therapy
Korean Aqua Tox (Skin Booster + Botox Combo)
아쿠아톡스
Hydration + smoothing in one session. Korea’s signature combination injectable for dewy, refined skin.
30-45 min
Duration
Every 3-4 months
Frequency
Bearable
Comfort
Small
Downtime
East vs West
Korean clinic
$300-500
Western equiv.
$700-1200
What you get
Korean
Western
$400 for a combined skin booster + skin botox treatment every 3-4 months. Getting these separately in the West would cost $800-1,500 — and require two appointments.
The Korean philosophy
Korean aesthetics excels at combination treatments — why do one thing when you can do two complementary things at once? Aqua Tox combines the deep hydration of skin boosters with the pore-refining, oil-controlling effects of micro-dose botox. The synergy produces results that neither treatment achieves alone: deeply hydrated AND smooth, poreless skin.
The ritual
Skin cleansing
5 minThorough cleansing and antiseptic preparation. The treatment involves many injection points, so a sterile surface is essential.
Numbing cream
15 minTopical anesthetic is applied generously across the face and left to absorb. Given the number of injections involved in this combination treatment, thorough numbing is important.
Skin booster micro-injection
10 minHyaluronic acid skin booster is injected into the mid-dermis in a grid pattern across the face. These deposits of HA attract and hold water, hydrating the skin from within at a depth that no topical product can reach.
Micro-dose botox injection
10 minHighly diluted botulinum toxin is injected superficially into the upper dermis. This targets the tiny muscles around pores and the sebaceous glands, reducing pore size and oil production without affecting facial expression muscles.
Post-treatment calming
5 minA soothing serum and cold compress minimize swelling and redness. Small bumps at injection sites are normal and flatten within 1-2 days.
Your first time
This is a combination injectable treatment, so expect a session similar to skin boosters or skin botox but slightly longer. After numbing cream, the practitioner makes two passes across your face — first with the hydrating skin booster, then with the diluted botox. Each injection feels like a small pinprick. The whole process takes 30-45 minutes. Afterward, you’ll have small bumps that flatten within 1-2 days. The hydration effect is noticeable within days. The pore-refining effect develops over 1-2 weeks. At 3-4 weeks, you’ll see the full combined effect — deeply hydrated, smooth, poreless skin that looks lit from within.
When to book
Book at least 5-7 days before an event for bumps to resolve and results to develop. For maintenance, every 3-4 months. Consider starting with 2-3 sessions spaced 3-4 weeks apart for initial skin quality transformation, then transitioning to quarterly maintenance.
Best for
Not recommended for
East vs West
Aqua Tox is a uniquely Korean innovation that combines two treatments Western clinics typically offer separately. Korean practitioners developed the protocols for safe and effective combination in a single session, reducing both cost and total downtime. Most Western clinics don’t offer this as a combined treatment — you’d need two separate appointments at significantly higher total cost.
Aftercare
Don’t touch your face for 6 hours. No makeup for 12 hours. Avoid saunas, heavy exercise, and alcohol for 24 hours. Gentle cleanser and ceramide moisturizer only for 48 hours. Small bumps flatten within 1-2 days. SPF 50+ daily.
Keep the glow going
At-home products that extend and complement this treatment
Details