Esthetician Madalaina Conti’s transparency about her own health journey is what keeps her clients coming back. “I was suffering from painful acne and in seeking treatment, I quickly realized the lack of connection between how our inner health affects our skin and the many ways illness can manifest in the body,” she says. “Working through this allows me to truly empathize with my clients.” Through this, Conti created her signature treatment, the 24k gold magnet facial, which uses an electromagnetic matrix to sculpt, depuff, and repair sensitive and acne-prone skin. Her “synergistic” approach to skin care includes an array of modalities, like microcurrent, gua sha, radio frequency, buccal massage, and more.
She credits her love of running her own business to her upbringing — one surrounded by family members who worked in the film and broadcasting industries. Her love for esthetics led her to land jobs at Warren Tricomi Salon and Face Gym before opening her own practice two years ago.
And when she’s not tending to her clients, Conti makes sure to treat her own skin to regular lymphatic-drainage massages, ample hydration, and more. “I never really understood the saying ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ until starting in this industry,” she says. “When you’re working with people, you give so much of yourself on a daily basis. We work so hard and we owe it to ourselves to take care of our bodies so that we can enjoy our life.”
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Here, Conti’s a.m. routine:
7:00 — I immediately brush my teeth. Drinking before brushing tracks all the bacterial growth in your mouth straight to your gut. I first tongue-scrape and then I brush only with Revitin toothpaste. It’s a probiotic and mineral-rich formula that nourishes the oral microbiome instead of stripping it. While brushing, I stand on my Medic Therapeutic Vibrating Platform to get my lymphatic system moving. After, I always chug a big glass of water.
7:05 — I first mist with the Qi Beauty Spritz. I then follow with IS Clinical Hydracool Serum because it gives the best glow and keeps my skin hydrated all day. I then use the Complexion Brightener from Tizo. I love this product because it brightens and evens skin tone while lowering inflammation and protecting with its antioxidant properties.
7:10 — I follow with Tizo Daily Moisturizer. It’s the best non-pore-clogging yet quenching moisturizer. Then Tizo Tinted SPF — also non-pore-clogging and is super dewy. I also love the Tizo Eye Renewal. It’s an eye cream with SPF 25 that is super lightweight and hydrating.
7:15 — If I’m wearing makeup, I’ll use the Danessa Myricks Vision Cream Stick under the eyes. It matches my complexion perfectly and provides just the right amount of coverage without looking cakey. No one does complexion like Danessa in my opinion.
7:17 — For skin, I always go back to the IT Cosmetics CC Nude Glow. It’s light and makes the skin look amazing. For bronzer, I use the Makeup by Mario Cream Bronze and love the Summer Fridays Blush Sticks. This combo looks like a natural glow from within — which is always my goal.
7:22 — I then use the Clear Brow Gel from RevitaLash Cosmetics on my brows. I’m also definitely a lip girly, so I alway change out my lip products. My favorites lately are the Chanel Liner in Nude Brun and Makeup Forever Liner in Wherever Walnut. I usually top this with Aquaphor or Summer Fridays’ Lip Butter Balm.
7:27 — Then I usually tie my hair back if I’m seeing clients, and get dressed.
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Conti’s a.m. wellness routine:
7:45 — I have a little morning wellness routine that I really look forward to and have gotten most people around me on it. It’s my hydrogen and mineral slurry. I put two Water & Wellness Hydrogen tablets in a small glass and top with an ampoule of Quinton Hypertonic. While I wait for the hydrogen to dissolve, I put one ampoule of Quinton Isotonic under my tongue and let it sit for 30 seconds. I then take the hydrogen slurry like a shot and follow with water.
7:50 — I usually love to start my day with a smoothie. My go-to is one scoop of Sakara Metabolism Super Powder, one scoop of Vega Chocolate Protein, and one banana and some almond milk. I’ll of course eat something hardy if I’m hungry, but this usually does it.
8:00 — At this point, I’ll start setting up the studio for the day, checking emails, and reviewing the notes for who I have on the books and any admin work that needs to get done. I love having a matcha latte while I do this (I make a mean one if I do say so). I just make sure I don’t drink caffeine on an empty stomach.
