about hiding or “fixing” something. I love showing people that it’s actually about enhancing what’s already beautiful. We’re just helping you feel like the best version of yourself, inside and out.
What’s something not on your website that defines your brand just as much as the services you offer?
Our culture. You can’t capture that on a treatment menu.
We’re all dedicated experts in the aesthetics industry, and we genuinely love what we do. There’s a sense of joy, creativity, and connection in the way we work together. We laugh, we brainstorm, we have funny day-to-day exchanges, and we love to have fun. And we’re just as passionate about celebrating results and launches as we are about supporting each other.
Culture is everything to us. We’ve built a space rooted in positivity and empowerment, not just for our clients, but for our team. That’s something I feel can sometimes be missing in the aesthetics industry, and it’s incredibly important to me to continue cultivating it. To lead with integrity, create real impact, and have fun while doing - that's TREAT.
Medspas are about transformation—what’s a way you’ve personally transformed since launching TREAT?
To be honest, I always admired founders, but I thought I was more of an intrapreneur than an entrepreneur. I’m fortunate to have partners who saw me as a founder and leader and believed in me enough to launch TREAT together.
Becoming a founder means you grow and transform in ways you never thought possible. You shape shift into whatever role the business needs. In my past life, I focused more on operations, management, and leadership, but now, as part of a new and smaller team, I’ve leaned more into my creative side: social media, marketing, partnerships, outreach, and events.
What’s one question you wish more clients asked themselves before walking into a medspa?
I wish more clients asked themselves: “What’s my long-term goal, not just what do I want to fix today?”
So many people walk in focused on one fine line, one spot, one area, and while we can absolutely treat those things, the best results come when we look at the full picture. Your skin, your body, your lifestyle, they’re all connected.
At TREAT, we’re not about quick fixes. We’re here to build a plan that supports how you want to feel months from now, not just how you want to look in a week. When clients come in with a bigger vision, we’re able to guide them toward lasting, impactful results.
If you could open a new kind of wellness concept under the TREAT umbrella—no limits—what would it look like?
That’s a fun question. If I had unlimited time and budget, I would launch an exclusive beauty private membership club that houses an incredible spa and wellness center inside an iconic building in NYC, or one of my other favorite cities, like Miami or London.
The space would include a range of beauty, health, and wellness services, as well as a private gym, restaurant, co-working space, and late-night lounge. Coming from my Equinox days, where there were so many micro-businesses within the ecosystem, my love for that hasn’t wavered.
And now with all these incredible membership clubs opening, like Zero Bond, Casa Cipriani, The Ned, and Chez Margaux, it would be amazing to house everything in one space.
QUICK-TAKES:
What is your favorite treatment offered at TREAT?
This is a hard one, I have so many! I love our TREAT & Repair facial. It includes a signature facial combined with Laser Genesis and medical-grade LED. No downtime, brightening, toning, and it stimulates collagen.
This past summer, I was loving Emsculpt NEO to burn fat and tighten up areas like the abdomen using HIFEM and gentle radio frequency. I personally hate doing crunches, so this is my go-to for toning my core without having to hold planks for minutes.
If you could describe TREAT in three words, what would they be?
Intentional. Elevated. Transformative.
What’s your founder superpower—and what’s the one thing you still wish you were better at?
My founder superpower is probably the ability to network and tap into the community. I’ve built an incredible network, especially of women in the beauty and fitness industry, but also with creatives and fellow founders here in NYC.
I’m also big on mentoring and providing the guidance I wish I had when I was starting out in this industry.
As for what I wish I were better at? Probably stepping back sometimes and not trying to do everything at once. Also, I have a huge fear of public speaking, but it's something that I want to get better at as I’d love to provide more insight and mentorship later on in my career.
What’s a book, film, or mentor quote that shaped how you lead?
I’ll give you all three.
One of my favorite quotes is from Richard Branson: “Hire great people and then get out of their way.” I believe that as your team grows, you need people who are better than you at what they do, and you need to give them autonomy and ownership.
The Playbook: Coach’s Rules for Life is an incredible documentary about leadership in sports. There’s so much overlap between coaching and business leadership; I’ve watched it twice and it inspires me every time.
Also, Relentless by Tim Grover is a must-read on mindset. It’s intense, but it reminds you what it takes to truly lead at the highest level and how you can challenge yourself mentally, not just physically, to overcome any obstacle.