Botox between client calls is the new coffee break

• If looking hot is a job requirement, why not get injectables on the clock?
• As aesthetic procedures become more mainstream, colleagues are turning them into social events.
• Some aestheticians are marketing these parties as networking opportunities.

When groups of real estate agents visit Plump Cosmetics & Injectables together, they're often looking for a quick fix.

"They're like, 'Will this kick in before my showing? I'm selling this million-dollar penthouse,'" said Richelle Marty, chief operating officer at the Botox and filler spa.

Workplace Botox parties are on the rise at Plump, which has locations in New York, New Jersey, and Miami. Marty told Business Insider that bookings for these events, which it defines as groups of six or more clients receiving discounted treatments, often with drinks and charcuterie, have increased by about 20% in the last year.

"It's almost like an afterparty mixer," Marty said, adding that people come in at the end of a workweek and "want to let loose."

The company said it recently hosted a Botox party for six employees at a Manhattan real estate office, where one employee covered the cost for the entire team. She said it was a gesture of appreciation and also may have been an attempt to boost sales in an image-focused industry.

Marty has also seen increased demand from other client-facing professions. Nurses, for example, especially those working overnight or in postpartum units, will come in as teams in between shifts. As these procedures become more mainstream, Marty said clients are increasingly opening up about them in the workplace and deciding to do them together.

"It's a talking point," she said.

The rise of coworker bonding in these spaces reflects a broader boom in aesthetic treatments. At Velour Medical, founded in 2020, neurotoxin sales, including Botox, rose 87.7% from 2024 to 2025. McKinsey previously projected the medical aesthetics market would grow by up to 14% annually through 2026, driven in part by social media and growing cultural acceptance. Last year, the firm reported that the rapid adoption of GLP-1 drugs had driven higher demand for appearance-related treatments overall.

In the era of "looksmaxxing," everyday people are shamelessly open about the work they're getting done, and high-profile moments, like Alix Earle opening up about her procedures or Kylie Jenner's viral reveal about her breast implants, have pushed that transparency further. Plastic surgery and Botox are no longer hush-hush. And now they're a team-bonding experience.

Happy hour 2.0

Velour Medical looks like a high-end coworking space: Luxurious couches, a fully stocked bar with coffees and non-alcoholic beverages, tasteful lamps, eclectic artwork, and a few well-behaved — and well-groomed — dogs milling about. On a recent Wednesday afternoon in downtown Manhattan, a few workers clacked away at ThinkPads or took calls.

The distinction between this space and a WeWork, though, is that the lounge is full of clients awaiting their next injectable. Velour Medical houses a host of medical professionals who will fill, Botox, and thread your Slack group or crew of work besties. Melanie Albert, Velour Medical's director of marketing, said that the company hosts myriad corporate events, either on-site at Velour Medical or at firms' offices. Some coworkers will come in for team bonding after hours; others might drop in on the clock to cowork and then get injected together. Zach Goldstein, the company's COO, said clients generally spend about an hour in the space, including time spent in appointments and using the lounge.

American drinking is declining, but a desire for social connection hasn't dissipated. In a more wellness-focused era, coworkers are swapping traditional happy hours for saunas, fitness classes, and other activities — including aesthetic procedures.

At the same time, the beauty industry is booming. A 2025 McKinsey report found that the sector expanded 7% annually from 2022 to 2024, driven in part by consumers broadening their definition of "beauty" to include wellness, personal care, and aesthetic treatments. Another McKinsey analysis estimates that beyond the core beauty market that includes skin care, cosmetics, hair care, and fragrance, and is expected to reach $590 billion by 2030, an additional $820 billion lies in adjacent categories such as men's grooming and aesthetic injectables.

Of course, there are some considerations that workplaces need to make before welcoming an injector. David Holt, a healthcare business lawyer, said there's been an increase in employers offering aesthetic services as wellness programs or benefits. If a specific identity-based group in the office — say, for example, a "ladies who latte" club — wants to host a party, that could fall into discrimination territory if it's not open to fellow coworkers.

"We get these inquiries all the time," Holt said. The deterrent for some employers, he said, is "you've almost got to think of yourself like a mobile medical office of sorts." That means employers have to be careful about what medical information they have access to; if someone reveals during a Botox party that they have a pre-existing condition, for instance, and an employer moves to fire them, that could be an issue.

Back in 2001, Katherine Rothman, CEO of medical PR firm KMR Communications, helped coordinate the first on-air Botox party with CNN to mark its FDA approval. She said that the reaction at the time was "huge." Now, she said, it's no longer a novelty — or something people are ashamed to talk about.

"Now, even celebrities who are hesitant to admit that they've had other procedures done will usually admit to the fact they get Botox," Rothman said.

Some providers are intentionally leaning into this dynamic, promoting treatments as a professional activity. Catrise Austin, a New York City-based cosmetic dentist specializing in veneers, whitening, and clear aligners, hosts teeth whitening and Botox parties to create a more social, relaxed environment.

"It's a great after-work experience," Austin said, adding that coworkers often attend together and enjoy refreshments.

Austin has even marketed some events as business networking opportunities, attracting beauty industry gurus and other professionals.

Austin said her events tend to draw a mix of "everyday, hardworking people" curious about treatments like Botox and smile makeovers. Some attendees receive free consultations, while others opt for on-the-spot treatments. Most participants are between 35 and 60, working in industries such as beauty, social media, the arts, and home design.

"My goal is to really help anyone who is in the public eye who cares about having a beautiful, healthym and confident smile," Austin said, adding that she uses whitening and Botox parties to "make it a fun environment."