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Conti’s p.m. routine:
8:30 — I’m usually working until around 8 or 8:30 p.m. most days, so my nighttime routine is something I have to work really hard at to turn my brain off. The first thing I do is shower. Before I shower, I use the Goop dry brush. My hair and body care are all by OWAY. It’s an Italian-made brand with really high-quality products that I’ve been in love with for over a year. I love the Detox Body Bath and Body Peeling scrub. I only wash my hair one to two times per week, but when I do, I use the Micro-Stimulating Hair Bath, Smoothing Conditioner, and After Sun Hair Mask.
9:00 — For evening oral care, I brush again with Revitin, then floss and use my WaterPik.
9:05 — For skin, I remove the day with Bioderma Micellar Water. I do this whether I’m wearing makeup or not so that my cleanser is cleaning my actual skin. I then cleanse with the Cleansing Complex from iS Clinical. I love that the willow bark smooths texture and keeps the pores clear without striping the skin. I follow that with the Sofie Pavitt Mandelic Clearing Serum. Mandelic acid has long been one of my favorite ingredients since it targets a multitude of concerns and she really nailed this formulation. I top with the Tizo Daily Moisturizer and use the Face Reality Peptide Eye Gel. Once a week, I use the iS Clinical Active Peel Pads, and two times per week I use my Qi Beauty Home Kit. I then throw my hair in a loose braid.
9:15 — I like to spend a few minutes on my Inversion Table before bed. After leaning over clients all day, it helps me stretch and preserve my posture.
9:30 — I usually make a cup of Peppermint Allegro tea and watch some TV. Every night I lay under my full-body Platinum LED panel for 20 minutes. It’s the best body panel on the market in my opinion. I use it to boost cellular activity, lower inflammation, and ease pain. It’s so relaxing. I’m usually ready for bed by the time the 20 minutes is up. It’s really helped me get into a good pre-sleep routine to unplug from my phone.
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On the beauty marketing ploy that makes her cringe:
The whole emphasis on instant gratification. There are plenty of treatments and devices that offer immediate improvement, but in general, especially when it comes to topicals, consistency is always going to be key. Nothing is a quick fix.
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On the beauty industry:
I’m proud of the number of estheticians I see going off on their own. I find that with a lot of larger corporations, the quality and intention is lost and many times more damage is actually done to clients because of it. Having more solo estheticians allows for more areas of niche service where clients get the attention they deserve. Something I hope will change is the collective acknowledgement of how the whole body is connected. I’m hoping it becomes standard practice and attainable for all.
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On beauty trends:
I’m glad we are going back to a more simple approach. I couldn’t stand when the norm was to have a 20-step routine, which most of the time caused a lot of the skin problems we were having.
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On ingredients:
I usually avoid heavily fragranced products and products that just use certain ingredients because they’re trending. I tend to gravitate toward products that are multitasking yet non-pore-clogging. There are a lot of ingredients that target multiple concerns, which I love, so that I don’t have to use a million products.
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On the beauty services she swears by:
On myself, I do a ton of facials with Qi Beauty, microcurrent, and Celluma LED. I also love supporting my esthetician friends and trying new treatments as often as I can. All my other staples are more wellness related. I’m known to love a gadget and I’ll try pretty much anything. Daily, I use my vibrating platform, inversion table and Platinum LED panel. I go to Nofar Method for Pilates two to three times per week and take long walks often.
Biweekly, I see my chiropractor, Dr. Anselmi, get Acupuncture at WTHN, and take a Studio EMS session. Monthly I get lymphatic massages at Liquid Sculpt or Angela Guerra, and quarterly I get a dental cleaning at Rejuvenation Health. I’ll also do Colon Hydrotherapy at Alivio Wellness. It sounds like a lot, but I’ve gotten it down to a science and it makes me happy. I also work with Fiona Bicknell, who is my holistic coach (and human design expert) and Samantha at Atman Spiritual Healing monthly. This combo is crucial for me mentally to work through the tough stuff. I find it way more meaningful and profound than regular therapy.
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On her beauty routine when in a rush:
I always make sure to focus on skin! Always skin. When your skin is healthy, you don’t need to cover it, unless of course it’s for fun. Lip balm is also key! I genuinely need something on my lips at all times or I’ll short circuit.
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On her biggest beauty inspirations:
My biggest inspirations are real people. The women in my family — especially my mom, my friends, and the people I work with on a daily basis. They all have this incredible ability to do it all, while being the most kind, compassionate people. Genuine energy and intentions, to me, are what make someone truly beautiful.
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